BY JESSE SMITHEY Three area high school softball teams clinched state tournament berths Friday, while one more will have a chance Saturday. Get caught up on Friday night's happenings, starting with defending champion Alcoa. … [Read more...]
KOC POSTSEASON TRACKER: CAK Baseball wins DH to get to State; Halls Soccer wins First Region Title; Other Region Soccer Champs Crowned
BY JESSE SMITHEY CAK's chances at making the state baseball tournament looked bleak heading into Thursday. Sam Cecil changed that. And, check out the historic night for Halls soccer and other area soccer programs that won region titles. … [Read more...]
Ty Denton’s walk-off HR sends Hardin Valley Academy baseball team to state for the first time since 2015 championship season
HVA is heading back to Murfreesboro By JESSE SMITHEY For the first time since winning it all in 2015, the Hardin Valley Academy baseball team is headed back to state. And the moment that sent them there turned out to be the … [Read more...]
Mr. May, Jett Johnston, paces Farragut Admirals in 15-0 sectional series clinching win over Jefferson County
BY JESSE SMITHEY Something happens to Jett Johnston around this time of year. "I don't know (what), but I like it," said Farragut coach Matt Buckner. "Man, he has been on a tear, knock on wood. It's unreal." For the second year in a row, … [Read more...]
Union County Baseball claims first-ever state berth; Coalfield Baseball heading back to Boro; Catholic baseball stuns Baylor to reach state
BY JESSE SMITHEY History made in Maynardville. Expectations met in Coalfield. And more big wins, player performances and postseason situations unfurled Wednesday night in the TSSAA playoffs for baseball, softball and soccer. Hurry up and … [Read more...]
SPRING PRACTICE REPORT: What We Learned About the Alcoa Tornadoes in the May 2023 Scrimmage against Powell
BY JESSE SMITHEY What we learned about Alcoa: yeah, they're still really good. Eight consecutive state titles. Remember? But if you want to go more in depth with the Tornadoes and what they'll look like for the 2023 season, you've come to … [Read more...]
SPRING PRACTICE REPORT: What we learned about the Powell Panthers in the May 2023 scrimmage at Alcoa
BY JESSE SMITHEY ALCOA — The Powell Panthers won it all in Class 5A in 2021 and then reached the state semifinals last year. But many of the pillars from those two successful campaigns have graduated and landed on college football … [Read more...]
What Coaches Are Saying about the NFHS Foul Totals and Free Throw Administering Changes
BY JESSE SMITHEY With Douglass holding a 58-57 lead over Alcoa in the final minute of 2023 Class 2A boys' basketball state championship, the Tornadoes had to foul five times in a 7-second span to force Douglass into the bonus and put Douglass on … [Read more...]
Union County High School promotes Noah Malicoat to head football coach, Brian Sommer to associate head coach
BY JESSE SMITHEY Union County High School is reversing the trend. With its last few football coaching hires coming from a candidate pool of the experienced, the school has gone in the opposite direction this time — opting for a more youthful … [Read more...]
KOC Postseason Tracker (2023): Heritage Softball outlasts and ousts Karns; Gibbs and Halls softball to meet for region title; Union County softball stays alive
BY JESSE SMITHEY Softball took the main stage Monday in area high school postseason play, as soccer awaits its next stage on Tuesday and baseball on Wednesday. Get caught up on some of the area's top games and individual softball performances … [Read more...]