Can they Return (2A)? Part I

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>PICTURED: York Institute. </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Preview the 2023-2024 Class AA season with a series predicting <span style="text-decoration: underline">Can They Return</span>?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In Part One @PrepHoopsTN looks at two teams that played in the 2023 State Tournament: York Institute, Douglass.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">York Institute</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>State Tournament Record:</strong> 0-4</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Appearances</strong> (5): 2023, 2022, 2020, 1969, 1959</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The purple and golden Dragons of York Institute (25-11 in 2023) might make it back to Murfreesboro.&nbsp; It seems unlikely.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The enrollment is 489, placing the Dragons firmly in the 2A division. The team qualified for the State Tournament three of the last four years. Of course, 2020 did not feature a public school event. York lost their first games in both 2022 (Milan) and 2023 (Douglass).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Working in York's favor is the recent success of four returning seniors. Success tends to follow success. Multiple players have seen the path to the State Tournament. For example, in their loss to Douglass last March, York's starters were: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1336421' first='Bryson' last='Bilbrey']</strong>,<strong> Jackson Conatser</strong>, <strong>Myles Leffew</strong>, <strong>Blaine York</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1529944' first='Heath' last='Wattenbarger']</strong>. And <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2253906' first='Will' last='Beaty']</strong> played 15 minutes off of the bench.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Myles Leffew, Bryson, Heath, and Jackson are seniors now. Beaty now stands 6-foot-4 and added some nice muscle for football. The team will be able to rebound against 2A teams. They certainly lack the quickness of Douglass, and a team like returning champions Alcoa. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VERDICT: </strong>No.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Douglass Red Devils</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Can Douglass make it back to Class AA State?&nbsp; In a word, yes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Depth. Star power. Proven scheme. Steady coaching. Seniors. The stew is filled with all of the best ingredients. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Winning after winning is a fundamental requirement of pushing deep into March.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prephoops.com/2023/09/team-preview-douglass/">https://prephoops.com/2023/09/team-preview-douglass/</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>They are loaded with talent and feature a stable, successful program with an identity. Ranked players: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1852698' first='Taquez' last='Butler'] </strong>(PrepHoopsTN #14),<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1852774' first='Jarmon' last='Brittman']</strong> (#155), <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2113587' first='Marjavis' last='Chandler']</strong> (#105). <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1404415' first='Joshua' last='Thompson']</strong> (#38).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>VERDICT:</strong> Yes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2023 State Tournament Participants </h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Douglass </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>York Institute </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Alcoa</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Giles County - Now 3A.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Power Center - Now 3A.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brainerd</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fairview - Now 3A.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pearl-Cohn </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>For the best statewide coverage follow @PrepHoopsTN</em>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->