Jake Rittenberry had a single and RBI against Cherokee on Saturday. - Tony Cox
The Clinton High School baseball team is diving headfirst into the 2025 season with a packed schedule, giving players time to develop under new Coach Eric Hart.
“We’ll have 10 games over the first two weeks, giving us plenty of opportunities to play,” Hart said.
Clinton (0-4) has faced a tough slate to start the season, most recently falling 16-6 to Cherokee on Saturday at Knoxville’s Hardin Valley Academy.
The Dragons held a 4-2 lead in the second inning before Cherokee rallied.
Aden Golden went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.
Alex Duggins also had a strong performance, going 2-for-3 with a double, a stolen base, a run scored and an RBI.
Jackson Webb contributed a hit, scored a run, and drove in another. Will Brooks and Jake Rittenberry each singled and knocked in a run.
On Friday, Clinton was shut out by Karns 13-0, struggling both offensively and defensively.
The Dragons managed just two hits — both by Duggins —and committed five errors.
Earlier in the week, Clinton fell 9-4 to Carter on Tuesday, March 4.
Duggins led the offense with two hits, a stolen base and an RBI. Webb went 1-for-2, walked twice and scored a run.
In their season opener on Monday, March 3, the Dragons took an early 2-1 lead against Karns but ultimately lost 6-3 to the Beavers.
Brooks singled and drove in two runs, while Will Easterday finished 1-for-3.
Clinton High School’s softball team has already experienced the highs and lows of a new season.
The Lady Dragons split their first two games of the 2025 campaign last week.
Clinton opened its season with an 18-0 win over Fulton in a three-inning game at Christenberry Elementary School on Tuesday, March 4.
The Lady Dragons’ pitching staff was flawless, combining for a perfect game.
Mandy Chambers started on the mound, pitching two innings with one strikeout, before handing the ball to Elizabeth Maples.
Maples closed out the game with a scoreless third inning, striking out two of the three batters she faced.
The Lady Dragons (1-1) wasted no time at the plate, scoring five runs in the first inning. They added eight more in the second and sealed the run-rule victory with five additional runs in the third.
Tegan Bunch led the offense, going 3-for-3 with a double, two RBIs, and two runs scored.
Elizabeth Graham was 2-for-3, with three RBIs and a run scored.
Brandon Dake had 16 points for the Mavericks in a very fast and physical game against Fulton on March 4. - Tony Cox
For the third-consecutive season, the Anderson County High School basketball team saw its season end in the Region 2-AAA tournament semifinals.
The Mavericks, three-time defending District 4-AAA tournament champions, fell 71-50 to two-time defending Class AAA state champion Fulton on Tuesday, March 4, at Jody Wright Arena at Fulton High School in North Knoxville.
The Falcons, the District 3-AAA runners-up, went on to capture the region championship, avenging their district tournament loss to Carter.
Despite losing several players from last year’s state championship squad, Fulton entered the 2024-25 season with one of the area’s youngest rosters.
After having its season opener rained out on March 5, the Anderson County High School baseball team finally kicked off its 2025 season in style with a 4-2 victory over South-Doyle at ACHS.
Anderson County’s Easton Beaty broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the first inning with a three-run homer off Cherokees starter Grayson Harrell.
Beaty, who started the game in right field, also made his presence felt on the mound by pitching a scoreless seventh inning to earn the save.
Left-hander Daniel Unthank took the mound to start for Anderson County, pitching 4.1 innings, while allowing two runs on four hits and one walk. He struck out six batters.
Clay Fletcher contributed 1.2 innings of relief, giving up one hit and one walk, while striking out two.
Nolan Benson and Wil Ridenhour each doubled for the Mavericks.
Ty Wilson and Reece Wilkerson both singled and scored.
ACHS is spending spring break competing in a tournament in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Anderson County High School’s softball team faced early challenges in its 2025 season opener last week.
The Lady Mavericks managed just four hits in a 2-0 loss during a classic early-season pitchers’ duel on the road against Knoxville’s Grace Christian Academy.
