Warriorettes Break the Drought

The White County Warriorettes used their relentless pressure defense to punch their ticket to the TSSAA Class 3A Semifinals, knocking off Covington Wednesday night and snapping a drought that dated all the way back to March 7, 1996, the last time the Warriorettes had won a game at the state tournament.

Head Coach Michael Dodgen’s squad from Sparta leaned heavily on their signature full-court pressure, forcing turnover after turnover and turning those mistakes into transition points. White County held a narrow 27-23 lead at halftime, but the game turned quickly in the third quarter.

The Warriorettes exploded out of the locker room with an 18-2 run, breaking the game wide open. Their crisp backdoor cuts and fast-paced offense had the maroon-and-gray faithful roaring as Covington struggled to handle the pressure, committing 20+ turnovers that fueled the White County attack.

Gracie Clark delivered a superstar performance for the Warriorettes. The 5’10” senior stuffed the stat sheet with 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 steals, shooting an incredible 13-for-19 from the field. Her motor and energy sparked multiple momentum-shifting plays, leaving her teammates on their feet and the crowd buzzing.

Other key contributors for White County:

• Lakelyn Grasty – 14 points while masterfully running the Warriorette offense and knocking down her mid-range shots
• Kylie Norris – 10 points off the bench, including two deep balls from downtown that ignited the crowd
• Ashlyn Selby – 9 points and 5 rebounds, continuing her strong postseason play
• Bella Winningham – 5 points, including a clutch three-pointer

With the win, White County improves to 33-5 and now sets their sights on a Class 3A Semifinal showdown with Cocke County on Friday at 2:15 PM in Murfreesboro.

The Warriorettes are dancing in the Boro and now sit just two wins away from the gold ball.