Author's posts
CHS Softball Drops Opening Games in Gulf Shores Tournament
Katie Rutledge of CHS Softball (Photo by John St. Clair, stclair-sports.com)
The Coffee County Central High School softball team opened play in the Gulf Shores Tournament on Monday with a pair of games. Coffee County dropped the tournament opener to Thompson, Alabama 10 to 1. In the nightcap, the Lady Raiders saw Clarksville score the game winning run in the bottom of the last inning to beat Coffee County 4 to 3.
Against Thompson, 4 Lady Raider errors saw the Alabama squad score 7 unearned runs in a 10 to 1 defeat of Coffee County. After building a 5 to 0 lead after 2 innings, Thompson sent 9 batters to the plate in the 4th inning as they tacked on another 5 runs. Coffee County got their lone run in the 5th inning. The Lady Raiders were held to 4 hits in the defeat. Katie Rutledge finished 2 for 3 with a pair of singles. Tori Bell had a single and an RBI.
Against Clarksville, Coffee County saw the Lady Wildcats score the winning run on a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 5th inning to grab a 4 to 3 win. Clarksville scored a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the 4th to grab a 3 to 1 lead before Coffee County rallied for 2 runs in the top of the 5th inning to tie the game at 3. That set up the game winning walk-off sacrifice fly. The Lady Raiders finished with 3 hits. Katie Rutledge, Raven Rogers and Tori Bell each had a single.
Coffee County returns to tournament action bright and early on Tuesday morning. The Lady Raiders open up against Oneonta, AL at 8 AM. Coffee County will take on Alexandra, AL at 11. The tournament’s single elimination championship begins on Wednesday.
Updated Sports Calendar
Monday’s Prep Results
CHS Softball lost to Clarksville – 10 to 1
CCMS Baseball HOSTS South Franklin – Postponed until 3/28
CHS Softball lost to Thompson, AL – 4 to 3
WMS Baseball HOSTS Cascade – Postponed until 3/29
Tueday’s Prep Schedule
8:00 AM – CHS Softball vs. Oneonta, AL – Gulf Shores Tournament
11:00 AM – CHS Softball vs. Alexandra, AL – Gulf Shores Tournament
4:00 PM – CCMS Baseball at South Franklin(DH)
5:00 PM – WMS Baseball HOSTS Cascade
6:00 PM – CHS Baseball at Lawrence County
Motlow Bucks’ Season Ends in Hutchinson with Loss in Quarterfinals of National Tournament
Motlow State guard Javion Hamlet reacts to the action during a game earlier this season at Copperweld Arena. Hamlet, a freshman from Memphis, led the Bucks in points (554) and assists (298) this season. His assist total is second all-time at Motlow for a single season, and his average of 8.5 assists per game led the nation. Hamlet was named the MVP of the TCCAA Tournament and was a first team all-conference selection. [Photo by Jeff Reed Photography]
The Bucks (30-6) completed the most successful season in the 47-year history of the school’s men’s basketball program, winning both the TCCAA regular season championship and the tournament title. The national tournament appearance was only the second for Motlow, and the first time to advance to the ‘Elite Eight’ round.
After a rugged 70-69 win over No. 3 Georgia Highlands on Wednesday, the Bucks just didn’t have a lot left in the tank for the taller, more experienced Titans. Despite successfully slowing the pace of the game, ultimately Motlow was unable to hit enough shots. The Bucks attempted 39 three-point baskets and connected on only 10. From the field Motlow shot just 23.8 percent, while EFS hit 44.4 percent of its shots, including 11-22 three-pointers.
Motlow’s last lead came with 3:41 left to play in the first half, 20-19, after Isaiah Hart hit a three-pointer. From there the Titans went on a 13-0 run covering the end of the first half and the start of the second, and with 17:35 left to play the EFS lead was 30-20. Hart hit another three-pointer to pull the Bucks within seven, but that’s as close as the score would be the rest of the way.
Hart led Motlow with nine points and added three steals. He is the all-time single season Motlow leader in steals with 125, shattering the old record of 103, and finished third in the nation averaging 3.5 steals per game. Javion Hamlet scored seven with four assists. His 298 assists this season is the second most at Motlow in a single season and Hamlet led the nation averaging 8.5 assists per game.
Dillon Smith hit a pair of three-pointers and scored six points, Damarcus Williams had five points and five rebounds, and Rashawn Fredericks scored five with seven rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots. Fredericks averaged 13.1 points and 10 rebounds per game this season, and his 360 rebounds is third all-time in Motlow’s record book for a single season.
Kevonte Corley scored four points and had six rebounds, while Ross Plunkett, Javel Gillespie and Jalen Bell each hit late three-pointers and scored three points, with Bell adding three rebounds and two assists. Alek Zecevic and Chad Emmons both played but did not score.
The first two seasons under Head Coach J.T. Burton have seen the program garner more wins than any back-to-back seasons in school history. Burton now has a 55-13 record at Motlow, easily the highest winning percentage of any previous men’s basketball coach at the College.
