Lady Highlanders hold off North Greene for sub-state berth
Published 7:48 pm Monday, February 26, 2018
- Star Photo/Bryce Phillips The Lady Highlanders celebrate after topping North Greene for a sub-state berth.
The Cloudland Lady Highlanders fended off North Greene 34-29 Monday during the Region 1-A semifinals at Cocke County High School.
The win secures the Lady ‘Landers a spot in the finals and a sub-state berth.
“There has been a lot of adversity,” said Cloudland head coach Mike Lunsford. “You know, we started out with a flood in our gym and no place to practice, they also had a new coach and some young girls. But I told them they could get a sub-state game if they kept working, and they did. I have never seen a group of kids carry out a defensive plan like they did tonight.”
The Lady Highlanders came into the final quarter leading 28-16. As the Lady ‘Landers had problems at the foul line, the North Greene slowly narrowed Cloudland’s score to 31-29 with less than two minutes to play. Cloudland’s Megan Lunsford had three foul shots down the stretch to give the game its final tally.
For Cloudland, Lunsford finished the game with eight points while teammates Kenzie Birchfield and Stacia Wilson each had seven apiece.
On the back of the first quarter, the Lady Highlanders conducted a 10-point run to jump 12-5 over the Lady Huskies. Cloudland’s run was capped off with back-to-back trey’s from Lady Highlanders Kenzie Birchfield and Megan Lunsford. The run also saw baskets from Cloudland’s Jasmine Birchfield and Trinity Vines.
