Happy Valley Warriors

Page 12 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2020 Warriors

2020-2021 Happy Valley Warriors

Star Photo/Ivan Sanders

Warriors looking to stay healthy, competitive

BY IVAN SANDERS

STAR SPORTS EDITOR ivan.sanders@elizabethton.com

Happy Valley is like many other small schools that are just getting some players back from their football season which has means that besides being behind due to the craziness of 2020, many teams are just starting to get basketball legs under them.

The good news for head coach Jeremy Maddox however is that the returning players are coming in with the right mindset and willingness to get better. “So far I have seen that the guys are willing to work and they are willing to be coachable,” Maddox said of his squad. ‘We just actually got our team back on Monday since we are a small school and share athletes. “We have guys coming back that are experienced as far as playing goes so that’s good.

“It has kind of helped in our transition as we don’t have a whole lot of guys coming back new so that has helped as far as not having practice,” continued Maddox. On the other hand, missing out on summer camps that most teams compete in as much to develop chemistry and gel together being eliminated in 2020 has left some of the younger players playing catch up. “Not having a summer, and most of us would agree, is that it has stunted younger guys because I think that summertime for your incoming kids, that is kind of when you implement what your system is, your defensive schemes, and then when they come back in the fall then they are somewhat familiar with it,” Maddox discussed about missing the camps. “Our young kids are starting at ground zero. For our older guys, the learning curve hasn’t been as steep.” Some of the players Maddox said that Warrior fans can look out for is Blake Young whom the coach said could be one of the best players in the conference. Young only got to play in nine games last season due to injury but in the nine games he played at the end of the season he averaged 19 points per contest. Others to watch are Alex Lunceford who came on last season averaging 10 points a game along with junior Landon Babb who will be counted on for an increase in productivity this season. The Warriors also will be getting Timmy Mounts back from being sidelined by injury for the entire season last year. Andrew Clawson was another name brought up by Maddox as well. Maddox said the key for his team this season will be converting from offense to defense, defend and rebound, and be tough in the halfcourt. The Warrior head coach sees East to be the team to beat with three of the best players in the conference, Unicoi Co. two, Elizabethton three, South at four, Central at five, and then the Warriors at six, and Johnson County seven. “I just hope this year we can stay healthy,” Maddox stated. “Last year we were sitting at 5-0 and then all of a sudden you have over 40 points sitting on the bench due to injury.” 2020-2021 Happy Valley

Warriors

# name 12 Colby Chausse 13 Chandler yontz 15 andrew Clawson 20 andrew little 21 antonio Martin 22 timmy Mounts 23 James Murray 25 Blake young 30 Blake Garmon 32 landon Babb 33 alex lunceford 34 steven Perry

head Coach: Jeremy Maddox asst Coaches: Jason Kyte, Chris sparks

Star Photo/Ivan Sanders

The 2020-2021 Happy Valley Warrior Cheerleaders are Bottom (L-R) Maegen Tittle and Gillian Davis. (Middle L-R) Emily Fisher, Emma Helbert, Jon Perry, Gracie Young, and Casey Campbell. (Back L-R) Anslie Pinkeston, Autumn Henegar, and Kaybree Sumner.

2020-2021 haPPy valley Warrior sCheDule

December 1 unaka 4 at unicoi Co.* 7 hampton 8 at Cloudland 11 Johnson Co.* 18 elizabethton* 21 sullivan north (Boys only)** 28-30 action athletics tournament** at sullivan north hs

January 4 at Chuckey Doak 5 at sullivan Central* 9 at hampton

12 sullivan east* 15 sullivan south* 19 unicoi Co.* 22 at Johnson Co.* 26 at elizabethton* 29 sullivan Central*

February 5 at sullivan south* 9 at sullivan east* 11 at unaka 13 Cloudland 17-23 District tournament at sullivan south hs