Sports

Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Murphy girls basketball players and coaches celebrate after beating Robbinsville 56-49 for their fifth straight Big Smoky Mountain Conference Tournament title Friday.

Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Murphy girls basketball players and coaches celebrate after beating Robbinsville 56-49 for their fifth straight Big Smoky Mountain Conference Tournament title Friday.

Lady Dogs best Knights for tournament’s crown

Justin Fitzgerald
Tuesday, February 22, 2022
Body “She is a special talent,” Lady Bulldogs head coach Ray Gutierrez said. “Like I tell people, she could go down as the best player in Murphy High School history. We’ll look back one day and really understand one day how special she was.”

Murphy girls top seed in state playoffs

Justin Fitzgerald
Tuesday, February 22, 2022
Body The Lady Bulldogs (23-3 overall) played No. 32 seed Elkin (8-15) in the first round Tuesday night, the results of which were not available until after this week’s edition of the Cherokee Scout went to press.
Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Andrews sophomore Kinleigh Queen eyes the basket during a free throw attempt during the Lady Wildcats’ 77-28 loss to Cherokee on Saturday.

Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Andrews sophomore Kinleigh Queen eyes the basket during a free throw attempt during the Lady Wildcats’ 77-28 loss to Cherokee on Saturday.

Lady Wildcats’ season ends in conference tournament

Justin Fitzgerald
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Body Bryson City – Like every team, Andrews girls basketball head coach Eric Duong hopes his team is playing its best basketball at season’s end.
Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Hiwassee Dam junior Kiera Taylor gets the offense in motion during the Lady Eagles’ 57-30 loss to Robbinsville on Feb. 9.

Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Hiwassee Dam junior Kiera Taylor gets the offense in motion during the Lady Eagles’ 57-30 loss to Robbinsville on Feb. 9.

Lady Eagles preparing for conference tourney

Justin Fitzgerald
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Body Hiwassee Dam – It was a challenging week for the Lady Eagles, with games against two of the better teams in the 1A West in Highlands and Robbinsville.
Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Amber Martin looks for an open Lady Bulldog during Murphy’s 64-9 win over Andrews on Feb. 8.

Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Amber Martin looks for an open Lady Bulldog during Murphy’s 64-9 win over Andrews on Feb. 8.

Lady Dogs pick up another title

Justin Fitzgerald
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Body “To be champions of the conference regular season, that’s something to be very proud of,” head coach Ray Gutierrez said. “Something that very few people thought we’d be
Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Hiwassee Dam’s Preston Hyde gets around Robbinsville’s Brock Adams during the Eagles’ 63-51 loss to the Knights on Feb. 9.

Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Hiwassee Dam’s Preston Hyde gets around Robbinsville’s Brock Adams during the Eagles’ 63-51 loss to the Knights on Feb. 9.

Eagles win 3rd straight title

Justin Fitzgerald
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Body It’s the Eagles third straight conference championship. They have gone undefeated in conference play each of the last two seasons.
Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Andrews’ Donovan Bateman looks for an open teammate during the Wildcats’ 74-67 win over Murphy on Thursday.

Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Andrews’ Donovan Bateman looks for an open teammate during the Wildcats’ 74-67 win over Murphy on Thursday.

3rd time’s charm for Andrews

Justin Fitzgerald
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
Body Wildcats top Murphy in conference tourney
Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Andrews junior Donovan Bateman sets the offense in motion during the Wildcats’ 55-50 win over Robbinsville on Friday.

Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Andrews junior Donovan Bateman sets the offense in motion during the Wildcats’ 55-50 win over Robbinsville on Friday.

Wildcats use big second half to down Robbinsville

Justin Fitzgerald
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
Body Andrews – Matt Maennle had a message for his team after a poor first half after the Black Knights, but first he had to wait for his team to finish talking.
Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Murphy senior Faith Ann Revis takes off in the long jump at the inaugural Smoky Mountain Conference Indoor Track Championships on Feb. 2. Revis will compete in the long jump, triple jump and shot put at the 1A/2A state meet Friday in Winston-Salem.

Justin Fitzgerald/sports@cherokeescout.com Murphy senior Faith Ann Revis takes off in the long jump at the inaugural Smoky Mountain Conference Indoor Track Championships on Feb. 2. Revis will compete in the long jump, triple jump and shot put at the 1A/2A state meet Friday in Winston-Salem.

Bulldogs compete in first indoor track championship

Justin Fitzgerald
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
Body Cherokee – In the first indoor track season in two years, Murphy and the three other teams competing made history.