Lady Patriots Crush South Doyle Cherokees, 55-28; Patriots, 46-38

Staff Photo by Angie Stanley

Staff Photo by Angie Stanley

Patriot Boys and Girls Basketball hosted the South Doyle High School Cherokees Friday night. Dumplin Valley was buzzing as the Lady Patriots took to the floor.

The first quarter of play started out slow going for both teams. By the end of quarter, there were only 12 points total on the board, as the Lady Patriots took the early lead 8-4. Momentum picked up for Jefferson County in the second. Not only did the Cherokees send the Lady Patriots up to the freethrow line five times alone during the second quarter, they also presented a loose defense, which Jefferson County took full advantage of. The Lady Patriots added an additional 18 to their lead, and finished the first half ahead of the South Doyle Cherokees 24-10.

Staff Photo by Angie Stanley

Staff Photo by Angie Stanley

The Lady Patriots opened the second half of play by adding another 17 to their lead during the third, and only allowed the Cherokees to add 8 to their total, bringing the third period ending score 41-18. The lead gap allowed the Jefferson County starters to take a seat, and let the other girls have a moment to shine. While only scoring 14 in the fourth, Jefferson County still held South Doyle to 10, and protected their home turf. The Lady Patriots sent the Cherokees home defeated, 55-28.

Ryleigh Fritz was a girl on fire from beyond the three point line for the evening, scoring 12 of her 14 from beyond the arch. From inside the three, the lady to watch was Makaila Woolard, who tacked 12 onto the score for the evening.

The Lady Patriots went on to beat Greeneville Saturday night 48-34 in a showdown in Greene County. Coming up this week for the Lady Patriots will be another battle against Sevier County. The last time the two met, the Lady Patriots beat the Lady Smoky Bears 42-22. Tipoff is set for 6.

Staff Photo by Angie Stanley

Staff Photo by Angie Stanley

The Jefferson County Patriots Boys also had a very successful night against the Cherokees. Scoring 18 in the first quarter, the Patriots dominated the first half, set off by a Cameron Gregg three. Limiting the Cherokees to only seven in the first, and nine in the second, it seemed as if Jefferson County was ready to dominate. The first half ended with the Patriots on top 28-16.

The second half caught the Patriots off guard, as the Cherokees defenses limited Jefferson County to only nine in both the third and fourth quarters. As South Doyle tried to close the score gap, the Patriots battled to protect their net. Taking advantage of the worn down Jefferson County defense, the Cherokees went on to outscore the Patriots 14-9 in the final quarter of play. Fortunately for boys of Jefferson County, the lead that the Patriots had obtained in the first half was just too great for South Doyle to overcome. Jefferson County defeated South Doyle 46-38.

Cameron Gregg was back to his old self Friday night, landing 15 for the night. Nathan Seal was also a force to recon with, as he accounted for 10.

The Patriots also traveled over to Greeneville Satrurday to face off against the Green Devils. This did not end well for Jefferson County, as they lost 36-48, making their record 11-10 (7-2 in district play). They are also gearing up to host Sevier County on Tuesday. The last time the Patriots faced off against the Smoky Bears, they battled hard for a 50-45 win. Tipoff is set for 7:00.

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Source: Angie Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports