pandora9

It dont take a rocket scientist to realize Unaka is not playing good at all if there is any team who is playing up to par in that conference right now it is North Greene. All the talk about Unaka being one of the top teams in single A this year has rather faded or has been thrown away because from what I have saw of them they are not playing good at all.Letting a weak Cloudland team play with you and letting North Greene come into your gym and play with you to the buzzard is pathetic. They will struggle when it comes districts because North Greene has got the confidence that they can play with them now and the fact North Greene beat Cosby by 1 last night if that tells Unaka anything the way I see it that is who Unaka will struggle with come districts and Hancock County will be hard for Unaka to play with also if they keep playing the way there playing.In no way shape or form does Unaka have a shot at getting back to where they got last year.They dont have the scoring and leadership like they had last year it takes a little more than just sticking 5 guys on the floor and saying here go play you got to have guys who have heart and want to win and I havent seen that at all with Unaka this year.

Unaka should win this contest by 20 with out a doubt but you got to remember Unaka has struggled in conference play so far this year only defeating a weak North Greene team by 1 at Unaka and by 9 at North Greene and North Greene beat thereselves the last game by missing 5 layups to start the 4th quarter. And dont forget they only beat University school by 10 and University school had 3 technical fouls in that ball game.So the way I see it it is anybodys game when they play.In my opinion this is the weakest I have seen Unaka play in a long time. Your a defending state championship team letting a weak North Greene team come into your place and only get beat by 1 is sorry If you ask me Unaka will be lucky to win the regionals. And if there districts and regionals wasn't so pathetic than Unaka wouldn't even come close to competing for another trip to the state. They will see how tough it is when they have to play someone like Cosby or Cak someone who knows how to play the game.And I wouldnt be surprised if this is Ensors last year of coaching.

I rest my case. thumb

Hey since its obvious your his dad last time I checked no one cares about his individual stats.And the last time I checked Unaka does not have the toughest conference in East Tennesse. University High is a very weak basketball team and I am pretty sure he wouldnt have had no problem trapping guards of there calliber. And you gotta remember Unaka's schedule is not as beefed up as it was last year. You put him up against someone like Temple which he did not do nothing against this year North Greene where he had trouble even scoring or any team who has decent guard play and a good size post and you take him out of every aspect of the game.I have saw Unaka play this year and there post game does not impress me a bit. He plays lazy on defense doesnt get back against quick teams on the press he is a decent scorer but does the same thing everytime so a good team will key on that. we will see how he does against quality competition if Unaka makes it back to the state tournament West Tn and Middle Tn post players are no joke your talking about 6'7 6'8 solid post players who can jump run the floor and score at will thats when we will find out if Dad can cash the check he has written for his son.

I have seen the kid play.He is no 6'7 he is about 6'5 maybe 6'6 255 he gets tired really easy and hurts them when they press when he is tired he seems to get in foul trouble and either likes to push in the back to get the basktball or spins to the middle 90 percent of the time to shoot a hook shot. He has no left hand and likes to play physical inside so if ur a smart player in the post you can get him in trouble.But he is by far not the best post player in East Tennessee. I would go withTimmy Blakely from Cosby can run the floor play above the rim block shots and knock down the 15 footer he has the whole package that is what a good post player is all about.

That was no disrespect to you Cline because if your the same Cline as the one on Unaka's team then you are a heck of a ball player I am just trying to explain to hotcorner 2 that there is a big difference between you guys and last years team you all played well together last year and had all the right tools and had what it took to accomplish what you guys did last year and no one can take that away. Now what I am stating is this. Any team who loses key players always have a tough time struggling to get back or even win it back to back you can ask any team who has ever made it or won it except maybe the dominant Memphis White Station who has repeted a numerous amount of times.But that's besides the point bottom line is if Unaka needs to quit worrying about the sucess they accomplished last year and realize they they dont have the guys to save them like they did last year when things were not going well and get some players to step up and do something on that team instead of relying on 2 players team concept is what makes a team successful dont forget that.

