The Prep Players Spotlight is a weekly feature of the Times Free Press that highlights five area high school athletes whose performances since the previous Thursday stood out.
Rainey Barber, Lookout Valley
Rainey Barber has been a dynamic presence on the court this basketball season for Lookout Valley . / Photo by Kristen ClounchShe stood out in a big way in Friday’s District 4-A girls’ basketball win over visiting Arts & Sciences. The athletic senior guard scored 26 points, made seven steals and passed for five assists. Barber has been a part of 60 wins in her Yellow Jackets career.
Laney Bone, Silverdale Baptist Academy
Silverdale Baptist Academy junior Laney Bone (12) has been a scoring menace of late, averaging 25 points in her past three games. She also recently joined the 1,000-point club for her prep career. / Staff file photoDivision II-A’s Lady Seahawks have soared to a 7-0 mark in East Region’s District 2, with Bone’s scoring ability playing a big part in their basketball success. The 6-foot junior’s smooth stroke was on full display in her 31-point performance in a win at Christian Academy of Knoxville on Saturday, a day after she helped Silverdale (15-6) to an overtime district victory against visiting Notre Dame. She has a combined 75 points her past three games.
Logan Eller, Trion
Trion High School photo / Trion wrestler Logan EllerThe 145-pound freshman wrestler had one of Trion’s six pins in the GHSA Class A duals state final against Commerce on Saturday in Macon. Eller pinned his opponent in the second round to help the Bulldogs win the first duals state title in program history. He is 30-1 overall this season and hopes to help Trion win the traditional state title next month.
Jason Malone, Chattooga
Chattooga 138-pound junior Jason Malone pinned his opponent in the GHSA Class AA duals final last Saturday to help the Indians to their first team state title in wrestling. / Photo by Brian BeasleyThe 138-pound junior was losing his match in Saturday’s Class AA duals state final against Social Circle, which had won the past five titles, when he flipped the script by winning with a last-second pin. Chattooga totaled nine pins to storm to the title with a 59-21 win in Macon and become just the second GHSA state championship team (in any sport) in school history.
Mo Schramm, Cleveland
Cleveland senior Morrell Schramm (3) pressures Howard’s Calvin James during a Best of Preps tournament game Dec. 27 at Chattanooga State. The Blue Raiders are 20-0 this season and ranked first in Class AAA. / Staff photo by Robin RuddHe has been a vital player for Class AAA boys’ basketball’s first-ranked Blue Raiders. The 6-foot-3 playmaker who has hopes of playing for a major college program scored 28 points in Tuesday’s 94-59 win at McMinn County. Schramm’s senior leadership also came up big when he scored 23 points to spark a tough road win over Oak Ridge on Saturday. Cleveland, which won 21 straight games on the way to advancing to state last season, is 20-0 this season.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon.