D8-4A Preview

With Nashville expanding in nearly every direction, Antioch, Smyrna, and LaVergne are growing rapidly. More people means more students means more athletes to chose from. These programs are all gaining in depth and with the exception of Cane Ridge, which was already great every year, growing in strength and ambition. Here is our D8-4A Preview. <div id="group1,14,54,78" class="node4 branch"><a class="mapAction" title="Map this group" data-description="Division I, Class 4A, Region 4, District 8" data-url="https://portal.tssaa.org/common/classification/groupkml.cfm?id=1,14,54,78&sportid=2&schoolyear=2021&type=high&showAll=true">District 8</a></div> <div class="node5 leaf teamActive1">Antioch High School (Antioch, TN)</div> <div class="node5 leaf teamActive1">Cane Ridge High School (Antioch, TN)</div> <div class="node5 leaf teamActive1">LaVergne High School (La Vergne, TN)</div> <div class="node5 leaf teamActive1">Smyrna High School (Smyrna, TN)</div> <div class="node5 leaf teamActive1">Stewarts Creek High School (Smyrna, TN)</div>   <h3 style="text-align: center;">Conference Commentary</h3> Favorite: Cane Ridge Never bet against [player_tooltip player_id="787649" first="Brandon" last="Miller"]. The team concept of trapping and pressure really works well the first time you see it. Expect Cane Ridge’s opponents to be better prepared the second time. Still, [player_tooltip player_id="787649" first="Brandon" last="Miller"]. Top Contenders: Stewarts Creek Stewarts Creek was really building the program back up the last two years. It is a weird program, in that a couple players transferred out (J.J. Platt, etc.) that would have lit a fire. The talent now is better than at anytime in the last three years, maybe five. [player_tooltip player_id="1140765" first="Caelum" last="Harris"] is a handful, despite being only a sophomore in high school. If not for Miller at Cane Ridge, Harris would be a strong candidate for District MVP. [player_tooltip player_id="1119935" first="Bryce" last="Jackson"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1179416" first="Darius" last="Lee"] are classic senior players: smart, savvy, skilled. They will want to go out with a bang, and Stewarts Creek has the pieces to do it in 2021-2022. The Pack: Antioch, LaVergne, Smyrna Of the trio, LaVergne is most likely to ascend into the top two teams this season. Transfer [player_tooltip player_id="1029850" first="Damon" last="Fann"] is an instant impact guy, capable of taking over a game. Antioch is much better than their 2019-2020 team was, now that Head Coach William Belliford has had time to put his foundation in place. Last season, which was only nine games for Antioch’s Bears was better but still filled with growing pains, like the massive losses to Cane Ridge, Hillsboro, and finally Franklin. The Bears are better now. Expectations should be to battle for Top 3 in the district and win a postseason game.   21-22 Conference Predictions <ol> <li>Cane Ridge</li> <li>Stewarts Creek</li> <li>LaVergne</li> <li>Smyrna</li> <li>Antioch</li> </ol>   <h3 style="text-align: center;">Partial Squads with Starters*</h3> Stewarts Creek #0 Blake Dixon (2022) #1 Dylan Bernard (2023) #2 [player_tooltip player_id="1119935" first="Bryce" last="Jackson"]* (2022) #3 [player_tooltip player_id="1140765" first="Caelum" last="Harris"]* (2024) #4 Caleb Dunn (2022) #5 Tristan Davis* (2022) #10 Jeremiah Amos (2022) #15 Charlie Manley (2022) #20 [player_tooltip player_id="1179416" first="Darius" last="Lee"]* (2022) #22 Mekhi Britton (2023) #23 [player_tooltip player_id="1043452" first="Shelden" last="Davis"]* (2023) #44 F Collin Hatcher (2022) Smyrna #1 BJ Lowe* (2023) #3 Caleb Pastrana (2024) #4 JP Colon (2022) #11 Arion Carter (2023) #12 [player_tooltip player_id="1179415" first="Ashton" last="McCarver"]* (2022) #23 G Brandon Sanders (2023) #24 Jayden Lucas (2022) #33 C Laith Al taie (2022) Smyrna always runs out one or two top athletes and while this team is no different, there is more scoring skill than usual. [player_tooltip player_id="1179415" first="Ashton" last="McCarver"] creates so many unique ways. B.J. Lowe will be in the league’s top five rebounders. The team needs him at his best to compete nightly. Cane Ridge #1 Clarence Cobbins (2022) #2 Mareo Franklin (2024) #3 [player_tooltip player_id="1299049" first="Da’Ron" last="Hall"] (2024) #4 Ja’Lynn Lawrence (2022) #10 [player_tooltip player_id="1280638" first="Ryan" last="Oliver"]* (2022) #24 [player_tooltip player_id="787649" first="Brandon" last="Miller"]* (2022) #32 Kevin Lusk (2023)   Cane Ridge lost four strong program players: [player_tooltip player_id="1178540" first="Caleb" last="Wilson"], [player_tooltip player_id="537313" first="Chris" last="Hillsman"], [player_tooltip player_id="775592" first="Royale" last="Tillman"], Nijal Turner. Everybody knows the gifts of [player_tooltip player_id="787649" first="Brandon" last="Miller"] but ask him how valuable this quartet of departed players was and you will learn. [player_tooltip player_id="1280638" first="Ryan" last="Oliver"] is destined to be the district’s breakout player. The role enlarged with the graduation of Hillsman. Now Oliver will get more hands on the basketball. Antioch #2 Montavious Duncan (2022) #5 Allen Kisseih (2022) #10 [player_tooltip player_id="1262532" first="Tyson" last="Belton"] (2023) #15 Justin Brown (2023) #20 Nicholas Johnson (2023) #25 Jalen Moore (2023) #32 Andre Hall (2022) #33 Terron Strickland (2024) Antioch finished 4-5 last season. LaVergne #0 Javon Drake (2023) #1 Avery Claybrooks (2022) #2 [player_tooltip player_id="1029850" first="Damon" last="Fann"]* (2022) #3 Cam McCullough (2022) #4 Chris Hicklen (2023) #10 Bobby Walker (2022) Chico McDowell (2022) #12 Cedric Cartwright (2023) #13 Jay Bradley (2023) #14 Zion Griffin (2023) Chandler Norton Santonio McDaniel* (2022) #23 Tony Nowlin* (2022) #33 Daunte White (2024) Last year LaVergne landed no players on the All-District Team(s) and Head Coach Tony Rutland said that his men used that as motivation this off-season. Expect two or three players to earn that honor this winter.