NO PLACE LIKE HOME: Cookeville Lady Cavalier Seniors Go A Perfect 47-0 At Home Over 4 Seasons

By Michael Lindsay

 

Some programs take “protect your home floor” more serious than others.

The Cookeville Lady Cavaliers’ Class 4A sectional overtime victory over Cleveland on Saturday did more than clinch a state tournament berth; it also put an exclamation point on a four-year undefeated run at home (47-0) for the Lady Cavs’ senior class consisting of Lily McCarter, Macy Hudson, Kendyll McCloud and Callie Reeder.

Cookeville has hosted multiple state tournament teams during the stretch including York Institute, defending Class 1A state champion Pickett County, Knox Webb, Blackman and Knox Catholic while also competing in Tennessee’s largest classification, Class 4A.

“We play a tough schedule,” said Cookeville head coach Jamie Gillies. “It’s not like it’s a sellout crowd or we get home cooking or anything. A few years ago we noticed it and thought it was no big deal. It’s become something, though; we don’t lose at home. Even some of my halftime speeches when we’ve been down, I’ve brought it up.

“We’ve been in a different district four of my nine years,” said Gillies. “My mindset has always been to have a tough schedule leading up to district play. You want to use all of those games to get ready for the postseason.”

Saturday’s win over Cleveland took overtime as they defeated the Blue Raiders, 57-55, to clinch the program’s third state tournament trip in four seasons.

“Saturday will go down as one of my favorites,” said Gillies. “To come back from being down 6 with 1:30 left and win, that will go down as one of the best. We asked the Cookeville community to show up for us and they absolutely did. Jacob Vinson said on the Upper Cumberland Reporter livestream it was a ‘powder keg,’ and it absolutely was. It was an incredible environment.

“The ones that stick out are the ones we were down and came back,” said Gillies. “We were down last year to York at halftime and down to Pickett this year.”

Gillies has coached all of her daughters during their run: Bailey, Jordan, Allie and Lauren.

Bailey’s senior season (2021-’22) kicked off the undefeated run. Jordan graduated in 2023 while Allie and Lauren are currently on the team.

“It’s so cool to share this with them,” said coach Gillies. “Bailey, my oldest, was the group that really got all this started. We went through some tough times and played some really tough teams in her career. But her senior group was the one that made us really think we can be as good as everybody else in the state.”

Cookeville is set to tip off their Class 4A state quarterfinal game on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. against Lincoln County (25-8).

“We’re so excited to get back,” said coach Gillies. “I’m so happy for these seniors; we didn’t get there last year and we felt like we could’ve. I don’t think many people gave us a chance to get back this year, and we play better with a chip on your shoulder.”