In the words of Gomer Pyle: SURPRISE! SURPRISE! SURPRISE! The surprise not being Hayesville beat defending NCHSAA 1A Boys State Champions Thomasville, but how much they won by.

Coach Michael Cottrell's Hayesville Yellow Jackets (27-2) coming in to the NCHSAA 1A Western Regional Championship had played an average game against Surry Central in the semifinals Saturday. Hayesville played under control and methodically broke Thomasville's pressure defense. Hayesville used a zone defense to stymie the Bulldogs and force them to take outside shots.

The Yellow Jackets were in control from the start, out-scoring the Bulldogs 16-9 in the 1st quarter. MVP Brett Bracken paced Hayesville with 7 points while Taylor Baker hit 6 of 7 free throws.

The second quarter was more of the same as the Yellow Jackets increased their lead. Joseph Chilton controlled the inside play and came away in the 2nd quarter with 9 points and 7 rebounds. Bracken added 8 points.

Thomasville's Brandon Taylor scored 6 points in the 2nd quarter. Thomasville shot 1 for 11 behind the three point line with 10 turnovers in the 1st half. Hayesville led 36-23 at the half and were 13-16 on the free throw line.

The Yellow Jackets poured it on in the third quarter behind the trio of Taylor Baker, Brett Bracken, and Joseph Chilton outscoring the Bulldogs 29-18. Baker and Bracken added 8 points while Chilton stayed on his game scoring 11 points. Hayesville's starting five played every minute the first three quarters.

Thomasville's Jeremy Graves came alive by scoring nine points in the third (after sitting out with foul trouble in the first half), but still wasn't enough to catch the Yellow Jackets as Thomasville trailed 65-41 after 3 quarters.

Thomasville tried desperately to stop the Hayesville offense, but couldn't make the run as Hayesville hit their free throws down the stretch to win going away 83-57.

Hayesville shot 44 free throws and hit 32 for the game and 19 of 28 in the second half. Brett Bracken scored 29 points, Taylor Baker pumped in 19, and Joseph Chilton added 20 with 11 rebounds.

Thomasville shot 35% from the field and 7-32 (22%) from 3 point land. The Bulldogs were led by Jeremy Graves with 15 points and Bryan Shore with 11 points.

Hayesville advances to Chapel Hill Saturday March 13, 2004 to play Weldon for the 1A NCHSAA Boys Basketball Championship.

Congratulations to Coach Woody Huneycutt and the Thomasville Bulldogs for an outstanding year!

1. Jeremy Graves (Thomasville)

2. Bryan Shore (Thomasville)

3. Terronza Stephenson (Thomasville)

4. Joseph Chilton (Hayesville)

5. Taylor Baker (Hayesville)

MVP: Brett Bracken (Hayesville)

Forbush (25-4) from the MVC was primed and ready for the Cummings Cavaliers. Just off an impressive win over #1 ranked Monroe in the semifinals Coach Marty Sewell and the Falcons were soaring high.

Cummings' Coach George Robinson Jr. and the Cavs (23-2) had already beaten North Surry from the MVC in the semifinals and was well prepared for the game against Forbush.

The first quarter Forbush and Cummings seemed to just be a feeling out process. MVP T.J. Gwynn was scoring from the inside and led the Cavs with 8 points while Michael Love doing most of the damage for the Falcons scoring 5 points as Cummings led 16-13.

Cummings used a balance attack in the second quarter while Love stayed hot pumping in 11 points for the Falcons. Cummings shot 50% from the field in the first half, but was a mere 2 out of 10 (20%) behind the 3 point arc. Forbush couldn't get in gear going 0 for 8 shooting from the three point line and only 36% (9-25) from the field, but still only trailed 30-26 at the half. Love led Forbush with 16 points, 6 rebounds and L.D. Williams pulled in 8 rebounds.

T.J. Gwynn led Cummings with 11 points and Brandon Tate added 7 points.

The third quarter started out as Rhett Bonner sank a three pointer to cut the Cavs led to 30-29. Cummings went on a 17-0 run behind the play of Barry Tate to up their lead to 47-29 with 4 minutes left in the third quarter. The Falcons were not rolling over and went on a 12-4 run as the third quarter ended. Bonner had 10 points in that run to cut the lead to 57-47 as the third quarter ended. Cummings out scored Forbush 27-21 in the third quarter with Barry Tate scoring 14 points.

Fourth quarter action stayed intense as both teams were up for the challenge.

Forbush behind the play of Love and Williams tried to keep pace with the Cavs. Love poured in eleven more points while Williams scored 8 points in the quarter.

