Carter, Unicoi and Johnson County All Stars

[acdcfan]

Nice topic for my first post in about four months.

 

I have also had the privilage of seeing all of these teams (Carter/Unicoi/Johnson) play this year.

 

MVP: Rikki Baughman, hands down. She has been one of the better players in the area since she was a freshman. She's a fun player to watch and I've always been impressed with her ability to turn around a game.

 

Three To Look For In '05-06:

1.) Jessica Lunsford & Heather Banner, Cloudland (Juniors) - A lot of people remember how good Hanson/Johnson and that crew was in junior high; this team, imo, was much better. And, I think they have the potential to have a better senior season for the Lady Landers. Jessica Ledford, Nikki Carrow and the returning Whitney Houston will play a good supporting cast in what I'm predicting a return trip to Murfreesboro. The big Q is - if Mike Lunsford does indeed take the Hampton job, does Jess stay or does she go? That remains to be seen.

 

2.) Michaela Pietrowski & Co. at EHS (Soph./Fresh.)- I knew this group was going to be special when they played for Doug in the 7th Grade. They held their own in a girl's middle school tournament at Cloudland, only losing to (see above, who were eighth graders).

 

(NOTE: It's funny looking back on that tournament, which Chris Collins ran and I covered for the Star. That was my senior year at Cloudland, when I announced everything, and all of those players in that tourney are now starting at the high schools in the area. I'm just 21, and Already, I'm feeling real old - )

 

Anyways, Elizabethton has been good with Baughman, but sadly, and I hope I don't offend anyone, they will have a better state title contending team while she's shining at the collegiate level. I look for this team to do big things in Murfreesboro in two years.

 

3.) Alicia Engle, Unicoi County (Sophomore) - dead on from outside the arch, has led or been second in scoring for the Lady Devils in the majority of the games during the past month. She really broke out during the game at Central. That team will also be dangerous in two years, figuring in Payge Barnett and Alisha Mainer. They will finish second or third in that tough league, which adds South Greene to the picture.

 

A look at each school:

 

Elizabethton - Covered almost everyone but Redd. She's an incredible athlete and I'm looking forward to covering some of her track and field stuff this year. Farthing, we'll miss you bud. You are a great coach and fun to talk to. I hated to hear about that T in Unicoi a few weeks ago.

 

Cloudland - Most of these girls where in junior high when I left. Wow. I do have to say good things about this crew of seniors, especially Kayla Blevins and Jessica McGuire. Kayla, I've known for years - Jessica, I remember her as a third grader who always sat on the front of the bus. It's been fun watching that group grow up and become good players and awesome people off the court. I wish I could see them play more, but I got tired of being labled a "Cloudland homer" - haha. I'll be back around when my sister gets in HS.

 

Hampton - I've watched this team more than anyone else in Carter Co. this year. At the beginning of the year, I had high hopes like a lot of people for this team. I'm proud of the way they've handled themselves despite the circumstances. Heather Chambers - I will miss watching her play. She has a great intensity on the court. Other players to mention - Lacy Oliver, solid outside shooter; Lauren Pitman, will have a great year next year; Jessi Price, Andrea Tinsman & Pam Montgomery - Little Milligan girls who will be special players by the time they are seniors; Carrie Carden, solid role player on the team.

 

Happy Valley - Another good group of players, who I remember watching in middle school when I covered the junior high stuff for the Star. Brandi Dugger will be missed, she had a great couple of years there early.

 

Johnson Co. - Also had a lot of turmoil there for a while between the players. I wish Ryann Tillman still played, this team would be improved with her. April McCloud is a solid guard, has the potential to be better.

 

Unaka - Ken Chambers is the best coach in Single-A ball this side of Chattanooga. Any arguments? Didn't think so. I will miss this group of seniors. I haven't gotten to watch them much since last season, but I covered them most of the time during their freshman and sophomore years. Coty Townsend & Danielle Ensor have both been solid - I will miss talking to Wanda and Mike in the box at Snavely. Jessi Osborne I knew would be a good player when she was a freshman. She finally broke out as a junior. Renee Ensor has been another awesome player to watch, doesn't get enough credit. Julie Roberson is another player that on any given night could turn the game around. Each of these girls deserve a lot more ink than they have received. Its kind of hard when you have a player like Rikki across town.

