Lady 'Cats host Riverdale in Hall opener

While Friendship Christian remains in its quest for a state football championship, other high schools here and elsewhere are getting into basketball mode.
Wilson Central's girls open defense of their state championship tonight when the Lady Wildcats host Riverdale in a TSSAA Hall of Champions game.
The 6:30 p.m. tipoff will feature two Division-I signees – Central's Tierney Jenkins, who signed with Alabama last week, and Riverdale's Middle Tennessee State-bound Anne Marie Lanning. Jenkins, Sara Williams and Jasmine Hassell give Central one of the strongest post games around while in the backcourt, Chelsea Burroughs and Jessy Christopher have transferred from Mt. Juliet, making the Lady Wildcats look even stronger, at least on paper, than a year ago.
The boys' game will follow.
Also on opening night, Watertown hosts Monterey in a 6:30 p.m. double header while Mt. Juliet Christian travels to Unionville in Bedford County to take on Community. Girls tipoff is at 6 p.m. as MJCA scoring king David Kitchen takes the Lady Saints coaching reins on an interim basis this season.
Mt. Juliet Christian will travel to Portland on Thursday.
Lebanon will open its season Friday as the Blue Devils and Devilettes host Class A Culleoka at Campbell Brandon Gym/Hester Gibbs Court. Darian Brown will make his Devilette coaching debut in the 6:30 p.m. game.
Watertown will travel to Jackson County at the same time.
The Hall of Champions series will wrap up Saturday as Lebanon buses to Pickett County to take on Stone Memorial at 3 p.m.
Teams may play up to two Hall of Champions games this week with proceeds going toward the TSSAA's Hall project. Coaches have the discretion whether or not to count such games against their team's record. Typically, most coaches count the wins but not the losses.
The 26-game regular season may begin next Monday.
Friendship and Mt. Juliet have no Hall of Champion games on its schedule. In the cast of FCS, boys coach Matt Bradshaw has no team. All but three of his players are still playing football as the Commanders host Tennessee Temple in a battle of unbeatens at 7 p.m. Friday at Pirtle Field.
Sports Editor Andy Reed can be reached at 444-3952 ext. 17 or by e-mail at andy.reed@lebanondemocrat.com.