CLOUDLAND LADY HIGHLANDERS

[The Highlander]

To make these posts easier to locate for the 'Lander faithful, I've decided to post them in their own topic, instead of the format of the last three years, which had them in Krich's Tri-County Weekly Post. This seems to make more sense, and will not tie up the TCWP quite as much. If you 'Landers don't like the format, please let me know.

 

LADY 'LANDER UPDATE - Johnson County

 

Well, the Lady Longhorns rode into Roan Mountain looking for a rodeo. But they pretty much had the saddle put on them by the 'Landers. The final score was 50-37, but the Longhorns really were never in the game from the get go. By quarter the scoring was:

 

1st 14-6

2nd 33-20

3rd 39-30

4th 50-37

 

The Longhorns were kept somewhat in the game by the 'Landers amazing ability to foul Angie Church. (That's where the saddle part comes in--we definitely had one on her and Kechia Eller). At halftime, JC had actually only scored 6 points from the field, the remainder of their points were from the charity stripe. Over half of their points in the game came from gimme's.

 

The first quarter saw Jordi Miller drain a couple of 3's to match JC's entire team production for the period. BJ added a bucket and two free throws of her own, while Sydnie Buchanan and Bekah Tolley put in baskets as well. Really not too much going on in the period.

 

Second quarter action picked up, with both teams having their highest scoring periods. Sydnie B. lit it up for 5, with her own three pointer, BJ pumped in four more, Jordi hit another three also. All in all, Cloudland had six girls score in the period. JC tried to match up with a 14 point period of their own. The Church free throws totaled 8 of 9 plus a basket in just the 2nd. Eller also got many trips to the charity stripe and hit 4 of 6. Unfortunately for JC, that was all they could muster for scoring in the period. I have a hunch Coach Birchfield will be stressing the importance of not fouling in practice tomorrow.

 

Cloudland let down somewhat in the third, with various lineups on the floor. JC actually outscored the 'Landers 10-6 in the third. Both teams appeared sluggish after the intermission. Maybe a few Dr. Enuf's would help at the Cosby game this Friday!

 

Fourth quarter, Cloudland picked up where they started the game with pressure defense causing problems for JC. Danielle Potter had a big game for us of the bench, with 4 of her 8 points coming in the fourth. BJ added three more, and Brittany Reece and Bekah Tolley adding baskets as well.

 

Really not a lot to say about the game. BJ led Cloudland in scoring with 11, Jordi Miller poured in 9 more, Danielle Potter had maybe her best career game with 8 points, unfortunately she also led us in fouls with 5.

 

Johnson County needs to find someone that will step up and help draw attention from Angie Church and Kechia Eller. Church led the game with 15, and Eller had an additional 12 points. The problem is, no one else had more than 4.

 

Next up is Cosby on Friday night at Sonny Smith Gymnasium. Don't sit on your hands, come on down and support the Highlanders!!

 

The Highlander

[coachh17]

A win is a win, but certainly not by as big a margin as I expected. Has Johnson County improved significantly, or was Cloudland toying with them?

[The Highlander]

CoachH,

I generally like to say only positive things about kids in public places, but the game was pretty much a snoozer, and I think the Ladies looked at it as a scrimmage. Coach played the bench for significant minutes, and we didn't pressure the ball much. High intensity defense and the more normal high speed transition game Cloudland plays would have resulted in a much more lop-sided win. Good time to work on set plays, run some offensive possessions through to the best shot, etc. All but two of our players scored, and one of them got robbed twice with the ball inside the net and finding its way back out.

 

Johnson County has a couple of good players, namely Angie Church (who was 11 of 13 from the "oops" line) and Kechia Eller. Without the free throws (Eller only missed two as well) the game would have been ridiculous. J.C. had only 18 points from the floor. I haven't seen Unaka play yet, that could be a better matchup, and certainly J.C. would find a game against University High.

 

Friday night's game against Cosby will be a better indicator of how we are playing this week. Also keep in mind we played Unicoi and Johnson County short one starter. She'll be back next week I hear.

 

The Highlander

[coachh17]

Thanks for the more detailed explanation.

[The Highlander]

LADY 'LANDER UPDATE: Cloudland 51 Cosby 21

 

Well 'Lander Fans, The Eagle has landed in Roan Mountain, and it wasn't pretty. The 'Landers hit Cosby and knocked them for a loop...just about the time they got off the bus...