The Lady Rams, one of East Tennessee’s top Division II-A teams, lived up to their reputation on Tuesday, March 4.
“They’ll definitely be in the postseason,” Anderson County Coach Lindsey Verner said. “They have a great pitcher.”
Verner was making her debut as the Lady Mavericks’ coach.
Grace Christian pitcher Brooke Million delivered a strong performance, throwing a complete game.
She allowed five hits and six walks, while striking out six Lady Mavericks.
“We had a lot of strikeouts,” Verner said. “And we just couldn’t get the key hits.”
Despite the loss, the Lady Mavericks had a solid defensive showing, committing no errors in the game.
Clinton’s Kaden Ison battles Carter’s Lincoln Tummel for a loose ball. - Tony Cox
The 2024 season came to an end for the Clinton High School boys basketball team early last week.
The Dragons, who had won 11 of their last 12 games heading into the Region 2-AAA tournament semifinals on Tuesday, March 4, saw their campaign halted with a 79-69 loss to Carter at Fulton High School’s Jody Wright Arena.
Clinton held a 19-17 lead at the end of the first quarter before the Hornets rallied to take a 34-29 advantage by halftime.
Carter, boasting a 27-10 overall record heading into Monday’s state sectional matchup at Greeneville, had fallen to two-time defending Class AAA state champion Fulton in the region championship game on Thursday.
Oak Ridge rallies past Sevier, punches ticket to state
by Ken Lay
Oak Ridge High School’s Ayana Porter (10) and teammate Ze’yana Stewart led a second-half comeback against Sevier County on Saturday with 25 of the team’s 39 second-half points. The Lady Wildcats advanced to the state tournament in Murfreesboro for the first time since 2019. - Tony Cox
The Oak Ridge High School girls basketball team overcame a daunting challenge Saturday night, beating Sevier County for the third time this season.
This time, it was a thrilling 53-52 comeback at Wildcat Arena, to earn a trip to Murfreesboro and a chance to compete on Tennessee’s biggest stage.
It’s tough enough to beat a good team once, let alone three times.
The difficulty only grows when a victory sends one team to the Class 4A state tournament and sends the other home.
With the team down by 10 at halftime, 24-14, Oak Ridge Coach Paige Taylor had simple yet powerful advice during the break. The Lady Wildcats heard her loud and clear.
“We just talked about having fight,” Taylor said. “I told them at halftime, ‘You’re not 29-3 for nothing. You’re not going to lie down and quit.’”
Oak Ridge fell behind by as many as 12 points early in the third quarter before rallying behind a surge of energy, gritty defense, and timely baskets.
For the first time since 2020, the Oak Ridge boys basketball team has qualified for the state tournament.
The Wildcats, however, never got the chance to play on the big stage that year as COVID-19 abruptly ended the school year and all extracurricular activities.
The last time Oak Ridge played in a state tournament game was in 2015.
Now, the Wildcats are headed back to the state tournament after erasing a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter to edge Sevier County 51-50 in a heart-stopping victory.
The win came before a packed house at Wildcat Arena on Monday night, eliminating the Smoky Bears, the Region 1-4A runners-up.
“What a game,” Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said. “We were just thankful that we were able to win it.
“We had some bad turnovers at some bad times, and obviously didn’t shoot it great,” he said. “Sevier County is a great team, and they made some big plays. We just made a few more big plays late than they did.”
University of Tennessee commit Mikee Teasley led the Wildcats with two hits and an RBI in the season opener. - ORHS Sports Media
The 2025 baseball season began on a disappointing note for Oak Ridge High School last week.
The Wildcats, who set a school record with 28 wins and captured the district championship for the first time in over two decades last season, opened the new campaign with a 12-2 loss to Maryville on Monday, March 3.
The game was a rematch of last year’s Region 2-4A tournament first-round, which the Wildcats won.
This time, Oak Ridge struggled defensively, committing four errors and managing only four hits.
Maryville broke the game open with a seven-run surge in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Junior Mikee Teasley, a University of Tennessee commit, led the Wildcats offensively with two hits and an RBI.
