Tussle between crosstown rivals decided at the horn
by Ken Lay
Anderson County’s Julia Owens and Clinton’s Addi Gamble scuffle after a loose ball late in Friday night’s rivaly matchup at Don W. Lockard Gymnasium. The Lady Mavericks won the matchup 48-47 after Emerie Bullock hit a last-second three-pointer. - Tony Cox
Emerie Bullock scored just three points, but her final one proved decisive.
Bullock, a junior guard for the Lady Mavericks, drilled a 3-pointer as time expired to lift Anderson County High School to a 48-47 comeback victory over crosstown rival Clinton on Friday night in a District 4-AAA girls basketball game at Don W. Lockard Gymnasium.
The buzzer-beater snapped a three-game losing streak for Anderson County (7-8 overall, 1-1 District 4-AAA) and erased a 32-15 halftime deficit.
Bullock’s impact extended well beyond the final shot. The Lady Mavericks’ leading rebounder, she pulled down six boards to go with five assists against the Lady Dragons.
“She’s our glue,” Anderson County Coach Mitch Cupples said. “She always does what I ask her to do and she never complains.”
Clinton High School’s girls basketball team opened District 4-AAA play in dominant fashion last week, thanks to a pair of senior standouts.
The Lady Dragons routed Union County 70-29 on the road Tuesday, Jan. 6, behind double-double performances from Josie Moody and Addi Gamble.
Moody scored a game-high 40 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. She also set a single-game program record by knocking down seven 3-pointers. Moody added three steals and one assist.
Gamble scored 12 points and dished out 10 assists. She also recorded four rebounds, four steals and a blocked shot.
Both seniors are set to continue their athletic careers at Carson-Newman University — Gamble in basketball and Moody in volleyball.
Anderson County’s Edmund Presson was one of three Mavericks to pick up wins against Alcoa on Tuesday, Jan. 6. Anderson County only had five wrestlers available for the dual meet due to illness or injury. “These weren’t really duals,” said Anderson County Head Coach Matt Slone. “We were just trying to get some guys some matches.”
The injury and illness bug has bitten the Anderson County High School boys wrestling team.
The Mavericks wrestled Alcoa on Thursday night with only five athletes available, falling 60-17 to the Tornadoes.
Anderson County was scheduled to wrestle Everett, but a lack of numbers forced Coach Matt Slone to focus on getting his available grapplers mat time during the duals.
“We went over there and were so beat up and banged up that we only had five guys,” Slone said. “We have guys sick and we have guys hurt. Right now, this time of year, it’s just hard to keep people healthy.
“We’re getting ready to start the postseason and I think everybody will be ready to wrestle,” he said. “We’ve got district duals on Tuesday and the top two teams will qualify for the region duals on Thursday. And the sectional duals are around the corner.”
The Mavericks competed in district duals on Tuesday, but results were not available at press time. Anderson County was seeking a berth in the region duals.
Against the Alcoa Tornadoes, the Mavericks picked up three wins. Zed Hulet (138 pounds) recorded a technical fall, while Hayden Harrell (150) and Edmund Presson (165) both won by fall.
Clinton’s Tristian Lundy secures a defensive rebound in traffic during the Dragons’ home matchup with Anderson County. Lundy finished with 13 points in the contest. - Tony Cox
Anytime the Clinton Dragons and Anderson County Mavericks tangle on the hardwood, the intensity is high.
Friday night was no exception.
Clinton survived a down-to-the-wire finish to notch a 44-42 District 4-AAA victory at Don W. Lockard Gymnasium.
The game wasn’t decided until the final seconds, when Anderson County’s Cam Lawson missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer.
Dragons veteran Coach Chris Lockard said the game unfolded much as he expected between two teams that have met in the district tournament championship game each of the past three seasons, with Anderson County winning all three. The rivals also shared the district’s regular-season title last year.
“It was a grind-it-out game and very much a tournament-type game,” Lockard said. “Anytime we play them, it’s going to be tough. It’s a rivalry game.
