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Lady Raider Basketball Spanks Smyrna
On a cool Saturday morning in Woodbury, the Lady Raider basketball team got off to a red hot start in the Mitch Wilson State Farm Classic at Cannon County High School. Coffee County held the Smyrna Lady Bulldogs to 3 points in the first quarter as they rolled to a 61 to 18 victory. Nine different Lady Raiders scored in the contest as Coffee County improved to 4 and 0 on the season.
The Lady Raiders jumped out to a 16 to 3 lead after 1 quarter as they held Smyrna to a single 3 point basket in the first 8 minutes. Coffee County extended the lead to 31 to 12 at the half before outscoring the Lady Bulldogs 20 to 4 in the 3rd quarter. The Lady Raiders were led in scoring by Bella Vinson who finished with 29 points. Jacey Vaughn scored 8 points and Ellie Graham and Ashley Starks each added 6 points.
The Raiders and Lady Raiders return to action on Tuesday when they travel to Fayetteville High School for a 6 PM doubleheader. Thunder Radio will be on hand to bring you the broadcast of Tuesday’s game. We will begin our live coverage with the Powers Storage Pregame Show at 5:50.
Red Raider Football Players Receive All-Region Honors
Nine members of the Coffee County CHS football were named to the Region 3-6A All-Region team on Saturday. The announcement was made following Oakland’s loss in the TSSAA semifinals and the selections were made after a vote of the region football coaches. Senior Alontae Taylor was named the Region 3-6A Athlete of the Year. Five members of the Red Raiders were named to the all-region 1st team. 1st team selections are:
LB – De’Aaron Rozier, Sr.
OL – Tyler Luttrell, Jr.
LB – Hayden Skipper, So.
DB – Andrew Mahaffey, Jr.
LB – Cameron West, Sr.
Recognized as Honorable Mention were:
DL – Elijah Norton, Jr.
DB – Keishaun Creel, Sr.
DL – Aaron Cope, Jr.
Titans Rally to Beat Colts, 20-16
The Titans didn’t start well here on Sunday against the Colts.
The finish? Well, it was big time.
The Titans rallied from a 10-point deficit in the second half to beat the Colts, 20-16.
It gave the Titans their first series sweep over the Colts since the 2002 season, and their first win ever in Lucas Oil Stadium.
Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota completed 17-of-25 passes for 184 yards, with a touchdown and two interceptions. Running back Derrick Henry played a key role down the stretch, and finished the game with 79 yards on 13 carries.
The Titans got a much-needed break late in the third quarter, and cashed it in.
First, the break: Titans safety Kevin Byard recovered a fumble at the Indianapolis 4-yard line late in the third quarter.
Mariota then connected with tight end Delanie Walker for a two-yard touchdown, which cut the lead to 16-13 with 1:50 remaining in the third quarter.
After getting a stop on defense, the Titans went to work to take the lead.
A nine-play, 77-yard drive was capped off with a one-yard touchdown run by running back DeMarco Murray, and it gave the Titans a 20-16 lead with 5:59 left. Henry played a huge role on the drive, both running the ball and catching it out of the backfield.
The Titans improved to 7-4 with the win.
The Titans sacked Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett eight times in the contest.
The Titans took a 3-0 lead midway through the first quarter on a 29-yard field goal by kicker Ryan Succop. It capped off an 11-play, 53-yard drive that included a 17-yard completion from Mariota to receiver Eric Decker on third-and-seven. The Titans defense forced a three-and-out on the game’s first series, as defensive lineman DaQuan Jonesended the possession with a sack.
The Titans extended the lead to 6-0 on another Succop field goal, this one from 45 yards.
The Colts cut the lead in half with a 26-yard field goal by kicker Adam Vinatieri with 10:15 left in the second quarter. Indianapolis tied the game at 6-6 on another Vinatieri field goal, the second one from 28 yards.
The Colts took a 13-6 lead at the half on a 14-yard touchdown run by running back Frank Gore. Vinatieri’s third field goal of the game made it 16-6 midway through the third quarter.
