SUBMITTED By BLAINE WOLFE
FLIGHT COACH
The Flight traveled to Raleigh for the North Carolina D1 AAU 9th Grade State Tournament and came out with the championship trophy.
The Flight team is shown (left-right) Jayce Wolfe, Juwan Burnette, Akeem Tate, Dominique Fernanders, Jerick Haynes, Evan Umstead, Braxton Cox, Damon Ledford, Colby Maltry, and Ben Nooner. Not pictured: Seth Ledford. (Photo courtesy of Flight)
The Flight went 1-2 in a tournament leading up to state so they didn’t seed well and ended up having to play top-seeded Wake County Basketball Association in the first round. The Flight won 68-59. Next, the Flight played Team Charlotte and beat them 82-54. This win took them to the championship game where they faced off with NC Red Storm, from Raleigh, one of the teams they lost to in pool play.
The Flight started out with the lead and never trailed in the game as they took the 69-66 win.
Next on the schedule for the Flight is the Nike Memorial Day Classic Showcase in Atlanta. This event will bring in some of the top teams in the country.
Several Flight players are EBCI tribal members including Jayce Wolfe, Smoky Mountain High; Damon Ledford, Smoky Mountain High; Seth Ledford, Smoky Mountain; and coaches Blaine Wolfe and Jorree Wolfe.
Other players include: Juwan Burnette, East Rutherfordton High; Akeem Tate, Apex High; Dominique Fernanders, RS Central High; Jerick Haynes, Crest High; Evan Umstead, Apex High; Braxton Cox, Hayesville; Colby Maltry, Erwin High; and Ben Nooner, Wesleyan Christian Academy.
