Early Season Breakout: Stewart County and York Institute

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two teams off to great starts to their 2025-2026 season in the Class of 2A in TN are York Institute and Stewart County High School. Here are a few of the players on each team this year making a big impact, and helping each of their teams have a record of 11-2.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jaelyn Newman","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12123","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Stewart County","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6952b399801ed"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Jaelyn Newman is a great high school point guard and has many winning traits.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two things that Newman does especially well are rebounding and scoring inside the paint. Newman, who has above average dribble moves, can score efficiently with both her left and right hands around the basket. This, paired with her ability to knock down threes effectively, makes her a tough cover for defenders.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And then onto Newman's rebound ability. She has been an effective rebounder ever since she started high school basketball. This was stamped, when she surpassed 500 career rebounds. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both of these traits of her game were showcased in a game against McEwen High School this season. In the game, she had 11 points and 10 boards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Faith Dacus","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12125","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Stewart County","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6952b399802ee"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Junior Faith Dacus has put forth a great start to her third year of high school hoops.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dacus can score in a multitude of ways, but is especially dangerous from beyond the perimeter. This season for Stewart County, she has multiple games with two or more made threes, including a game against McEwen High School, where she made five. In this contest, she ended up with a total of 24 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dacus is also active defensively, often generating steals in every game she plays. This includes a game against Waverly Central High School, where she had three steals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kaylie Wallace","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12124","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Stewart County","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6952b399803ee"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">At the wing position, senior Kaylie Wallace is the perfect player for this Stewart County team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wallace, with her size at 5'11", moves extremely well. She has great side-to-side speed as well as downhill speed. These two skills show up on both offense and defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Her side-to-side speed helps in staying in front of defenders, and with her long limbs, she is a constant steal and deflection threat. Her downhill speed helps make her a great runner and converter in fast-break scenarios. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Along with these skills, Wallace is a good three-point shooter and rebounder. Against Houston County and Greenfield High School this year, she had eight rebounds in each game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["746202"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6952b39980491"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='746202' first='Emma' last='Cooper']'s offense at the power forward position has always been there, but her defense has shown up in spades this season for York Institute.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cooper has caused havoc in her opponents trying to run there offensive sets, netting four or more steals in a multitude of games. A few of the schools she has had four or more against are White County, Brentwood, and Cumberland County. The way she has been able to generate these steals is simply from being alert. Cooper does a really good job of predicting what her opponent is going to do next, especially when they are dribbling. Against White County, she secured a couple of steals from just reaching in and timing up her opponents' dribble.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On offense, Cooper mainly does her damage in the paint. She is comfortable scoring at the low blocks. Also, Cooper is a great rebounder. In a game against Jackson County this season, she posted a double-double, getting 14 points and 10 boards</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["816611"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6952b39980527"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Like her teammate Cooper, senior Raylle Werener has been a superb defender this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Werner has had a ton of games with two or more steals. Also at the PG position she has some upside as a post defender. In a game against Mountain Brook she had three blocks. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On offense Werner is a good attacker of the rim. She is good at changing pace, to help create space to help open up lanes to the basket, where she can then score.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1230579"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6952b39980593"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1230579' first='Cali' last='Franklin'] has provided a plethora of helpful skills to York this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the main things [player_tooltip player_id='1230579' first='Cali' last='Franklin'] has is her three point shooing, especially from the corners. Franklin mainly scores on catch and shoot oportunties, and when she is given these open shots she often makes them. She has a great shooting form and a good arc on her jumper.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On defense Franklin moves well, and has shown she can force turnovers. She has a number of games with three steals this season. A couple of schools she was able to accomplish this feat against were Mountain Brook and Coffee County Central High School.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->