Carson Feagan also contributed with a single and an RBI, while Khyren Welch went 1-for-2.
Oak Ridge was scheduled to host Gibbs in its home opener on Wednesday, March 5, but the game was postponed due to rain.
It has been rescheduled for Friday at 7 p.m.
The Wildcats began District 3-4A play at home against Knoxville Halls on Monday.
They also were to face Knoxville Halls on the road Tuesday, but results were not available at press time.
Morgan Perry hits a single during the Lady Wildcats’ home meeting with Hardin Valley Academy on Friday night, March 7. Perry had two hits against Concord Christian School, and was 3-for-3 against Harriman earlier in the week. - Tony Cox
The opening week of the 2025 season gave Oak Ridge High School softball Coach Jeremy Gill plenty of reasons to be optimistic.
The Lady Wildcats won two of their first three games, scoring 27 runs against Harriman, Concord Christian School, and Hardin Valley Academy.
“We had a good week,” said Gill, in his second season as Oak Ridge’s head coach.
“We got a win against Harriman, and we played well against Concord Christian,” he said. “Those games were against average pitching.”
The Lady Wildcats (2-1) suffered their first loss of the season Friday night, falling 6-1 to the Lady Hawks.
Despite the defeat, Gill remained upbeat.
“The game against Hardin Valley was probably the best game that we’ve played,” Gill said. “We got eight hits. They’re a good team, and they have a really good pitcher. We had an error that cost us two runs, and then they had a bloop hit and scored two more.”
Lady Hawks pitcher Elsie Hatcher allowed a run in the bottom of the first inning as freshman Emmerson Bradshaw delivered an RBI single to score her older sister, Brenna, tying the game at 1-1.
Brenna Bradshaw went 3-for-4, and Amiyah King had two hits against Hatcher, who got 12 strikeouts.
Anderson County High School’s track teams opened their 2025 outdoor season last week at Hardin Valley Academy with a series of strong performances.
The Lady Mavericks showcased their prowess in the distance races. Junior Ava Moody claimed victory in the 1,600-meter run, crossing the finish line in 5 minutes, 19.07 seconds. Teammate Jordan Walker secured eighth place with a time of 5:45.29.
In the 3,200-meter run, Rebekah Berg took first place, finishing in 12:33.54. Anderson County’s 4x400-meter relay team claimed sixth place.
On the boys’ side, Waylon LaRue made a statement with a second-place finish in the 100-meter dash, clocking in at 11.23 seconds, and followed up with a fifth-place finish in the 200-meter dash at 23.21. Lane LaRue also made the top 10 in the 100-meter dash, finishing eighth with a time of 11.78.
Ben Clotfelder impressed in the 800-meter run, taking second place with a time of 2:02.70. In the 1,600-meter run, Vance Laster and John Cutler delivered strong performances, finishing fourth (4:38.04) and eighth (4:45.60), respectively. Avian Laster placed sixth in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 11:16.17.
The Clinton High School track teams kicked off their 2025 seasons with impressive performances at a pair of meets last week.
On Friday, the Dragons and Lady Dragons competed at Union County High School in Maynardville.
For the Lady Dragons, Kenzlee Hutchison claimed victory in the shot put with a throw of 27 feet, 8.75 inches. Her teammate, Hannah Whittley, finished fifth with a mark of 24-1.5.
Ashleigh Alcott secured a pair of third-place finishes in the hurdles, completing the 100-meter hurdles in 24.05 seconds and the 300-meter hurdles in 1 minute, 4.52 seconds. The Lady Dragons’ 4x100-meter relay team took second place with a time of 56.87 seconds.
Senior Alli Hollifield earned a second-place finish in the 1,600-meter run, clocking in at 6:39.84. She also finished fifth in the 800-meter run with a time of 3:18.60.
In the 100-meter dash, the Lady Dragons had three top-10 finishers: Saviah Desean (sixth, 14.36), Laci Clevenger (eighth, 14.47), and Maliyah Drake (ninth, 14.57). In the 200-meter dash, Saviah Stewart finished ninth (30.21), and Ryleigh White was 10th (30.92).
