Clinton’s Bryson Maddox had seven catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns in the Dragons’ home opener against Scott on Friday night. - Dwayne Wilder
The Clinton Dragons built a three-touchdown halftime lead despite four turnovers, then cut down on the mistakes the rest of the way in a 48-13 win over non-region foe Scott on Friday.
The win in the Dragons’ home opener gave Clinton a 1-2 record heading into its first Region 3-5A game this Friday against visiting Campbell County.
Dragon quarterback Jaylon Benjamin posted a season-high 311 passing yards with four touchdowns. He finished 18-for-24 through the air with two interceptions.
Backup quarterback Camden Nelson threw a TD pass late in the game.
Bryson Maddox led Dragon receivers with seven catches for 144 yards and two TDs.
Bo Wright, Will’Quis Young, and Austyn Phillips caught TD passes for Clinton as eight different Dragons snagged at least one pass each.
Aalijah Davidson paced Clinton running backs with 14 carries for 77 yards and a touchdown.
Dragon linebacker Ryker Armes returned an interception for a touchdown and made two sacks. Emanuel Ortiz was 6-for-6 on extra points.
Clinton’s offense outgained Scott (0-3) by 414 yards to 73, with the Dragon defense forcing five first-half punts and six overall.
Highlander quarterback Micah Boles ran for two TDs, but had a tough day both rushing and passing with 14 carries for minus-16 yards and going 6-for-15 on his tosses for 54 yards with an interception.
Mavs Cody Miller (15) and Taylor Davis (0) combine to tackle Drew Parrot (5) during Friday night’s showdown with the Bearden Bulldogs. The Mavericks won the game 35-18 and improved to 2-0-1 on the year. - Zack Williams
Anderson County High School’s coaching staff had several questions heading into the Mavericks’ showdown against Bearden, a top Class 6A team that had defeated a defending state champion and narrowly lost to another in Week 2.
While the Bulldogs battled Alcoa in a close game that ended with Alcoa on top, Anderson County was in Johnson City to face Science Hill in a game that never happened due to lightning in Northeast Tennessee.
Although Anderson County wanted to play the Hilltoppers, the game was canceled, and the Mavericks had to resume in Week 3.
Despite this, the team looked sharp, notching a 35-18 victory over Bearden in front of a packed house Friday night in a regionally televised game.
Anderson County (2-0-1) scored first and never trailed, thanks in part to Bearden’s struggles on special teams. The Bulldogs had a field goal and an extra point blocked, botched a snap on another PAT, and missed a separate kick.
Senior middle blocker Ellie Murrell goes up for a block during the Lady Dragons’ matchup against Powell on Tuesday, Sept. 3. - Ellie Hatmaker
With a pair of District 3-AAA victories last week, the Clinton High School volleyball team is now securely atop the league standings as it pursues its second-consecutive regular-season title.
The Lady Dragons are also chasing a second-straight tournament championship after winning their first in program history in 2023.
“Things are different for us now,” Clinton Coach Lorri Johnson said. “We have a target on our backs. We used to be chasing other people. Now, it’s important, but we want to get to that next level when we get to the region.”
The Lady Dragons defeated Knoxville Halls at home Thursday night, posting a four-set victory (25-17, 20-25, 25-13, 25-20).
Junior Josie Moody had a big night for Clinton, totaling seven kills, nine assists, seven digs, and one block.
Clinton’s Bryson Maddox had seven catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns in the Dragons’ home opener against Scott on Friday night. - Tony Cox
Anderson County High School’s volleyball team is in the midst of a youth movement, making the early stages of the 2024 season a bit of a rollercoaster ride.
The Lady Mavericks ended the week on a high note, heading into a weekend tournament in Nashville riding a three-match winning streak. All three of those victories came in District 2-AA play.
The win streak began with a five-set victory over Alcoa at home on Thursday, Aug. 29. Anderson County outlasted the Lady Tornadoes 20-25, 25-23, 25-20, 20-25, 15-12.
The Lady Mavericks (6-4 overall, 3-0 in the district) opened the week with a sweep of Kingston in a match that had to be moved to Roane County due to a water-main break affecting Anderson County High School.
That was no problem for the Lady Mavericks, who routed the Lady Jackets 25-4, 25-13, 25-16.
Emerie Bullock scored 10 points and served up three aces. She also recorded nine digs and two kills.
Oak Ridge’s Will Pressley reels in a pass during the Wildcats’ contest against Powell last Friday night. - Barry Houchin
Oak Ridge got off to a fast start Friday night in its non-region football game at Powell, but it couldn’t sustain the momentum.
