Woohoo! Our girl's basketball team. the Lady Panthers, has won the state championship (or the equivalent of it that is). As many of you know, I am the assistant girl's basketball coach for Lenoir City Middle School. God has richly blessed me this year in paving the way for me to be a part of these girls' lives and team. I have learned so much from them and hope that along the way I taught them a few things as well. They are an amazing group of girls and the head coach, Miss Wilson, is a dear friend of mine and an awesome coach.
The girls had a dream that began right after district tournament last year (2007-2008) to become district champions this year. At our school, championship teams are given "immortality" in a manner of speaking by having the team photo blow up gigantic and displayed in the hallway outside of the gymnasium as well as having the championship sign displayed in the gym itself. The girls have worked hard for over a year including playing all summer and during a fall league where they were also champions.
Our season this year certainly wasn't flawless but the girls have learned and improved so much as well as grown to become a true team. We have shared many ups-and-downs but through it all, they held their heads high and remained focused on the goal. Unfortunately, their hearts were broken in district tournaments when they lost to Oliver Springs, one of our biggest rivals. The girls wept for what might have been and ended up placing 3rd in our district.
What we didn't realize at the time was that 3rd seed set us up for the games that would determine the team's fate. Since we were 3rd, we got to go to sectional play-offs. Our first game was against Sunbright School, a 2nd seed team within their district. We faced them on Sunbright's floor and beat them. The girls were ecstatic and their confidence and spirits were immediately lifted. This game changed everything and guaranteed us to go the the play-off tournament in Pigeon Forge. This game also allowed us to make history for our school since no girl's team has ever gotten this far in play-offs.
Our first game was against Boyd's Creek School who had placed 1st in their district. The Lady Panthers won this game easily. Our next game, the semi-final was to be played a week later and we would be facing an undefeated team, Rogersville, who makes it to play-offs every year. We stayed after our Boyd's Creek game to watch them play. They had the tallest girls we had ever seen. Rogersville had 2 post players who were about 6'2" that were unstoppable. They got every rebound and shot over every defensive player. We knew it would be our biggest challenge yet.
Most people slated us to lose but the hearts of the Lady Panthers by this time were soaring and determined. We managed to upset Rogersville and the celebration afterwards was amazing. I was so proud of our girls. They played their tails off and stayed focus. Heart (and a lot of prayer) is what won the game! Our girls were on top of the world. We would play in the sectional championship game the following afternoon (Feb. 16).
I doubt many of the girls slept after beating Rogersville but we had one game to go before making LCMS history. We had to face Hampton. We were feeling a little cocky after beating Rogersville and the game was sticky at times. We were losing by 2 at half time. They pulled together and ran with it during the 4th quarter. The Lady Panthers were the East TN Sectional Champions! (Middle School doesn't have a "state tournament" so this is our equivalent).
What a celebration! The LC School Board had told the girls that if they won they would buy them championship rings. We took the girls to Fudruckers for a victory dinner and were welcomed back in Lenoir City with a "parade". We received a police escort (5 cars from city, county, and state). They drove us through town, stopped traffic, and parents were stopped in their cars along the route cheering. I can't remember the last time I saw smiles that big. What a blessing to be a witness and a participant in something so amazing.
The girls became history and will have their gigantic picture on the wall after all but instead of district champs, they are so much more.
