The Coffee County Middle School softball opened the season at home on Wednesday hosting White County.  With wet weather in the early part of the week, the 2 teams agreed to a doubleheader at CCMS.  The Lady Raiders swept the doubleheader in a pair of Mercy Rule games winning the 1^st game 15 to 0 before claiming the sweep with a 17 to 0 win in the nightcap.

In the 1^st game, heard here on Thunder Radio as part of the People’s Bank and Trust Hometown Sports Series, the Lady Raiders erupted for 8 runs in the 1^st inning as they cruised to the big conference win.  Channah Gannon pitched a no-hitter as she struck out 8.  The Lady Raiders banged out 7 hits led by Sammie Cothran and Willow Carden each had a single, a double, 2 RBI and scored twice.  Catelyn Anderson scored 3 times for the Lady Raiders. 

In the 2^nd game, an 11 run 2^nd inning was the big frame for Coffee Middle in the 17 to 0 win.  The Lady Raiders banged out 9 hits while getting the benefit of 6 White County errors.  Catelyn Anderson pitched a 1 hitter and struck out 7 to get the win.  Madison Pruitt had a double and 2 singles while scoring 3 times and driving in 3 runs.  Savannah Cooper had a double, a walk and 4 RBI.  Riley Phillips had a triple and drove in 3 runs.

The Lady Raiders hit the road on Saturday as they travel to Shelbyville for a tournament. They return to conference action on Monday when they travel to McMinnville for a 5 PM game with Warren County.

Download the broadcast at: www.Thunder1320.com/downloads

The Coffee County Middle School baseball team opened up their season on Wednesday with a home doubleheader against White County.  The Red Raiders got a pair of strong pitching performances to capture a pair of 5 inning wins.  The Red Raiders won the first game 10 to 0 before grabbing the 2^nd game by an 11 to 1 score. 

In the first game, the Red Raiders erupted for 5 runs in the bottom of the 5^th inning to end the game due to the 10 run Mercy Rule.  Cole Pippenger got the win on the bump as he tossed 5 innings surrendering 1 hit while striking out 12.  At the plate, Pippenger had a double and drove in a run while scoring twice.  Brendon Sheppard had a pair of singles and walked twice while Colter Neel had a pair of singles and 2 RBI. 

In the 2^nd game, the Red Raiders jumped out to a 5 to 0 lead in the 2^nd inning and rolled up 11 runs in the win.  Evan Kirby and Jayden Fellers combined to strike out 10 batters while surrendering only 2 hits.  Kirby got the start and went 3 innings to get the win.  Fellers threw 2 innings without surrendering a hit.  Coffee Middle got 10 walks in the game led by Trey Turner who walked 3 times.  Blane Myers had a double, scored twice and drove in 3 runs. 

The Red Raiders will return to the diamond on Monday when they travel to McMinnville to take on Warren County.  That conference game will get underway at 5 PM.  The JV team will host the Warren County JV on Thursday.  That game will get underway at 5 PM at CCMS.

4:00 PM – CHS Track HOSTS Practice Meet
5:00 PM – CCMS Baseball(JV) HOSTS Warren Co
6:00 PM – CHS Boys’ Soccer HOSTS LaVergne(Scrimmage)
PPD – CCMS Softball at Lincoln County
* CCMS at Westwood JV Soccer Match is cancelled

Tuesday Prep Schedule
CCMS Softball at White Co – PPD/Rescheduled for March 4th at CCMS(DH)
CCMS Baseball at White Co – PPD/Rescheduled for March 4th at CCMS(DH)
WMS Boys’ Soccer at Webb – PPD – Makeup date is TBD
CHS Boys’ Soccer HOSTS Lebanon(Scrimmage) – CANCELLED

Wednesday Prep Schedule
4:00 PM – CCMS Softball HOSTS White Co(DH) – Peoples Bank & Trust Hometown Sports Series on Thunder Radio
4:00 PM – CCMS Baseball HOSTS White Co(DH)
4:30 PM – CCMS Track vs. South Franklin & Warren Co at Warren Co

The Predators battled for the right to keep possession of the final Wild Card spot on Tuesday night in Minnesota, but fell to the Wild, 3-1.

The loss is Nashville’s second in two nights and sees them fall to 10th in the West. Although the Preds made a late push to tie the game late in regulation, they were only able to convert on one of their 38 shots against Minnesota goaltender Alex Stalock.

Craig Smith scored on the power play in the third period, and Nashville put 17 pucks on net in the final frame, but a slow start led to the final score.

“I was disappointed in the first period,” Preds Head Coach John Hynes said. “It looked like we were playing the same game in the first period [that we saw last night in a loss to Edmonton], and we paid for it. At the end of the day, that cost us the game… I will give the guys credit, I thought we came back and battled hard in the second and third period, but it’s tough when you make decisions or do things that are going to beat yourself in this League, particularly when [you’re on the second half of a] back-to-back.”

“We did have a push at the end, but the first period wasn’t good at all from us,” Preds Captain Roman Josi said. “We didn’t win, and we need points right now. We’ve got to be better.”

