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2/16/17 — Birthdays
Birthdays:
Michael Johnson — Pizza Winner!
Athena Lusk
Kathy Kenny
Coffee County Basketball Opens Postseason Play on Friday Night
2017 Dist 8AAA Basketball Tournament bracket – UPDATED 2/15/17
The Coffee County Red Raider and Lady Raider basketball teams open postseason play on Friday night and Thunder Radio is your exclusive home to hear all the action. The Lady Raiders will open tournament play against Tullahoma at 4 PM while the Red Raiders will take on Lincoln County at 8:30. Both games will be held at Franklin County High School.
The Lady Raiders have won both meetings this season against Tullahoma including a 57 to 36 victory last Friday at home on Senior Night. The Lady Raiders have won 4 straight in the rivalry with the Lady Cats and 11 of the last 15 meetings. Tullahoma advanced to Friday night’s game after a 73 to 39 win over Columbia in Tuesday night’s District 8AAA Play-In Game. The winner of Friday afternoon’s game will take on Lawrence County on Saturday afternoon at 5 PM at Franklin County in the semifinals. A win on Friday night also assures the winning team of a berth in the region tournament.
The Red Raiders take on a Lincoln County team that defeated Coffee County 62 to 57 on January 27th in Fayetteville. The Red Raiders trailed in that match up by 17 points before tying it in the 4th quarter. Coffee County won the first match up this year 58 to 38 on January 3rd. Coffee County and Lincoln County tied for 4th place in the district regular season. Lincoln County earned the 4th seed as a result of a tiebreaker. The winner of Friday afternoon’s game will take on top seeded Columbia on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 PM at Franklin County in the semifinals. A win on Friday night also assures the winning team of a berth in the region tournament.
Thunder Radio will bring you the broadcast of all of Coffee County’s postseason games. We will begin each broadcast with the Powers Storage Pregame Show about 10 minutes before tip off. Yon can listen to the games on your radio at 107.9 FM and AM 1320. You can also bring you radio along with you to listen in the gym on fancast at 107.9 FM. You can listen online at WMSRradio.com and on the Tune-In Radio app, just search for WMSR. Or perhaps the best way to keep up with all the action is by downloading the Thunder Radio app for your smartphone. Just check out the Google Play or Apple stores for the free download.
Motlow Bucks beat Southwest TN in OT, earn berth in JUCO national tournament
Motlow State men’s basketball coaching staff, from left J.T. Burton, head coach, and assistants Zach Holt and Arthur Latham, are shown from a game earlier this season along with post player Aleksandar Zecevic. The staff, in its second season at Motlow and with no players returning from last year, has led the Bucks to the regular season TCCAA/Region VII championship and a berth in the NJCAA national tournament. [Photo by Jeff Reed Photography]
With the win, the Bucks (23-4, 12-3) clinched the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association (TCCAA) regular season championship and a berth in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Tournament, to be held March 20-25 in Hutchinson, Kansas.
“I couldn’t be more proud of this team for what they have accomplished to this point,” said Burton, now 48-11 in his second year at Motlow. “From the first day of off-season workouts, to the start of practice on Nov. 1, until now, these guys have bought in to our system and bought in to their roles on this team. I also want to acknowledge the tremendous work ethic of my assistant coaches Arthur Latham and Zach Holt. We could not have gotten where we are without them.”
The NJCAA grants automatic berths to the tournament champions of its 16 regions. In addition, it also grants four automatic berths to regular season champions on a rotating basis. This year the TCCAA, which is Region VII in the NJCAA, gets one of those ‘extra’ berths, and the Bucks earned that with their regular season conference championship. The winner of the upcoming TCCAA/Region VII Tournament, to be held in Morristown March 6-10, will also earn a berth in the national tournament. If the Bucks win the TCCAA tournament then the runner-up will get the second national tournament berth.
The Bucks and the Saluqis played a thrilling game in front of a large, vocal crowd on Wednesday. The lead swapped back and forth the entire game, with Southwest leading 29-28 at the end of the first half. The Saluqis led by six with three minutes to play, but Motlow pulled within one with 1:30 left on the clock when Rashawn Fredericks hit a corner three-pointer.
Southwest built the lead back to five in the final thirty seconds before Smith, a Lexington, Tenn., product, nailed his three-pointer from the top of the key to pull the Bucks within two. On the ensuing inbounds pass, Motlow’s Isaiah Hart stole the ball and got it to Smith, who was fouled and calmly sank both free throws. Southwest had a good look at the rim with its final shot, but it didn’t connect and the game went into overtime.
Aleksandar Zecevic had his best game of the season, scoring 20 points and hauling in 11 rebounds. Fredericks scored 15 with 14 rebounds, Javion Hamlet had 12 points and 13 assists, Smith scored 15, Hart had nine points, five rebounds and five steals, and Jalen Bell scored eight with six rebounds.
