Tennessee will be well represented in Charlotte, N.C., for this weekend’s girls South Regional Cup Tournament (RCT). Players from West Tennessee’s Ravenwood, Storm, and Riverdale have joined with Georgia for the Peach State's first-ever trip to regional all-stars, while Maryville and McMinn Tribe have combined to form the Tennessee Belles. Squads from South Carolina and North Carolina will round out the four-team round robin.

The Tennessee Belles have a significant advantage over its counterparts in that, one, there are only two teams comprising the roster; and, two, Maryville and McMinn are very familiar with each other. The duo played close games against each other during the regular and playoff seasons.

Seven players from state champion Maryville will represent the Belles, and they’re led by well knowns like High School and Junior All American McKenzie Hawkins and All-State soccer star Mariah Pliesies, both of whom are heading to Lindenwood on athletic scholarships in the fall (Pliesies is actually playing both soccer and rugby); as well as four-year starting scrumhalf Emily Assenmacher, “one of the best nines that I have coached,” according to Maryville coach Jay Hawkins. “She reminds me of Jenny Beaman, who ended up playing on the [U19] national team with Bryn Chivers.”

But the majority of the team hails from McMinn Tribe, and coach Buck Billings, who is leading the Belles with Hawkins, is excited to shed some more light on his players. In particular, the senior and sophomore classes are particularly strong.

Five seniors accepted rugby scholarships to Lee University: backs Sabrina Childress (not on the team), Samantha Childress, and Hailey Thompson, and forwards Katie Butler and Kelsey Martin.

“I think though our best two seniors are Hailey Thompson and Nia Smith,” Billings explained. “Hailey is deceptively fast and fit, and also a four-year starter on our soccer team. She looks like a flanker or small front row, but she is a fast wing and most likely our best 7s player. Nia is very skilled and incredibly strong – she's the strongest girl I've seen. She is very large, but can move and use her body very well. She is also a very good 7s player.”

Thompson has a soccer background, while Smith is from basketball. Although both are very different types of athletes, both showed their range during last weekend’s runner-up performance at a quality 7s tournament in Alabama.

A very strong sophomore class is led by twins Elexus and BreAnna Gable, who link up as flyhalf and scrumhalf, respectively, when representing McMinn.

“They are natural athletes and competitors,” Billings stated. “They've, in addition to rugby, started on our varsity soccer team the last two years. They have all the tools to be very good, including they’re good, tough, young ladies who push themselves. They also have two more years to develop their skills since they were just sophomores this last year.”

Also deserving recognition is another twin pairing: Mariah Pruitt plays No. 8, lock, and center, and sister Onycha plays flanker and center. Both are hard-working individuals, much like sophomore flanker/prop Makayla Lowe, who is built like a front row but has the speed and fitness to support a very high work rate needed in the loose forwards.

The 20-minute-halves games get started at noon on Saturday. Below are the rosters for both Tennessee and Georgia teams. For all of the RCT rosters, click here.