Did we fell to mention that Unaka only beat a weak North Greene team by 1 point. If you call that progressing then your expectations are not to high.Like I said and everyone else has said around here Unaka is nowhere the team they were last year. It dont take a rocket scientist to figure that out if you have seen them play. Big comparison between this years and last years group. Starting 5 is deffinitely not as strong as last years bunch and depth is a very big weakness as well. Everyone will see how they stack up against a good basketball team this friday when they host the team they put out in the semi finals of last years state tournament basketball game Tennesee Temple and Division 2 powerhouse Chattanooga Mcallie.They will be tested and they will be tested hard and then you can tell me if you see a big difference in trying to fill missing pieces to a successfull puzzle. Good luck to all teams and have a safe trip down thumb

What is wrong with Unaka right now I hear they are off to a disturbing start? Only scoring 15 points going late into the 3rd quarter being defeated by a mediocur Pickett County team and turning around the next night and losing to Clay County If im not mistaken.From what I am hearing they are nothing like last years team that won the class A state title.Whats the problem? I know they lost a big crop of talent from last years team but there is not that much talk about this years team as there has been in the past of the rest of the Unaka teams.We all know how hard it is to repeat winning back to back state championships just for the simple fact you have everyone gunning for you every night you step out on the hardwood. Maybe it is just early in the season Unaka seems to play its best ball once tournament time rolls around they seemed to hit a hot streak last year and just never stopped from that point on.They should roll through there conference easy because everyone knows region 1 A is not the best region in single A basketball playing teams like Cloudland, University High, North Greene, and Clinch, just dont seem to be the hardest way to advance to play a substate birth so you can count on them playing a substate game the question is can they make it a home game. Both Rockwood,Cosby,and Oneida, are loaded this year Rockwood returning the very tough guard Elery Harvest.Cosby possibly having a twice as talented team comming back as last years with 6'5 post player Timmy Blakely.The Valentine kid is back as well and there new transfer out of Cocke County Dexter Manning who is supposed to be 10 times a better shooter than standout Kent Black from last year. Unaka better get things together because once the cakewalk is over in region 1 they will be facing a whole lot better competition in the region 2 area and if it comes to playing Cosby at there place then I have a feeling that Unaka will struggle.Everyone knows how hard it is to get a win over the eagles Unaka barely pulled one out last year hitting a game winning 3 point shot at the buzzard as time expired.Being down 10 in the 4th quarter and coming back to advance to the state. Im calling this one out right here so all you people can say I told you so Unaka will get upset in the substate against either Rockwood or Cosby.Unaka has nothing like the calibur of team they had last year and no depth coming of the bench.

One Fan

The 2004 basketball season is right around the corner as is the Watauga Valley Conference.Unaka highschool your returning class A state champions will look to defend not only there 7th or 8th strait conference title and a region and substate title but will be defending there state championship title.Dont count Cloudland out yet though they will have alot to play for when playing Unaka this year.Ned Smith always has his players ready to go when it comes to conference play.Unaka returns all starters but 3. losing watauga valley conference and carter county player of the year Rusty Chambers/defensive player of the year Cody Collins. The Jones kid will be a big loss to losing another 6'5 post player inside to clean up the boards.But return 3 talented players as well Derek Cline,Tyler Mccann,and Rusty Holtsclaw.And Tssaa all classifications coach of the year Donald Ensor.On Cloudlands side they lost not only there stud point guard Mark Byrd and shooting guard Craig Cook but lost about 20 points a game in the paint Robbie Tolley.It will be hard replacing all the talent that both of these teams lost last year but should be another great battle in the watauga valley conference.And Unaka should be tested once again this year to see if there worthy of another state title.I was looking on there schedule for this years season and as always seems tough as in the past just almost identicle to last years schedule for the acception of a couple of teams. Now the question the ranger fans should be asking thereselves now is will there be enough depth to bring back a state title.If I recall last year Unaka was bringing in Both Mccann and Holtsclaw off the bench in some of those games last year they were both roll players if you remember any part of the regular season now you think this year the players that was backing up Chambers,Collins,and Jones last year will be playing a big part of the time if not the whole game now who will seek help on there side as in depth on the bench Unaka last year had 2 guys Mccann and Holtsclaw who could come in and give a big spark off the bench when needed. This year who will give them the breaks in a big game long enough to last up to a full game.Because if you ask yourself can Holtsclaw run the floor a full game against a team like Temple,Cosby,Oneida.When the guards come out who will give them a lift or enough time to take a break before a team like Temple or Pickett Co starts full court pressuring and gains a big enough lead to where you cant get back in the game.That will be Unaka's weakest link this year is depth without that it will be tough accomplishing the same goal you guys did last year as for repeating. Predictions. Unaka vs Cosby in the substate finals and Cosby gets revenge on what happened in last years finals.

