Greeneville defeats TAD for sectional title

By Wes Holtsclaw
STAR CORRESPONDENT
wholtsclaw@starhq.com

   PIGEON FORGE--The T.A. Dugger Junior Lady Cyclones fought diligently Saturday evening, but their season was swept away by a big greene machine.
   With a tied contest after the third period, the Greeneville Lady Junior Devils pounded away inside during the fourth quarter and became too much for T.A. Dugger to overcome in a 50-41 victory at Tiger Gymnasium for the TMSAA East Sectional girls title.
   "We got a little tired and didn't have our legs," said Lady Cyclone coach Angie Barker. "We were making quick passes out there. (Greeneville coach Bill Muhlhahn) did a good job of changing things up on us and we didn't get back."
   T.A. Dugger opened up on the Lady Devils with a 13-7 advantage to start the first period.
   Victoria Hopson led the Lady Cyclones with seven points in the period before Whitney Carter and Ashley Deans sparked a Greeneville charge as the Lady Devils trailed the Orange & Black by two going into the second quarter.
   Carter and Samantha White helped Greeneville tie it at 15 early in the period, but Michaela Pietrowski and Marti Bush rallied the Cyclones to a 20-17 lead at the break.
   Nicole Dickson pushed Greeneville to a quick four-point lead to open the second half, but four buckets from Pietrowski tied it up before the fourth.
   Courtney Towle and Brittany Smith made big shots for T.A. Dugger to open the fourth. However, a big charge from Dickson and Carter, who had eight and six points in the period, put the Lady Devils up by nine early and they would never look back.
   A huge trey from Lauren Anderson sealed the deal for the Lady Devils, who led by as many as 12 points before the Lady Cyclones could make a comeback attempt.
   Pietrowski led T.A. Dugger with 12 points, while teammate Hopson had 11. Greeneville's Carter, the tournament's Most Valuable Player, led all scorers with 16 while Dickson pushed 12.
   "I thought the girls did a great job," Barker said. "I could ask for more of them. They hustled as much as they could."
   The contest ended T.A. Dugger's season with only three losses this season. They made the community and the school very proud of them this season.
   Said Barker: "I had a great year with these kids. I couldn't ask for a better team, and I wouldn't want a better team. They did excellent."
   Congratulations Junior Lady Cyclones on a great season.
   Note: Hopson, Pietrowski and Towle earned all-tournament honors for T.A. Dugger.