Minnesota claimed a 2-0 advantage after the game’s opening period courtesy of goals from Luke Kunin and former Predators forward Kevin Fiala.

Nashville started to pile up shots in the final two periods, as they attempted to dig their way out of a multi-goal deficit. The Preds put 15 shots on net in the second and 17 more in the third.

Penalty trouble prevented the visitors from completing more of a rally. Nashville’s penalty kill went an impressive 7-for-7 on the night, but the constant state of retreating back to defense stymied the Predators’ chances to look for more goals.

Nashville’s lone goal of the evening came off the stick of Smith and cut the deficit to 3-1 with roughly 15 minutes remaining in regulation. The Predators took three more trips to the penalty box after that moment, however, and never came closer than two goals down.

“In the third, we made a push, but took too many penalties,” Josi said. “We had three penalties in the third, and it’s hard to come back from a two-goal deficit [like that].”

The Preds pulled Juuse Saros for an extra attacker, while they were also on a power play during the final minutes of regulation, but Stalock turned aside all six shots they mustered during the man advantage.

“It’s such a tight race right now,” Preds forward Mikael Granlund said. “[Whether] you lose or you win, you just have to keep moving forward and start preparing for the next one… It’s a tough loss, but you know what? We just have to keep moving forward from here.”

The Predators’ three-game winning streak has now turned into a three-contest skid, and they will return home to begin a home-and-home series with the Dallas Stars, which starts on Thursday.

“The way the race is going, this is going to be something that’s going to go right down to the wire,” Hynes said. “We need to take a day tomorrow, and we need to regroup. We’ve got a big two-game series against Dallas, and that’s something that’s going to be important. We’ve got to take the lessons out of this one, and then we’ve got to make sure we come back Thursday with the right mindset. We’ve got to move on and be ready for Dallas and play better hockey than we have the last two games.”

Nashville will be prepared to host Dallas in a couple days, but the club will also take Wednesday to pause and attempt to help the healing process start after Music City was devastated by a tornado during the early morning hours of Tuesday.

“For us, it’s our community, and we feel for the community,” Hynes said. “We’re going to certainly try to do all that we can, as an organization and a team, to try to help people that are in need. Hopefully, things turn out for the best.”

Notes:

Prior to Tuesday’s game, the Predators recalled forward Yakov Trenin from Milwaukee. Center Ryan Johansen (illness) and defenseman Dan Hamhuis (lower-body, day-to-day) did not dress for Nashville on Tuesday.

The Predators will now return to Nashville to begin a home-and-home set with the Dallas Stars on Thursday night at Bridgestone Arena.

The Coffee County CHS Dance team traveled to Huntsville on Saturday for their final competition of the season.  Competing in the America’s Best Dixie Championships the Raiderettes came home with a pair of 1^st place finishes and a Best Performance Award. 

The team won 1^st place in the Varsity Pom routine and 1^st place in the Varsity HipHop routine.  The team’s HipHop routine was named the Best Performance when it was the highest scored routine out of every cheer and dance team competing.  Additionally, junior Sydney Bell was named the Athlete of the Month. 

Head coach Ashley Kraft was proud of her team’s performance.  “The performance of both routines on Saturday was the best they had done all year. I was jumping up and down and clapping for them backstage after each one due to being so proud. Everything that had to hit and look good, did.  It was just our day and their hardwork completely paid off” said Kraft.   Kraft went on to say “The overall progress this year has been incredible. I had 11 girls to start that couldn’t do basic turns, leaps, etc. I really pushed them to work hard and not give up. It paid off tremendously. They are performing basic skills plus more now, and I think these awards this past Saturday show that. I can’t wait to see how much further we progress next year.”  Tryouts for the 2020-2021 season will take place later this month. 

The Coffee County Middle School basketball teams hosted their annual post-season awards banquet on Thursday night. After a pair of successful seasons, the Red Raiders and Lady Raiders presented individual season awards.

The Red Raiders advanced to the TMSAA Sectional tournament before being eliminated by Blackman. The Red Raiders finished with a record of 16 and 7. Winning individual awards were:
Raider Award – Ethan Hargrove;
Offensive MVP – Ethan Hargrove and Cooper Reed;
Glue Guy Award – Jackson Shemwell;
Hustle Award – Brendon Sheppard;
6th Man Award – Colter Neel;
Dime Dropper Award – Jackson Shemwell.

The Lady Raiders advanced to the TMSAA Sectional tournament before being eliminated by Rockvale. The Lady Raiders finished with a record of 19 and 7. Winning individual awards were:
MVP – Olivia Vinson;
Offense Award – Olivia Vinson;
Free Throw Award – Olivia Vinson;
Hustle Award – Sophie McInturff and Ava McIntosh;
Defensive Award – Taylor Anthony;
Shot Blocker Award – Bella Lawson;
Rebounding Award – Bella Lawson;
Leadership Award – Samantha Kirby;
Lady Raider Award – Kayla Suggs;
Rookie of the Year – Natalie Barnes and Ella Arnold;
Team Spirit Award – Lily Duke and Kyler Whittley;
Most Aggressive Award – Kaylyn Brinkley;
Most Improved Award – Channah Gannon;
Sportsmanship Award – Kara Wheeler;
Best Teammate – Addi Sartain.

