HUNTER COOKSTON
Writer
The Marion County Warriors compete in an exciting district alongside Grundy County, Bledsoe County, and Sequatchie County. Every matchup in the district is tightly contested, and Marion County has often come up short in those battles. Earlier this season, the Warriors fell to Grundy County by eight points in January, but at the end of the month, Marion County turned the tables, defeating the Yellowjackets 69-66.
The Warriors came out of the gates on fire, scoring 22 points in the opening quarter. Senior guard Jordan Potoski led the way with 10 points, while TJ Starkey added five. Noah Gravitt, Zade Pemberton, and Mychal Patterson each contributed two points, and Maddox Campbell added a free throw. Marion County’s defense held Grundy County to just 10 points in the period.
The second quarter proved more difficult offensively for the Warriors. Potoski and Campbell combined for eight points, and Pemberton added another basket. At halftime, Marion County held a five-point lead over the Yellowjackets.
The second half was a back-and-forth affair. Potoski scored 10 points in the third quarter, mirroring his first-quarter output. Campbell added five, while Layton Bradford and Pemberton each contributed two. Zaiden Humphrey connected on a free throw, giving the Warriors 20 points in the period.
In the fourth quarter, Potoski led Marion County with six points, all from the free-throw line. Humphrey scored four points to finish as the second-leading scorer, while Campbell and Starkey each added a basket. Pemberton, Bradford, and Gravitt all contributed free throws to round out the scoring.
This victory provides a much-needed confidence boost for the Warriors as the postseason approaches. Head coach Nick Pickett was pleased with the timing and manner of the win.
“We’ve been in close ones all season but unable to close them out or take the lead. Tonight we were able to turn that corner and finish. It’s a good time to see us start coming together. Still got work to do but headed in the right direction. Lord willing we continue to press through and find success. Very proud of this group, to get a district win on the road in that type of environment. We look forward to the last two weeks and tournament time,” Pickett said.
Marion County returns to action on Thursday, Feb. 5 at home against F.C. Boyd Christian. It will be senior night, with Varsity Girls tipping off at 6 p.m. and Varsity Boys at 7:30 p.m.