An Inside View: Baby school year

As the schools close for summer, it’s an appropriate time to pull out the crystal ball and look ahead to the next school year for the sporting events to come. With the help of various fans, coaches, players and folks gathered around for long coffee talks on Saturday mornings, I am proud to present my predictions for the 2003 school sports. August 2003 • Gatlinburg Pittman is the unanimous pre-season number one pick to win the state after moving to AA from AAA in football. • Seymour announces they will be starting a freshman at varsity quarterback and the addition of a new member of the coaching staff. September 2003 • West and South Greene petition TSSAA to allow them to combine squads and play G-P as a joint Greene All-Star team. • Seymour falls to Fulton on a last minute punt return for a touchdown. October 2003 • Sevier County flattens Oak Ridge, and cracks the top five in state prep rankings for 5A football. • Pigeon Forge and Seymour battle through a rain-soaked overtime before the game is called a tie due to rising water encroaching on the field. November 2003 • All four county high schools win their opening play-off games. • GP and SCHS advance to title games in Nashville. • Jennifer Davis wins the state championship in golf for Seymour, and is invited to play on 2004 Olympic team. December 2003 • GP and SCHS win state championships in football. • Seymour senior Brooke Johnson dunks in the Christmas tourney. January 2004 • Sevier County and Seymour girls face off with undefeated records on the basketball court. • GP and Pigeon Forge squads start player-only soccer practices in the snow as they begin work to make bids for state. February 2004 • Seymour girls score over 100 points in their opening game during the district tournament. • Pigeon Forge baseball and softball teams open practice with scrimmage, called off in the second inning due to the outfield fence floating off the property. March 2004 • Sevier County earns their second state title of the year with an overtime victory in girls basketball. • Seymour claims the girls basketball title; Johnson is named Miss Basketball. • Pigeon Forge softball beats Maryville by a run in the season opener, Coach Pearson is sent to the hospital after falling off the shoulders of parents. • Seymour and Pigeon Forge baseball game is moved to Jefferson County as Parton field goes under water for the third time in a wet year. • Eagle Matt Pryor needs only 20 more steals to break the state record. April 2004 • Seymour and Pigeon Forge softball teams win district crowns on the same night. • Jessi Peterson jumps 5’1” in the high jump at the county track meet, Shane Canterbury puts the shot over fifty feet. • Pryor steals home in a game against Cocke County to set a new record, Seymour crowd is ejected from the stadium for cheering too loudly. • Pigeon Forge and G-P have one loss apiece after splitting the regular season in soccer. • Pryor eclipses the state steal record, swiping Coach McCord’s socks and left shoe in the process. Named to all-state baseball team. May 2004 • SHS and PFHS meet in regional baseball, in a game postponed due to a flash flood. County officials cheer as a Herald sports reporter is trapped for three days in the press box. • Peterson finishes second in state pentathlon. • Tigers end their season third in the state baseball tourney. • G-P and Pigeon Forge face off for the fifth time in the soccer season at the state finals in Memphis.