Construction of the new 400-seat bleachers and press box has been completed at the George Templin Memorial Athletic Field in Rocky Top. - G. Chambers Williams III
New bleachers, press box, and concessions stand, along with restroom upgrades, are nearly finished at the George Templin Memorial Athletic Field, City Manager Mike Ellis told the Rocky Top City Council during its meeting last Thursday.
Work to erect a new fence around the facilities will begin after Labor Day, and already there are plans to have fireworks displays in conjunction with Lake City Middle School football games scheduled there for Sept. 24 and Oct. 1, he said.
The new bleachers and press box replaced the ones removed in April as work began on a major upgrade of the city-owned and operated ballpark.
“It’s going to be awesome,” Councilman Jeff Gilliam said.
The council last December approved a $904,090 contract for modernizing the ballpark, which included the bleachers and attached press box, concessions stand, and restrooms.
First Place Finish, Inc., an Oak Ridge-based contractor, was awarded the contract for the project, for which the city received a state recreation grant of up to $566,000.
Dragons, Mountaineers combine for 105 points in season opener
by Dan McWilliams Special to The Courier News
Clinton quarterback Mason Eckerson hurdles a Heritage defender during Friday night’s season opener. Eckerson accounted for 408 yards of total offense and five touchdowns, rushing 17 times for 103 yards and three scores while completing 18 of 29 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns in the Dragons’ 63-42 loss to the Mountaineers. - Tony Cox
After a stellar first half on offense from quarterback Mason Eckerson, receiver/return man Will Young, and wideout Austyn Phillips, the Clinton Dragons could not sustain the momentum as they fell 63-42 to Heritage in the season opener for both teams Friday at Jack Renfro Stadium in Maryville.
The teams combined for more than 1,100 yards of offense and 400-plus return yards.
Eckerson finished with more than 400 yards of total offense as he completed 18 of 29 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception.
He also rushed 17 times for 103 yards and three TDs.
Young returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown.
He and Phillips caught all of Eckerson’s passes: Young with 10 receptions for 159 yards and a score, and Phillips with eight for 146 yards and a TD. Phillips also recovered two fumbles.
Heritage quarterback Walker Wheeler went 13-for-15 passing for 276 yards and five TDs. and rushed 13 times for 121 yards.
Clinton sophomore Lilian West pushes toward the finish at the Maryville Scots Opener on Saturday at Maryville College. West led the Lady Dragons with a Top 10 finish, crossing the line in 24 minutes, 46 seconds to place 10th. - Tony Cox
Heat, humidity and hills greeted Clinton High School’s cross-country runners Saturday morning, but two Dragons battled through the conditions to leave the Maryville College campus with Top 10 finishes.
Sophomore Lilian West and senior Cooper Bostrom each finished 10th at the Maryville Scots Opener on Aug. 22, giving Clinton a strong showing against a competitive field.
West completed the girls race in 24 minutes, 46 seconds, improving on her performance on the course last season.
“I think it’s definitely good for the start of the season,” West said. “Last year, my time was 25-something, and this year it was 24:46. So I’m definitely happy with that.”
Despite the demanding terrain, West said the hills added to the experience.
Anderson County junior running back Cayson Kurriger races laterally across the field looking for an opening before turning on the jets and heading upfield against Powell. Kurriger powered the Mavericks with 175 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries while adding three catches for 48 yards in Anderson County’s 56-44 season-opening loss to the Panthers. - Tony Cox
The 2026 high school football season opened with fireworks Thursday night as annual rivals Anderson County and Powell turned the Bull Ring into an offensive showcase.
The Panthers captured the latest chapter, outlasting the Mavericks 56-44 in a marathon shootout that featured 100 points and approximately 150 combined plays from scrimmage.
Fans who came to this one needed to pack a lunch. The game took nearly four hours to complete as the two offenses traded blows throughout the night.
The teams managed to finish the contest under a severe thunderstorm warning and before storms were expected to pelt East Tennessee.
The game packed plenty of fireworks as Anderson County sophomore quarterback J.D. Gillum threw for 337 yards while directing the Mavericks’ aerial attack.
Kinlee Swisher gets her head on a corner kick, clearing the ball away from danger in front of the Anderson County goal during the Lady Mavericks’ season opener against Concord Christian School on Tuesday, Aug. 18, at Anderson County High School. - Tony Cox
Anderson County High School’s girls soccer team found a little bit of everything during the opening week of the 2026 season — a comeback, a draw and an offensive explosion.
The Lady Mavericks battled back to salvage a tie against Concord Christian School in the season opener for both teams Tuesday, Aug. 18, before breaking loose two days later with a 10-1 victory over Oliver Springs.
Against Concord Christian, the Lady Lions took a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute and held the upper hand — at least on the scoreboard — for most of the match.
“They scored a goal early, about six minutes in, and it was because we made a big mistake,” Anderson County Coach Chris Curtin said. “We finally got a goal with about 10 minutes left in the game.
“I really feel like we should’ve won that game,” he said. “We created some scoring opportunities, but we just couldn’t finish. I feel like we dominated the game.”