 

Unicoi Co. - With my new position as the Sports Guy at the Erwin Record I have gotten to see a lot of Lady Devil bball in the past month. Elizabeth Weaver and Hali Sparks will be missed, but I've also got to talk about the other seniors Amber Kerns and in particular Kellye Lingefelt, who is a solid defender and good point guard who needs to take the shot more often. I think the program will be in good hands in two years. Coach Fisher is blessed with some good sophomores and freshman ( i.e. Engle, Barnett, Mainer) who will lead the team to good things. They have had their ups and downs this year, but I think they'll go out pretty strong in the tournaments.

 

Anyways, I hope to see everyone at the AA District and Regional, where I will be doing boxscores and providing media packets to everyone who covers the thing.

 

Also, Kim, I wanted to post on that "Central bashes me" topic, but I have more class than that, even if I'm a quote "joker from the STAR." BTW, they can deny it all they want - but the Hampton coaches, scoring table and myself know who that teacher is and who his son is on the team. (NOTE: Long story, Starman and Krich know what I'm talking about).

Edited February 17, 2005 by acdcfan

[jgarrison]

Question? Normally how many player on the all district team does the 1st place get and does the player of the year normally come from the 1st place team?

 

Thanks

[osubrutus]

Co-MVP's - Rikki Baughman & Renee Ensor (w/o either of these the teams are not

as good and can be beaten without them) so they are MVP's to their

respective teams.

 

My humble opinion!

 

1st Team: PG: Renee Ensor (Back-up: Heather Chambers)

SG: Jessica Osborne (Back-up: Jessica Lunsford)

SF: Rikki Baughman (Back: Valneesha Redd)

PF: Julie Roberson (Back-up: Elizabeth Weaver)

C: Michaela Pietrowski (Back-up: Keila Williams)

 

Ill take these 10 in any game against any team.

 

It would be 24 minutes of pressure basketball, both offensively and defensively).

 

You have defenders: Ensor, Redd, Osborne, Chambers, Weaver and Baughman

outside shooting: Osborne, Baughman, Ensor, Lunsford & Chambers

inside scoring: Baughman, Roberson, Weaver, Williams & Pietrowski

rebounding: Roberson, Williams, Baughman, Weaver, Pietrowski,

Osborne, Redd and Ensor

pressure players: Baughman, Osborne, Ensor, Weaver and Lunsford

 

Coaches: Fisher and Chambers

[coaches_corner]

Uh oh Brutus, there are 32 minutes in a game.

Can't believe you put Roberson ahead of Weaver. I'd have to say the first picks on this team hands down would be Baughman and Weaver and Ensor and then a bevy of players including Osborne, Lunceford, Redd, Sparks, Roberson, Pietrowski, Townsend, Chambers, and Williams..........thats my twelve person team for 2004-05.

Edited February 17, 2005 by coaches_corner

[meghanheadley33]

playing varsity basketball for four years i would have to say it was always tough playing unaka.. all their players are good.. they have a really good pressure defense and it would be hard to just choose a couple..

Elizabethton has valneesha...a very good defender, but she takes a lot of chances anticipating on passes that she can't get her hands on.. rikki baughman is a good player--she gets all her points from offensive boards and freethrows.. the way she gets in there with the biggest posts and some how brings down the rebound will forever stun me..petrowski--very BIG advantage on other teams.. crapps--don't leave her open! they have great team chemistry

unicoi--being my team.. has dissapointed me this year.. weaver of course leading the team needs some help on perimeter.. i wish they would step up so they can be a well rounded team..engle will be one to look out for in tournaments.. i feel that in 2 years they will be very very good.. i do think they will step it up in tournaments and a few players might surprise me.

hampton- a team that has lacy oliver..and thats about it..

valley -- definitely that big girl(can't think of her name).. she would do better on a team that could feed the girl the ball..

i can't pick mine before the tournaments cause players play their best in them.. i think some teams may surprise me in the districts...

[osubrutus]

I figured we'd run "TeePee" for 8 minutes a game! Ha!

 

Thanks for the correction.

 

I haven't seen Weaver play enough. So I'll claim "lack of scouting ignorance".

 

I'd like to build my own college and take those 10 and take my NAIA chances.

