Nettes head into region tournament on 20-game win streak

PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports

Jasper, Ga — On Thursday, February 10th, the Pickens Dragonettes took on the Cedartown Lady Bulldogs in what was not only the final region 7-AAAA game, and the final game of the regular season. This game, was supposed to take place a couple of weeks ago, but weather forced a postponement and it was moved to February 10th. These two teams first met on December 7th with the Nettes coming away with a 62-31 win at Cedartown. Pickens, continued it’s winning ways as they came away with a 73-32 victory in the regular season finale.

 

In the first quarter, Senior Amanda Nelson got things going for the Nettes as she made a nice move to the basket for the layup. After a steal on the other end, Pickens extended their lead to 4-0 after Sophomore Caroline Mullins found older sister, Senior Carmyn Mullins alone under the basket for the layup. Cedartown would then call an early timeout. Coming out of the timeout, the Lady Bulldogs got on the board with a three pointer to make it 4-3. Caroline Mullins then found Junior Emma Gleason leading the way on a fast break for the layup to make it 6-3. After a miss by Cedartown, Junior Madison Powell collected the rebound, passed it to Caroline Mullins, and she found Gleason again leading the fast break down the floor for another layup to make it 8-3.

After the Lady Bulldogs took another timeout, they were able to connect on an open layup to make it 8-5. Caroline Mullins was able to come away with a steal and took it all the way for the score to make it 10-5. Caroline Mullins then rebounded a missed shot by Cedartown and once again found an open Gleason for the layup to make it 12-5. The Lady Bulldogs then made a free throw line jumper to make it 12-7. Good ball movement by the Nettes led to Nelson finding an open Carmyn Mullins for the layup to make it 14-7. After several tries, Cedartown got a three pointer to go to make it 14-10. Pickens quickly answered as a cutting Freshman Brylee Deering found an open Nelson for the three to make it 17-10. Just as time was expiring in the first quarter, the Lady Bulldogs got a three pointer to fall to make it 17-13.

Nettes on offense in the first

 

The Nettes started off the second quarter with a score as Caroline Mullins found Gleason underneath the basket for the layup to make it 19-13. After a turnover by Cedartown, Pickens turned it into points as Nelson got it to Caroline Mullins and she made a nice fad away move for the score to make it 21-13. The Lady Bulldogs were able to break the 4-0 run with a short jumper to make it 21-15. After that, it was all Nettes. Pickens went on a 16-0 run for the remainder of the first half to take a 37-15 lead into the break.

The Nettes allowed just two 2nd quarter points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The third quarter started just like the first quarter with Nelson making an open layup to make it 39-15. Carmyn Mullins then was able to drive to the basket, make the layup, and get the foul. She completed the and-1 chance to make it 42-15. After a steal by Powell, she found an open Carmyn Mullins under the basket as the Nettes lead grew to 44-15. Caroline Mullins got a steal of her own and made the layup to make it 46-15. Another steal by Caroline Mullins led to a 2 on 1 fast break and Mullins dished it to Nelson with a nice behind the back pass for the layup to make it 48-15. Cedartown was able to get on the board with a pair of free throws to make it 48-17.

On the next possession for Pickens, Sophomore Bella Hopkins found Nelson open in the corner for the three to make it 51-17. After a steal by Freshman Emmie Moore, Hopkins found a streaking Powell for the layup to make it 53-17. The Lady Bulldogs would then make another pair of free throws to make it 53-19. There was a Freshman to Freshman connection as Deering found Moore, who drove to the basket and hit a floater to make it 55-19. Cedartown answered with a nice turnaround move for the layup to make it 55-21. Another steal by Moore led to a bucket on the other end as Caroline Mullins laid it in to make it 57-21. The scoring in the third continued for the Nettes as Sophomore Emery Bryant found Moore for the layup to make it 59-21. After a steal by Powell, she found Deering, who found an open Moore for the three to make it 62-21 going to the fourth.

