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Westwood Closes out the Regular Season with a Conference Title
Westwood Lady Rocket Ashley Starks
The Westwood Lady Rockets capped off the Duck River Valley Conference regular season with the conference title after a hard fought 29 to 25 win at Middle Tennessee Christian on Thursday night in Murfreesboro. The home standing Lady Cougars had a 13 point rally in the 4th quarter come up just short as Westwood earned the season sweep over MTCS. The Lady Rockets were led in scoring by Ashley Starks who had 12 points. Morgan Jones added 7 points and Valarie Barger added 4 points as Westwood finishes the regular season with a record of 16 and 2. The Lady Rockets will receive a bye in next week’s DRVC Tournament as they will take on the winner of Saturday’s 1st round match-up between Moore County and Middle Tennessee Christian on Monday at 4 PM at Forrest.
Jake Hollandsworth of Westwood basketball
The Rockets saw a 4 point 1st quarter lead over Middle Tennessee Christian slip away in a 42 to 29 defeat on Thursday night. The Rockets shot a disappointing 15% from the field for the game as they could not get a basket to fall from close range on a consistent basis. The Rockets were led in scoring by Jake Hollandsworth who finished with 14 points. Rodrick Brinkley netted 5 points as Westwood finishes the regular season as the number 7 seed for the DRVC post season tournament. The Rockets will open conference tournament play on Saturday at Forrest as they take on Moore County in a 4:45 PM matchup.
CCMS Battles to a Doubleheader Split on Thursday Night
Ellie Graham of CCMS Basketball
The Lady Raiders of Coffee County Middle School needed a strong 2nd half effort effort on Thursday night to stop the Lady Gators of North Franklin 39 to 22. Leading by 5 at the half, Coffee County exploded for 17 points in the 3rd quarter to run their season record to 10 and 0. Coffee County was led in scoring by Bella Vinson who scored 10 points. Julia Duncan netted 9 points while Ellie Graham added 7 points.
Larson Meltzer of CCMS Basketball
The Raiders saw a 3 point lead with a minute remaining evaporate under a furious North rally as the Coffee County boys dropped a heart-wrenching 41 to 38 decision. Leading by 10 at the half, the Raiders saw the visiting Gators hit four 3 pointers in the second half to help fuel the comeback. The Red Raiders were led in scoring by Brandon Jernigan who had 16 points. Larson Meltzer added 8 points and Blanton Brown netted 7. The loss drops Coffee County’s record to 4 and 6 on the year.
Coffee County travels to McMinnville on Monday night for their final road trip before the holidays as they take on Warren County. The girls’ game tips off at 6 PM at Warren County Middle School.
Predators Blast the Blackhawks
Pete Weber’s Post Game Report
James Neal of the Nashville Predators
James Neal scored twice and Pekka Rinne stopped 35 shots as the Nashville Predators defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5-1 in the second half of a home-and-home series on Thursday night at Bridgestone Arena. The victory gave Nashville 15 wins and 35 points on the season, good enough to pass Chicago in the Central Division standings and slot third among the group.
“We needed those two points, especially against that team,” defenseman Ryan Ellis said. “We came out hard right off the bat, kind of let it slide in the second, but overall, I thought we played a great hockey game.” The Predators were all over the Blackhawks, outshooting Chicago 10-0 less than six minutes into the period. Nashville’s 11th shot found its way past Scott Darling. Neal went inside out on defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson on his way to the net, sliding the puck underneath Darling for a 1-0 Predators lead.
Then it was Craig Smith’s turn, potting his sixth goal of the season with a play at the front of the net in which the Preds forward got just enough on the puck for it to ever-so-slightly elude a sprawling Darling and barley cross the goal line. Less than 40 seconds later, it was Filip Forsberg converting on a power-play opportunity for a 3-0 Nashville lead headed into the first intermission. Defenseman Barret Jackman and forward Paul Gaustad were both involved in scraps for the Preds in the opening frame, with a shot total reading 18-7 in favor of Nashville at the end of the frame.
