Sequoyah sports face a step up in competition this spring.
All three team sports square off in new districts that are notably stronger than the past. Sequoyah soccer will compete in a larger district than last season while the baseball team faces an entirely new format.
District 5-3A Baseball: Teams in the newly redesigned league will play 12 district games as opposed to eight. A preview of the district tournament comes in the final week of the season where all five teams play each other.
This adds a third game between all opponents to the already set two-game series throughout the season. Coaches expect this week to break up any tiebreakers while watching how staffs manage pitchers and approach opponents could be revealing.
“I don’t think we are really going to know how we are all going to look until we all play that third game in the final week of the season,” Sequoyah coach Josh Monhollen said. “I think we are going to have a really competitive district and we are going to have a lot of splits going into that last week.”
There are two new faces here and they are no slouches. Heritage won 15 games last season while competing in Class 4A. They are joined by Loudon, a perennial postseason team leaving Class 2A.
“I think it is an incredible step up in competition for our district, I think it is going to be very competitive,” Monhollen said. “The addition of Heritage and Loudon — those are great baseball schools that are going to be tough games every time we step on the field with them.”
Defending District 5-3A and Region 3-3A Lenoir City returns along with South-Doyle — last season’s runner-up in the district tournament.
“They have proven to be tough games every time we are on the field with them. I think every district game is going to have a lot of meaning and be a battle all the way around,” Monhollen added.
Lenoir City, at No. 8, and No. 9 Heritage both appeared in the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association preseason rankings on Monday. Heritage went 3-1 against its new competition last season while Loudon finished 2-0.
Region opponents include Chattanooga Central, East Ridge, Hixson, Red Bank, Signal Mountain and Soddy-Daisy.
District 5-3A Softball: While the format for the district season remains the same, the competition has new looks. Departing are Austin-East and Fulton and joining are Heritage and Loudon.
“Just the inclusion of Heritage into the district immediately makes the district tougher. Heritage is a solid, solid program,” Sequoyah coach Allen Roberts said.
Heritage appeared in last season’s Class 4A sectional round — losing to eventual state runner-up Daniel Boone.
Heritage swept Sequoyah last year with 5-1 and 1-0 wins. Returning to the league is South-Doyle, last season’s District 5-3A champions.
“We know Heritage well and they are very solid. South-Doyle is going to be very good this year. I do think the top of the district is going to be better,” Roberts said.
Lenoir City returns to the district. The Lady Panthers fell 15-5 to South-Doyle in the District 5-3A semifinals last season.
Sequoyah has scheduled Heritage consistently, playing them each season dating back to 2019. The Lady Mountaineers hold a 7-1 record during that period.
This season marks the return to district play for Sequoyah and Loudon after a two-year absence.
Region opponents include Chattanooga Central, East Ridge, Hixson, Red Bank, Signal Mountain and Soddy-Daisy.
District 5-AA Soccer: Sequoyah soccer moves from District 7-AA into District 5-AA with an entirely new group of competition. The league is loaded with talent.
Class A state runner-up Alcoa joins after being placed into Class AA. Another promoted team includes Loudon, a Class A sectional round team last season.
Lenoir City dips into the league after competing in Class AAA last season. South-Doyle reached the last year’s District 4-AA semifinal.
No teams from last season’s District 5-AA remain in the league.
“We are hoping that we can stay competitive in the change of the district — that is our No. 1 goal,” Sequoyah coach Lindsay Liszeski said. “We have to feel it out and see what we are really getting into”
Region opponents include Chattanooga Central, East Ridge, Hixson, Red Bank, Signal Mountain and Soddy-Daisy.
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