Nettes with the ball in the third quarter

 

The shortened fourth quarter saw Pickens get the first points as Deering found Powell for the three to make it 65-21. Cedartown got their first points of the fourth after a drive to the basket resulted in a layup to make it 65-23. The Lady Bulldogs followed that up with a pair of free throws to make it 65-25. Cedartown again got a layup as they were able to grab a tipped pass to make it 65-27. The Nettes were able to end the Lady Bulldog run after Junior Adrienne Plumley found Bryant for the layup and the foul. Cedartown came back on the other end to hit a three pointer to make it 67-30. After an offensive rebound by Bryant, good ball movement led to Plumley finding Bryant again for the layup to make it 69-30. The Lady Bulldogs were able to hit another pair of free throws to make it 69-32. After a steal, Sophomore Emery Steinhauer took it all the way for the score to make it 71-32. After another steal by the Nettes, Steinhauer found a wide open Plumley under the basket for the layup with just seconds left in the game as Pickens took this one, 73-32.

 

Leading Scorers For The Nettes:

Caroline Mullins: 16 points

Amanda Nelson: 12 points

Carmyn Mullins: 11 points

Emma Gleason: 10 points

Emmie Moore: 9 points

Madison Powell: 7 points

Emery Bryant: 4 points

Emery Steinhauer: 2 points

Adrienne Plumley: 2 points

 

7-AAAA Girls Region Standings:

Pickens: 22-2 (12-0) #1 seed in region tournament

Heritage: 16-7 (9-3) #2 or #3 seed in region tournament

Northwest Whitfield: 16-9 (9-3) #2 or #3 seed in region tournament

Central-Carroll: 10-14 (6-6) #4 seed in region tournament

Cedartown: 4-16 (3-9) #5 seed in region tournament

Ridgeland: 5-19 (2-10) #6 seed in region tournament

Southeast Whitfield: 1-23 (1-10) #7 seed in region tournament

 

With the win, Nettes head coach Brandon Thomas collected his 101st win since taking over. That moves him to 2nd all time in Nettes coaching wins. Only behind the man that the court is named after at Pickens High School, Roy Cowart. The 2021-22 season is Coach Thomas’ 5th as Nettes head coach. The Nettes, will await their next opponent as they prepare for their 7-AAAA Region Tournament Semifinal opponent on Thursday. While the opponent is to be determined, the game, and all of the tournament games will be at Northwest Whitfield.

Nettes roll against Southeast Whitfield on Senior Night

PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports

Jasper, Ga — A big crowd was on hand as the Pickens Dragonettes 20-2 (10-0), welcomed the Southeast Whitfield Lady Raiders 1-21 (1-10) to the Dragons Den for Senior Night. The Nettes, came in riding an 18 game winning streak after defeating the 10th ranked team in Single-A Private, the Darlington Lady Tigers on Saturday. The Lady Raiders also had reason to be excited as they picked up their first win of the season against Ridgeland last week. Using a fantastic defensive effort, the Nettes came away with a 59-7 win.

 

Senior Carmyn Mullins got the scoring started for the Nettes in the first quarter as they took a quick 2-0 lead. Younger sister of Carmyn, Sophomore Caroline Mullins, followed that up with a steal for an easy layup to make it 4-0. After a nice set up from fellow Senior Amanda Nelson, Carmyn Mullins made another shot to make it 6-0. Junior Madison Powell nailed the first three pointer of the game to make it 9-0. Freshman Emmie Moore made an impact early on as she hit a three pointer to make it 12-0. Caroline Mullins got in on the three pointer party as she hit one to make it 15-0 Nettes going to the second quarter.

Nettes with the ball in the first quarter

 

In the second quarter, Pickens continued it’s great play on both sides of the court. To begin the scoring in the second quarter, Sophomore Bella Hopkins hit a three pointer to make it 18-0. Hopkins then nailed a floater after a nice dish from Caroline Mullins to make it 20-0. Senior Amanda Nelson then got her first points of the night as she hit a three pointer to make it 23-0. Hopkins, continued her stellar second quarter with another three pointer to make it 26-0. Carmyn Mullins then had a nice put back score after fighting for a rebound to make it 28-0. Another Freshman, Brylee Deering, got her first points of the game after a nice pump fake led to a nice make on a jump shot to make it 30-0. Junior Emma Gleason got her first points of the game late in the first half as Caroline Mullins found her wide open underneath the basket for a layup to make it 32-0. Just before the end of the first half, Junior Jazmine Chastain got a steal and took it all the way down the floor for the layup. Going into the break, the Nettes led the Lady Raiders, 34-0.

