By Michael Lindsay
York Institute Dragonettes
The 2023-’24 York Dragonette basketball season tips off tonight, and with it come high expectations for head coach Michael Green’s program that has made it to the Class 2A state tournament each of the last two seasons.
“We’re extremely young,” said Green. “We’ve got 3 juniors, 4 sophomores and 5 freshmen; no seniors at all. We lost 3 good seniors (Gabby Beaty, Ellie Leffew and Emy Crabtree) last year that played a majority of our minutes. We’re looking for 3 people to fill their spots.”
The Dragonettes went 33-3 last season and won the District 5-2A championship, Region 3-2A title and qualified for the Class 2A state tournament where they fell to eventual state champion Westview in the quarterfinals, 44-42.
Despite losing 3 seniors, the Dragonettes return junior point guard Reese Beaty, who was a Miss Basketball finalist last season and has taken unofficial visits to multiple Division I programs including Clemson, Kentucky, SMU, Murray State, Charlotte, Davidson, Belmont and Western Kentucky.
“It’s great having Reese,” Green said. “She’s started her first two years and has grown. When you lose two strong leaders, she’s ready to fill in that role. She makes things a whole lot easier.”
Also returning to the starting lineup is sophomore guard Raylee Werner.
“This could be her breakout year,” Green said. “She’s one of the best defenders in the state and a great ball handler. We need her to score some more this year.”
Expected to join Beaty and Werner in the starting lineup are three more sophomores including forwards Emma Cooper and Emma Pile and guard Cali Franklin.
Juniors Emily Doss and Annabeth Dunford and freshman Zoey Gibson are expected to compete for minutes off the bench.
“We strive to be a great defensive team, and we have to get much better on defense,” Green said. “Offensively, we’re trying to put in a new offense with a little different motion to it. We’ve had 2 weeks to practice something new to all of us. We want to be fluid on offense and strong defensively.”
The Dragonettes are set to face a challenging pre-Christmas schedule including non-district contests against Gatlinburg-Pittman, Stone Memorial, Knox Catholic, Seymour, Warren County, Clay County, Oakland, Cookeville, Blackman and Cleveland.
“I don’t think it does anybody any good if you’re scheduling easy,” Green said. “Our goal is not to have a great record; our goal is to win a state championship. To do that, you have to play the best teams you can. It’s not always going to be pretty.
“Our goal is hopefully about January we start looking better,” Green added. “We’re starting off the bat with some of the best teams in Tennessee. We’ll figure out who we are really quick.”
District 5-2A competition will look different this season as Smith County and Watertown are added to the slate alongside Jackson County and Monterey while former league foes Bledsoe County and Sequatchie County are now in District 4-2A.
“It’s going to be a much more competitive district,” Green said. “Smith County has some great young freshmen and good veterans. They’re going to be tough.”
York Institute’s regular season tips off Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 5 p.m. against Gatlinburg-Pittman. The game will be streamed at www.facebook.com/uppercumberlandreporter.
York Institute Dragons
Basketball season has arrived in Jamestown as the York Institute Dragons are looking to make their 4th state tournament appearance in 5 seasons.
“We’re excited and ready to go,” said York Institute head coach Rodney Pile. “We’re trying to get some conditioning in and have had some scrimmages so far.”
York Institute went 25-11 last season while winning the District 5-2A championship and Region 3-2A title before falling to eventual state runner-up Douglass in the Class 2A state tournament quarterfinals.
The Dragons return 4 starters while losing only senior from last season in Blaine York. Returning starters include point guard Myles Leffew, shooting guard Jackson Conatser and forwards Bryson Bilbrey and Heath Wattenbarger.
“We’re shooting to win every game and make it to the state tournament, then win it,” Pile said. “We’ve got a lot of guys coming back. I’ve got a group of 7 seniors and some of them started as a freshman. They’ve been in major roles, so we have a lot of guys with a lot of experience.”
Leffew is a 4-year starter at York while Bilbrey and Wattenbarger transferred in earlier in their careers. The post duo was named Co-Region 3-2A tournament MVP last season.
“I’ve always been a firm believer in the team that plays the hardest,” Pile said. “I think we’re talented, but talent can get beat when the other teams plays hard. We want to be the hardest-playing team on the floor each night. If we do that, a lot of things will take care of themselves.
“We like to control the boards also,” Pile added. “The team that rebounds usually gives themself the best chance to win.”
York Institute’s season will take a few extra weeks to get going as three starters are currently competing in the Class 2A football playoffs for the AP #1-ranked Dragons, who are 12-0 entering the football quarterfinal round.
“Myles Leffew, Bryson Bilbrey and Will Beaty are still playing football, and we expect them to play for however long it takes to win it all,” Pile said. “But we’ve got a group of guys that we’re trying to get ready for Tuesday night and we’re excited about that. It’s an opportunity to get some guys some playing time and strengthen our bench.”
Pre-Christmas non-district foes for York Institute include Oneida, Stone Memorial, Warren County, Clay County, Oakland, Cookeville and Pope John Paul.
District 5-2A will look different this season as Watertown and Smith County join York Institute, Monterey and Jackson County while former league foes Bledsoe County and Sequatchie County move to District 4-2A.
York’s season tips off Tuesday, Nov. 14 against Oneida.