CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Rossview Hawks and Northwest Vikings met up at West Creek High School for the Region 7-4A semifinals on Tuesday. An offensive clinic was put on by both teams, but Hawks senior guard Jiyair Rose had the last laugh. He scored 30 points, including four threes, to lead the Hawks to a late 73-67 win. That advanced Rossview to the region title game on Thursday, their third in four years, and ended the Vikings’ season.

Both teams were on fire early, combining for 46 total first-quarter points as Rossivew held a slim six-point advantage at the end of one. Rose had 14 in the period, and Northwest’s Deshaun Peterson had 10. Both offenses cooled off slightly in the second, and the Hawks led by 10, 41-31, at halftime.

The Hawks started to pull away in the third quarter, thanks to their work on the glass, specifically Israel Dillard, who ended the night with 15 points and 12 rebounds, but Northwest wasn’t going quietly. District 14-4A MVP Viking Guard Jacquez Scott was slashing through defenders into the paint, determined not to let his season end. He finished the night with 18, including captaining a 10-0 run in the fourth quarter, and we had a fun finish on our hands.

“(Rose) put on an arm sleeve and started shooting it well, so he will probably wear that again,” said Hawks head coach Johnny Jackson. “Man, was he great tonight. It was tough guarding Quez; he didn’t want it to end, but we got enough rebounds and did what it took down the stretch to win and advance.”

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The Hawks were up 7 with two minutes left, and Northwest had to play the foul game. They got as close as three points, but never got closer, as the Hawks executed clean basketball down the stretch, making their free throws and not turning the ball over.

Season ends for Northwest

The Vikings’ season will come to a close, but it’s not a season that is void of history, as head coach DeeDee Smith earned Northwest’s first region title in nine years in his first season as the head man for the Vikings.

“Couldn’t have asked for a better championship style environment,” said Smith. “They’ve got a great program and guys who have been to where we’re headed. The ball didn’t bounce how we wanted to, but super proud of our effort. When I started here, I didn’t have a coaching staff. We came together, and we’ve been through just about everything you can think of. This is just another opportunity to grow.”

What’s next for Rossview

As for Rossview, they advance to their third Region title game in four years and have a familiar foe waiting for them on Thursday. It’s round four of the Battle of Exit 8, with Kirkwood. If you want a high-stakes rivalry game, you’ve got it on Thursday night.

“It’s been a blessing to coach this group of guys,” said Jackson. “It was a great effort tonight by everyone. It’s not complicated, we know what they want to do and they know us. We have to put the ball in the hole more than they do, and play with more grit. “

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