Cummings would not be denied in the fourth quarter with Tate and Gwynn pacing the Cavs as they fought off the Forbush Falcons and held on for an 81-70 victory.

Cummings advances to Raleigh Saturday March 13, 2004 to play East Bladen for the NCHSAA 2A Boys Basketball Championship.

Congratulations to Coach Marty Sewell and his Forbush Falcons on a super season. Forbush had only 2 seniors on their Western Regional runner up team.

1. L.D. Williams (Forbush)

2. Michael Love (Forbush)

3. Tony Hood (Monroe)

4. Barry Tate (Cummings)

5. Brandon Tate (Cummings)

MVP: T.J. Gwynn (Cummings)

The Weddington Warriors (22-6) were the third place finisher in the SPC this year. They knew they had something going for them after winning the SPC tournament and knocking off the 28-1 Forestview Jaguars in the semi finals of the 3A Boys NCHSAA Western Regional.

Trinity (27-1) were the winners of the Tri-County Conference and riding a #1 rating in the state polls coming off a tough win over Kings Mountain.

Trinity was ready to defend the #1 rating and advance to Chapel Hill to play for the NCHSAA 3A Boys Championship, but the Warriors were primed to pull off the upset.

Weddington behind Ben Short a 3-time all SPC player and Weddington's all time leading scorer took a 19-13 lead after the 1st quarter. Ben had five points and his brother Stuart Short netted five points. Josh King scored five points and Dustin Everette three points with 2 rebounds to lead the Bulldogs.

Trinity's defense and Josh King stepped it up in the second quarter outscoring the Warriors 20-7. The Bulldogs scored the first seven points of the 2nd quarter to take a 20-19 lead. Weddington stayed within reach with the inside play of Mike Gutowski, but the Bulldogs left the court with a 33-26 halftime lead.

Weddington was winning the battle in the paint outscoring Trinity 14-2, but the difference was the three point shooting in the first half. Weddington had 3 from behind the three point line while Trinity had six (three by Josh King and two from Tim Kelly). King paced Trinity with 13 points and Weddington's leading scorer was Mike Gutowski with 9 points.

Rebounds, turnovers, and shooting percentages were pretty even between the two teams at the half.

Weddington was not to be denied as they fought tooth and nail, played tenacious defense, and did what no team had done this year (holding Trinity to only two 3rd quarter points) to pull even after three quarters at 35-35. Dustin Everette scored Tinity's only points of the 3rd quarter. Gutowski scoring 5 of the Warriors 9 points in the quarter paced Weddington.

The 4th quarter would decide this 3A NCHSAA Boys Regional championship. Trinity scored the first six points to start the quarter behind the play of Everette and Jonathan Watts. The Warriors answered back with 2 baskets by Gutowski to pull within two points at 41-39 with 5 minutes left in the game. The next few minutes Jonathan Watts of Trinity would ignite the Bulldogs scoring three straight basket while Ben Short hit 2 three pointers for Weddington.

The score was 45-43 Trinity leading with 3:30 left in the game. A basket by Watts and a steal by John McEachin dishing to King for the lay up put Trinity up 49-43. Trinity's Dustin Everette made two free throw. The Warriors Ben Short made one free throw and Stuart Short added a three pointer to pull within 51-47 with 2 minutes remaining. Weddington would not score the rest of the game as Trinity made their free throws down the stretch pulling out a hard fought game between two truly great high school teams. Trinity won 60-47 to advance to Chapel Hill Saturday March 13, 2004 to play Dudley High School for the 3A NCHSSA Boys Championship.

Weddington had three players in double figures: Ben Short with 14 points, Stuart Short 12 points, and leading the way was Mike Gutowski 16 points. Issa Hall added 7 rebounds. The Warriors fought hard but the 7-24 (29%) shooting in the second half (3-12 three pointers) hurt their chances to upset Trinity. Great season for Weddington's Coach Don Newton and his Warriors.

Trinity Bulldogs was lead by (MVP) Josh King 17 points, Big "E" Dustin Everette 13 points and 12 rebounds, Jonathan Watts 10 points and John McEachin 10 points, 7 rebounds. Trinity shot 53% in the 2nd half and hit 18 of 23 (78%) free throws for the game.

1. Vashon Miller (Forestview)

2. Gabe Blair (Kings Mountain)

3. Ben Short (Weddington)

4. Mike Gutowski (Weddington)

5. Big "E" Dustin Everette (Trinity)

MVP: Josh King (Trinity)