In the single A division, what you see is what you get. South Greene will be back in full force to keep their title, but Clarkrange and Pickett County are hanging in the balance, each waiting to steal the trophy from the defending state champions. However, this is not a three-horse race; there are other teams in this division ready to make history if one of the top three slips.
South Greene is led by the two-time Miss Basketball finalist, Taylor “Fight-A-Circle-Saw” Lamb. She can score, rebound, defend, drive the bus, and whip anyone she plays, plain and simple. Her supporting cast of Wykle, Wykle, and Cutshaw can take care of anything Lamb does not.
Standing in South Greene’s path is the Tennessee basketball stalwart, the most heralded program in the state’s illustrious girls basketball history with the exception of Shelbyville Central, Clarkrange, led by coaching legend, Lamar Rodgers. On the floor, Clarkrange is led by Miss Basketball finalist and MTSU signee Kara Meadows. Meadows is everyone’s singular problem with Clarkrange; all opponents will have to triple-team Meadows to stop her, and even then, the ‘Range’s supporting cast will burn them with their fundamental style of play.
Clarkrange may be fundamentally sound, but Pickett County plays a style of basketball that most teams in single A can’t keep up with. They like to shoot the long ball and get up and down the floor very quickly. They have had two barnburners with Clarkrange this season, and will have two more before the state tournament begins.
Other teams that have good chances of making it to the Glass House are Moore County, led by Kirsten Hawkins, Gleason, coached by Sean Stephenson, Greenfield, led by freshman Tess Darby, and let’s not forget about Jackson County, coached by the legendary Jim Brown. They are an upset away in the district or region semifinals from making it back to the Boro, a tall task considering the upset will be against Clarkrange or Pickett County.
For my own enjoyment, I would love to see a South Greene/Clarkrange final. Two of the most storied programs in the state going head-to-head again would be one for the ages and I bet Coach Larry Ricker would be smiling down from above watching these two heavyweights fight it out for the gold ball again.