Clinton’s Adam Gonzalez won his match against a Powell wrester by fall and helped the Dragons win a tie-breaker against the Panthers.
Clinton High School’s wrestling team won two of its three dual meets early last week.
The Dragons defeated Powell via a tiebreaker, toppled Knoxville Central and fell to Farragut on Tuesday, Jan. 6, at Powell High School’s Jeff Hunter Gymnasium.
The match against the Panthers ended in a 36-36 tie, with Clinton earning the victory on a tiebreaker based on having fewer forfeits.
The Dragons recorded three forfeit wins in the bout, as Emmanuel Rangel (120 pounds), Jonah Hoskins (215) and Hayden Durliat (113) won without taking the mat. Aaron Solberg (144), Adam Gonzalez (165) and Bryson Breeden (285) each won by fall.
Against the Bobcats, Clinton posted a 45-30 victory. Connor Lemmon (126), Gonzalez and Jonah Hoskins all earned forfeit wins.
Solberg, Keenan Hoskins (132) and Jacob Brown (190) won by fall, while Durliat recorded a technical fall.
In a 46-27 loss to the Admirals, Lemmon, Gonzalez and Jordan Smith (175) earned decision victories, while Durliat, Keenan Hoskins and Brown won by fall.
Oak Ridge’s Charlie Taubenheim, the only returning starter from the 2025 state runner-up team, had 18 points against Alcoa on Jan. 2. The senior scored 28 points against McMinn County on Tuesday, Jan 5. - ORHS Sports Media
The Oak Ridge High School boys basketball team entered the week riding a three-game winning streak — and left it with momentum firmly on its side.
After defeating Alcoa 73-58 on Friday, Jan. 2, the Wildcats (10-6 overall, 3-1 District 4-4A) added two more league victories last week.
Friday, Oak Ridge downed Rhea County 98-38 in Evensville.
The Wildcats showcased a balanced scoring attack against the Golden Eagles.
Charlie Taubenheim, Oak Ridge’s lone returning starter from last season’s Class 4A state runner-up team, led the way with 18 points and was one of three Wildcats to reach double figures.
Ja’Rell Jemerson added 15 points, Ethan James scored 12, and Eli Peters chipped in nine.
Oak Ridge followed with an 80-56 district win over McMinn County on Tuesday, Jan. 5, at Wildcat Arena.
As Oak Ridge High School’s wrestling team navigates its inaugural season, it continues to experience the highs and lows that all first-year programs face.
The Wildcats returned to the mats Friday night at Powell High School’s Jeff Hunter Gymnasium and competed in three dual meets.
Despite the team dropping two matches, Coach Bam Thomas said he saw plenty to be encouraged about — especially after Oak Ridge took state powerhouse Pigeon Forge to the wire before losing via tiebreaker.
Oak Ridge also fell to host Powell, but capped the night with a dominant victory over Union County.
The Norris Lady Senators have improved to 15-3 overall and 6-0 in district play to hold the top spot in the league.
Norris Middle School’s girls basketball team returned to district action after the holiday break and kept its unblemished league mark intact with two convincing victories.
The Lady Senators improved to 15-3 overall and 6-0 in district play with a 41-23 win over Jacksboro on Thursday night. Norris used a balanced offensive attack to pull away.
Addie Blevins led the Lady Senators with 13 points. Sadie Housley and Addison Willoughby added seven points apiece, while Esa Minor chipped in six.
On Monday, Jan. 5, Norris completed a regular-season sweep of Robertsville with a 42-19 victory over the Lady Rams.
Blevins again scored 13 points, and Willoughby finished with 11 as Norris also swept Jacksboro during the 2025-26 season.
Norris boys lose twice: The Senators fell to Robertsville, 48-33, and were edged by Jacksboro, 46-44.
Oak Ridge’s Evaiya Mitchell scored 36 points against McMinn County during the Lady Wildcats’ 81-55 win over the Lady Cherokees. - ORHS Sports Media
After a slow start that included losses in eight of its first nine games, Oak Ridge High School’s girls basketball team has found its footing.
