©2010 NPT PHOTO BY RUSSELL LAWS

The Edgemont Purple Panthers and Lady Panthers along with coaches and managers
joined in celebration Saturday night after sweeping both championship games at the
2009-10 Cocke County Elementary Basketball Tournament at Cocke County High School.
Joining the group is Faye Fish (back row, left) of Modern Woodmen in Newport,
who sponsored the championship trophies.

NEWPORT-We've done some checking, but we're still not sure if it has been done before. If it has, it's been a while ago.

The Edgemont Panthers and Lady Panthers were to have been in a rebuilding year. Someone, however, forgot to tell that to the players.

The Purple Panthers used a balanced attack in downing Parrottsville 51-45 to capture the Cocke County Elementary Tournament boy's championship on Saturday night while the Lady Panthers made a valiant comeback down the stretch to upend Grassy Fork 30-26 in the girl's championship.

In the consolation games, Smoky Mountain cruised past Cosby 53-32 in the boy's third-place game while Cosby held off Bridgeport 37-29 in the girl's third-place game.

But, the night belonged to Edgemont, and the color purple, as Panther and Lady Panther fans were delirious following the championship sweep. Only the coaches suffered losses, of hair that is. Head coach Scottie Thornton promised to let his players shave his hair off if they won in the semifinals. They did, and Friday night, Thornton's hair came off. Assistant coach Greg Hood would allow the players to do the same if they won the championship. They did, so off came Hood's hair.

It was a special night, indeed, as Edgemont will now have to make room in an already packed trophy case for two more trophies, these of the 2009-2010 Tournament Championship variety. We're sure, however, that room will be made.

 

(Boy's Championship)

Edgemont 51

Parrottsville 45

The Purple Panthers threatened to run off and leave the Parrotts early, but the Parrotts regrouped and made a comeback. The Parrotts were without the services of starter D.J. Holt, who broke a bone in his ankle in their semifinal win over Cosby on Friday night. And, Parrott's leading scorer Seth Lovell was under a doctor's care for an inner ear infection and a bad cold, but bravely played the game out. The Panthers jumped out to a 14-8 first quarter lead thanks to three three-pointers, two from J.J. Benjamin and one from Lucas Hark. But, the Parrotts settled down, and pulled to within four at the break, 24-20, thanks to six points from Jerick Varner. Ike Rouleau hit five two-pointers for the Parrotts coming out of the locker room while the Panthers held on for dear life. The Panthers lead was just one, 36-35, heading into the final six minutes. The Panthers were up to the task, however, and went five-for-five from the free throw line, and saw Chandler Duckett and Blake Clark score two baskets each as the Panthers pulled away for the six-point victory. Clark had 14 points to pace the Panthers while Rouleau had 14 points to lead the Parrotts.

EDGEMONT (51): Blake Clark 14, J.J. Benjamin 9, Kimbel Thornton 8, Chandler Duckett 7, Lucas Hark 6, Jessie Loveday 5, Michael Hood 2.

PARROTTSVILLE (45): Ike Rouleau 14, Seth Lovell 11, Jerick Varner 8, Ty Chatman 8, Samuel Hooper 4.

 

(Girl's Championship)

Edgemont 30

Grassy Fork 26

The Lady Ravens threatened to run away with this one in the second quarter, but the Lady Panthers settled down, and made it count down the stretch. The Lady Ravens held a slim 8-7 first quarter lead, but Dessie Shaffer got hot, and pumped in four baskets over the next six minutes to boost the Lady Raven lead to nine, 20-11, at the half. The Lady Panthers turned up the defensive pressure coming out of the locker room, and outscored the Lady Ravens 11-4 to pull to within two, 24-22, heading into the final quarter. The Lady Panther defense continued to hound the Lady Ravens down the stretch, limiting the Lady Ravens to just two points over the final six minutes. The Lady Panthers, on the other hand, got a three-pointer from Sharina Cofield, a basket from Taylor Thornton and Ashley Green went three-for-four from the charity strip to give the Lady Panthers the hard-earned four-point victory. Green finished with 10 points to lead the Lady Panthers while Shaffer finished with a game-high 12 points to lead the Lady Ravens.

EDGEMONT (30): Ashley Green 10, Sharina Cofield 7, Delessa Stewart 7, Bethanie Williams 2, Taylor Thornton 2, Makayla Valentine 2.

GRASSY FORK (26): Dessie Shaffer 12, Wendy McGaha 8, Julie McGaha 4, Peyton Johnson 2.

 

(Boy's Consolation)

Smoky Mountain 53

Cosby 32

The Smoky Bears took out their frustrations from their upset loss to Parrottsville in the semifinals. The Smoky Bears jumped on the Eagles early and often, taking a 19-5 first quarter lead, and made it 30-11 at the half. The Smoky Bears were in cruise control leading 43-25 at the end of three, and then ambled home with the 21-point victory. Max Weeks had a game-high 15 points to lead the Smoky Bears while Michael Cagle and Tyler Norris each had 9 points to lead the Eagles.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN (53): Max Weeks 15, Justin Shelton 10, Jacob Grooms 10, Lucas Weeks 7, Jordan Self 5, Jackie Gibson 4, Derek Weeks 2.

COSBY (32): Michael Cagle 9, Tyler Norris 9, Trevor Vincent 6, Ward Williams 4, Jordan Carpenter 2, Brody Williams 2.

 

(Girl's Consolation)

Cosby 37

Bridgeport 29

This was a tight contest through the first two quarters, but the Lady Eagles would exert their will in the third frame. The Lady Eagles held an 11-5 first quarter lead, but the Lady Rockets came back and pulled to within one, 17-16, at the break. The Lady Eagles held the Lady Rockets to just one third-quarter point and pushed their lead to nine, 26-17, heading into the final quarter. The Lady Eagles squashed any thought of a Lady Rockets' comeback, and came home with the eight-point victory. Tasha Ball had a game-high 23 points to lead the Lady Eagles while Alexis Williams had 11 points to lead the Lady Rockets.

COSBY (37): Tasha Ball 23, Kailye Ball 6, Brooke Schreder 6, Jaylon Dunn 2.

BRIDGEPORT (29): Alexis Williams 11, Megan Finchum 7, Kailey Burgess 6, Courtney Cox 4, Allison Frazier 1.

 

Coming up in this Sunday's Plain Talk Sports, we'll have all of the team photos and award photos from the post-tournament awards programs.