Ava Moody, Luke Dark medal at TSSAA State Track Meet
by Ken Lay
Ava Moody finished second in the 3,200-meter run as she crossed the finish line in 11 minutes, 28.53 seconds, and sixth in the 1,600-meter run as she posted a time of 5:34.30. - Ricky Williams
Three area high school track and field athletes posted scoring marks at the 2023 track and field championships last week at Middle Tennessee State University’s Dean Hayes Stadium in Murfreesboro.
At the Class AA state meet, Anderson County Lady Mavericks distance specialist Ava Moody picked up all 11 of her team’s points as she finished second in the 3,200-meter run as she crossed the finish line in 11 minutes, 28.53 seconds.
Moody also came in sixth in the 1,600-meter run as she posted a time of 5:34.30.
For the Mavericks, Luke Dark finished fifth in shot put as he posted an effort of 45 feet, 7.25 inches.
In Class AAA: Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats junior sprinter Mikyra Pettus came in seventh in the 100-meter dash, finishing the event in 12.17 seconds.
Coal Creek Bulls open play on the diamond for summer sessions
by Ken Lay
After a shaky first inning, Coal Creek’s Luke Lankford settled in for a solid outing in the season opener for the Bulls. Lankford also notched an RBI in the 9-5 Coal Creek win. - Ken Leinart
The Coal Creek Bulls opened their 2023 baseball season with a pair of wins at home late last week.
The Bulls swept the NABF FreeBirds in a doubleheader at Anderson County High School Thursday night.
Coal Creek (2-0) had to come from behind to notch the two victories over the FreeBirds, who hail from Corryton in northeast Knox County.
The Bulls won the opener 9-5 and took the nightcap 4-3 on a walk-off single by Easton Beaty.
In the opening game, Coal Creek spotted NABF (0-2) three runs in the top of the first inning as starting pitcher Luke Lankford walked two batters, including leadoff hitter Mason Melton, who would score when Jay Rutherford followed with an RBI triple.
Will Sharp had a scoring single before Lankford struck out the final three NABF hitters of the inning.
Coal Creek got on the scoreboard as it pulled to within 3-2 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second when Beaty came up with a two-run single.
Derek Rang recently completed his first spring practice as Oak Ridge High School’s football coach.
The Wildcats wrapped up their 2023 spring season with a joint practice with Halls on Wednesday, May 17.
The Wildcats, who had a spring game with Rhea County canceled, didn’t play a traditional game to end the spring.
Instead, Rang and Red Devils Head Coach Brent Hughes borrowed a page from the NFL playbook and had a joint practice session, giving Halls and Oak Ridge the opportunity to emphasize football fundamentals. The day culminated with an 11-on-11 scrimmage.
“It wasn’t quite a scrimmage; it was more like a joint practice,” said Rang, who was hired as the Wildcats’ head coach in January. “We did some individual and group work and then we finished with some 11-on-11. It was a good work day.”
Spring practice traditionally signals the beginning of a new season.
It begins a long stretch of preparation that last through the long hot days of summer with players spending the bulk of their time running and in the weight room working on strength and conditioning.
Bobby Teixeira competed in the 110-meter hurdles in the Division 1 AAA state champi- onship meet. Teixeira finished in ninth place with a time of 15.32.
Seven Pettus received a medal for a seventh-place finish in the 100-meter dash. Pettus completed the event with a time of 12.17. She also finished 11th in the 200-meter dash with a time of 25.47.
