thunderbolts

Yes, the ability to get outs against a good hitting team. I don’t think Peabody, Milan, or Bradford have an outstanding ace, but they have a lot of guys that I would consider #2’s if that makes sense. If a team has multiple guys that would be considered #2’s on a pitching staff that bodes well in a tournament like this. Last year, Peabody and Bradford both made it to the semifinals and both return everyone from those teams. If anything their coaching staffs have developed more pitching because they realized what they lacked last year. Of course, Eagleville knows exactly what needs to be done as they are the defending champs and has the luxury of playing on their home field. They are the favorites and will be a tough out. Good Luck to every team that made it this far. It will all play out over the next few days and it is looking like weather will not be a factor like it was last year.

I would agree. I am thinking two is a possibility. All of the pitching staffs are fairly deep with talent. Bradford has four solid pitchers. Peabody has six or seven solid arms (insane for a class A team to be that deep with pitching). Milan has four to five and South Gibson has a ton of arms that are pretty solid. Good Luck to all teams there.

4 Teams from Gibson County making it to the state tournament throughout classes 1A through 3A. Pretty impressive for a small little rural county. Hope all do well in Murfreesboro. 1A - Bradford and Peabody 2A - Milan 3A - South Gibson

I like the new format, but I agree with what you said especially about the umpires. I am sure there will be a forum started sometime this weekend about how awful the umpiring was during their sectional, but what do you expect. Quality umpires are not going to take off of work to work a noon start midweek. Also, keep in mind most high school umpires have not worked many 3-man crews and your college umpires that are familiar with working 3-man have taken many days or half days of vacation from their jobs that it is not worth them taking any more vacation days for what they are getting compensated. Those early start times will be very interesting when it comes to the umpires.

One just signed to play baseball yesterday, and the one not playing ball is going to a very prestigious trade school in Florida. Amazing group of young men that will definitely do good things in this world. High character young men, and they have definitely worked to get the next group ready for next year. The young lineman coming up definitely have some talent, but I think the biggest problem will be depth. This is going to be one of the few times in recent history that we will not have the depth on the offensive line. Remember you don't replace 24 seniors and not skip a beat at the 1A, 2A level. There will be some growing pains.

I can not believe I am actually going to agree with you. I see Huntingdon, Riverside, and Milan just being to much for us this year. Our game with Adamsville, I feel like will be for the fourth playoff berth this year. If we were in any other region, we would be competing for a region title. This region is going to be fun to watch and an absolute battle every week. Look at the history of the programs in this region over the last 10-15 years. There will be a good football team not making the playoffs each of the next two years, I just hope it is not us.

I hope it continues, but those lineman they lost 3 of the 4 are playing at the next level. For a 1A, 2A school that will be extremely hard to replace.

I agree. I would be shocked if you don't win the entire thing. You guys are definitely the favorite to bring back a Gold Ball back to Middleton.

It will be tough for MASE to stop the two bigs for Humboldt, but in saying that it will be tough for Humboldt to slow down the guard play for MASE. This should be a very competitive game. Sub state night is always an awesome night of basketball. Every year there is also a few upsets that shake things up. I think Middleton has been waiting 365 days for this night to come back around as they were one of the big upset victims last year. I believe they will have the opportunity to put a running clock on Booker T. tonight. Should be an awesome night of basketball!

Did we forget what happened at Peabody during the regular season last year? Not 4 wins last year. Last year is in the past, it will all be determined in the next 2 weeks.

As the season is about to begin, I heard rumors that the postseason format has changed for Division I (public schools) this year. Is this correct?

I remember a few years ago during a substate game the lights went out at the school that was hosting in Memphis. To complete the game they moved the game to another gym. The team from rural West TN. was up by a few points at the point of interruption, but when they resumed it at the new location the Memphis team absolutely blew the rural team out. I believe it ended near a 25-30 point game. When you go into Memphis you have no idea what will happen.

I would agree it is about competition and matchups. But, the only time Clay County has ever beaten a team from the west at the state tournament was in 2021. I would say that last years Peabody team was the 3rd best team from the west, but got hot at the right time. Going through Memphis is extremely tough in basketball and teams that don't have to do that do not understand how truly hard it is.

Both teams and programs are very good. Of course, the last few years for Clay speaks for itself. I would say that if Middleton didn't have to go through Memphis they would have been to the state tournament a few more times and maybe even a few more championships. Good Luck to both teams the rest of the postseason, Both teams should make it to Murfreesboro and once you get to the glass house anything can happen.

Middleton High School Tigers · Middleton, TN (Hardeman County) SUBMIT HISTORICAL ITEMS Boys' Basketball Championship Record: 14-7 Appearances (10): 2011, 2005, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1981, 1980, 1977, 1976, 1953 Finals Appearances/Runners-up (4): 2011, 2005, 1992, 1980 Championships (3): 2005, 1992, 1980 Clay Co. High School Bulldogs · Celina, TN (Clay County) @CLAYCOUNTYDAWGS SUBMIT HISTORICAL ITEMS Boys' Basketball Championship Record: 7-10 Appearances (12): 2022, 2021, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2011, 2006, 1986, 1985, 1984 Finals Appearances/Runners-up (2): 2021, 2017 Championships (1): 2021

Middleton is usually in the conversation in Class A basketball. Year in and year out they are one of the best programs in all of the state for small town basketball.

Yes, got very intense.

My son plays for Peabody. Needless to say we have had some great games over the last few years. I feel there is a respect between the two teams. Hopefully, we will play you guys a few more times this year.

I hope the last part of my statement does not come to fruition (LOL), but this Middleton team can beat you many different ways and are coached by one of the best coaches in all of the state. They are going to be an extremely tough out. Congratulations to all of the finalist.

RJ Robinson. Best player on the #1 ranked team in the state. I believe this year Middleton will get to the glass house (again), and in my opinion will bring home the gold ball.

Said it awhile back when people started to write them off. They have young talent and this senior group is a special group of kids. I know it is a different sport but when you have two starters going to Vanderbilt and Rhodes that is special. They just don’t let anybody into institutions like that. And Wade will simply get after it. His energy and intensity is awesome to watch. I feel they will be a tough out. We will see over the next month.

Agree 100%, you can not detect stupid. Most of these situations are just stupid. If people would just respect each other and know when to shut their mouths most of this stuff would not happen.

Usually it is not current students that cause the problems. But, they had to be affiliated with the school in some way or they would not have gone to the game. Either they knew someone playing or a former student (maybe 5-10 years ago). It is usually the adults that don’t know how to act that causes these problems. Either way the administration has to change something. Whatever they are doing is obviously not working.

Saw a very disturbing video of a brawl that happened at Humboldt last night. I don’t see a final score listed anywhere, and Humboldt has taken down any video that would show what happened. Safety is the number one goal for any event and this has certainly become a major problem with events that Humboldt has held over the last few years. I will not go into what happened last year at a basketball game there. There has to be serious discussions with the administration at Humboldt and other schools that play them. It is getting to the point where the visiting teams need to tell Humboldt that they refuse to play at Humboldt. I know that will hurt the Humboldt student athletes, but maybe then everyone will realize how serious of a problem it is to play at Humboldt. I should not be fearing for my life or the life of my child by going/playing in a high school basketball game!

Peabody by 4 Northside by 6 Crockett by 8 Chester County by 6 TCA by 10+