Mariota and the offense struggled to get on track. Playing without receiver Rishard Matthews (hamstring), the Titans couldn’t finish drives early, and they couldn’t get them started during a long stretch in the middle of the game.
Mariota threw an interception in a ball intended for receiver Harry Douglas early in the second quarter. Mariota’s second interception came after receiver Taywan Taylor fell down in the middle of the field, and the ball sailed into the arms of a Colts defender.
The Titans face the Texans next Sunday at Nissan Stadium.
Preds Fall to Hurricanes in Shootout
Juuse Saros made 33 saves, but the Carolina Hurricanes got the win in the shootout over the Nashville Predators, 4-3, on Sunday afternoon at PNC Arena. The result ends Nashville’s four-game win streak, just their second loss in their last 11 tries, but still gives them a point in the standings, now 31 on the season.
The two teams went back and forth in each period, combining for 71 shots on the afternoon, before eventually reaching the breakaway competition.
“It was a competitive game,” Predators Head Coach Peter Laviolette said. “They lead the League in a lot of categories with regard to offense and puck possession. I thought that they were a little quicker than us in the first period. I thought the second and third we played better and had our looks, had our chances, but traded goals and scored a big goal to tie it up and push it into extras.”
“I thought we could’ve played better defensively,” Preds Captain Roman Josi said. “They have a lot of speed, tough to defend, and we could’ve done a better job. But I thought Juuse was great.”
After Carolina took an early 1-0 lead, Viktor Arvidsson executed a masterful toe drag around a defender and drove to the net, beating Scott Darling top shelf for his ninth tally of the season and one of the nicer goals of the campaign to date.
The teams traded goals again in the second stanza with Mattias Ekholm giving Nashville their first lead of the afternoon before Victor Rask evened the score once more.
Carolina retook the lead in the third period, before Craig Smith’s eighth of the season sent the game to overtime where the Preds were unable to capitalize on a power-play opportunity. It was then off to the shootout where Carolina got the victory.
It was the first game for Saros since a two-game trip back down to AHL Milwaukee, designed to get the goaltender some extra playing time. And although Saros didn’t get the win on Sunday, those in charge weren’t discouraged with his effort.
“I thought [Saros’s] performance today was excellent,” Laviolette said. “They had 36 shots, so three goals on 36 shots, there’s a lot going on out there for him. I thought he played really well coming off of the L.A. game. I thought he played well, had a good game in Milwaukee and another strong performance here today, so I think he played well.”
Notes:
Saros collected an assist on Viktor Arvidsson’s goal, the second helper of his career.
Nashville will now return to Bridgestone Arena for a four-game home stand, beginning on Tuesday night when the Chicago Blackhawks come to town for the first time since last spring’s postseason meeting.
Woodbury Man’s Thanksgiving Ended in Manchester with Arrest
Jeffery Neal Foster jail intake photo.
On Thanksgiving night Jeffery Neal Foster age 46 of Woodbury was stopped for a traffic violation by Coffee County Deputy Blake Simmons on Interstate Drive in Manchester.
When the deputy walked up to the vehicle he says he saw a long firearm in the back seat.
According to the arrest warrant, Simmons says that Foster was acting very nervous while he was checking the man’s driver’s license. The warrant goes onto say the deputy asked Foster if he had been drinking and the man said no but allegedly said he had smoked some marijuana earlier. Deputy Simmons then ask if there was anything illegal in the vehicle and Foster allegedly said no. The deputy asked if he could search the vehicle and according to the warrant Foster said yes. When the officer was searching the man’s person for safety reasons he allegedly found in the man’s left front pocket approximately 62 grams of meth. The officer also found 3 grams of marijuana, several baggies, a set of scales and a glass pipe. Also, allegedly located was a rifle and a handgun.
Foster was booked in at the Coffee County Jail under charges of manufacturing/delivering/selling/possession of a controlled substance, schedule VI drug violation, unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities and illegal possession of a weapon. He was later released on a bond of $16,000. Foster is to appear in Coffee County Court Feb. 12, 2018.