Nettes pitched a shutout in the first half

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second half, was a shortened half as both the third and fourth quarters were both 6 minute quarters instead of the usual 8 minute quarters. In the third quarter, the Nettes continued their scoring ways as the Senior to Senior connection was in play as Carmyn Mullins dished it to a cutting Nelson for the layup to make it 36-0. The Lady Raiders, got their first points of the game on a three pointer to make it 36-3. After a rebound by Hopkins, she found a sprinting Gleason down the floor who then laid it up an in to make 38-3. After getting fouled, Carmyn Mullins went 2-2 from the free throw line to make it 40-3. A nice in-bounds play set up a Moore jumper after a good pass from Nelson to make it 42-3. Good ball movement from the Nettes, and a pass from Moore,  led to a three pointer from Gleason to make it 45-3. A scramble for a loose ball on the next Lady Raider possession led to Southeast Whitfield getting an open layup to make it 45-5. On the next possession for Pickens, Moore had a nice drive and kick as she found an open Deering for the three to make it 48-5. A final shot before the buzzer would not fall for the Nettes as we’d head to the fourth with Pickens ahead, 48-5.

Senior Amanda Nelson with the ball

 

To start the fourth, Carmyn Mullins got fouled and hit both shots to make it 50-5. A little later on in the fourth, Hopkins found Nelson for a layup to make it 52-5. After the two teams traded possessions for a bit, the Lady Raiders got a jump shot to go to make it 52-7. After a steal by the Nettes, Carmyn Mullins found Nelson for the layup to make it 54-7. After grabbing the offensive rebound, and using good ball movement, Sophomore Emery Steinhauer found Deering who hit a bank shot three pointer to make it 57-7. A steal by Deering on the Lady Raiders next possession led to an open layup for Steinhauer as she made it 59-7. The final seconds would then tick away as the Nettes came away with their 19th straight win by defeating the Southeast Whitfield Lady Raiders, 59-7.

 

7-AAAA Girls Region Standings:

Pickens: 21-2 (11-0) will be the #1 seed in the region tournament

Heritage: 16-7 (9-3) will be either the #2 or #3 seed in the region tournament

Northwest Whitfield: 16-9 (9-3) will be either the #2 or #3 seed in the region tournament

Central-Carroll: 10-14 (6-6) will be the #4 seed in the region tournament

Cedartown: 4-15 (3-8) will be the #5 seed in the region tournament

Ridgeland: 5-19 (2-10) will be the #6 seed in the region tournament

Southeast Whitfield: 1-22 (1-11) will be the #7 seed in the region tournament

 

While they did already have Senior Night to recognize the Senior basketball players, cheerleaders, and dance team, there is still one more home game left to be played. Cedartown, will come to Jasper on Thursday, February 10th to close out the regular season. This is a make up game from several weeks back as the original game was canceled due to weather. Tip off for this one is set for 6 pm.

Region battle between Pickens and Cedartown comes down to the wire

PHS Softball, Team FYN Sports

Jasper, GA — On Thursday, September 2nd, the Pickens Dragonettes varsity softball team welcomed the Cedartown Lady Bulldogs to Dunn Field for game 1 of their three game region series. These two teams were originally scheduled to begin this series at Cedartown on Tuesday, but due to rain brought in by Hurricane Ida, that game was postponed. Prior to the ball game starting, Pickens High School held a ceremony formally announcing the name of the softball/baseball field as Dunn Field. the field, is named after Matthew Dunn. Dunn, played multiple sports at PHS, but was most known for baseball. Dunn, hit a career .400 average at PHS. In 2002, he was named MVP. Dunn went on to star at both the University of Virginia and the University of Georgia. The Dunn family, has been very generous to Pickens High School and Pickens County in general over the years.

 

Nettes’ starter Emma Black kept the Lady Bulldogs bats quiet in the top of the 1st and it was time for Pickens to come up to bat. In the bottom of the inning, Hannah Grizzle got things going with an infield single. McKayla Kirchoff then bunted her over to 2nd. After a grounder, Grizzle then moved over to 3rd. Black, helped herself out as she drove in Grizzle to give the Nettes an early 1-0 lead.

