Wednesday night in Shelbyville the Riverdale girls, 25-2 and regular season and district tournament champions, will, for the fourth time this year, dare the Blackman girls, 22-6, to beat them.
This doesn’t happen often. Teams usually play only twice and by a scheduling fluke they could be in the same Christmas tournament or meet again in the district tournament but for teams to meet four times, they both have to be really good. Trust me, they are.
Blackman is coming off the only state tournament appearance in school history. It was a year of improbable late season wins over Riverdale, Lawrence County and Walker Valley, and Blackman looks for all the world like a team that wants to go back to Murphy Center.
Chad Hibdon has an eight girl rotation where everyone is contributing. Shelby Campbell is showing skill and leadership at the point that often approaches brilliant and Kortnay Cox is hot! True, Katie Smith being out hurts the Lady Blaze but, so far at least, Hibdon has found lineups with Campbell and Cox along with three others from Kelsey Nowlin, Chelsey Hall. NeTanya Jackson, Tiera Norris, Konner Wheeler and Ashley Lott. One never knows who will come through, which is a sign of a dangerous team.
Meanwhile, at the Reservation, Riverdale has won 22 in a row and hasn’t lost in 2010. That’s pretty good when it’s March.
Coach of the year Hillary Hodges has skillfully maneuvered her seven girl rotation into the Region Championship game. Shacobia Barbee has just been terrific, especially recently, but Hodges is getting great play from Jaclissa Haislip, Ashley Henry, Candace Spurlock, Tyisha Petty, Natalie Lanning and, super sub Olivia Jones. Riverdale is also a serious threat to get to the state, and the last time they were there RHS won it all.
One key to winning or losing is the pace of the game. As La Vergne has proven three times, you cannot run with Riverdale. You don’t have to play slow but you cannot run.
Someone will win Wednesday night. Riverdale is slightly favored based on winning the earlier matchups by 9, 12 and 2, but someone will win. I hope they get to play a fifth time. It’s unlikely but if both get to MTSU. Who knows?
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