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PrintDAVID HUNTER
The Cannon Courier
The best Cannon County grammar school and middle grade basketball players were in action last week in two different events. The CCMG teams had a their first ever rematch at home against Franklin County North on Dec. 12, while the local grammar school teams faced off in the annual cancer tournament at Woodbury Grammar School.
A few days ago, the Junior Lions and Lionettes had their first ever game in program history against the Gators and Gatorettes, and unfortunately both teams lost.
This time, CCMG was looking for re-venge at Robert A. Harris Gym-nasium against FCNMS.
It did not come as the Junior Lionettes and Junior Lions were soundly defeated by the Gators and Gatorettes for the second time in two weeks with the girls losing 59-35, and the boys falling 45-20 as both teams dropped to 0-3 on the young season.
The CCMG team was back in action on Dec. 16 at White County, and Dec. 19 at Avery Trace in Cookeville in their final two games before the holiday break. The Junior Lions and Lionettes next home game is Jan. 5, 2017 against Covenant Academy.
Even though, some players from the grammar schools have moved to the Middle Grade teams. The six local teams were still in action last week in the annual cancer tournament at WGS.
Like during the regular season and other tournaments this year, the action between the area programs was fast and furious with new champions on top during the cancer tournament.
In the girls' tournament, WGS bounced back from the runner-up finish during the county tournament to win this cancer event by earning a first round bye and the Lady Cubs defeated Auburn in the semifinals and Westside in the finals.
"We are always excited to get a win," WGS girls head coach Felicia Walkup said. "I told our girls coming in, I felt like if we played to our ability we had a good chance. The girls came out a little bit rusty in the semifinal game, but they finally settled down. We put together two good wins, and we are delighted to claim the cancer tournament championship."
Of course, the main storyline for the Lady Cubs all season was honoring the memory of their legendary coach, Camia Hayes. All season they have done a great job of honoring it, and they got the perfect ending for her.
As for the boys' bracket, Westside had their long five-year winning streak snapped by Woodland in the finals of the county tournament a few days ago, it was a rematch in the cancer tournament finals between the schools, and Westside got their payback winning 58-40.
"We dropped the championship game, so it was a bounce back in the tournament to see if the boys were going to lay down or step up," Westside head coach Roger Haley said. "Of course, we lost a couple of starters to the middle school program, but the younger boys stepped in and they had a good tournament. The boys played up tempo and cut down on their mistakes and made some good passes. We ended the tournament in the championship game with a championship win."
Next month, the grammar schools will be back in action for the B tournament at Auburn.
Cancer Tournament
Results
First Round- Dec. 5
Auburn 39-Eastside 9 (Girls)
Auburn- Sarah Wheeler 12, Caitlyn Crook 9, Hannah Junker 7, Mattea Thomas 6, Olivia Robbins 4, Kiley Hughes 1.
Eastside- Stella Brown 7, Makayla Barrett-2.
Short Mountain 32, Auburn 15 (Boys)
Short Mountain- Jesse Self 23, Eli Pelham 6, T. Wayne Williams 2, Antonio Botello 1.
Auburn- Ian Heffelfinger 6, Steffen Smith 5, Hunter Patterson 4.
Westside 21, Short Mountain 20 (Girls)
Westside- Charlee Nichols 13, Ivy Travis 4, Jamie Smitty 2, Hallie Singer 2.
Short Mountain- Haley Glenn 6, Katie Waycaster 4, Isabella Pelham 4, Lilly Ellis 3, Chloe Hill 2, Alli Lawson 1.
Woodbury 28, Eastside 21 (Boys)
Woodbury- JR Ferrell 13, Hagen Fann 5, Cordell Howell 5, Bradley Passenger 5.
Eastside- Dallas Roller 8, Braxten Alexander 5, Caden Duke 4, Micah Prater 4.
Semifinals Dec. 8
Woodbury 38, Auburn 30 (Girls)
Woodbury- Ashlee Hill 14, Anaston Holt 10, Addison Todd 6, Alex Ruth 4, Emily Morris 2, Abbey Smith 2.
Auburn- Sarah Wheeler 10, Caitlyn Crook 8, Kiley Hughes 6, Hannah Junker 4, Mattea Thomas 2.
Westside 52, Short Mountain 8 (Boys)
Westside- Liam Allen 16, Braden Emberton 12, Seth Todd 10, Anthony Bain 4, Theo Winters 4, Ethan Duke 2, Spencer Chatwood 2.
Short Mountain- Jesse Self 4, Eli Pelham 3, Will Gunter 1.
Westside 15, Woodland 12 (Girls)
Westside- Charlee Nichols 6, Marlee McNutt 4, Halee Singer 3, Ivy Travis 2.
Woodland- Emma Grace Hughes 4, Rosie Davis 4, Reese Vance 4.
Woodland 47, Woodbury 39 (Boys)
Woodland- Ethan Powell 20, Jonathan Fann 12, Jack Davis 9, Austin Ferrell 4, DJ Moore 2.
Woodbury- Daylon Dearry 11, JR Ferrell 10, Hagen Fann 7, Ty Kyne 6, Bradley Passenger 5.
3rd Place Game Dec. 10
Auburn 21, Woodland 9 (Girls)
Auburn- Mattea Thomas 8, Caitlyn Crook 3, Baleigh Fulkerson 2, Hannah Junker 2, Kiley Hughes 2.
Woodland- Emma Grace Hughes 4, Jasmine Edmondson 3, Reese Vance 2.
Woodbury 32, Short Mountain 11 (Boys)
Woodbury- Ty Kyne 8, Trenton Ferrell 6, JR Ferrell 4, Bradley Passenger 4, Daylon Dearry 4, Jacob Vallejos 4, Hagen Fann 2.
Short Mountain- Jack Byford 3, Dalton Johnson 2, Lucas Estes 2, T. Wayne Williams 2, Eli Nokes 2.
Championship Game
Dec. 10
Woodbury 28, Westside 18 (Girls)
Woodbury- Anaston Holt 13, Addison Todd 6, Hannah Jo Naylor 3, Ashlee Hill 2, Abbey Smith 2, Alex Ruth 2.
Westside- Marlee McNutt 9, Halee Singer 6, Charlee Nichols 3.
Westside 58, Woodland 40 (Boys)
Westside- Anthony Bain 18, Liam Allen 14, Seth Todd 13, Ethan Duke 13
Woodland- Ethan Powell 18, Jonathan Fann 17, Jack Davis 4, DJ Moore 1.
CCMG vs Franklin County North Dec. 12
Junior Lionettes- Bradi Mason 12, Shelby Smithson 11, Zettie Elrod 6, Shelby Parker 4, Maleah Sissom 2
Junior Lions- Gus Davenport 8, Eli Cantrell 5, Branden Reed 3, Eddie Hill 2, Brady Bryson 2.
