Panthers Prevail as Middle School Hoops Closes Season

A pair of teams unbeaten during the Toe River Conference (TRC) regular season finished their perfect campaigns by winning last week’s TRC postseason tournaments, held Dec. 8, 9 and 11, at Avery High School.

In the girls tournament, the East Yancey Panthers used its stifling press defense and the sterling play of All-Tournament and All-Conference player Abby Renfro to take home both the regular season and tournament titles. As well, the Avery Middle School (AMS) Panthers completed its perfect season in dominant fashion defeating both the Cane River Rebels and Bowman Bulldogs by double figures to cut down the nets and prevail as regular season and postseason champions.

In the girls tournament, the Cranberry Middle School (CMS) Lady Wildcats opened play against the Cane River Lady Rebels (CRMS). The game was a close defensive affair throughout, as neither team managed to score high point totals.

CMS led CRMS 14-12 at halftime behind eight first-half points from Elizabeth Pittman. In the third quarter, the Lady Wildcats suffered a difficult loss as point guard Bethany Burleson suffered an ankle injury and was unable to return to the game. The Lady Rebels took advantage of the loss and scrapped back to take a 20-18 advantage after three quarters.

CRMS held CMS scoreless in the final six minutes, scoring eight points in the process to close out the contest with a 28-18 victory.

The CMS boys team also played on the tournament’s first day of action, taking on Cane River in a hard-fought affair. CMS was unable to contend with the play of CRMS standout Avery Austin, who tallied only two first-half points, but rallied to score 23 second-half points to help defeat the Wildcats 51-43.

CMS got off to a fast start in the contest, taking a 13-6 lead after one quarter of play. A 13-4 second quarter margin in favor of the Rebels helped CRMS lead 19-17 at halftime.

Austin scored 14 of CRMS’s 18 third-quarter points to keep the Rebels out front, leading 37-30 after three periods. Tyler Pitman tried to help the Wildcats claw back in the game with 10 of his team-high 16 points in the second half, but the Rebels were too much as it advanced with the win.

The Avery Lady Panthers entered the postseason tournament looking to defend its tournament title from a season ago. Things began well for AMS, using a 14-4 run in the first quarter to take a 10-point advantage. The duo of Kylie Polsgrove and Jodi Poore combined for 10 points apiece in the first half, while Ashley Singleton scored five points in the second stanza to pace the Lady Panthers to a 29-10 lead at intermission and cruise to a 40-23 win to advance to the semifinals.

On Thursday, Dec. 9, the Lady Panthers met the second-seeded Harris Lady Blue Devils (HMS). The teams played an even contest for the entire four quarters. HMS took a 9-7 lead after one period and pressed ahead by a 20-16 score at halftime. Poore and Polsgrove continued to lead the way offensively for AMS with 12 of the team’s first-half points.

In the third quarter defense was the name of the game as AMS outscored HMS 6-5, trailing by only three at 25-22 going into the final period.

AMS trailed by five late in the final stanza, but a conventional three-point play by Poore cut the lead to 32-30. The Lady Panthers forced a Harris turnover in the final seconds, but was unable to get off a potential game-tying or game-winning shot, as HMS escaped with a 32-30 win to advance to the tournament final.

The AMS boys team entered last week’s tournament as the top seed, and proved to be both resilient and impressive, blowing out the Cane River Rebels 57-33 in the semifinal round. In the tourney final, AMS faced a pesky No. 2 seed in Bowman, as the Panthers led by only two points at halftime. A huge third quarter run by AMS preserved its perfect season, however, as the Panthers pummeled the Bulldogs by a final score of 67-50.

In the semifinal round, AMS got off to a slow start, trailing CRMS 11-9. Its defense stepped up, however, outscoring CRMS 14-0 in the second quarter to lead 23-11 at halftime.

AMS played strong coming out of the locker room, as Kobe Pittman and James Stewart combined for 14 of the team’s 18 points in the third quarter to post a 41-17 lead after three periods and advance with the 24-point triumph.

Pittman led AMS with 16 points, with 12 each from Stewart and Dylan Bauer, along with 10 points from Tre Jackson and seven from Dalton Tennant.

In the championship game, AMS squared off with Bowman, who had defeated Harris to advance to the final. The game was physical throughout, as the Bulldogs stayed close with the Panthers, trailing by just three at 15-12 after one period and by a pair at 28-26 at halftime.

AMS struggled on the boards in the first half, as Bowman out-rebounded the Panthers, especially on the offensive glass, through two quarters. Despite the discrepancy, Tennant kept the Panthers in the contest with 11 points, with eight points from teammate Jackson.

As the second half began, it was evident that the halftime speech from AMS head coach Gordon Polsgrove sunk in effectively. AMS came out on fire, outscoring the Bulldogs 22-8 to race out to a 50-34 lead. AMS guard Pittman, held in check in the first half, exploded for 11 points in the period. The Panthers was dominant on the glass as well, scoring several baskets off the offensive rebounding of center Tennant in the frame.

The final period proved more of a coronation than a competition, as AMS celebrated a 17-point win and the first middle school championship in the illustrious coaching career of veteran head coach Polsgrove.

Pittman paced the Panthers with 23 points, with 16 from Jackson and 14 from Tennant. Avery finished the season with a perfect 12-0 record in conference play and the team gathered in celebration to cut down the net in Viking Gym after the win.

Following the tournament, the Toe River Conference announced its boys and girls All-Conference and All-Tournament teams. The following players were selected for those squads.

Girls All-Conference:
Casey Cooper (Bowman)         Kylie Polsgrove and Jodi Poore (Avery)
Kendyl Neill (Cane River)      Amber Johnson and Madison Spurling (Harris)
Bethany Burleson and Sierra Jones (Cranberry)
Abby Renfro, Destiny Elkins and Hunter Young (East Yancey).

Girls All-Tournament: 

Casey Cooper (Bowman)             Anna Gragg and Jodi Poore (Avery)
Elizabeth Pittman (Cranberry)  Tiffany Goins and Tayler Duncan (Harris) 

Lacy Elkins and Emily Robinson (Cane River)
Abby Renfro, Hunter Young and Destiny Elkins (East Yancey)

Boys All-Conference:
Drey Phillips (Harris)           Tyler Pitman (Cranberry)
Gray McCurry and Avery Austin (Cane River)
Jared Sellers and Alex Cash (East Yancey)
Sam McKinney and Ryan McKinney (Bowman) Kobe Pittman, Tre Jackson and James Stewart (Avery)

Boys All-Tournament:
Trevan Riddle (Harris)         Tyler Pitman (Cranberry)
Avery Austin and Blake Fox (Cane River)
Jared Sellers and Alex Cash (East Yancey)
Sam McKinney and Zach Boone (Bowman) Kobe Pittman, Tre Jackson and Dalton Tennant (Avery)