WCHS girls set to defend title: 2003 Overton tourney tips off tonight

By ROB NUNLEY / Sports Editor for the Southern Standard (McMinnville, Tenn.)

Tia Williams takes the ball to the hole while being guarded by freshman Martha Pryor. The Lady Pioneers will begin their defense of their Overton Christmas Tournament title tonight. (Dale Stubblefield photo)

The Lady Pioneers enter tonight’s Overton Christmas Tournament in a role they haven’t found themselves in very often through recent seasons — defending champions.

The surprise of last year’s holiday event, coach Ann Eades’ squad won three straight to capture last year’s tournament title, running its win streak to five straight games in the process.

And now that they’ve brought home the big hardware, Eades said her team enters today’s first round with something to prove.

“There’s no doubt we do,” she said, “and we’re going to have our work cut out for us.

“We’re going to probably see more quickness than we’ve seen all year. I’ve been scouting (first-round opponent) McGavock, and they’ve got about 15 seniors and juniors who’ve all gotten better in the past few years. So we’ll definitely have our hands full.”

A year ago the Lady Pioneers entered the Overton tournament having won their previous two games, and made short work of their first tourney foe, as they downed Pearl-Cohn 61-52 in the opening round. WCHS then topped Antioch in the semifinals 61-50, before claiming the championship with a narrow 58-55 win over La Vergne.

Today’s first round sees the defending champions — who enter the tourney with a 5-1 record — take on McGavock at 4 p.m., with a win landing them in the semifinals against the winner of tonight’s Overton/Father Ryan matchup. A loss tonight, and the Lady Pioneers will play the Overton/Ryan loser Saturday afternoon.

Either way, Eades said her team will see a tough second-round foe.

“We’ll either play Father Ryan or Overton our second game, and those are two teams that had great years last year,” she said. “It will be tough, but we’re looking forward to it.

“This is not only chance for these girls to get back out and play, but it’s a nice trip for these kids who have worked very hard.”

One Lady Pioneer who WCHS fans will be especially glad to see making the trip to Overton is senior post Tia Williams, who left the team’s last game — a 56-54 win over Oakland — after suffering an apparent knee injury.

“Her knee’s fine, but I think a lot of her problems came because of a bout with the flu,” Eades said. “But she’s had a great couple of practices this week, and she looks to be coming back stronger than ever.”