The trip to ‘The Tournament’ in Hutchinson will be the second in the past five years and only the second in history for the men’s program at Motlow. In 2012-13 the Bucks won one game and lost the second in Hutchinson after winning both the TCCAA/Region VII regular season and tournament championships. Motlow’s three previous tournament championships, won in 1972-73, 1981-82 and 1983-84, did not result in trips to the national tournament. Prior to 2012-13 the NJCAA only allowed its 16 region tournament champions to advance to the national tournament.
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.
Scammer Shutdown in Coffee County
Around one month ago a person using the name of Nicholas Christopher Douglas contacted the Coffee County mayor’s office about the possibility of creating a volunteer fire department in Beechgrove.
Coffee County Mayor Garry Cordell contacted the sheriff’s department and Coffee County Emergency Management about the legitimacy and credentials of Douglas. The man apparently was contacting other states and Tennessee counties about starting a volunteer department their particular area, using Beechgrove as an already established department.
Douglas has contacted Coffee County government to set up meetings with officials, but has never shown up.
Allegedly Douglas has a long criminal history that includes; fraud, impersonating an officer, intimidation of a witness, telecommunication fraud and other charges.
Through a thorough investigation it was discovered that the subject has been contacting county officials in Hickman, Crockett, Sumner, Overton and other areas of Tennessee about establishing volunteer fire departments in those areas. In these cases he has used numerous variations of the name Nicholas Christopher Douglas.
After an investigation by the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department it was determined that this was a scam and Douglas was told to not contact the Coffee County government again.
Coffee County officials are asking the public that if you have been contacted by Douglas for donations or other reasons to call Investigator Kelly Smith at 931-570-4425. Residents outside of Coffee County should contact their local law enforcement.
Murder Suspect appears in Court
Connie King… Photo provided by the CCSD
Her hearing for her bond being revoked was set for this week, but was delayed Wednesday afternoon. The reason was her new attorney Josh Crain of Murfreesboro told Coffee County Circuit Court Judge Vanessa Jackson that he needed time to get up to speed on the case.
When King was released Feb.24, 2015 on house arrest she was told that she had to stay at her mother’s residence in Grundy County. She also had to wear a GPS ankle monitoring device. That tracking device lead authorities to the Manchester apartment where she was arrested.
King and her husband Troy King were charged with first degree murder in 2012 for the murder of Colucci of Manchester at a residence she shared with Colucci in the Pocahontas Road area of Manchester.
King is now scheduled to appear in Coffee County Circuit Court March 29 at 1 p.m. She is now being housed at the Coffee County Jail.
Smyrna’s Marianna Ford signs Letter of Intent to play soccer at Motlow State
Former Stewarts Creek High School standout Marianna Ford recently signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her soccer career as a student athlete at Motlow State Community College. Joining Ford for the signing ceremony are, seated from left: Callie (mother), Marianna and Ryland (brother). Standing, from left; RC Ford (father) and Andy Lyon, Motlow State head soccer coach.
Former Stewarts Creek High School soccer standout Marianna Ford recently signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her career as a student athlete at Motlow State Community College.
Ford is currently a freshman student at Motlow and will have two years of soccer eligibility on the community college level. Motlow will field its initial women’s soccer team in the fall of 2017, with practice scheduled to begin August 1.
“Marianna is an excellent addition to the soccer program here at Motlow,” said Andy Lyon, head soccer coach. “Her first touch is excellent and I’m really excited about bringing another creative player to the team. She fits in well with the players we are putting together and I look forward to her combining with our attacking players. She is versatile and has a great understanding of the game, not to mention an engaging personality as well.”
Ford was a three-year starter while at Stewarts Creek as a striker and an attacking midfielder. As a junior and senior she was named first-team All-District 7-AAA.
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.
2/17/17-H&R Block Student of the Week Ethan Hargrove
Congratulations to Student of the Week -Ethan Hargrove!!! Ethan, the son of Brent and Emily Hargrove, is a fifth grade student at Hickerson Elementary School. Ethan was chosen to be honored because he is very respectful to everyone, students and teachers. He is very involved in all school activities, and he is very responsible and intelligent. Ethan rides horses. Ethan has a dream to be a professional bull rider when he grows up, and then an auctioneer. He says that he loves the math world and can do a lot of math in his head, which is what auctioneers do. Rosalyn Partin, owner of the Manchester H&R Block, has been inspired to recognize great kids in our community all through hockey season. What does hockey season have to do with our local students? Well, H&R Block gives each Student of the Week a set of Nashville Predators Hockey tickets, a commemorative plaque, as well as a special letter of recognition. Ethan says that he plans to take his Mom to the hockey game! Check back here every Friday for H&R Block’s next Student of the Week award!
