CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Kirkwood Cobras traveled to “The Castle” at Kenwood High School for an in-city matchup with the Knights on Tuesday. In a battle between Kirkwood head coach John Stigall and the school he used to coach, the Cobras dominated for a 67-41 win on the road.

The win was powered by 32 points from guard Armani Smith.

The two teams were as even as they could be through the first eight minutes, tied up at 10 apiece after the first quarter. However, a 16-0 run by the Cobras to start the second quarter inflated the lead, as the Cobras played fast, confidently, and with swagger. Smith had eight of the 16 during that stretch.

“Momentum is always huge for us; they’re kids, and once they get it going, they feed off of each other,” said Stigall. “The kids call it aura. During those runs, we got some of that back. Smith has to be a consistent, tough physical performer. He’s not flashy, but when he just does the basics right, he’s hard to stop.”

The Knights didn’t quit, however, fighting back to within single digits in the second half. The scoring effort was led by Christian Taylor, who had 21 points on the night, including 11 in the second. However, Smith wouldn’t be outdone, leading a 13-0 run to start the fourth quarter, scoring 32 points and grabbing eight rebounds.

“Kirkwood did a great job imposing their will defensively,” said Knights head coach Chase Cronin. “We ended up with 23 turnovers, and you can’t do that against this team. Taylor is about as good as it’s gonna get in this city. The message is to move on; consequences come with the numbers we don’t meet, but we have to learn to be tougher, stronger, and calmer as a unit.”

Getting back on track

The Cobras played a tough schedule over the Christmas break against some of the top teams in the state, including squads like Whitehaven, Battle Ground Academy, and Pope John Paul II. For Stigall and his squad, it was about getting back on track before district play begins on Friday.

“We needed a gritty and defensive-minded win,” said Stigall. “We haven’t been good defensively recently, but we did a good job of not hurting ourselves on that end tonight. Regardless of the outcome, we must focus on the process and continue to improve as a unit.”

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