GATLINBURG, Tenn. – The Cascade Lady Champions finished 2-1 in their now-annual trek to East Tennessee in the Smoky Mountain Christmas Classic, losing to Notre Dame, 40-29, before taking down Monterey and Barbourville (KY) in the final two games.

Kaydence Miller led Cascade with seven points against the Fighting Irish as Cascade struggled to find any offensive rhythm in their first game of the Classic. Meanwhile, Notre Dame found just enough scoring from Mimi Lee and Callie McCormick, who scored 12 points and 10 points, respectively. 

Notre Dame took a 15-8 lead into the halftime locker room before both teams began to show some signs of life offensively in the second half. Lee scored 10 of her 12 points in the final two quarters to lead all scorers as the Fighting Irish kept just enough distance between themselves and Cascade to hold on to the 11-point win.

The next day, the Lady Champions responded with a resounding win, 63-40, over the Monterey Lady Wildcats that featured a 42-point second half from Cascade. 12 different Lady Champs found themselves on the scoresheet, led by a team-high 12 points from Kaydence Miller. Caroline Parker, Sopie Ray, and Lizzie Keele each contributed with nine points, eight points, and eight points, respectively, as Cascade pulled away from Monterey in the final two quarters.

Sophie Ray (5) puts in 2 of her 8 points against Monterey in Gatlinburg.

David Smith

For the Lady Wildcats, Mackenzie Vestor put in a game-high 17 points, including 14 of them in the first half to help tie the game up at 21 going into the halftime locker room.

In the third quarter, Cascade outscored Monterey, 18-14, to take a 39-35 lead going into the final frame. Impressively, the Lady Champions exploded for 24 points while holding the Lady Wildcats to just five points, pulling away for the emphatic 23-point win. 

In the third and final game of the weekend, Cascade took on a Barbourville squad from Kentucky, about a two-and-a-half-hour-long drive from Rocky Mountain Sports World, sending the out-of-state squad home with a sour taste in their mouths after the Lady Champions took down the Lady Tigers, 62-32.

Lizzie Keelse led the way with a game-high 14 points while Kaydence Miller and Caroline Parker also reached double-figures in scoring with 12 points and 11 points, respectively. Parker and Miller did all their damage in the first half, helping spark Janie Demonbreum’s squad to a 50-point first half, by far their highest all season for a first half. This was following their 42-point second half explosion the previous day against Monterey. 

Kaydence Miller (14) scored in double-figures in all three games at the Smoky Mtn. Christmas Classic.

David Smith

For Barbourville, Layla Brock led the way with a team-high seven points as the Lady Tigers struggled to find offense, scoring just 11 points in the first half and going into the halftime locker room trailing by 39 points, 50-11. Cascade outscored Barbourville 21-2 in the opening period before extending their lead at halftime thanks to a 29-9 second quarter. The Lady Champions scored just 12 total points in the second half as they emptied the bench early and often to close out their trek to the Smoky Mountain Classic with a 30-point victory.

Cascade finishes the weekend with a 5-6 record overall on the season. The Lady Champions are scheduled to host Murfreesboro Central Magnet in a rematch on Friday, January 3, LIVE on The Zinger 100.9 starting at 5:45 p.m.