 

The Eagles did have a lead on Cloudland at 2-0, then Jordi Miller hit the first of her threes, and the 'Landers were off to the races. Miller ended the first period with three 3-pointers, BJ Johnson added two more, and Sydnie B. hit a free throw to total 12 points in the first quarter. That was Cosby's total at the end of the first half.

 

Cloudand never let the Eagles score double digits in any quarter, and in fact they didn't score in double digits in the entire second half.

 

Not much to say, I hope the Eagles enjoyed a fine dinner at Bob's Dairyland, at least it wouldn't be a totally wasted trip.

 

Jordi Miller finished as the game's high scorer, putting on a shooting clinic by hitting 5 three-pointers. Brooke Johnson added twelve more, Sydnie had nine, Bekah Tolley pounded in six from the paint, plus one from the charity stripe. Danielle Potter got her very first varsity start and tallied four points, several rebounds, and two fouls (inside joke there!). Britanny Reece and Julia Wilson completed the scoring with two apiece.

 

Next up is Providence Academy. Not much of a game, but dang the Hot Fudge Sundae's are great! And the people are the most friendly of anywhere we will play this year.

 

Great job Ladies!

 

The Highlander

[screenandroll]

Congrats to the Lady Highlanders, Highlander. But again this year we ask the same question. Why would Cloudland want to play a team they know they are 20 points better than (Cosby, Providence)? How can this do the team any good? They can not get any better playing these types of teams. If they want to compete in Murfreesboro then they must play teams that will get them prepared. Granted Cosby in the past used to have some quality teams, but in the last 5 years or so they have not been very strong. It might cost the Highlanders a few wins but in the long run wouldn't it be better for them. You seem to have some inside insight to the program so I am asking you your opinion. Why do they do this year in and year out? If a team is young, inexperienced and don't know how to win then I could foresee these types of games. But this Lady Highlander team is not young or inexperienced and they surely know how to win. Stiffer competition could only make them a better team. Your opinion?

[krichunaka]

Congrats to the Lady Highlanders, Highlander. But again this year we ask the same question. Why would Cloudland want to play a team they know they are 20 points better than (Cosby, Providence)? How can this do the team any good? They can not get any better playing these types of teams. If they want to compete in Murfreesboro then they must play teams that will get them prepared. Granted Cosby in the past used to have some quality teams, but in the last 5 years or so they have not been very strong. It might cost the Highlanders a few wins but in the long run wouldn't it be better for them. You seem to have some inside insight to the program so I am asking you your opinion. Why do they do this year in and year out? If a team is young, inexperienced and don't know how to win then I could foresee these types of games. But this Lady Highlander team is not young or inexperienced and they surely know how to win. Stiffer competition could only make them a better team. Your opinion?

 

 

Not trying to speak for The Highlander, but scheduling isn't an exact science. Besides, Cosby has been gracious enough to drive to the far reaches of Carter County for decades, and as you mentioned, Cosby has had some pretty good teams.

 

Maybe with the new coach at Elizabethton, something will be worked out so that the Lady Highlanders can start a series with Elizabethton.

[The Highlander]

SNR,

I can answer why we schedule Providence Academy in three words...HOT FUDGE SUNDAES! If other area teams had as good a concession stand, we might play them also.

 

Actually, I've been told that Providence Academy has elected to be in our conference, that would be why we are playing them.

 

And I certainly agree that playing a tough schedule develops championship teams. But while Elizabethton will play Hampton and University School, they would not schedule us. Len inherited his schedule, so I would expect that to change next year. Happy Valley will not schedule us in the regular season, South Greene would not schedule us this year, although they would scrimmage us in Greene County. In exchange for those games, we picked up AAA Greeneville, and Mitchell County, NC.

 

Because we have dominated the Christmas Tournament in Avery County (beating Elizabethton in the championship as I recall), we aren't going there this year. Instead, we are going to Harriman and playing more of the mid-state teams we don't usually get to see.

 

However, I'm a little perturbed at comments by a number of our armchair coaches this season. Cosby is the only single-A team we have played this year, and they have historically been a pretty good team. Last year in Cosby they gave us a good game, don't remember the score, but I think we won by 12-15. Tough, very physical game. Has it occured to anyone that the reason Cosby looked so outclassed is the superior play from the 'Landers?