The Wildcats scored first, but it was all downhill from there as they fell 35-7 at Scarbro Stadium, dropping to 0-2 on the season.
The Wildcats took an early lead when sophomore running back Damillyan Porter rushed for 41 yards and a touchdown late in the first quarter. Oak Ridge racked up 84 yards of total offense in the first 12 minutes, and it seemed like the highly anticipated game between two of East Tennessee’s most tradition-rich programs would be hotly contested. But the game quickly turned in Powell’s favor.
The Panthers (2-1) turned up the defensive pressure, holding Oak Ridge’s key offensive weapons in check. Junior quarterback Blaine Stansberry completed 9-of-13 passes for 81 yards, but struggled under constant pressure from Powell’s defensive front.
Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats runner Dylan Job finished the 2024 Norris Dam Invitational in 18:16.87. - Tony Cox
The 2024 cross country season opened on a high note for the Oak Ridge High School teams at the Norris Dam Invitational, hosted by Anderson County High School in Andersonville.
The Wildcats finished second, just 13 points behind Science Hill.
“We feel pretty good,” Oak Ridge Coach Ed Wright said. “We would’ve liked to have won, but the times are about where we thought they’d be.”
Mason Greenhalgh and Rhett Hovater both posted Top 5 finishes, each completing the course in under 17 minutes.
Greenhalgh finished third with a time of 16 minutes, 7.97 seconds. Hovater placed fifth (16:16.04).
Other finishers for Oak Ridge included Nolan Riden, who took 17th (17:00.97), Evan Biewer (32nd, 17:34.56), William Hetrick (34th, 17:34.56), Patrik Vodopivec (38th, 17:45.22), Zachary Ibanez (49th, 18:00.53), and Cooper Bell (58th, 18:15.67).
The Lady Wildcats placed fourth in the team standings. Dylan Job took fifth overall, finishing the course in 18:16.87. Lillian Tice finished 14th (19:12.97), Emily Edwards placed 19th (20:28.69), Natalie Adams was 26th (20:50.68), and Brooke Taylor finished 46th (22:15.19).
“Dylan finished fifth, she broke 19 minutes, and in my mind, that makes her a front-runner to win the region,” Wright said. “Natalie Adams had a big day for us. She didn’t run cross country last year, but she ran track and did well in her first race.”
As the 2024 high school golf season enters its final stretch and postseason play nears, the Oak Ridge High School boys team appears to be playing some of its best golf.
On Thursday, the Wildcats hosted Bearden and Farragut at Oak Ridge Country Club, finishing second against two of the area’s top teams. With a bit of luck, Oak Ridge could have won the event on its home course.
“Our low round of the year was 148, and on Thursday, we were right there,” Wildcats Coach Scott Hinton said. “We’re starting to come together. My five scorers were all under 45, and you have to like that.”
Jack Bentz led Oak Ridge with a standout performance, shooting 4-under on the front nine with a score of 32, including an eagle on the seventh hole.
Two Anderson County cross country runners opened the 2024 season in impressive fashion Saturday, as Vance Laster and Ava Moody further etched their names in the school record books on their home course.
Laster finished second overall in the boys’ race at the Norris Dam Invitational in Andersonville, while Moody came in fourth in the girls’ race.
The results follow their successes at the state track and field championships in May, where Moody won two distance titles and Laster also secured a championship.
“This was a good race for us, and it was a big one because it’s our home race,” Anderson County Coach Mollie Longmire said. “Both had the school records, and they both had [personal records] on Saturday.
It was a week of mixed results for the Anderson County High School girls soccer team, as the Lady Mavericks split a pair of matches.
On Thursday, Anderson County lost 5-2 to Knox Central at Dan Y. Boring Stadium in Fountain City. The Lady Bobcats (5-1-1) are the defending District 3-AAA regular-season and tournament champions.
Zoey Rose and Emma Leander scored for Anderson County (5-6 overall, 1-0 in the district).
On Tuesday, Sept. 3, the Lady Mavericks opened District 4-AA play with a statement win, defeating Scott 8-0 in a match played at Anderson County High School despite a water main break that affected service on campus.
Leander scored four goals against the Lady Highlanders. Roxana Aguilar and Kaili Villalba each recorded a goal and two assists. Rose and Olivia Madron also scored for the Lady Mavericks.
The Lady Mavericks played Union County on Tuesday in a road league match. Results were not available at press time.
Anderson County will host Henry County on Saturday at noon.
Clinton High School’s girls soccer team is off to a fast start in 2024. The Lady Dragons scored goals in bunches as they posted two victories, including a win in their District 4-AA opener at home against Union County on Tuesday, Sept. 3.