Tennessee County Unemployment Report
Nearly all Tennessee counties continued to have unemployment rates below 5.0 percent in October 2017, following a record-breaking September when, for the first time ever, each of the state’s 95 counties experienced a rate below 5.0 percent.
October marked the fifth consecutive month Tennessee’s statewide unemployment rate was in record territory, matching the all-time low of 3.0 percent set the month before.
Williamson and Davidson Counties continue to have Tennessee’s lowest unemployment rates at 2.2 percent.
While two counties saw an increase above the 5.0 percent threshold, their rates are still below 5.5 percent. Rhea County has the state’s highest unemployment at 5.4 percent, up from 4.9 percent in September. Lauderdale County’s rate increased to 5.3 percent, from 4.6 percent the previous month.
Looking at the entire state, October unemployment rates decreased in four counties, remained the same in seven counties and increased in 84 counties. Ninety-three of Tennessee’s 95 counties continue to have unemployment rates below 5.0 percent.
Coffee County’s unemployment rate was up slightly to 3 percent in October. The rate was 2.8 in September.
Holiday Concerts to be held at Motlow
The Motlow State Community College music department is excited to present a pair of holiday concerts during the first week of December on the Moore County campus.
Both performances will be held in Eoff Hall inside Powers Auditorium. The first is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m., and the second, a matinee performance, on Sunday, Dec. 10, at 2 p.m. Both concerts feature Motlow students and community members. A reception will be held one hour in advance of each performance.
This year’s production will feature two new characters, Holly-Berry Christmas Fairy, and Snowflake the Ice Fairy, who will join traditional characters Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the Grinch, and of course Santa Claus. Characters will be available prior to the performance and during intermission for photos and autographs.
Reservations may be made by calling 931-393-1700 or emailing Bobbie Spratlin at bspratlin@mscc.edu. Admission is free; donations are accepted and encouraged, and will benefit the Motlow College Music Department.
Manchester Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting held Saturday
Santa waves to the huge crowd from the City of Manchester float during Saturday’s parade… Photo by Bud Knott
The City of Manchester’s Christmas parade took place on Saturday night in front of an estimated crowd of over 5,000. The theme for this year’s parade was Christmas Movie Magic.
Exit Realty won 1st place in the regular float division. Coffee County Middle School Cheerleaders came 2nd and 3rd place was Lawrence Family Motors. In the large division; The Coffee County Sheriff’s Department finished 1st followed by Summitville Methodist Church and Manchester Chapter #339 Order of the Eastern Star.
The parade was sponsored by: Lovelady Auto Parts, Al White Ford – Lincoln, First National Bank, The Law Offices of Eric Burch and People’s Bank and Trust Company.
The City of Manchester Christmas tree… Photo by Barry West.
Rinne Breaks Finnish Shutout Record as Preds Beat Blues
Pekka Rinne
Pekka Rinne posted his 45th career shutout and the Nashville Predators defeated the St. Louis Blues by a 2-0 final on Friday night at Scottrade Center. It’s Nashville’s fourth consecutive victory, giving them nine wins in their last 10 tries – and with the fathers watching live – the Preds found a way to defeat one of the League’s top teams.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game,” Nashville Head Coach Peter Laviolette said. “It was a tough game, it was a 1-0 game and they’re a good hockey club. It went our way.”
“We were super excited to play against one of the best teams in the NHL,” Rinne said. “We’ve been feeling good and feeling confident, so thats a good feeling to have.”
Ryan Johansen scored the only goal through the first 40 minutes of regulation and it came just 2:32 into the contest when he blasted his third of the season past former Preds goaltender Carter Hutton for a 1-0 lead.
Rinne continued to stymie the Blues attack into the third period, and then with less than a minute to play, Austin Watson deposited the puck into an empty net to seal the deal for Nashville; plus, allow Johansen to record his 200th career assist in the process.
But the story of the night was the Nashville goaltender, just doing what he’s now done 45 times in his career.