“I think it was one of our best periods of the year,” Neal said. “Every guy wanted to respond from our game in Chicago. It was a tough one for us, so coming back home and having Chicago again was great for our team, and I think we did a great job.”
After a scoreless second, Patrick Kane got the Blackhawks on the board in the third to make it 3-1, but the Preds withstood Chicago’s push as Neal potted his second of the evening before Eric Nystrom iced it with a shorthanded, empty-net tally for the 5-1 final.
“You know that they’re going to come with a big pushback, but we did a great job of holding them back,” Neal said. “They have high-end skill and they’re going to wind it up and come at you from all angles, and I think we did a good job of being hard on their top guys and not giving them much. I like the way we played tonight.”
The Predators weren’t necessarily frustrated, but they weren’t getting the results they wanted either. Until the Blackhawks came to town.
Nashville exploded from the start of Thursday’s contest, registering 10 shots less than six minutes into the first period, and finishing the frame out with a 3-0 lead. It may have been just a regular season game in December, but the victory feels a little sweeter coming against a Chicago team that bested Nashville in the first round of the playoffs last season.
“[Playing] a team that’s obviously Stanley Cup Champions, they know how to score, so I thought we did a fairly good job [holding them off],” Ellis said. “[Rinne] played amazing tonight; that’s what we needed from him and he had a great game. That was huge for us.”
The victory in the second half of the home-and-home series was gratifying against the Blackhawks, a result the Nashville bench boss was content with as time expired.
“We had a chance to go back and play them again,” Head Coach Peter Laviolette said. “No one felt good about [Tuesday’s game]. I think that showed tonight by the way we took the ice. I think that is first and foremost.”
Nashville hosts another Central Division opponent on Saturday when they welcome the Colorado Avalanche to town. Thunder Radio will bring you the broadcast of that contest, with the opening face-off set for 7 PM at Bridgestone Arena.
12/10/15
Birthdays:
James Richenoffer, 40 — Pizza Winner!
Wt Prater, 37
Spade Bailey, 44
Authorities Searching for Two Suspects in Armed Robbery
On Wednesday morning Corporal Jim O’Neal with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department responded to 1540 Panhandle Rd concerning an armed robbery. When O’Neal arrived at the scene in the northern part of the county, he was met by a home health worker with A+ Medical in the yard of the home. She told the deputy that Barbara Jean Johnson was in the house and she had been assaulted and had been robbed of her medication. O’Neal learned that the incident had occurred around 10pm on Tuesday night. Johnson told the Corporal that two slender black males forced their way into her home while she slept in her bedroom. She says she woke up and faced one of the suspects with a handgun inside a mesh sack. Johnson went on to say the subjects made her lay on the floor at gunpoint and kicked her. The woman told O’Neal that they seemed to know where she kept her medications and went straight to a medication on her coffee table.
Sheriff Department personnel say the home was ransacked and damage was very extensive.
The Coffee County Sheriff’s Department is asking the public for its help. If you saw or have heard anything that could help authorities in this case, contact Investigator Jason Dendy at 931-570-4427.
Man Facing TennCare Fraud Charges In Franklin and Coffee Counties
Charles Jackson
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) on Wednesday announced the arrest of Charles Jackson, 44, of Winchester. He’s charged in both Franklin and Coffee Counties with doctor shopping for prescription drugs, using TennCare as payment.
Jackson is charged in Franklin County with two counts of doctor shopping for prescription drugs, using TennCare as payment. He was transferred there from Coffee County, where he’s been held for over a month on one count of doctor shopping for drugs. In both counties, TennCare paid for either the clinical visits or the prescriptions.
TennCare fraud is a Class E felony carrying a sentence of up to two years in prison per charge. District Attorney General Craig Northcott is prosecuting the Coffee County case. District Attorney General J. Michael Taylor will be prosecuting the Franklin County case.
The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to more than $3 million being repaid to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of more than $163.6 million for TennCare, according to latest figures. To date, 2,491 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.
Through the OIG Cash for Tips Program established by the Legislature, Tennesseans can get cash rewards for TennCare fraud tips that lead to convictions. Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or go to http://www.tn.gov/finance/topic/fa-oig.