Anderson County libero Emerie Bullock gets low and extends to keep the ball off the floor with a dig during the Lady Mavericks’ season volleyball opener against Lakeway Christian. - Tony Cox
Anderson County wasted little time finding its stride on the volleyball court, charging through a busy opening week with seven victories in its first eight matches.
After opening the season with a sweep of Lakeway Christian Academy at home Monday, Aug. 16, Anderson County reeled off a pair of District 3-AAA victories over in-county rivals Oak Ridge and Clinton.
The Lady Mavericks spent Friday and Saturday in downtown Knoxville at the Knoxville Convention Center, where they picked up wins over Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts, Cleveland and Sullivan East.
Anderson County rallied to defeat Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts in three sets, 22-25, 25-21, 15-12, before edging Cleveland, 25-22, 26-24. The Lady Mavericks also swept Sullivan East.
Oak Ridge cornerback Ezra Wilson goes airborne to get a hand on a pass from Halls’ Carson Pearce during the Wildcats’ 16-13 overtime victory over the Red Devils. - ORHS Sports Media
The 2026 football season began on a winning note for Oak Ridge High School.
But the victory certainly didn’t come easily.
The Wildcats needed overtime — and a clutch connection between a backup quarterback and his receiver — to edge Knoxville Halls 16-13 at Dinzle “Dink” Adams Field in North Knox County.
It wasn’t always pretty on a hot, steamy night as the defenses took center stage and players on both sides battled cramps and injuries. In the end, backup quarterback Kipton Feagan engineered the game-winning drive.
Facing a 13-10 deficit and fourth-and-goal from the 8-yard line, Feagan lofted a pass to Zayden Williams in the back corner of the end zone to give the Wildcats the thrilling victory while starter Brody Sparks watched from the sideline with an injury.
It was a play Feagan had to make after a similar pass fell incomplete on the previous snap.
“I knew that we had to get into the end zone, and I knew where I was going with it,” Feagan said. “We would go to Blankenship (Field) and practice that play in the summer. We must’ve run that play a hundred times.
Jonah Wolfe of Oak Ridge watches his tee shot after a smooth swing during the Wildcats’ home match at Oak Ridge Country Club. The senior newcomer carded a 40 on the par-36 front nine as Oak Ridge posted a team score of 159 to finish second in a three-team match against Christian Academy of Knoxville and Concord Christian School. - Gloria Rust | ORHS Sports Media
Oak Ridge High School’s golf teams faced stiff competition on their home course last week, with both the Wildcats and Lady Wildcats finishing second in three-team matches Tuesday, Aug. 18, at Oak Ridge Country Club.
The Wildcats went up against two of the area’s top private-school programs in Christian Academy of Knoxville and Concord Christian School.
The Warriors captured the three-way match with a team score of 148. Oak Ridge finished 11 strokes back at 159, while the Lions placed third with a 167.
Freshman Britten Lutrell set the pace for the Wildcats, firing a 37 on the par-36 front nine.
Senior newcomer Jonah Wolfe and Kaleb Jackson each carded a 40, while senior Braxton Pemberton rounded out Oak Ridge’s scoring with a 42.
Clinton High School’s young volleyball team endured a few growing pains during the opening week of the 2026 season, but the Lady Dragons found their footing before the week was over.
Clinton, which has made three consecutive Region 2-AAA tournament appearances, got off to a slow start by dropping its first five matches.
Things took a positive turn, however, Friday night at the Showdown at the Sunsphere at the Knoxville Convention Center in downtown Knoxville.
The Lady Dragons (3-5 overall, 0-2 in District 3-AAA) dropped their first match of the event, which featured some of the top teams from Tennessee and throughout the Southeast.
Clinton Middle School quarterback Westin Glandon turns the corner with Lake City’s Axel Jones in pursuit during the Hawks’ rivalry win over the Lakers on Thursday, Aug. 20. Glandon was a dual threat for Clinton, rushing for 80 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries while completing seven of 10 passes for 71 yards and another score in the Hawks’ 26-6 victory. - Tony Cox
Clinton Middle School kept its perfect start rolling last week, using another strong performance in the trenches to dispatch a cross-county rival.
The Hawks toppled Lake City 26-6 Thursday at Dragon Stadium, improving to 2-0 on the young 2026 campaign and leaving Coach Eric Woodard pleased with his team’s work on both sides of the ball.
“Our defense played a great ballgame,” Woodard said. “They scored their touchdown when we had one defensive bust, but other than that, our defense played really well.
“We did a good job up front on both the offensive and defensive lines,” he said. “We’ve played really well in the trenches this year.”
Offensively, quarterback Westin Glandon proved to be a dual threat, accounting for 151 yards of offense.
He completed 7 of 10 passes for 71 yards and connected with Lane Lowe for a TD. He also threw an interception.
Glandon was also the Hawks’ leading rusher, gaining 80 yards and scoring a touchdown.
Kooper Baylis rushed for six yards on two carries and scored a touchdown for Clinton. Jacob Deel added a 21-yard touchdown run.
Lowe led the Hawks’ receiving corps with three catches for 54 yards, including his touchdown reception from Glandon.