 

I wish real colleges would recruit them as a group. I know some are underclassmen and there are limits to scholarships but.... just dreaming.

[krichunaka]

WOW! MEGHAN HEADLEY! Thanks for Joining! And thanks for Premiering on OUR humble little thread!

For those who live on another planet, Meghan is probably the most significant loss to graduation of all these teams. EHS lost four: Forbes, Bishop, Kauffeld and Dykes; but Unicoi has struggled for consistency; a testimony to the urgency of a Great Point Guard.

 

Now, to you, Brutus: Is it true that you and a certain Wild eighth grader (Chris Richardson) used to entertain the team by playing some Crazy mini-discs on the way to and from baseball games? Now we all know: "osubrutus" is one "WILD and CRAZY GUY!"

 

acdcfan, I will write much more about the "incident" on the website. I've exchanged information with those involved, and I have more calls to make. No one is ever going to be totally right, or totally wrong when the "he said, she said" begins, but all of us would gladly take back so much of what we've done, if given the opportunity. I think it speaks volumes for their Character that they contacted me.

 

The Comparisons: For very good reason coaches will only comment "Off the Record." But if you check the local college line-ups for "key graduations," some of the picks will be obvious. Right Meghan?

Yes, there seems a consesus number one recruit; and Yes, it's who I thought it might be. And Yes, there is a VERY CLOSE second.

 

I can say that Unaka has been swamped, and that, like I prayed and predicted at the outset, At least Five will be "Offered."

 

Good Night.

[Storm55]

ACDC fan, where in the cat hair have you been? You have been summoned to the King's court! Seriously, you need to call me, dude. And Kim, I read about the website in double play sports. Are you all really gonna make everyone use their real name when posting?

[starman]

ACDC fan, where in the cat hair have you been?  You have been summoned to the King's court! Seriously, you need to call me, dude.  And Kim, I read about the website in double play sports.  Are you all really gonna make everyone use their real name when posting?

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Storm,

 

The kings court needs to get in session. Your fan club has requested your presence. I think that woman has changed you. You're getting soft in your old age. You guys pull together up their in Roan Mtn. If I didn't know better I'd swear you had some creek in you.

[krichunaka]

Storm,

 

I've put so much thought and study into this project. I am a little frustrated that I don't already have the "message boards" operational; but that, the decision as to whether or not to use "real names," has been a very BIG issue.

 

I had hoped to be online with the "boards" by District Play, but again, I don't want to start something, only to have to stop and be back at square one.

 

Personally, I like the way it's done here. And again, Personally I don't see how we could maintain this level of interest and intensity by forcing people to use their real names; but at the same time, most of us who comment on certain posts, become familiar with each other, meet persoanlly, and take these posts for what they are..

 

However, I'm also aware of the abuse that can take place; "multiple IDs" being the most blatant. This creates problems.

 

So, to answer your question, I expect to have "member" names, created by those willing to get involved. I only hope to be able to prevent, or at least alleviate the use of the "multiples."

[Storm55]

Storm,

 

The kings court needs to get in session.  Your fan club has requested your presence.  I think that woman has changed you.  You're getting soft in your old age.  You guys pull together up their in Roan Mtn.  If I didn't know better I'd swear you had some creek in you.

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Really? I've got a fan club? Now thats interesting, indeed! I thought I was becoming the most hated poster ever. And Kim, good luck with the website. This is a great board eventhough I've been kicked off several times. As for having some creek in me, I've got a proposal to make. I wonder if Mike Ensor would let me come down and help with his lineman. The one reason that Cloudland has dominated Unaka is in the trenches and I know exactly the blocking schemes that are needed for Unaka to catch up with Cloudland. What do you guys think? I would bring fear and tenacity to the creek, such as they've never seen before!

[GLee]

Really? I've got a fan club? Now thats interesting, indeed!  I thought I was becoming the most hated poster ever.  And Kim,  good luck with the website.  This is a great board eventhough I've been kicked off several times.  As for having some creek in me, I've got a proposal to make.  I wonder if Mike Ensor would let me come down and help with his lineman.  The one reason that Cloudland has dominated Unaka is in the trenches and I know exactly the blocking schemes that are needed for Unaka to catch up with Cloudland.  What do you guys think?  I would bring fear and tenacity to the creek, such as they've never seen before!

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Certainly you will be getting a call soon