Basketball season begins for Tharptown Wildcats
BOYS
Sonny Conwill enters his second season as the head coach of the Tharptown Wildcats boys basketball team this year. Conwill, who was hired right at the start of the season this past year, has had time to develop relationships and add some players to his roster.
“It was tough coming in at the last minute last year,” said Conwill. “The guys were deflated with a lot of uncertainty. We did the best we could last year under the circumstances.
“We have a year under our belts now. We’ve got some good kids out to play basketball, and they are learning and growing.”
Tharptown returns a nucleus of Edwin Garcia, Dylan Valdez, Malachi Minor and Jackson Clement. With the addition of Dylan Dolley, Hunter Motes, Dalton Maldanado and Dawson Higgins, Conwill said he expects his team to improve as the year progresses.
“We have some good athletes playing this year,” said Conwill. “We have a chance to have a good season if we are coachable, work hard and give our best effort.”
The Wildcats are guard heavy and will rely on full court pressure and defense to create offense.
“We have to use our athleticism to our advantage,” Conwill explained. “Good defense will generate offense. We have to limit teams to one shot and protect the basketball on our end.”
Tharptown competes in Class 2A, Area 16, with Lexington, Mars Hill, Sheffield and Hatton.
GIRLS
Tanna Benford and her Tharptown Wildcats enjoyed mixed success this past year. In-county, the Wildcats dominated by ending Phil Campbell’s years of dominance; however, in the area, the Wildcats struggled.
The Tharptown girls sent signals early on they were going to make noise in county, beating the Bobcats by 20 on their home court. They went on to beat Red Bay and Belgreen and win the county tournament, beating Phil Campbell in a thriller final.
If Tharptown is going to repeat that success, the girls will have to do it without Gracie Montgomery, the team’s leading scorer and four-year starter.
The bright spot is that Montgomery was the lone player lost. Benford returns four starters: point guard Autumn Montgomery, guard Kaitlyn Simmons, forward Savannah Romans and center Sarah Mansell.
“We have some good players returning with a lot of playing experience,” said Benford. “We have to protect the ball, stay out of foul trouble and rebound the basketball.”
Tharptown will also rely on experienced depth of Harleigh Borden, Kyndall Morgan and Alissa Abbott.
“We will have to work very hard and play very smart,” said Benford. “We have a chance to have a good season if we will focus on what is important and play as a team.”
Tharptown competes in Class 2A, Area 16, with Hatton, Lexington, Mars Hill and Sheffield.
THS GIRLS
1 Charlie Montgomery
3 Autumn Montgomery
4 Savannah Romans
10 Abby Wilson
12 Aalivia Wilson
13 Kaitlyn Simmons
14 Harleigh Borden
22 Alyssa Abbott
24 Ashton Tharp
32 Kyndall Morgan
34 Alyssa Fischer
35 Sarah Mansell
THS BOYS
1 Malachi Minor, Junior
4 Dylan Dolley, Junior
10 Dawson Higgins, Junior
11Jackson Clement, Junior
12 Dalton Maldonado, Sophomore
14 Edwin Vela, Junior
22Hunter Motes, Junior
23Dylan Valdez, Junior
33Israel Sanchez, Junior
40 Maddox Cochran, Sophomore
SCHEDULE
Nov. 10 Belgreen – Home
Nov. 11 Danville – Away
Nov. 15 Lindsay Lane – Home
Nov. 17 Colbert Heights – Away
Nov. 18 East Lawrence – Away
Nov. 21 Thanksgiving Classic (Boys) – Home
Nov. 28 Red Bay – Away
Nov. 29 Shoals Christian – Home
Dec. 2 Phil Campbell – Home
Dec. 6 Belgreen – Away
Dec. 9 Hatton – Away
Dec. 13 Hackleburg – Away
Dec. 15 Mars Hill – Home
Dec. 16 Lindsay Lane – Away
Dec. 20 Sheffield – Home
Dec. 22 at Lexington – Away
Dec. 27-29 West Morgan Tourney (Girls) – Away
Jan. 3 Hatton – Home
Jan. 6 Lexington – Home
Jan. 9 Colbert Heights – Home
Jan. 10-14 County Tournament – Away
Jan. 16 MLK Classic – Athens Bible – Wallace State
Jan. 20 Sheffield – Away
Jan. 23 Mars Hill – Away
Jan. 24 Phil Campbell – Away
Jan. 27 Red Bay – Home
Jan. 30 Danville – Home
Jan. 31 Hackleburg – Home
Feb. 3 Shoals Christian – Away
