Oak Ridge children run alongside turkey mascots at the annual Turkey Trot races in Oak Ridge.
Oak Ridge Schools, the Office of Coordinated School Health, and the ORHS Cross Country team hosted the annual Oak Ridge Turkey Trot on Monday, Nov. 11, at A.K. Bissell Park.
The race included 265 total runners, including representation from all four elementary schools, both middle schools, and Oak Ridge Preschool.
“I’m thrilled with the turnout this year,” said Marcia Wade, school health coordinator, in a news release.
“Developing a love of exercise at a young age is [crucial] in long-term health, and the excitement that surrounds this annual event has grown every year.”
Winning first place for girls in the pre-kindergarten category 1/3-mile race was Zoe Mulholland, while Logan Daniels won that title for boys.
In the first-and-second-grade half-mile race, the first-place girl was Nichole Ascencio and first-place boy was Thomas Dongarra.
In the third-and-fourth grade mile race, Anna Starr won first place for girls and Tucker Norris for boys.
In the fifth-grade mile race, Molly Burge won first place for girls and Ellis Cavender won first place for boys.
Anderson County’s Stephen Powers (30) wraps up Macon County’s Zach Borders during Friday night’s state semifinal playoff game at Pat Parker Memorial Field in Lafayette. The Mavericks’ very successful football season came to an end in a high-scoring thriller, where they fell short 43-41. - Tony Cox
In a game that went down to the wire, Anderson County High School saw its quest for a second state championship in three years come to an end last week.
The Mavericks (11-2) fell to Macon County 43-41 in a shootout in the TSSAA Class 4A state semifinals on a cold Friday night in front of a packed house at Pat Parker Memorial Field in Lafayette.
The game went back and forth before the Tigers clinched their first-ever trip to the Blue Cross Bowl. After the Tigers won, their fans poured onto the playing surface and tore down the goalposts.
Macon County (12-2) will now play Melrose at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Class 4A championship game to be played at UT-Chattanooga.
The Mavericks, who won the state title in 2022, had a 28-20 lead after Waylon LaRue scored on a short touchdown run just before the midway point of the third quarter.
That touchdown came after Anderson County recovered a Macon County fumble a short time earlier.
After that, the Tigers responded by scoring the next 15 points. They took a 35-28 lead on an 85-yard touchdown scamper by Tennessee Titans Mr. Football finalist Gabe Borders.
The Mavericks tied the game at 35 when Hensley completed a touchdown pass to LaRue with 7 minutes, 1 second to play.
The seesaw affair continued into the final minutes.
Anderson County’s Avery Coker place first in both the 100-yard butterfly and the 100 backstroke during the Mavericks’ Nov. 24 swim meet in Maryville. - Tony Cox
Anderson County High School’s swim team competed in its second meet of the 2024-25 season on Sunday, Nov. 24, in Maryville.
Coach Stephanie Coker expressed satisfaction with the Mavericks’ performance against Farragut and the host Rebels.
“Our kids had good times,” he said. “Their times went down and improved.
“This is another stepping stone for us. The only downfall was that it was a meet right before Thanksgiving, so I was without a couple of swimmers.”
Avery Coker led the way for Anderson County with first-place finishes in both the 100-yard butterfly and the 100 backstroke.
The boys’ relay team also secured a second-place finish, shaving several seconds off its previous time.
Landon Rainey earned first place in the 100 freestyle and finished second in the 200 freestyle. Shea Rainey placed fourth in both the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke.
Jack Davis took fifth in the 50 freestyle.
For the Lady Mavericks, Donovan Rainey won third place in the 100 backstroke and fourth in the 100 butterfly.
Kady Terry was fifth in the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke.
The Mavericks’ next meet is Dec. 15 against Hardin Valley Academy and Maryville at the University of Tennessee’s Student Aquatics Center.
Clinton wrestling Coach Channing McDonald will look to his lone senior, Dalton Kendall, for leadership as the Dragons look to rebuild in their 2024-25 season.
The 2024-25 high school wrestling season is underway, and Clinton High School is entering what Coach Channing McDonald acknowledges will be a rebuilding year for the Dragons.
“We have a lot of new guys, and many of them are in the same weight classes, so we won’t fill a full lineup,” McDonald said. “It’s a rebuilding year for us. It’s tough, but there’s also a chance for some pleasant surprises, and I’m hoping we’ll have a few of those.”
Clinton has already faced Pigeon Forge and Northview Academy this season.
The Dragons lost to Northview due to forfeits, but won all but two of the matches they wrestled in.
Against Pigeon Forge, the Dragons fell 58-12, though two returning wrestlers secured victories by pin.
In the 132-pound weight class, Aaron Solberg pinned Bryce Dillon in 2 minutes, 28 seconds.
