SYMRNA, Tenn. — “Never have I ever seen a team hit three pointers like that at the middle school level.”

Those were the comments of one Raiders fan following the Moore County Middle School Raiderettes 81-30 loss to Rogersville City on Friday night at the Tennessee Middle School Athletic Association (TMSAA) Final Four game at Stewart Creek High School.

Well-informed Raiderettes fans knew it might be a bit of an uphill battle. Coming into the game, Rogersville City scored an average of 76 points per game with a 31-0 record, and itching for their second consecutive state championship. Beating the Raiderettes would put them on pace for their second consecutive undefeated season.

The road to the the final four

The MCMS Raiderettes held off a second half comeback attempt from a determined East Nashville team on February 7 at Lincoln Central Academy to punch their ticket to the Tennessee Middle School Athletic Association (TMSAA) Final Four game.

The MCMS Raiderettes also beat Eagleville 38-32 on February 3, South Lawrence 41-16 on February 4, and East End Prep 46-31 on February 6 before advancing to a state semifinal game. In the East Nashville game, the Eagles pulled within two with under two minutes to play, but the gritty Raiderettes held on – showing Lynchburg just how bright the future of girls basketball is here in Moore County. {To watch that game on YouTube, click here.}

But on Friday night, it rained Lady Warrior three balls from start to finish. Rogersville got up 19-8 in the first and 45-13 at the half — leaving the Raiderettes a little shell shocked. By the third, they’d mounted a 43 point lead and eventually won 81-30.

Following the game Moore County players, coaches, and fan had nothing but respect for the well-coached and disciplined Lady Warriors. Many stated that the middle school team played at a level that might beat many high school squads.

Friday night was the first time a Moore County Middle School team competed in a TMSAA state championship final four game since the Moore County Middle School Raiders made it there is 2020. The MCMS Raiders lost to Oneida 49-39 in that game. They also fell to Hampton 52-46 in the consolation game and settled for fourth place that year.

The team is coached by Holly White.

They will play a consolation game against Englewood at 3 p.m. at Stewart Creek High School in Smyrna. The Lady Warrior will take on Jackson Careers & Technology at 3 p.m. at Stewart Creek High School. If you’d like to watch either game, you can do so at this link. •

{The Lynchburg Times is a locally owned and locally operated community newspaper in Lynchburg, Tennessee. We’re the only newspaper that publishes new stories every morning at 7 a.m. plus breaking news as it happens. It’s also one of the few women-owned newspapers in the state. We’re supported by both readers and community partners who believe in independent journalism for the common good. You can support us by clicking here. }