Wolverines Advance To State Tournament
By EDDY GIFFORD
Sports Writer
The Dade County High School Wolverine basketball team traveled to Fannin County on Tuesday, Feb. 15 to face the Fannin County Rebels in the first game of the Region 7-AA Tournament. A win qualified them for a state tournament spot for the second year in a row while a loss would end the season.
DCHS defeated the Rebels one week ago and was back for the rematch with a lot on the line.
The Wolverines got off to a good start outscoring the Rebels 19-12 in the first quarter.
The wheels seemed to run-off for the Wolverines in the second quarter when Fannin outscored them 21-6 to take the lead at the end of the first half, 33-25.
Whatever coach Mark Whitt told the team at half-time worked as the Wolverines came out firing on all cylinders and outscored the Rebels 20-8 in the third quarter to take a 45-41 heading into the fourth quarter.
Dade fought their way to a big 62-56 win and advanced in the tournament and on to state.
Brodie Swader led the Wolverines with 18 points while Everett Christiansen finished with 17 points.
Dade 19 06 20 17 62
Fannin 12 21 08 15 56
David Cole 9, Brodie Swader 18, Brody Cooper 5, Max Howard 8, Conner Wilburn 3, Levi Moreland 2, Everett Christiansen 17.
On Thursday night the Wolverines faced off against the Chattooga Indians, the top seed in region and a team the Wolverines had lost to twice during the regular season.
The Indians took an early lead and at the end of the first quarter was up 25-14.
DCHS came out determined in the second quarter and by the end of the first half had cut the Indians lead to a single point, 30-29.
In the third quarter the Wolverines continued to play hard and battle the Indians on both ends of the court and at the end of the third quarter the game was tied, 46-46.
The battle continued through out the fourth quarter and was anyone’s game heading into the final seconds. Unfortunately for Dade the Indians managed to pull out a hard-fought win 58-55 in the final seconds.
The Wolverines had a great game holding the usual high scoring Indians to just 58 points but just could not produce the big shot at the end.
David Cole and Max Howard led Dade with 12 points each while Brody Cooper finished with 11 and Swader 10.
Dade 14 15 17 09 55
Chattooga 25 05 16 12 58
David Cole 12, Brodie Swader 10, Brody Cooper 11, Max Howard 12, Conner Wilburn, Levi Moreland 4, Everett Christiansen 6.
On Friday, the Wolverines were back at Fannin County to face the Coosa Eagles. This game would determine the third and fourth seed for the state tournament.
The Wolverines got off to a good start and at the end of the first quarter had built a seven-point lead, 19-12.
The second quarter did not go Dade’s way as they managed just six points while Coosa was racking up 21 and took a 33-25 lead at the end of the first half.
Again, whatever coach Whitt had to say at halftime seemed to work as the Wolverines outscored the Eagles 20 to eight and regained the lead, 45-33 at the end of the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter the two teams swapped baskets and the Wolverines came away with a big 62-56 win and the third seed heading into this week first round of the State Tournament.
The Wolverines were led by Brodie Swader with 18 points while Everett Christiansen finished the night with 17.
Dade County 19 06 20 17 62
Coosa High 12 21 08 15 56
David Cole 9, Brodie Swader 18, Brody Cooper 5, Max
Howard 8, Conner Wilburn 3, Levi Moreland 2, Everett
Christiansen 17.
The Wolverines traveled to Heard County, the second seed from Region 5-AA, for the first round of the state tournament. See next weeks edition for complete game details.