STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BOUND: White County Warriorettes Defeat Cocke County 46-43 In Class 3A Semifinals; Will Face Dyersburg In Title Game

By Michael Lindsay

The White County Warriorettes (34-5) will play for the Class 3A state championship on Saturday as they defeated the Cocke County Lady Red in Friday’s state semifinal game, 46-43.

“What a great atmosphere for high school girls’ basketball,” said Dodgen. “You have to give it to both communities and the normal fans that walked into Murphy Center today. That’s what it should be like every time these people step on the floor and the communities should be proud of that.”

Gracie Clark led the Warriorettes in scoring with 16 points and 6 rebounds followed by 13 points and 5 boards from Ashlyn Selby and 9 by Bella Winningham.

The Warriorettes were without Clark (the District 7-3A MVP and UCR Defensive Player of the Year) and starting point guard Lakelyn Grasty for the final 2:02 as they each fouled out, leaving the fate of White County’s state championship hopes in the hands of Kyra Fox, Sarah Winfree, Kylee Norris, Selby and Winningham.

“I’m really proud of Sarah Winfree and Kylie Norris,” said Dodgen. “‘m proud of all of these kids, but I’m really proud of Kylie and Sarah, who had to step in for us and play some big minutes when we got in serious foul trouble. We’ve not had to call on Ashlyn and Bella to be point guards very much this year, but they handled it well. We just beat an extremely good basketball team. Coach Bible’s done a heck of a job at Cocke County and Newport’s got a lot to be proud of.”

White County held an 11-7 lead after one quarter and entered the locker room ahead 24-21. A pair of Selby free throws with 2:46 remaining remaining gave White County a 40-33 lead before the Lady Red reeled off a 7-1 run over the next 1:06 to trail 41-40 with 1:46 to go.

The Lady Red rebounded a missed Warriorette shot, but a Winningham steal and layup under the rim put her team back up 3 points at 43-40 with 57 seconds to go. White County held off Cocke County from there as the Lady Red’s buzzer-beating three-pointer was off the mark to seal White County’s 46-43 victory.

“You hope you’ve done things throughout the year to get other kids ready to play,” said Dodgen. “I’ll give credit to all them. We had to get some defensive stops and a few big rebounds.”

Saturday will be White County’s first state championship appearance since 1992 as they look for their first title since 1929.

“It’s been talked about a lot,” said Clark. “In our community, it’s a little bit different We care about girls’ basketball so much. I think that’s why it means so much to us, because we know the weight it carries and how we’re playing for more than just ourselves.”

White County takes on Dyersburg in the Class 3A state championship game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at the Murphy Center in Murfreesboro.

“As a coach, that’s what you dream of,” said Dodgen. “Every year your ultimate goal every year is to get to the Murphy Center. It always seems like it’s so far away, and it seems like it’s so distant, but it’s really not. If anybody wants to go visit the town of Sparta tomorrow, I don’t think anything will be open.

“I’m at a loss for words,” added Dodgen.”I’d never want to make this about me, but I know there’s an old man sitting up there in the bleachers that’s really proud of me, and, and I know my mom is looking down on us right now, and proud of these kids.”