“He deserves a lot of credit tonight, like most nights,” Johansen said of Rinne. “He’s been stellar to start the year so far, and you need good goaltending to win in this League. He’s been the backbone and we need him to keep doing what he’s doing.”
King of Finland:
With his father and brother-in-law watching from the team suite, Pekka Rinne further established himself as the greatest goaltender in his country’s history.
Rinne stopped 34 shots to record his 45th career shutout, the most ever by a Finnish-born goaltender. Sure, the shutout means plenty to begin with, but the fact Rinne passed one of his idols – Miikka Kiprusoff – to attain the feat meant that much more.
“It’s a fun little thing,” Rinne said of passing Kiprusoff. “He’s a guy I always look up to, and I was really happy when I had a first chance to play against him, against one of my idols. So [tonight is] pretty cool.”
And of course, having family there to witness the shutout firsthand put a smile on Rinne’s face that will likely last until the team finally arrives in Carolina in the early morning hours.
Bet you can guess who will get the game puck.
“It’s special for sure,” Rinne said. “For all of us, our dads mean so much to us. Him being there, it makes it really special.”
It Takes All Kinds:
Prior to Wednesday’s 3-2 shootout win over Montreal, the Predators had scored at least four goals in five consecutive contests, a clear show of force on the offensive side of the puck.
On Friday, the Preds only needed one goal for more than 59 minutes of regulation – the defensive unit and the goaltender did the rest. It wasn’t the ideal situation, allowing 34 shots against to a Blues team that scored eight goals in their last outing, but it worked for the Predators. As defenseman P.K. Subban said just 48 hours earlier, good teams find a way to win, no matter the circumstances.
He was right again.
“We can find ways to improve, and that’s just how it is early in the season, but we’re finding ways to win hockey games right now and that’s really all that matters,” Johansen said. “We’ll keep fine tuning our game and polishing it up and try and work our way to the top of the West and maybe the top of the League.”
Notes:
With an assist on Ryan Johansen’s goal, Filip Forsberg extended his point streak to seven games, recording three goals and seven assists during that span.
The Predators now head to Carolina to conclude the Fathers Trip with a matinee contest against the Hurricanes on Sunday, a noon CT start.
Indoor Practice Facility Approved for Coffee Co. Middle School
PROPOSED” building plan. There have been a few small changes made since this picture. One change is the bathrooms are now in the back of each locker room instead of having to walk through them to get into the locker room.
In August, talks began between local businessman Robert Gilley and Coffee County Middle School (CCMS) Athletic Director Kyle Harris about a possible indoor practice facility for football at the school.
As Communications continued between Gilley, Harris, Principal Kim Aaron and others it became evident that there was a need for other sports as well. It was after those talks that it was decided that if a facility was going to be built that it should be used by other outdoor sports including football, baseball, softball and boys’ and girls’ soccer. The facility being proposed would have a 60 by 75 foot practice facility with artificial turf, locker rooms, weight room and offices for the coaches.
The proposed building would be erected near the softball field at CCMS.
As talks continued it became about money and how much this facility would cost. Gilley, the owner of Gary Crane talked to other businesses and community leaders and they decided that they should be able to get a lot of the work and needed materials donated. This brought down the need for money drastically.
Gilley told WMSR Radio that there is still a need for monetary donations for equipment and other various needs for the complex. Harris says that people can make donations to the CCMS Athletic Facility and he added that NO taxpayer money will be used for the facility, it will be 100% funded by donations. Donations can be made at the Coffee County Schools central office, CCMS or Robert Gilley.
The school board has approved the building of the facility on the campus of Coffee County Middle School but there is no money in the budget for such a facility, so it would take the community to get this done. Gilley added that this complex will be built, and he has great confidence in the community that they will help in every way so that the young athletes we’ll have a fantastic facility to practice in, no matter what the weather brings.
Gilley and Harris will be special guest on the Coffee Coaches Show on Thunder Radio this Saturday with Dennis Weaver from Al White Motors beginning at 10 a.m. They will have additional information about the building of the facility and making donations.