Sports

Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Eric Duong (back row) resigned as the Andrews girls basketball coach last week after four seasons on the floor.

Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Eric Duong (back row) resigned as the Andrews girls basketball coach last week after four seasons on the floor.

Duong steps down from Cats’ bench

Justin Fitzgerald
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Body Andrews – The Lady Wildcats will have a new girls basketball coach next season, as Eric Duong has stepped down after four years at the helm.
Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Murphy’s Julia Dockery runs from first to second as the umpire signals a home run during the Lady Bulldogs’ 5-0 win over Franklin on March 10. Her father, Bill Dockery, is her head coach, while her sister Julia, who also hit a home run in the game, plays on the team as well.

Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Murphy’s Julia Dockery runs from first to second as the umpire signals a home run during the Lady Bulldogs’ 5-0 win over Franklin on March 10. Her father, Bill Dockery, is her head coach, while her sister Julia, who also hit a home run in the game, plays on the team as well.

Family strength helps Murphy beat Franklin

Justin Fitzgerald
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Body After coaching his kids in middle school, Billy Dockery took over as the varsity head coach this year. He also has two daughters, Riley and Julia Dockery, on the squad
Kevin Hensley/editor@grahamstar.com Members of the Andrews High shooting team compete in the rifle event at the FarWest Tournament in Marble on Feb. 26.

Kevin Hensley/editor@grahamstar.com Members of the Andrews High shooting team compete in the rifle event at the FarWest Tournament in Marble on Feb. 26.

Shooting team back in action

Justin Fitzgerald
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Body Collectively, Andrews High School recorded 971 points in archery, 939 in rifle and 980 in trap
Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Murphy’s John Ledford is tagged out by Smoky Mountain’s Zeb Fisher during the Bulldogs’ 9-3 win over the Mustangs on Friday afternoon.

Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Murphy’s John Ledford is tagged out by Smoky Mountain’s Zeb Fisher during the Bulldogs’ 9-3 win over the Mustangs on Friday afternoon.

Murphy tops Smoky Mountain to start ’22

Justin Fitzgerald
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Body Sylva – Leading 4-3 after four innings, the Bulldogs were searching for some separation in the season opener at Smoky Mountain on Friday.
Dave Guffey/Contributing Photographer The Murphy junior varsity girls basketball team beat Swain County 26-21 on Feb. 17 to win the Big Smoky Mountain Conference Tournament championship. Members of the team are: front row (from left), junior varsity head coach Jordan Lovingood, Carson Lovingood, Isabel Parker, Cayla Geer, Julia Dockery, Saige Kent and Madison Stiles; back row (from left), assistant coach Cody Webb, assistant coach Holly Gutierrez, Breeze Hinton, Graceland Worley, varsity head coach Ray Guti

Dave Guffey/Contributing Photographer The Murphy junior varsity girls basketball team beat Swain County 26-21 on Feb. 17 to win the Big Smoky Mountain Conference Tournament championship. Members of the team are: front row (from left), junior varsity head coach Jordan Lovingood, Carson Lovingood, Isabel Parker, Cayla Geer, Julia Dockery, Saige Kent and Madison Stiles; back row (from left), assistant coach Cody Webb, assistant coach Holly Gutierrez, Breeze Hinton, Graceland Worley, varsity head coach Ray Guti

Lady Dogs win the JV title

Justin Fitzgerald
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Body “It was just so fun to watch,” junior varsity coach Jordan Lovingood said. “A lot of them, that was their first championship game they’d gotten to play in. And to see them play in it and celebrate at the end, it just means the world to us.”
Photos by Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Murphy’s Torin Rogers knifes through the defense during the Lady Bulldogs’ 45-35 loss to Bishop McGuinness on March 1.

Photos by Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Murphy’s Torin Rogers knifes through the defense during the Lady Bulldogs’ 45-35 loss to Bishop McGuinness on March 1.

Lady Bulldogs flat, fall to Bishop McGuinness in Elite 8

Justin Fitzgerald
Tuesday, March 8, 2022
Body “I just felt we couldn’t run anything because of the defense they were running,” Gutierrez said. “Credit to them. We played bad, we shot it terribly. We just had too many missed opportunities,”