 

In the top of the 2nd, Black was able to force two quick Lady Bulldogs outs, then Cedartown drew a walk and was hit by a pitch. Black then settled down and got a strikeout to send us to the bottom of the frame. In the bottom of the 2nd, Pickens went down in order. Going to the top of the 3rd, the Nettes still held a 1-0 lead.

 

Neither team got anything going in the 3rd inning as we had a pretty good pitching match up going on. In the top of the 4th, Cedartown was able to spark a little two out rally as the Lady Bulldogs plated a run to tie things up at 1. In the bottom of the 4th, Black led off by drawing a walk. The Nettes were unable to bring that lead off walk in as we would head to the 5th with the ball game now tied at 1.

 

In the top of the 5th, Cedartown again got runs with two outs as they got a 2-run home run to take a 3-1 lead. The Nettes were unable to get anything going in the bottom of the frame and we’d go to the 6th, Lady Bulldogs up, 3-1.

 

The top of the 6th saw Cedartown again plate another 2 runs to extend their lead over Pickens, 5-1. The Nettes, knew they had to rally soon and they did just that in the bottom of the 6th. Kirchoff drew a walk, followed by a single from Allie Long. The next two batters would strikeout, then fly out. With two outs, and two on, Hope Buchanan smacked the ball over the center field fence to cut the Lady Bulldogs lead down to 5-4.

 

In the top of the 7th, Cedartown was able to take advantage of some miscues and got three runs of their own to extend their lead to 8-4. In the bottom of the 7th, after two quick outs, the Nettes tried to rally again. Kirchoff reached 3rd after an error in the outfield. Long, then reached on an error as well, scoring Kirchoff. The Lady Bulldogs were able to get the final out and pick up the win, 8-5.

 

These same two teams will play one another in a doubleheader on Friday, September 3rd. Game one will start at 4 pm. Game two will follow afterwards.

 

Nettes drop region game to Cedartown

PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports

Pickens County Ga — On February 2nd, the Pickens Dragonettes welcomed the Lady Bulldogs of Cedartown for a big time 7-AAAA match up. It was the Nettes first game in a week after having their game against Southeast Whitfield postponed last Thursday due to Covid issueson Southeast Whitfield’s end. Pickens came in as the second place team in 7-AAAA while Cedartown caqme in as the fourth place team in region play. The Nettes, defeated the Lady Bulldogs 55-50 at Cedartown on January 8th. After a back and forth battle, the Lady Bulldogs came away with a 58-55 win.

 

In the first quarter, after Cedartown took an early 4-2 lead, the Nettes went on a 10-0 run getting buckets from Reagan Harwood, Marlee McClure, and Kealy Hillhouse to take a 12-4 lead. The Lady Bulldogs went on a 5-3 run to end the first quarter as Pickens took a 15-9 lead going to the second.

Cassidy Richards with the basketball

Much like the first quarter, the Lady Bulldogs got the opening bucket of the second quarter to cut the Nettes lead down to 15-11. The Nettes countered with a 6-0 run to stretch their lead to 21-11. Cedartown countered with a 6-0 run of their own to again cut the lead down to four. Pickens, would outscore the Lady Bulldogs 6-4 the rest of the half to take 27-21 lead into the break.

Nettes defending a quick Cedartown team

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the third quarter, the Lady Bulldogs again had the opening bucket, to cut the Pickens lead down to 27-23. Cassidy Richards, follwed that up with a personal 5-0 run to make it 32-23. After back to back buckets from Cedartown, Bella Howell stretched the Nettes lead to 36-27 after two straight scores. Towards the end of the quarter, the Lady Bulldogs cut the Pickens lead down to 43-40. Hillhouse, got inside on two straight possessions and hit back to back layups to make it 47-40. Cedartown got a late bucket just before the end of the third to make it 47-42 Pickens going to the fourth.