Clinton (5-1-1 overall, 1-0 in the district) capped its week by edging William Blount 4-3 on Thursday at Union Grove Elementary School in Maryville.
The Lady Governors play in one of the state’s most competitive leagues. District 4-AAA includes Farragut, Maryville, Knoxville West, Heritage, and three-time defending Class AAA state champion Bearden, which recently lost its first game since 2020.
Against William Blount, Sadie Haney had a hat trick, while Elly Leander scored a goal and had three assists. Topanga Easterday also recorded an assist.
The Lady Dragons opened the week with a key victory in their district opener, routing Union County 7-2 at home.
Leander scored four goals and had two assists. Sadie Haney added two goals, while Addison Haney had a goal and two assists. Easterday also had an assist against the Lady Patriots.
The Norris Dam Invitational cross country meet was held on Saturday, Sept. 7. The 5k course is the home course to the Anderson County Mavericks and Lady Mavericks cross country teams. This year’s event had 38 schools from East Tennessee and more than 580 runners. - Tony Cox
Wyatt Crowley (6) closes in on Grace Christian Academy’s quarterback during last Saturday’s game. - Tony Cox
Wyatt Crowley (6) closes in on Grace Christian Academy’s quarterback during last Saturday’s game.
Coaches made sure to keep players hydrated on Saturday. Even with the lower temperatures, hydration is an important part of sports.
All Photos by Tony Cox | The Courier News
Members of the CAC Hoppers team stand at attention during the National Anthem before Saturday games began.
Carter Sheehan (46, left) gets the tackle with an assist from Westin Glandon (15) during the Cutters’ game against Maryville on Saturday.
Westin Glandon (15) makes the solo tackle on Maryville’s running back during the Dragons’ third game of the day on Saturday.
Lincoln Glandon(2), Waylon Bolinger(17), Levi Breeden(25), Emmett Crowley (3), Zane Harris(1) and Carter Smith(84) served as team captains for the Junior Hoppers game.
Cheerleaders were clad in patriotic colors to help celebrate our nation’s armed forces.
Levi Breeden(25) gives a thumbs-up to a teammate after a big play.
Colton Powell(7) escapes the grasp of a Grace Christian defender.
Cutters teammates hype each other up on the sidelines before Saturday’s game.
Landry Powell (1) looks for open field during the Cutters’ outing against Maryville.
Robertsville Middle School faced early struggles on the gridiron Thursday night, but the Rams found their rhythm in the fourth quarter, pulling away to defeat Clinton Middle School 24-6 in Clinton.
The Rams, coming off a heartbreaking 64-58 overtime loss to Grace Christian Academy the previous week, led by just two points late in the third quarter.
Coach Ron Gray said his team took some time to shake off the effects of that loss and Clinton’s strong play.
“It was 8-6 in the third quarter, but we had a hangover,” Gray said. “We moved the ball well, but we had some penalties and had some big plays called back.”
Robertsville took the lead after an 80-yard drive, capped by a 33-yard touchdown pass from Lemiere Porter to Ben Hartman. Porter ran for the two-point conversion, putting the Rams up 8-0.
The struggles continued for the young Jefferson Middle School football team as it dropped its fourth consecutive game Thursday night, losing 36-19 to Spring City at Blankenship Field.
The Eagles, who won their season opener Aug. 8 at Christian Academy of Knoxville, have since fallen to 1-4 overall and 1-3 in the Tennessee Valley Athletic Conference.
The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 18-0 lead, scoring on their first three possessions. Despite a chance to close the gap, Jefferson was unable to capitalize after Jordan Samuelson appeared to catch a touchdown pass that was ruled out of bounds.
“I thought he was inbounds,” Jefferson Coach Rodney Ellison said. “But the official said that he was out. Even though it didn’t count, it was a great catch. It would have been a Top 10 play on ESPN.”
Samuelson’s catch would have made the game a one-possession contest.
It may be common to wait at a concession stand, but Anderson County officials are frustrated with waiting for one at Clinton High School’s softball field.
Ryan Sutton, communications and public relations coordinator for Anderson County Schools, told The Courier News that the school system has signed the contract to build a concession stand for the school’s softball field.
Construction will be done 120 days from a pre-construction meeting Tuesday, Sept. 10.
A now-settled lawsuit slowed construction. Sutton said the settlement did not involve monetary compensation.
He said the school system was waiting for a final adjustment of the field’s lights to complete the approved agreement.
He did not disclose any other details.
“The project’s [taken] way too long, and it should have been already done, but it’s not,” said Anderson County Director of Schools Tim Parrott during the Anderson County Commission’s Aug. 19 meeting, which took place before the contract’s signing.
