Total team effort led to Pioneers’ success
March Madness is just gearing up in the college ranks, but Warren County sports fans have had something to be excited about for the past five months.
The Warren County High School boys basketball team – a squad mired in mediocrity just a few short seasons ago – has risen from the ashes, and should be commended for its accomplishments. Hard work, and countless hours on the practice court, are what carried the Pioneers to a 21-win season, despite the absence of a true superstar.
Showing the meaning of teamwork, the Pioneers achieved success by playing team-oriented ball. The concept of winning for the team was put before individual glory – a lesson which can benefit us all in our everyday lives.
The team’s transformation didn’t take years and years to accomplish, but rather two seasons. After notching just four victories two years ago, the Pioneers hired a new coach in spark plug Doug Keil. His new, fast-paced style of play excited fans, wore down opponents and lifted the team to 11 victories last year.
The turnaround kept going strong this year, as the Pioneers won their first seven games and eclipsed last year’s victory total just 16 games into the season.
Although the upper echelon of their district — Murfreesboro’s Oakland and Riverdale high schools — were able to keep the Pioneers at bay, WCHS scored victories over every other league foe, and leapt from the cellar in District 7-AAA to challenge for the league title. The Pioneers eventually finished an exciting district tournament as the third-place team and advanced to region play for the first time in four years.
Although the Pioneers’ season ended prematurely, with a heart-breaking, overtime loss to Lawrence County, the 21-11 record the team amassed is certainly an accomplishment the players and coaching staff can remember with pride.
Two players — senior guard Matt Cotten and junior forward Randal Harrell — were recognized by league coaches with spots on the all-district team, which was announced over the weekend. While the contributions of those two were certainly key to the Pioneers’ success, it was a total team effort — not one or two stars — which made the 2001-02 season a memorable one.
Seniors Jeff Chisam, Scott Dunham, Patrick Jones and Cotten concluded their careers in style, leading their teammates to one of the most successful sport seasons in recent Warren County history. But each member of the squad — from senior to sophomore, from starter to role player — did his part throughout the season to help the Pioneers’ cause.
With their 21-win campaign behind them now, the Pioneers and their fans can look back on a season well worth remembering — and look forward to a bright future filled with more success.