Business Owners Charged in McMinnville
Charles Mayfield
An investigation by Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has resulted in the indictment and arrest of a McMinnville couple on theft charges.
At the request of the Warren County District Attorney, on August 7th, TBI Special Agents began investigating a report of theft of funds from Tennessee Easel LLC in McMinnville. During the course of the investigation, Agents developed information that co-owner Charles Mayfield, Jr., and his wife Shirley Mayfield were the individuals responsible for the theft, which occurred from November 2008 through November 2014.
Shirley Mayfield
On December 4th, the Warren County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Charles and Shirley Mayfield, both 64, with one count each of Theft over $250,000. Wednesday, the Mayfields were arrested after turning themselves in. They were booked into the Warren County Jail, where the bond for each was set at $297,000.
Candidates Qualify Local Races
The 2016 Presidential Preference Primary and Coffee County Primary will be held March 1, 2016. Voter registration deadline is Monday, February 1, 2016. Office hours for the Coffee County Election Commission is 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
You’ll be able to vote in the Presidential Preference Primary and county primary. The county offices are: Public Defender (unexpired six (6) year term), Assessor of Property, Constable – Seat 4 – Dist. 3, 14 & 16 (unexpired two (2) year term) and Constable – Seat 7 – Dist. 17, 19 & 20 (unexpired two (2) year term). District Offices are elected by voters living in those areas only.
One person qualified on Thursday for Public Defender, John E. Nicoll who is a Republican. For Assessor of Property, Larry McIntosh, Roseanne Carden Riddle and Beverly H. Robertson, all republicans. For Constable – Seat 4 Democrat Danny Davis with no candidate qualified for District 7 Constable.
Withdrawal Deadline: Thursday, December 17, 2015 at 12:00 p.m. (Noon). The early voting dates are February 10 – February 23, 2016.
12/09/15
Birthdays:
Greg Miller, 49 — Pizza Winner!
Anniversaries:
Bill & Faye Bishop, 26
Ernest Ray & Marty Henley, 48
CHS Wrestlers Host 1st Home Match at Raider Academy
The Coffee County CHS Wrestling team hosts their first meet of the year on Thursday night as the Raider grapplers welcome LaVergne and St. Andrews-Sewanee to their new home at the Raider Academy. Coach Roger Barlow is excited about the first dual match at “The Meat Grinder” which will begin at 6 PM.
CHS Wrestler Josh Tobitt
The Raider wrestlers dropped a pair of matches at Cookeville on Tuesday night as they faced a pair of more experienced teams in Cookeville and Stone Memorial. Joshua Tobitt(195 pound class) got a pair of pins on the night as the senior continued his strong season performance. Michael Pressley(170) , Josh Young(145) and Rein Bozich(138) all gained pin fall wins against Cookeville. Austin Silver also earned a 10 to 1 major decision against Cookeville fighting at 126 pounds for the Raiders.
The Raiders wrestlers enjoyed some success on Saturday, December 5th as they took part in the Mt. Juliet Duals. The meet provided the Raiders with their first team win of the season as they dropped Daviess County, KY 54 to 18. The Raiders got pin fall wins from Josh Young(138 pound class), Rein Bozich(145), Joel Lawrence(152), Brodie Litz(160), Michael Pressley(182), and Austin Silvers(126). Three Coffee County wrestlers also got forfeit wins as Josh Tobitt(195), Harry Hosea(220) and Dustin Seals(285) all scored “walk-overs.”
CHS wrestler Dustin Seals
In other matches, Michael Pressley(170) and Robert Brandon((132) got pinfall wins over Lebanon while Josh Young(145) gained a forfeit win and Rein Bozich(138) got a decision win. Against Centennial, Josh Tobitt(195) and Dustin Seals(285) scored pins while Austin Silvers(126) was credited with a forfeit. Against Rossview, Robert Brandon(132), Rein Bozich(138) and Dustin Seals(285) pinned their opponents and Josh Tobitt(195) earned an 8 to 7 decision win.