Opening day for the Westwood softball team and the Coffee County Middle School baseball, softball and soccer teams got washed out on Monday.  The rainy weather forced the postponement of all of the conference matchups. 

The Coffee County Middle School baseball and softball teams were set to take on White County in the 1^st day of a Monday/Tuesday home and away conference series.  The threat of wet field conditions on Tuesday forced the postponement of Tuesday’s games as well.  The two games for each team will be made up on Wednesday afternoon as part of a doubleheader at CCMS.  Both doubleheaders will get underway at 4 PM.  Thunder Radio will be on hand to bring you the broadcast of Coffee County Middle School softball as part of the People’s Bank and Trust Hometown Sports Series. 

The Coffee County Middle School soccer match with White County will be made up on Friday, March 13^th at 5 PM at CCMS.  The Westwood softball game at Community will be made up on Wednesday, April 1^st beginning at 5 PM in Unionville.  As always, Thunder Radio will keep you updated on schedule changes and postponements plus your one true source for local sports. 

A five-goal third period for the Oilers turned a 3-3 deadlock into an 8-3 victory for Edmonton on Monday night at Bridgestone Arena.

The lopsided score means Nashville’s season-long, five-game homestand ends with a 3-2-0 record, after the Predators began the stretch a perfect 3-0-0. Leon Draisaitl swung the night in Edmonton’s favor in the final frame, as he notched his second, third and fourth goals of the evening. The 43-goal scorer paces the entire NHL in tallies and was the first player to record a four-goal game against the Predators in franchise history.

“Frustrating. It just got away from us,” Preds forward Nick Bonino said. “It was a pretty open game the first two periods, not a game we are completely happy with. Tied going into the third, and they kind of floated one in to take the lead and never looked back. Their big guys – [Draisaitl] scored four goals or something, [Connor] McDavid had one and played well, especially in the third. We didn’t have an answer.”

“Just the way we came out [for the third period],” Preds Captain Roman Josi said of why the game turned. “It’s a 3-3 game… It was a big game. We’ve got to come out, be the hungry team in the third. Then they scored a couple of quick ones.”

Starting the third period in a tie, the Predators were frustrated with their lack of intensity and emotion to begin the final frame. After battling back from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to draw even at the end of 40 minutes, Nashville didn’t look at all like the same team that was just on the ice in the second period.

“We didn’t come out with any intensity, no emotion, lackadaisical with the puck, soft in puck battles,” Preds Head Coach John Hynes said of his team’s start to the third period. “That’s something we are going to have to discuss tomorrow: how we come out in a tie the game at home and have zero passion, focus, intensity level, game is on the line. That’s what happened. I mean, lots of times you’d like to give your opponent credit. But I thought for us [the period] was no good.”

The Oilers held a 2-0 lead after the first 20 minutes courtesy of goals from Josh Archibald and Draisaitl, but the Preds came alive in the second stanza.

Under three minutes into the middle period, Josi blasted home his 16th of the season – a goal that set a career-high – to get his club on the board. The marker was also point No. 61 on the campaign for Josi, a total that ties his career-high in the category, while also tying the franchise record for points by a defenseman in a single season.

Once Josi was done adding his name to the record books, Calle Jarnkrok tied the game 14 seconds later, when he put a feed from Matt Duchene behind Oilers goaltender Mike Smith. Later in the second and after the Oilers were back in front, 3-2, Nick Bonino tied the game once more, when he scored his 18th of the season to tie for the team lead.

The third period was all Oilers.

“Embarrassing at home.” Josi said. “We came out flat even before they scored. They were the hungrier team and then they scored a couple of goals. I mean, it’s frustrating.”

Josi wasn’t willing to let his team’s anger end after tonight, however. The Predators captain said he wants his club to remain unsatisfied with their effort into tomorrow. That’s a day that brings a date with the Minnesota Wild and a game that should decide which clubs holds the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference at the end of the evening.

“We’ve got to be mad. We’ve got to wake up mad tomorrow,” Josi said. “It’s a huge game tomorrow in [Minnesota]. We have to wake up, be angry and get a win tomorrow night.”

Notes:

Yannick Weber, Korbinian Holzer and Austin Watson were scratched for the Preds on Monday night. Dan Hamhuis, who played 2:32, left in the first period and did not return.

Goaltender Pekka Rinne was replaced by Juuse Saros following the Oilers’ eighth goal. The netminders made 23 and four saves respectively.

The Predators immediately jetted off to Minnesota following Monday’s game to prepare to meet the Wild on Tuesday night (at 7 p.m. CT) in St. Paul to finish off their back-to-back set. The Preds will then return home on Thursday to begin a home-and-home with Dallas.