 

We played Happy Valley, one of the better teams in the Seven, beat them at home. We lost a multi-year starter (Shellie McKinney) in this tourney, against Morristown West. Then we went to Unicoi County, played the #1 team in the Seven in many people's opinion, started the fourth quarter down by double-digits and came back in beat them in double OT. Now, instead of ending people's speculation about our depth, or talking about how well we played through adversity, the "experts" on here just decided that maybe Happy Valley and Unicoi really were not that good afterall. Quite frustrating. As to our depth, we have started seven different players this year already, and will likely see the eighth soon.

 

Yes, we lost to Morristown West, a AAA team that Elizabethton played a great second half against and eventually beat. But, check their rosters. Cloudland was the only team in the tourney that played a full complement of Morristown West's starters. They were short at least one starter in each of their other two games. And we had our worst half of the season in the second, when it mattered. We just didn't finish business.

 

The Lady 'Landers have two mottos this year:

 

#1 Pity the Unprepared

and

#2 Success Breeds False Friends and True Enemies, Succeed Anyway

 

The common thread here is that just maybe the 'Landers are a little deeper and a little gutsier than they are being given credit for. And if they play a pushover team, so what, let them have a fun game. There is at least one pushover on everyone's schedule. What does Elizabethton learn by thrashing UH? What does Unaka learn by winning 82-10?

 

The Highlander

[krichunaka]

Highlander,

 

Great Post! And, your Lady Highlanders certainly have, and have always

had, my utmost respect. In fact, to the point that the Lady Highlanders

are ranked Number One in this week's Tri-County Seven. Not bad for a

little ole team from The Roan, huh?

[The Highlander]

Krich,

Thank you for your reply. I feel much better now after getting it all out of my system! Heck, everybody plays at least one patsy team every year. Even the Lady Vols play George Washington for instance. I'm just a little put out at the change of opinion some of our local "experts" (and I put myself in that category of Monday morning quarterbacks) have had this year. If Cloudland beats a team, well they just weren't as good as they were supposed to be. But if we had lost, well we told you the 'Landers weren't very good. That is very aggravating.

 

And for Screenandroll, I should add SNR isn't one of the posters I've noticed flip flopping. SNR just kicked me out of my drowsiness and gave me a prod to respond!

 

Are the Highlanders perfect? Good grief no! But like Elizabethton, South Greene, Unicoi, and maybe a couple of others in the area, they will give anybody a doggone good run for their money when they are on. And I'll put up money that no one is working any harder during the season, or between seasons than the Ladies on the Mountain!

 

By the way, I forgot to mention that Cosby had four players, including two starters, that didn't dress out against us for injury and health reasons. I honestly don't think Cosby is that bad a team, we made them look bad, and they didn't line up their best against us in the first place.

 

The Highlander

[coachh17]

I don't think I have flip-flopped on Cloudland. I have said all along that they should make it to Murfreesboro. I have had Elizabethton at #1 all along and will keep them there until they lose to a team in the Seven. Obviously, they don't play Cloudland this year so someone else will have to beat them. Unicoi Co. gets there first chance next week, and they look to be rolling after their loss to Cloudland. Elizabethton lost last night and it will be interesting to see how they bounce back against a good Tennessee High team tonight.

[screenandroll]

Highlander, I didn't post the question for you to get defensive. I was just wondering what you thought about the scheduleing. Cloudland's schedule is better this year than it has been in the past. I think that will help them in the long run. I still can't see playing Providence will do them any good at all. Providence is not in their conference. They (Cloudland) are already a lot better than many teams they have to play, as their scores have shown. Wasting opportunites to get better leave you unprepared. Remember your motto: "Pity the unprepared". I really think Cloudland has a very good team and has a chance to advance farther than they have in the past. I just want them to take every opportunity they can to make them even better. I still have to rank Elizabethton above them solely on their common opponent, Morristown West. I did drop Unicoi down in my ranking and said they were not as good as I had thought only after watching them play Happy Valley. I was more impressed with Cloudland's win without the services of Mckinney. The other girls have stepped their game up a level to make up for her absence. I wasn't sure they would be able to do that. And for the last word I will say about scheduleing, it goes for all teams. Teams that have experienced, confident players should not waste their limited amount of games on someone who just has great "Hot Fudge Sundaes"! HA! HA!