Senior heavyweight and team captain Dalton Kendall defeated Connor Breeden by fall in just 55 seconds.
The high school wrestling season is already in full swing, and Anderson County is coming off its most successful campaign in school history.
Last season, the Mavericks were region runners-up, and qualified for the Class AA state duals for the first time in school history.
Coach Matt Slone returns for another season and is looking for bigger and better things in 2024-25.
“I really think we can build on what happened last year,” Slone said. “I think we can win the region. If we win the region, it will be the first time, and that will get us to the state duals again. We’ve never won the region. We’ve been the runner-up a few times.”
The Mavericks picked up a signature dual-meet victory when they defeated Class AAA powerhouse Maryville recently. Not only did Anderson County beat the Rebels, but they shut them out 75-0.
Michael Mattson, who wrestles in the 113-pound weight class, pinned Maryville’s Hunter Adams in 3 minutes, 3 seconds.
Oak Ridge’s sophomore running back Damillyan Porter gained 136 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries in the Wildcats’ state semifinal matchup against Sevier County on Friday night.
Oak Ridge High School’s run in the TSSAA Class 5A playoffs came to an end Friday night with a 45-34 loss to Sevier County in the state semifinals at Blankenship Field.
The Wildcats, who finished the season 9-5, faced a rollercoaster year marked by injuries and adversity.
Despite the challenges, Oak Ridge claimed its second-consecutive Region 3-5A title and postseason victories over Rhea County, McMinn County, and East Hamilton to secure its semifinal berth.
Sevier County (14-0) moves on to the state championship in Chattanooga, where it will face unbeaten Page High School (14-0) on Friday.
For Oak Ridge, the loss was a bitter conclusion to an unexpected playoff run.
“This is just a sad moment,” Wildcats Coach Derek Rang said.
“Unfortunately, there’s only going to be one team happy from (Class) 5A, and we were one win away from that,” he said. “ I just told (the players) that I was proud of them after all we’ve been through. Nobody expected us to be here, and we made it. We probably should’ve won the game.”
The 2024-25 basketball season is just three games old for the Oak Ridge Wildcats, but they’ve already logged two long road trips and are still awaiting their first home game at Wildcat Arena.
Oak Ridge (2-1) opened its season with a dominant 79-59 victory over Lebanon in a Hall of Fame game at Smith County Middle School on Nov. 19.
The Wildcats then traveled to Pensacola, Florida, for two games in the Pensacola Beach Basketball Tournament last week.
On Monday, Nov. 25, Oak Ridge routed Vicksburg (Mississippi) 64-37 at Gulf Breeze High School.
The Wildcats showcased a balanced scoring attack in the tournament opener, with Cooper Williams leading the way with 21 points. Ray Ray Watson added 14 points, Garrett Giles had 10, and Shamar Greene contributed eight.
On Tuesday, Nov. 26, the Wildcats fell 64-51 to University Lab School, a team based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on the LSU campus.
Giles paced Oak Ridge with 16 points in the loss, followed by Greene with 11, Watson with eight, Ethan James with seven, and Charlie Taubenheim with six.
Oak Ridge will have some time off before hosting Clinton in its home opener at Wildcat Arena on Monday at 7:30 p.m.
The Wildcats will continue their two-game homestand Tuesday when they host Knoxville Halls.
Halls is led by new head Coach Brian Stewart. Stewart was previously an assistant at Anderson County and had successful head coaching stints at South-Doyle and Cosby.
On Friday, Oak Ridge hits the road again, traveling to Fountain City to face Knoxville Central in a District 3-4A matchup.
The Oak Ridge High School girls basketball team remained unbeaten with a successful trip to Florida’s Gulf Coast, picking up two victories at the Pensacola Beach Thanksgiving Classic last week.
The Lady Wildcats (3-0) opened their season with a 59-43 win over Lebanon on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at Smith County Middle School before heading to Pensacola for the tournament.
Oak Ridge began tournament play with a 50-42 victory over Vicksburg High School (Mississippi) on Monday, Nov. 25.
Ze’Yana Stewart led the Lady Wildcats with 15 points, while Lindsay Cleveland added seven.
The next day, Oak Ridge cruised past Huntsville High School (Alabama) with a commanding 49-30 win.
The Lady Wildcats stormed to an 18-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back, holding a 25-10 advantage at halftime. Jenna Johnson led the way with 12 points, while Ayana Porter and Euleesha Mitchell added nine points each.
The Lady Wildcats will return to action Monday, Dec. 9, when they host in-county rival Clinton in their home opener at Wildcat Arena.
That game kicks off a busy week for Oak Ridge, as they will defend their District 3-4A championship at home against Knoxville Halls on Tuesday, Dec. 10.