Chambers is at Lincoln Memorial free ride Dugger is at Lees McRae full ride free college education - priceless

Unaka players, community fighting say it aint so. Wilsonball you are obviously a player. Wilsonball it is funny how you "quote" big players step up in big games obviously this kid is not to much of a player because he wasnt a threat during the regular season and deffinitly wasnt a threat during the regional and district tournaments.All this talk about this kid is enough to flood the creek up there for you guys.Anyone who watched Unaka play last year knows that those 3 seniors carried you guys and basically got you into the state tournament and if it was anyone who got you there it was the Chambers kid.And his average must have had to been good considering he was Wvc player of the year and swept mvp in both the regionals and the district.And to scoring averages who cares what who scores it is a team game right they did all acomplish winning a state championship. Even though you must be this kids brother or a big fan or relative I will go easy on you because anyone who witnessed the state tournament knows Chambers did what he had to do to win even if it was passing the ball consistently he knew what to do to make the players around him better him and the Mccann kid worked good together and was probably the best 2 players in that state tournament in my mind. So why go and try to base accomplishments on and individual bases it was a team effort and I am glad you guys won just remember this year how you got there and try to do the same thing for your community and the city of Elizabethton and Carter County.

Unaka has got alot of talent coming back this year but lost to much talent off of last years team.They should dominate there conference with what little the other teams have coming back. North Greene,Cloudland,University High and Clinch will be down from losing there key players from last year.Tolley and Byrd from Cloudland and Tyson and Collins from University High.Should be a whole lot weaker than last years conference but thats like predicting the weather a week before it rains. Will Unaka be good this year?Yes Can they make it back?Possibly.But there shot at winning another state championship may be very impossible with all the talent that Pickett County,Temple,Cpa,and Grace have comming back.Now I have followed the Watauga Valley Conference from some years now and Unaka usually seems to dominate it but saying that this years team coming up will be better than last years team is some pretty big words and have some pretty big shoes to fill. Not knocking this years team because you guys lost some players but when you think about it you lost the Chambers kid who could put up about 22 a night.Your senior guard who could handle the basketball really well and was a deadly shooter from the outside and another big post player who could score descent inside and rebound.Unaka should be good that is no doubt but last years Unaka team is one of the best Unaka teams I have seen come through in a long time even when Aaron Duggers team was there last years team had great chemisty and mixed really well together and when you lose players off a team its like having missing parts to a car there hard to replace but coach Ensor is one of the best coaches in Tennessee so I know that he will find someway to lead Unaka Highschool back to the state. And yes Unaka did deserve to be in the arbys last year after seeing Honaker and the local teams perform there in actions. thumb

The Arby's Classic is a joke you have teams that have no buisness being in it.You want a good attendance showing and great games then why do you have sorry teams as in Elizabethton,Tennesee High,Sullivan East,Honaker,I could go on but all these people saying Unaka dont have a chance on here i was in attendance and they wasnt the best team in that tournament but you ask you put on a good show and they will tell you Unaka.People dont wont to see all theses highschool teams like Sullivan East and Elizabethton get drilled by someone like Bradley Central by 40 points take your 6 best teams out of your local area even if there small like for instance Last years Unaka,Dobyns Bennet,Tennessee High,Sullivan Central,Boone,Happy Valley,and you play with those top 6 and then you invite your basic teams that have participated in the past as long as you keep the competition you had in last years tourney you will always be degraded by all these fans around the area. It's like "rangerbook"said if you really think about it Dale Burns dont wont any other local teams in there that he knows he has a shot of getting beat against.