The Tennessee Community College Athletic Association regular season title was the school’s sixth, while the conference tournament title was the fifth in school history. The national tournament appearance was the second for Motlow, and the program record is now 3-2 in Hutchinson.
Visit the official website of Motlow Athletics at MotlowSports.com for rosters, schedules, stats and more. Interact with Motlow Athletics on social media at MotlowSports.
3/27/17 — Birthdays
No birthdays to report.
3/26/17 — Birthdays
Birthdays:
Chris Robinson — Pizza Winner!
3/25/17 — Birthdays
Birthdays:
Danielle Toney, 21 — Pizza Winner!
Woman Accused of trying to bring drugs into the Coffee County Jail
Lisa Michelle Roberts… Photo provided by the CCSD.
After receiving a tip that the subject may be bringing in drugs to the jail, she was taken to Unity Medical Center in Manchester for an x-ray. Transporting Officer Ashley Barnett and Bennett state that when they arrived at the hospital with Roberts, they noticed a piece of black material sticking out of the woman’s shoe. It was then discovered that Roberts allegedly had a package wrapped in black electrical tape that contained 12 morphine pills, 1 Hydrocodone/acetaminophen pill, 103 Xanax pills, 7 Suboxone packs and 62 Seroquel pills inside of the package. Officers also allegedly located rolling papers, a lighter, pair of metal tweezers and tobacco inside of the pack as well.
Roberts was charged with four counts of contraband in a penal institution, two counts of Schedule II drug violations, one count each of Schedule III and Schedule IV drug violations, possession of legend drug without a prescription and unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities. Bond was set at $106,000 and her court date will be April 3, 2017.
Law Enforcement searching for Wanted Man
David Michael Mizwicki… Photo provided by the CCSD.
Mizwicki has been seen in the Manchester area as well as the Estill Springs area of Franklin County.
If anyone has any information concerning his whereabouts, you are asked to contact Investigator George Dyer of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office at 931-308-9420 or the Coffee Communication Center 931-728-9555. As a reminder please contact law enforcement and do not attempt to make contact with this person on your own.
Unlocking the Truth: Incarceration Tied to Racial Achievement Gap
Experts say closing the racial achievement gap could be achieved by addressing the mass incarceration problem in states such as Tennessee. (Penn State/flick.com)
The so-called war on drugs vastly expanded the U.S. prison population. But while African Americans are no more likely to sell or use drugs, they are three times more likely to be arrested, more likely to be convicted and will serve more time in prison than whites.
According to Leila Morsy, senior lecturer at the University of New South Wales and co-author of the report, when a parent is sent to prison, their children become more susceptible to depression, behavioral problems and ADHD.
“Their grade point average drops, they’re also more likely to drop out of school,” Morsy said. “Boys are more likely to drop out because they themselves have been incarcerated.”
The report, published by the Economic Policy Institute, urged educators to join with criminal justice reformers to advocate for policies that would end mass incarceration. Earlier this month, Tennessee Chief Justice Jeff Bivins said he wants to take a comprehensive look at the state’s criminal sentencing laws for the first time in 30 years.
In Tennessee, African Americans make up about 17 percent of the population but 44 percent of the inmates in prisons and jails. Ames Grawert, counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice, said the effects of mass incarceration are serious and pervasive.
“it can’t possibly be just a criminal justice issue, just a racial justice issue – although it is both of those things,” Grawert said. “It’s an economic justice issue. It’s an education issue. It’s an issue that affects all of us in a myriad amount of ways.”
Morsy stressed that sentencing reform and increased educational and employment opportunities for released offenders also would benefit those left behind when a parent goes to jail.
“Improvements in our criminal justice policies will lead to improved outcomes for children and are very likely to contribute to narrowing the achievement gap,” she said.
In 2014, more than 600,000 inmates nationally were serving sentences of a year or more in state prisons for nonviolent crimes.
Hiring Fair to be held at Motlow
Motlow State Community College will host its annual HIRING Fair Tuesday, April 4, on the Moore County campus. The fair will be held from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the Forrester Student Center, Lincoln County Bank Dining Hall.
Area companies and staffing agencies are invited to participate free of charge. For more information or to reserve space, contact Brenda Cannon, director of special events, at bcannon@mscc.edu or 931-393-1548.
According to Cannon, the HIRING Fair is a collaboration between the Tennessee Department of Labor (TDOL), Workforce Development, MAXIMUS, and Motlow State. The fair is open to all job seekers, including students and the public. Employment opportunities range from full-time to part-time to temporary as well as summer employment.
An added feature to this year’s event is the Career Coach. Sponsored by TDOL, the career coach staff provides the same services available at the Tennessee Career Centers. Career Coaches are equipped with computer workstations, internet access, and Microsoft Office software which provides job seekers the ability to search statewide databases for employment opportunities that are placed directly from employers. Additionally, the staff provides support with on-site resume writing and critiquing and interviewing tips and skills.
The HIRING Fair is another service provided to the community by Motlow State.