The Lady Wildcats then continue district play on Friday, Dec. 13, with a road game against Knoxville Central in Fountain City.
Tipoff for all three games is scheduled for 6 p.m.
The newest athletic team at Anderson County High School kept its perfect record intact as the girls’ flag football squad headed into the Thanksgiving holiday break after winning two games at Bearden High School on Monday, Nov. 25.
The Lady Mavericks opened the night by edging South-Doyle 14-13, before routing the host Lady Bulldogs 32-13.
The game against the Lady Cherokees, who entered with a 1-3 record, went to overtime.
Bralee Hall caught a long touchdown pass from quarterback Keiana Gillum early, but the Lady Mavericks had to play tough defense to remain undefeated in their inaugural season.
“The honest-to-God truth about that game is that I outcoached myself and almost cost us that game,” ACHS Coach Jonathan Cotton said.
“Our defense really stepped up, and we were fortunate to score one more point than they did,” he said. “We tried to work on everything we had in preparation for the Bearden game.”
The contest against the Lady Bulldogs wasn’t as close, and Cotton credited Defensive Coordinator Ryan Moog for much of the Lady Mavs’ success against Bearden.
“Our defense was great all night, and Coach Moog and the defense made my job a lot easier,” Cotton said.
Kaycee Baldwin, who also plays softball for the Lady Mavericks, caught a long touchdown pass from Gillum against Bearden.
She also played several positions throughout the night for ACHS, which improved to 6-0 with last week’s wins.
“We had some kids miss last week because of Thanksgiving, and we moved Kaycee Baldwin around and had her playing some different places, and she stepped up and played great all night,” Cotton said.
“She had a big game and played big for us all night, and she caught a touchdown pass.”
The Lady Mavericks played Powell and Knoxville Central on Monday, but results were not available at press time.
Clinton High School soccer player Maddy Lindsay will continue her career in college.
Lindsay, who was part of the Lady Dragons’ most-successful season in program history, will pursue her athletic and academic goals at nearby Roane State Community College in Harriman.
At Roane State, Lindsay will play for Donnie Green, former Oak Ridge High School girls’ coach, a familiar name to high school athletes across Anderson County and the surrounding area.
Roane State recently completed its first season of competition in 2024 and features several players from Oak Ridge, Clinton and other local high schools.
“I love Coach Green; he has a big heart and always puts his players first,” Lindsay said. “I love the campus in Harriman. It’s small, and it’s close to home. I wanted to stay close to home. My family has never missed a soccer game, and they’re not going to start now.”
Lindsay plans to earn a degree in business management, and chose Roane State for its small campus and class sizes, which she believes will help her.
She also wanted to continue playing soccer, a goal the Lady Raiders program supports.
“I like the campus,” she said. “It’s really pretty. It’s small, and I like the small class size because that will give me a chance to do better and be successful. It also gave me the opportunity to continue to play soccer.”
Lady Dragons softball standout Taylor Sherwood signed her letter of intent on Monday, Dec. 1, to continue her student-athlete career at Chattanooga State. She was joined by family and friends in the Little Theater at Clinton High School to celebrate the occasion. Pictured, from left: Austin Sherwood (brother), Mike Sherwood (father), Taylor, Stephanie Sherwood (mother), and Blake Sherwood (brother). - Tony Cox
Clinton High School softball standout Taylor Sherwood finalized her college plans during a signing ceremony at Clinton High School.
Sherwood, a senior and one of the top two-way players in the area, signed her National Letter of Intent to play at Chattanooga State Community College. She said the two-year junior college immediately felt like home.
“I went on a visit there a while back, and I just really loved the campus,” said Sherwood, one of East Tennessee’s top high school hitters and most dominant pitchers. “The coach asked me if I would be interested in playing softball. I went down there on an official visit, and I just fell in love with the campus and the coaches. I loved everything. It just felt like home to me. The school is gated.”
Sherwood also considered East Tennessee State University and Lee University but ultimately decided to start her collegiate career at a two-year institution.
“I liked Lee University, and I liked ETSU, but I never really went on an official visit,” Sherwood said. “I had my heart set on going to a JUCO. I wanted to go to a two-year school. That was more of my thing.”
Sherwood added that staying close to home was another factor in her decision.
“I’m close-ish,” she said. “But my mom is going to miss me. This has been our life for the last 12 or 13 years. My parents have spent a lot of time and money.”
Sherwood, who pitched a one-hit shutout against state powerhouse Knoxville Halls in 2022, credited Clinton coach Leonard Sams for much of her success on the softball field.
“I’ve been with Leonard since I was in the seventh grade, and he told me that I could do anything I wanted,” she said. “And the people at Clinton have really supported me. I’m just thankful for everyone here today, all of the people who have helped me.”
Addison Haney will continue her athletic career and academic pursuits at Roane State Community College.
