Clarksville, TN – High school basketball in Tennessee officially came to a close Saturday, March 15th when the Blackman Blaze (28-6) defeated Oak Ridge to win the boys Class AAA state title.
The win came just one week after the Blackman Lady Blaze (34-1) defeated Ridgeway to capture the girls Class AAA state title. The wins marked the sixth time a school has swept both state titles.
The Kenwood Knights and the Rossview Lady Hawks (27-4) shined the spotlight on Montgomery County schools by making historic runs into the postseason.
Girls Basketball
No team in Clarksville soared higher than the Lady Hawks this season. They etched their names in school history by breaking almost every program record.
They went a perfect 14-0 in conference play on their way to winning the most regular season games in program history. Senior Janie White was named District MVP and first year head coach Justin Woods was named the District Coach of the Year.
The Lady Hawk’s earned their first regular season district title and then went on to win the District Tournament Championship.
With a smothering defense and a dominant post game led by White, the Lady Hawks also won the most post season games in program history. They went all the way to the Region 5-AAA Tournament Championship game where they finished as the runner up after losing to Mt. Juliet.
The loss to Mt. Juliet was just a pause in their momentum. They rebounded with a comeback win against Overton that earned them a spot in the State Tournament. The Lady Hawks became just the fourth Clarksville area school to compete in the State Tournament.
But they didn’t just compete, they continued to win.
The Lady Hawks were just two points from earning a spot in the State Tournament Championship game. They lost to the Ridgeway Lady Roadrunners, the eventual State Tournament Runner up, 52-50.
In a recent Mid-State Prep Basketball ranking by USA Today and MaxPreps, the Lady Hawks were ranked third of the top 10, behind the State Champions Blackman Lady Blaze and the Mt. Juliet Lady Bears.
Girls 10-AAA Final Standings
Rossview 27-4
West Creek 16-16
Clarksville High 14-14
Kenwood 14-14
Henry County 8-20
Northeast 7-17
Northwest 5-21
Springfield 0-24
Boys Basketball
While the Lady Hawks were soaring, the Kenwood Knights were charging on their crusade to be the first team in school history to compete in the State Tournament.
Led by Mr. Basketball Finalist, Daniel Norl, the Knights did not make it to the State Tournament, but they still completed the best season in school history.
The Knights lost just two conference games on their way to earning the regular season title. Then, they took full advantage of their top-seeded position and earned the second District Tournament Championship in program history by defeating the Henry County Patriots with a game winning shot in the final seconds.
However, like the Lady Hawks, the Knights momentum paused in the Region 5-AAA Tournament Championship game. They lost to the Wildcats, 50-37. As a result, they would have to play their way into the State Tournament.
Like an omen, bad weather delayed the Knights sectional match up against the Brentwood Bruins.
The Bruins ended the Knights impressive season, defeating them 57-41.
Boys 10-AAA Final Standings
Kenwood 26-7
Henry County 18-9
Springfield 16-14
West Creek 17-18
Rossview 9-13
Northeast 10-17
Clarksville High 7-19
Northwest 6-20