Elizabethton needs to wake up and quit making exscuses for themselves and take these losses to heart.They have Daniel Boone coming up this week and dont think for one second that they will be a pushover by no means.If i do recall they just snapped a good Johnson County ballclubs 5 game winning streak Friday night. Elizabethton is one of the most dissapointing teams in the county right now except for the fact they did give Sullivan East the ball game the other night.I dont know what the problem is down there at "cyclone high" but i see some spots being filled in some of the coaching areas down there in the next couple of years Pless needs some back up or a offensive coordinator who will come in and put points up on the board and win some ball games dont blame it on Eddie Pless because he cant do it all and dont blame it on the players blame it on the people who put them out there. You cant expect a field goal kicker to come out and save your butts every time you are in a situation and need points like the other night 99 percent of the teams in this area would have pounded it in and scored when they was on the goaline the other night and if they couldnt have settled for that they would have gone for 3. All i got to say is the Elizabethton Highschools football program is "Shellshocked"

Well Glee lets see the pass over in the corner of the endzone that was overthrown.the pass that was intercepted which was luckely called back for roughing the passer Elizabethton was fortunate last night a couple of times into the game.and my theory if your running back has been running the ball as well as he did last night and my team is on the goaline it dont take a rocket scientist you pound it in. No second guessing there just common sense.

Yes Krich i do have some insite on last nights football game before halftime. If my memory corrects me it was when Elizabethton had the ball on the goaline and coach Pless signeled for a run play and jeffers #7 checked the play call off and decided to call the play on his own which resulted in a turnover might have been a field goal but the point is why would you check your coach off when you have the ball on the goalline and risk the chances on a interception which happend and was fortunate to get the ball back on the count of a roughing the passer call. Elizabethon cost thereselves the ball game last night single handedly plain and simple.

Didnt help to much either when Jeffers checked of coach pless when they was was on the goaline either.

Like i said last week you stop Brandon Gash and you stop Greenvilles offense. The offense Elizabethtons defense will be up against this week is highly more talented then Greenvilles offense.Matt Eads is one of the most talented QB's in East Tennessee.He is smart with the football makes good decisions and his stats have been off the charts starting from his sophmore year through this season. Elizabethtons defense showed me alot against Greenville when you go into burley stadium on there homecoming and hold them to 6 points my hat goes off to them. But it dont matter what kind of defense you had last week if you dont have that same kind of defense you had last friday the way your offense has been playing Sullivan East will come in and make Elizabethtons homecoming a disaster. Its going to boil down to the same thing it did against Greenville stop Matt Eads you stop there offense.They might hold East to under 21 but Elizabethtons offense has not even seen 21 the past 2 games i will go with Sullivan East in this contest. Sullivan East-21 Elizabethton-7

Here is some info to sum up this years season for Elizabethton. The cyclones are off to a 1-3 start as of so far getting beat by opponents such as Science Hill 24-13 Tennesee High 35-3 Sullivan South 10-9.That is a total of having 69 points scored on but on the flipside of things throughout 4 games Elizabethton has only put up 48 points.Thats not a good sign exspecially when you got Johnson County comming up who has already put up a total of 113 points in 4 games,Sullivan East who has put up 191 points in 4 games and this weeks opponent Greenville who has put up 127. The Cyclones are looking at a 3-7 record if hope dont come alive come this friday. If the cyclones dont step up there offense for there next 5 games then there will be problems.Sullivan East is averaging the same number of points in one game as Elizabethton has averaged total in there past 4 games as is Johnson County. Daniel Boone is a darkhorse in this case you dont know when they will show up to play having scored 71 points total throughout 4 games.As well as Sullivan Central they shouldnt have much trouble with the cougars seeing how they total 37 points so far not to impressive if you ask me nothing like the old Sullivan Central teams. Bottom line if Elizabethton does not step up there game on the offensive side of the ball then they will be no way they finish the season out with a winning record even possibly when 3 games.Keys to winning this weeks ball game is to contain Brandon Gash hold there offense to under 20 points and make some big plays on offense. But it will be tough for a 1-3 Elizabethton team to match up against a 2-3 Greenville team playing at Burley stadium and it being the night of there homecoming. Greeneville-21 Elizabethton-7 Elizabethton 1-3 (48 points scored) Unicoi-1-3 (67 points scored) Johnson County 4-0 (113 points scored) Daniel Boone 2-2 (71 points scored) South 3-1 (106 points scored) East 4-0 (191 points scored) Tn High 4-0 (186 points scored) Central 1-3 (37 points scored) Elizabethton next to last so far on the scoring charts