Snowbird Mite Boys win Smokey Mountain Youth Conference tournament, regular-season title
Hiwassee Dam – It was a hotly contested nail-biter between two Graham County programs. And in the end, Snowbird prevailed.
The Mite Warriors capped off a 9-1 campaign by defeating the Robbinsville Black Knights 35-31 on Feb. 5 in the finals of the Smokey Mountain Youth Conference tournament.
“They bought into what we were teaching and ended the season on a high note,” coach Adam Wachacha said. “Each one of them brought a certain piece and helped us, either in practice or in the games.”
The only blemish on the Warriors’ lineup came in week 4 of the season, a loss at Murphy that saw just five players dress out for Snowbird due to COVID-19.
“I’m proud of each one of our kids and how they managed sickness and scheduling to become champions,” Wachacha added. “We might have had two practices total where we had every child practicing.
“I also want to thank Cody (Teesateskie) – for allowing me to join him on this journey – and for picking up Zane (Wachacha) to help coach, as well. Both are very knowledgeable about the game of basketball and (are) great coaches.
“Thank you parents, for allowing us to coach your kid and our motto all season – and what we would break it down after – was ‘Giant Killers.’”
Other tournament champions included Hayesville (Termite Girls and Boys) and Hiwassee Dam (Mite Girls).
The 2021-22 Smokey Mountain Youth Conference season was the first one since 2019-20, as the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the 2020-21 calendar. Overall, youth sports have just started to resume, with football, basketball and now baseball and softball on-tap this spring.