Senior star point guard, Casie Cowan topped 1,000 points which covered all four years of her high school basketball career for the Seymour Lady Eagles basketball team.  She broke the record last Thursday night in the game against Pigeon Forge.
Cowan hit a three pointer in the third quarter which put her over the top.  Play was suspended as Charlie Householder announced the record.  She was presented with the game ball in front of the home crowd.  Cowan later got the entire team to autograph the ball.  She threw the ball to her parents in the stands and then got back to the business at hand.  Cowan later said, “That night was really special to me.  They completely stopped the game.  My heart was racing.  It was very exciting. It’s a big accomplishment for me.  All the weekends at the community center; it means so much.  My parents are really happy for me.  It made all the hard work worthwhile.”
Cowan is a 5 foot 4 inch guard who has started for the Lady Eagles since her sophomore year.  She is very exciting to watch; always around the ball and making things happen.  She is also a team player.  Cowan puts team first and herself last, but if it takes taking over a game for the sake of the team and winning she won’t hesitate.  She is lightening quick and a deadly shooter, especially from the three point range.
Cowan helped her team to two straight region tournament appearances and sub state by averaging 10 points per game, making great passes and generally running the team with great leadership.
Seymour Coach Andy Rines had this to say about Cowan, “Last year she was one of several weapons that we had.  She scored at a pretty decent clip, but that didn’t matter much last year.  We had different people who could score.  This year she’s really had to score more, look to score and she embraced that.  She’s hit big three’s, she’s gotten to the free throw line this year.  She hits that little pull-up jumper and she’s scoring points off her defense.”
Cowan has increased her scoring average each of her four years to 17 points per game with three games over 30 points and a career high 34 points against Powell at the Pilot Classic at Knox Catholic over Christmas break.
“I like the three, but I’m not as consistent on it.  I like to hit the little jumper in people’s faces” said Cowan.
The success didn’t come without a price.  Hard work has been a larger factor.  Successful athletes don’t just happen.
“I’m in the gym every single day, and I stay late after practice when everybody else is back home.  I like to be at the gym shooting” said Cowan.
The hard work has paid off for the future since next year Cowan will be playing for the Cumberland University Bulldogs located in Lebanon, TN.
“They told me that they’re probably going to build their program around me, which is really exciting.  They dribble drive and that’s my game, so I’m really excited about it” said Cowan.
Coach Rines supported what she said, “She’s got that next level athleticism.  She can create her own shot anytime she wants, and she can do it against any defense.  She’s (also) a great ball handler and that makes her tough to guard.”
Cowan plans to major in education at Cumberland University and make basketball coaching a career.

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