Friendship Christian’s boys had a, well, rather interesting experience trying to return home from last week’s tournament in Jacksonville, Fla.
After flying down to the Sunshine State, the Commanders played their three games, winning one to finish fourth. But before they could board the plane for their return trip home, wintry weather in much of the rest of the country caused flights to be canceled, including Friendship’s — twice.
To make a long story short, a car and van were rented for the players and families, who got over Monteagle Mountain and returned home just as Middle Tennessee was turning into Alaska. Coaches and families followed the next day and all were home for Christmas.
Barring a pileup on Sparta Pike or Coles Ferry Pike, Friendship’s next trip won’t be nearly the cliffhanging experience as the Commanders, Mt. Juliet and a couple of dozen other teams converge upon Watertown High and Middle Schools for the AFLAC Christmas Classic which begins a three-day run Wednesday.
Games will be played at both WHS gyms as well as at WMS.
One of the highlights will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday as the Lady Commanders face their former district rival Watertown for the first time since FCS moved to Division II 10 years ago. This game, and all games involving the Purple Tigers and Lady Purple Tigers, will be played in the main high school gym. Watertown’s boys will face Mt. Juliet at 7:30 p.m. Friday in a series which was revived a couple of years ago following a 45-year hiatus.
A look at the schedule by school:
Watertown’s girls will face Friendship at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Portland 24 hours later and Columbia Academy at 6 on Friday. The Purple Tigers will follow at 7:30 each night with Jackson Christian on Wednesday, Liberty Creek on Thursday and Mt. Juliet on Friday.
After Watertown, Friendship’s girls will take on Columbia Academy in the auxiliary gym at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and White House at the middle school at 4:30 p.m. Friday. The Commanders will take on Columbia Academy at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the high school, Portland 24 hours later at the middle school and Antioch at 6 p.m. Friday at the middle school.
Pearl-Cohn’s girls pulled out of the classic, leaving Mt. Juliet with just two games. The Lady Bears will battle White House at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at the middle school and Liberty Creek at 3 p.m. Friday in the auxiliary gym. The Golden Bears will battle Jellico at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at the middle school, Antioch at 3 p.m. Thursday in the auxiliary gym and the host Purple Tigers to put a bow on the classic at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the main gym.
Except for Pearl-Cohn’s absence, four games will be held at each gym each day beginning at 3 p.m.
By contrast, Green Hill’s girls face an early wake-up call this morning as the Lady Hawks will travel to Scottsville, Ky., for the opening game of the Lady Invitational of the South tournament at Allen County-Scottsville High at 9:30 a.m. They will face Central Hardin (Elizabethtown, Ky.) in the first game of the 16-team event. Win or lose, they will face either Murfreesboro Central Magnet or Greenwood (Bowling Green, Ky.) tomorrow (9:30 a.m. loser’s bracket or 4 p.m. winner’s). Teams will play either three or four games through Thursday or Friday. Six of the teams are from Tennessee with the rest from the Bluegrass State.
While Friendship’s boys likely won’t have to deal with weather again, Lebanon’s girls were trying to get out of snowy Tennessee yesterday to arrive in Gulf Breeze, Fla., (across Pensacola Bay from Pensacola) in time for the start of today’s Pensacola Beach Basketball Classic.
The Devilettes will face East Forsyth at 1 p.m. today and Woodmont at 4 p.m. tomorrow, both at Gulf Breeze Community Center. They will be at Gulf Breeze High School on Thursday to take on Rogers Heritage (Ark.) at 8:30 a.m.
Lebanon’s boys will wait until today before traveling south to relatively nearby Panama City for the Visit Panama City Beach Marlin Christmas Classic.
The Blue Devils will face Chipley (Fla.) at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Breakfast Point Academy. Win or lose, they will face either Pensacola Catholic or Brewtech on Thursday at 1 p.m. (winner’s bracket at Arnold High School) or 10 a.m. (loser’s bracket at Breakfast Point). The tournament will run through Friday. Lebanon could face White County (Tenn.) on Friday.
Back closer to home, Green Hill’s boys will make their annual trip (which was begun by Coach Troy Allen when he was at Mt. Juliet before GHHS’ opening) to the Willie Brown ’65 Memorial Tournament at Father Ryan beginning Wednesday.
The Hawks will open with Middle Tennessee Christian at 4 p.m. Wednesday and face either Hillsboro or Blackman on Thursday at 7 p.m. (winner’s bracket) or 2:30 p.m. (loser’s). Clarksville, LaVergne, Martin Luther King and host Father Ryan are in the other bracket with one of the four being Green Hill’s opponent on Friday, the final day.
Across town, Wilson Central’s boys will make their annual appearance in the Zaxby’s Classic at Goodpasture. The Wildcats will take on Wayne (Ohio) at 4:30 p.m. Thursday and Hunters Lane at 10:30 a.m. Friday.
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