Pictured with Ethan is Rosalyn Partin of H & R Block, Jimmy Anderson, Principal of Hickerson Elementary School and fifth grade teacher Erica Patterson. 
2/17/17–Westwood Elementary School gets a new outdoor basketball court
If you have driven by Westwood Elementary School on Oakdale Street recently, you may have noticed some changes to the playground. A concrete slab for a new basketball court was poured this week. It’s been a labor of love for the entire school, especially School Counselor, Rachel Sain. Here is Rachel to talk about the project and tell you how you can help.
1/18/17–David “Breuster” M Lowe
David “Breuster” M Lowe of Tullahoma passed away Tuesday, February 14,
2017
at Meherry General Hospital at the age of 61 years. Graveside services are
scheduled for 1 PM Saturday, February 18, 2017 at Farrar Hill Cemetery.
A native of Manchester, he was the son of the late John David Lowe and Emma
Turner Lowe of Tullahoma. He enjoyed watching sports of TV and listening
to music, especially “Kiss”. He also loved his family very much.
In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by two brother, Howard
and Randy Joe Lowe and one sister, Billie Jo Winton.
In addition to his mother, Emma Turner Lowe of Tullahoma, he is survived by
two sons, David and Jeremy Lowe; one brother, John Lowe of Manchester and
one sister, Maggie Martin and her husband, Robert of Tullahoma.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorial donations to be made
to Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home.
Online condolences may be made at www.davesculbertsonfuneralhome.com.
*Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.*
CCMS Spring Sports Update
Members of the CCMS Baseball team work on a throwing drill at practice on Monday
With the spring sports season just around the corner for middle school teams, Thunder Radio sports checked in with the coaches and teams at Coffee County Middle School this week to get an update on their 2 plus weeks of preseason workouts.
The CCMS baseball team has a new head coach in Brock Freeze as he takes over the helm of a Red Raider team that lost several key contributors to graduation. The Red Raiders have 27 players taking part in preseason workouts between varsity and JV, including a good nucleus that was able to work out with Coach Freeze last summer. Coach Freeze has been pleased with the leadership shown by his 8th graders. The Red Raiders have a scrimmage scheduled with Grundy County on Saturday beginning at noon. The Raiders open the regular season on February 27th at Sparta when they take on White County.
Members of the CCMS softball team work on a throwing drill at practice on Monday
The Lady Raider softball team looks to be strong in the circle this year with the addition of Keri Munn to an experienced pitching staff returning. Head coach Lana Creek has missed most of the preseason workouts as assistant coach Linda Cooper has been working to get the Lady Raiders ready for a preseason play-day this weekend in Fayetteville. “We feel the impact of Coach Creek’s absence but the girls are working hard so when she can be here they are ready” said Cooper. The Lady Raiders are set to play in a scrimmage play day at Lincoln County on Saturday. The Lady Raiders will play games at 10:15, 11:30 and 12:45 against Lincoln County, South Giles and the Lincoln County JV respectively. Coffee County opens the regular season on February 27th at Sparta when they take on White County.
Members of the CCMS soccer team work on a dribbling drill at practice on Monday
The CCMS soccer team finds themselves in the familiar role of rebuilding as less than half the projected starting lineup this spring will have previous varsity experience. Coach Kenny Lockhart’s team has been hampered a bit this week by the flu bug that appears to be working its way through local schools. The Raiders will participate in a scrimmage play day on Saturday, February 25th at North Franklin. They will have games at 10:20 AM(JV), 12:20 PM, 1 PM(JV) & 2:20 PM. The Raiders open the regular season on February 28th at White County.
The tennis team has a new coach in Tiffany McCormick. Coach McCormick inherits a pretty veteran boys’ team with several returning players with experience. Experience is also found on the girls’ team but they will enter the season having several younger players. Currently 18 “hardworking, very respectful kids” have been enthusiastically working toward the upcoming season. The tennis team opens their season on March 14th at home against Lewisburg.
The CCMS track program concluded tryouts on Wednesday. The number of student athletes has been encouraging for Coach Travis O’Kelley as he looks to have each of his teams back on top of the CTC conference. Several runners have posted improved times from last year in the running disciplines. Coach O’Kelley remarked that he was not sure how his team will be in their traditionally strong field events yet. The track teams open their season at home on March 15th when they host Warren County and Harris at the newly remodeled track at Carden-Jarrell Field.
The CCMS golf team will begin preseason workouts on February 27th and 28th with team tryouts. Coach Holly Rodriquez is looking forward to several returning players back this spring after graduation losses gave her a very young team last season. The Raider linksters open their season on April 3rd at Willowbrook against Westwood and Fayetteville.