Liv It Up

Title game eruption cements Pepperman player of year selection

Maryville senior Olivia Pepperman, the Barley’s/Blount Press Row Player of the Year, guided the No. 4-seed Lady Rebels on a district tournament championship run that included a semifinal upset of top-seed Bearden. Photos by Wallace Bowden

By Stefan Cooper
Editor
Blount Press Row

Maryville led, 10-4, when the first sparks appeared.

Eight points later, Olivia Pepperman, the Barley’s/Blount Press Row Player of the Year, was fully on fire … and so were the Lady Rebels.

Pepperman’s late first quarter, early second eruption in the District 4AAA tournament championship game this spring changed everything. A much-anticipated, All-Blount County showdown with William Blount for the district crown was over before it got a chance to start.

Pepperman caught fire in a big way at the district tournament in securing MVP honors.

The Lady Rebels led by 17 at halftime en route to a convincing, 71-45 win, Pepperman named the the tournament’s most valuable player.