With mandatory masks, about two dozen fans in the stands and social distancing protocols enforced, high school sports ushered in a new era of competition during the week before Thanksgiving.
On the scoreboard, the Lady Bobcats downed Highlands by a 3-1 (25-15, 17-25, 25-16 and 25-19) match score before a sparse in-person crowd and about 250 spectators streaming live on YouTube.
BREC jumped out to an early 7-2 lead in game one before the Lady Highlanders could gather their wits with big points scored by left outside hitters Charlotte Sherrill and Gracie Watson, and middle hitter Maddie Potts. Potts, with one of the most punishing serves in the Little Smoky Mountain Conference, closed out the scoring in the first game with four service points.
“We played well… they played well,” said BREC coach Carlton Fowler after the game, “But we take it for what it is, one win. We have to play them two more times and they’ll be gunning for us.”
Fowler said his team started off the 2019-20 season in similar fashion, with an opening night win on the road against their arch rivals, but Highlands battled back to take the next two matches, “Which goes to show this is a long season and anything can happen.”
The Lady Bobcats never looked back as they increased their lead to 19-8 before Highlands could pull together a late-game run to close the gap to 10.
In Game two, the Lady Highlanders showed they did not intend to go quietly into the night, rebounding to win 25-17 to even the tally at one win each.
Ava Schmitt and cousin Julia May Schmitt capped a late rally to end a round of scoreboard leapfrog and put the game away. Ava put the win within reach with a pair of kills to put Highlands up 23-17 and Julia May closed out with a pair of big hits to ice the win, 25-17.
In Game three, Sherrill carried the Lady Bobcats on her shoulders as her front row game got hot. BREC repeated their play in Game one and jumped out to a big lead they were able to ride the rest of the way.
In Game four, Sherrill’s kill started a final 10-2 run for the Lady Bobcats to put the clincher away 25-19.
“This was a big win,” Sherrill said. “Very nice. We played really well.”
“Both teams volleyed very well,” Fowler said. “There were some long volleys out there with some great play at the net on both sides.”
Lady Highlanders Coach Desiray Schmitt, making her coaching debut in a season delayed more than two months, said her team has to make some adjustments moving forward, but they played well in the opener.
“I feel like we did really well considering all the adjustments we are having to make with protocols and injured players,” she said. “It was our first game, so hopefully, the jitters are gone and we can work on a little more communication and be a little quicker on our feet.”
While the night didn’t end with Schmitt’s first career win, she was proud of the girls regardless.
Coach Schmitt notched her first win as coach, sweeping Hiwassee Dam 3-0 (25-11, 25-6 and 25-16) in LSMC play on Friday.
BREC Athletic Director Tim Mayse said students, coaches and parents were adjusting to the new normal.
“On our end we had a little trouble viewing the live stream but during our scrimmage everything went off okay,” he said.
BREC’s home schedule tipped off on Monday night against Smoky Mountain.
“Everyone’s adjusting to the new normal of social distancing,” Mayse said. “We’re ready to play.”
HHS Athletic Director Brett Lamb said the season’s first match, which did not include any visiting fans in attendance, but was live-streamed on You Tube, said the whole match went off without any major glitches.
“I thought things went really well,” he said. “All the fans were understanding about all the new protocols. I do not have streaming numbers, but I think it went well. The NFHS network has been a great thing and it is very economical. The only glitches were the sound and it usually has a running scoreboard on the screen and it was not showing. So we have reached out to them and they assured us it will be taken care of. I heard that there was a good crowd at the Ugly Dog Pub to watch the game.”
Lamb said he hoped this won’t become the new status quo, though.
“We hope this is not the way games will be always, but we are glad to be back in the gym and on the cross country courses competing for Highlands School,” he said.
Highlands played again at home on Friday, hosting Hiwassee Dam in an LSMC tilt, while BREC hosted Smoky Mountain on Monday in non-conference action.