Haney, who helped lead the Clinton High School girls soccer team to its most-successful season in school history, signed with the Lady Raiders.
Roane State, which will begin its second season of competition in 2025, is coached by former Oak Ridge High School girls’ Coach Donnie Green.
“I’m just really excited,” Haney said. “I wanted the chance to continue to play soccer, and I love coach Green. I love the way he always puts his players first. I love the campus, and the girls all seem to be so close.”
Haney noted that Roane State’s location offers the perfect balance of being close enough to home while still providing her with a sense of independence.
“I did want to stay close to home,” she said. “I wanted the chance for my family to come and watch me play. But more than anything, I wanted to play soccer, and I really wanted to play with those girls.”
While Haney hasn’t decided on her professional goals, she has some ideas about her future.
“I either want to be an ultrasound technician or go into special education,” she said.
Haney’s time at Clinton High School has given her insight into how rewarding a career in special education can be. She has worked closely with students with special needs through the school’s peer buddy program.
“I’m a peer buddy, and some of those kids are some of my best friends,” Haney said.
Clinton High School’s boys basketball team played three games over the Thanksgiving holiday break, winning two of them, during its trip to Northeast Tennessee.
The Dragons (4-2) closed the trip on a high note Saturday with a 57-45 victory over Daniel Boone.
Clinton started strong, taking a 19-9 lead in the first quarter and extending its advantage to 34-16 by halftime.
Kaden Ison paced the Dragons with 17 points, eight rebounds, and two assists. Carson Richardson added eight points, three rebounds, two steals, and one assist. Bryson Maddox contributed seven points, three assists, and one blocked shot, while Camden Nelson chipped in six points, four rebounds, and four assists.
On Friday, the Dragons suffered their second loss of the season to David Crockett 55-38.
It marked their second defeat against the Pioneers this season, following a 51-33 loss on Nov. 21. In Friday’s game, Maddox scored 11 points, and Ison finished with 10.
Clinton opened the trip with a 63-40 win over University School of Johnson City on Tuesday, Nov. 26. The Dragons built a 33-22 lead by halftime and never looked back.
Maddox led a balanced scoring effort against the Buccaneers with 18 points and four steals. Richardson contributed 10 points and three steals.
Ben Tackett scored nine points, while Braylen Haden had eight points, nine rebounds, and four assists. Jaxson Alcorn and Ison each added six points, with Ison also grabbing five rebounds.
The Dragons faced Livingston Academy on Monday night, but results were not available at press time.
Anderson County High School’s boys basketball team notched its first win of the season last week, defeating Powell 69-56 on Tuesday, Nov. 26, at home.
Third-year head Coach Jordan Jeffers said the Mavericks showed improvement compared to losses against Webb School of Knoxville, Sevier County, and Heritage in the opening week of the 2024-25 campaign.
“We really needed that win,” Jeffers said. “We played a little better against Powell, and we won.
“Now we’ll get our football players back, and we’ll have to figure out what kind of basketball team we’re going to be.”
Three Mavericks scored in double figures against Powell. Brandon Dake led the way with 24 points, Cam Lawson added 19, and Hayden Craig contributed 12.
Anderson County expects soon to have a full roster with players returning from the football team, which advanced to the state semifinals in the TSSAA Class 4A playoffs.
“This is a big week for us,” Jeffers said.
The Mavericks will host Knoxville Halls on Thursday and then travel to Lenoir City on Friday.
Some late long-range shooting and stingy defense netted the Anderson County High School girls basketball team its first win of the season last week.
The Lady Mavericks sank five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to secure a 56-51 victory over Powell on Tuesday, Nov. 26, at home.
Anderson County (1-2) made six 3-pointers in the game.
“We didn’t make a three for two-and-a-half quarters, but we made five in the fourth quarter,” Lady Mavericks head coach Mitch Cupples said. “We were 5-for-5 in the fourth quarter.
“We played pretty good defense for the most part. They made 10 threes, but they only made five twos. So our girls did a pretty good job in the paint, and they couldn’t get their post players going.”
Both Anderson County and Powell have young teams and Cupples noted that youth was a factor for both teams on the court.
“(Powell coach John Fisher) is missing his point guard from last year, and, of course, we are too, so you had a lot of mistakes,” Cupples said. “We made some mistakes that we won’t make in February.”
Bethany Lowe led a balanced scoring effort for Anderson County with 12 points. Emerie Bullock added 11, Macy Basford had 10, and Jaycee Phillips contributed a career-high eight points.
The Lady Mavericks return to action Thursday when they host Knoxville Halls. They will travel to Lenoir City on Friday, with tipoff for both games set for 6 p.m.
Lenoir City has already defeated District 4-AAA favorite Clinton this season.