Nettes working for a good shot

To start the fourth quarter, the Lady Bulldogs went on a 5-0 run to tie things up at 47. Hillhouse, again came up big for the Nettes as she went on a 4-0 run to make it 51-47. After a bucket and a free throw cut the Pickens lead down to one, Hillhouse again got a bucket to drop to make it 53-50. Cedartown then when on an 8-0 run to take a 58-53 lead. The Nettes were able to cut it to 58-55, but a big bucket from the Lady Bulldogs made it 60-55. Richards hit a three pointer at the buzzer, but it wasn’t enough as Cedartown came away with a 60-58 win.

 

7-AAAA Girls Basketball Standings:

Northwest Whitfield: 8-7 (8-0)

Pickens: 15-4 (7-2)

Heritage: 14=5 (7-2)

Cedartown: 12-6 (7-4)

Central-Carroll: 8-13 (2-7)

Southeast Whitfield: 1-17 (1-8)

Ridgeland: 3-17 (0-9)

 

The Nettes, will be right back at it tomorrow evening as they head to Tunnel Hill to take on the Lady Bruins of Northwest Whitfield. This is a makeup game as the original game on January 22nd, was postponed due to Covid issues at Northwest Whitfield. This will be the Lady Bruins 2nd game back from quarantine. Tip off set for 6 pm.

Nettes ring in new year with road win, continue hot streak

PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports

Dalton, Georgia — It has been an interesting couple of days in Pickens County. Prior to the Pickens Dragonettes scheduled game against Alpharetta, a decision was made that they will not be going back to in-person learning as planned on January 6th, and that all extracurricular activities would be shut down for the week. A couple hours later, another decision was made to allow the extracurricular activities starting on Tuesday, January 5th. The Nettes came into their game against the Southeast Whitfield Lady Raiders having won 7 straight to close out 2020 and looked to continue that as they started the 2021 portion of the schedule. Continue it they did as they picked up their 9th win of the season, and 4th win in region play, 59-25.

 

In the first quarter, the Nettes started on an 11-0 run powered by three point makes by Cassidy Richards and Madison Powell, a bucket by Bella Howell, and free throw makes from Amanda Nelson, Kealy Hillhouse, and Carmyn Mullins. After a bucket by Avery Woodson of the Lady Raiders, Pickens got back to back threes from Caroline Mullins and Nelson to make it 17-2. Lisette Gomez of Southeast Whitfield then made two free throws, and that sent us to the second quarter with the Nettes ahead, 17-4.

Amanda Nelson with the steal

In the second quarter, the Nettes got back to back threes from Carmyn and Caroline Mullins to open up the frame. Bella Howell then added another bucket to give Pickens a 25-4 lead. After a bucket from Woodson of Southeast Whitfield, the Nettes closed the half with a 7-0 run led by Reagan Harwood with a bucket, Hillhouse with a three, and Caroline Mullins with a bucket to make it 32-6 Pickens at the half.

Nettes in-bounding the ball under their basket

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The third quarter saw a good back and forth between the two teams as Southeast Whitfield saw an improvement in their offense putting up 7 in the frame. The Nettes scored 13 points in the third getting 5 points each from Bella Howell and Richards as well as 3 points from Nelson. Going to the fourth, Pickens continued to lead, 45-13.

Nettes with the breakaway layup

After the Lady Raiders opened the fourth quarter with a three, Marlee McClure of the Nettes came back with 5 points of her own as part of a 7-0 run for Pickens. The Nettes would go on to take this one, 59-25.

 

Nettes leading scorers:

Bella Howell: 12 points

Amanda Nelson: 9 points

Cassidy Richards: 8 points

Caroline Mullins: 8 points

Carmyn Mullins: 6 points

 

7-AAAA Girls Basketball Standings:

Pickens: 9-2 (4-0)

Northwest Whitfield: 3-5 (3-0)

Cedartown: 7-1 (2-1)

Central-Carroll: 6-6 (1-1)

Heritage: 7-4 (2-2)

Ridgeland: 1-9 (0-4)

Southeast Whitfield: 0-8 (0-4)

 

The Nettes, will be on the road again on Friday night as they travel to take on the Cedartown Lady Bulldogs. As you see in the standings above, this could have an impact on the region tournament down the line. Tip off is set for 7 pm.

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