The Lady Wildcats (5-9 overall, 2-2 in District 4-4A) have now won four of their last five contests, including two impressive district victories last week.
Oak Ridge notched a key road win Friday night, defeating Rhea County 72-53 in Evensville.
Evaiya Mitchell scored 22 points to pace the Lady Wildcats. Alani Mitchell added 20, and Jenayah Pippens finished with 17.
Earlier in the week, Oak Ridge rolled to an 81-55 win over McMinn County on Tuesday, Jan. 5, at Wildcat Arena.
Evaiya Mitchell had a dominant performance, pouring in 36 points. Pippens contributed 16, while Alani Mitchell chipped in 15.
The Clinton Middle School girls basketball team had a tough return from the holiday break, dropping a pair of games to open the new calendar year.
On Thursday, the Lady Hawks fell 50-30 to Sevier County Junior High. Caroline Jones led Clinton with 10 points and hit three 3-pointers. Myla Queener scored nine, while Shelby Carroll added five points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Clinton returned home on Monday, Jan. 5, and came up short against Jefferson, 34-27.
Kailyn Martin paced the Lady Hawks with eight points. Queener chipped in seven, and Carroll finished with five points and a team-high 16 rebounds.
It was another banner year for the Anderson County High School football team as it captured a ninth-consecutive Region 2-4A championship.
The 2025 campaign wasn’t without adversity, as the Mavericks sustained key injuries and suffered their first region loss in eight years.
Still, Anderson County rebounded to clinch the league title with a thrilling 31-30 win over region newcomer and longtime state powerhouse Alcoa on the final night of the regular season.
The Mavericks finished 9-3 and advanced to the Class 4A state quarterfinals, where they were eliminated by longtime nemesis Greeneville.
Several Anderson County standouts were recognized recently when Region 2-4A coaches announced their postseason honors.
Defensive coordinator Tony Lambert was named Defensive Assistant of the Year, while senior running back Jayzon Thompson earned Most Valuable Player honors.
Freshman quarterback John David Gillum was named one of the league’s Newcomers of the Year.
Thompson and Gillum were among a large group of Mavericks named to the All-Region 2-4A Team. Other honorees included Eli Tolley, Evan Pyatt, Deameion Leavell, Karnell Mills, Keshawn Mills, Gabe St. John, Jackson Hill, Charles Humphrey, Lane LaRue, Brayden Sharpe and Vance Young.
Clinton High School faced its share of adversity on the gridiron in 2025 as it battled through one of the toughest and most-expanded Class 5A regions in the state.
The Dragons competed in Region 2-5A, an eight-team league that included two state quarterfinalists: Knoxville Halls and Knoxville Central.
The Red Devils defeated the Bobcats before falling to eventual 2024 state champion Sevier County.
Under first-year Head Coach Jake Dawson — the program’s third coach in three seasons — Clinton finished 2-7 and missed the playoffs.
The Dragons logged one region victory, a 53-15 rout of longtime rival Campbell County. Their other win came in a 24-0 shutout of South-Doyle.
Despite the struggles, Clinton had five players named to the All-Region 2-5A Team by the league’s coaches.
Middle Tennessee State signee Bryson Maddox was selected as Wide Receiver of the Year. He was joined on the all-region squad by Jaxon Herrell, Cam Anderson, Austyn Phillips and Zander Huffman.
After winning her second-consecutive TSSAA state championship, Anderson County High School senior Ava Moody was named to the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s 2025 Class AA All-State Cross Country Team.
Moody, who has now made three consecutive appearances on the TSWA All-State team, claimed the 2025 title by completing the 5,000-meter course at Shelby Farms Park in Memphis in 18 minutes, 20.45 seconds.
She enters her senior track-and-field season with multiple state championships in both sports, and has also won several regional titles as a cross country runner and distance specialist on the track.
