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MIDDLE SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Raiders hang 63 on Wildcats, claim CTC championship
Coffee County’s Middle School Raider football team had revenge on the agenda Saturday.
And now that can be checked off the list.
After losing to Tullahoma Middle in the 2019 CTC Football Championship game, Coffee County started fast and never slowed down Saturday night to spank the visiting Wildcats 63-22 in the 2020 CTC Championshpi Game at Carden-Jarrell Field.
Not only did the win mark a bit of revenge for the CMS Raiders, it capped a perfect 2020 season with a 7-0 record.
Saturday night, the Raiders opened the game with a Caiden Martin kickoff return for a touchdown.
Eighth grade quarterback Cole Pippenger followed that with a touchdown on the Raiders’ first offensive play from scrimmage to put CMS up 14-0 within 20 seconds after a Tullahoma fumble.
Pippenger scored three more touchdowns – all on the ground – before halftime.
By the time Pippenger was done with the Wildcats, he had reached the end zone six times on the ground to go along with one passing touchdown.
Caiden Martin scored two more times after his opening kickoff return.
Manny Gonzales was 7-of-8 on extra point attempts for the Raiders.
McInturff takes fifth in state cross country meet
Coffee County Middle School eighth grade runner Sophie McInturff finished in fifth place Saturday in the TMSAA State Meet in Clarksville.
McInturff, who finished 14th in the state meet last year, set a personal record by finishing the two-mile course in just 12:29.
Before leaving for the race Saturday, McInturff told the Coffee Coaches Show that her goal was to finish in the top eight and get on the podium.
VICTORIOUS! Raiders use big plays, drop Rockvale 20-14
Friday night was big play or bust for the Central High School Red Raider football team. In the end – the Raiders scraped together enough big plays to beat Rockvale 20-14.
Unofficially, Coffee County only managed 222 yards of offense on the night. But defense, special teams and a pair of big plays proved to be the difference.
Sophomore tailback Konor Heaton, who was filling in for an injured Marshall Haney, put the game away with 2:32 to play when he broke loose on a fourth-and-1 run and rumbled 37 yards for a touchdown score to put the Raiders up 20-7. Ian Welden’s extra point was blocked.
Heaton’s run was the first score for the Raiders since the first quarter.
The Raiders jumped on top 7-0 with 3:40 to play in the first quarter when Raider quarterback Connor Shemwell connected with Travis Martin in the seam. Martin raced 79-yards for a score. Then just four plays later, Henry Garcia blocked a Rockvale punt, then scooped the ball and rumbled into the end zone to put the Raiders up 14-0 late in the first.
Garcia later added an interception as part of a Raider defense that bent, but didn’t break for most of the night. In the first half Rockvale got inside the red zone three times (twice inside the 10 yard line) – but the Raiders forced a missed field goal, then a turnover on downs, and linebacker Tristan Galy forced a fumble that was recovered by Zack Galy.
Rockvale finished with 301 yards of total offense.
The win is the first road win on the season or Coffee County, and moves the Raiders back to .500 at 3-3 and 2-2 in Region 3-6A, which keeps the Raiders alive in the postseason picture.
The Raiders return home next Friday, Oct. 9, to host Maplewood in a non-region tilt. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on Thunder Radio.
Garcia was named Mid Tenn Turf player of the Game on the Thunder Radio broadcast.
Listen to the game again.
HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER: Lady Raiders cruise to 5-0 win on senior night
Coffee County Central’s Lady Raider soccer team bombarded Lincoln County with shots on Thursday night, eventually breaking through with four in the second half to cruise to a 5-0 win in a match you heard live on Thunder Radio as part of the First National Bank Hometown Sports Series.
Five different Lady Raiders scored on the night.
Maddy Jones got the scoring started in the 18th minute, but Coffee County wasn’t able to score again and only led 1-0 at the break before the floodgates opened in the second half.
Katie Cotten scored in the 43rd minute, quickly followed by Ellie Fann in the 46th. Jayda Wright scored on a free kick from 35 yards in the 60th minute, and Dianna Ramirez buried one into the upper right corner in the 73rd minute to close the scoring.
Coffee County outshot Lincoln County 30 to 5, putting 15 of those shots on goal to Lincoln County’s 3.
Lucy Riddle was credited with three saves in goal for the Lady Raiders.
The win completes the regular season for CHS at 4-5-1 on the season and secures third place in District 8-AAA.
Listen to the podcast of Thursdays win over Lincoln County by clicking here.
Westwood Rockets complete undefeated regular season; set sights on DRVC title game
Westwood’s Rocket football team put the finishing touches on a perfect regular season with a 30-0 shutout win over Cascade in Wartrace Thursday night. Rocket quarterback Jayden Carter crossed the 1,000 yard rushing mark on the season during the game.
Westwood will host Fayetteville in the DRVC championship game on Thursday, Oct. 8. That game will be broadcast live on Thunder Radio.
Raiders travel to Rockvale Friday – listen live on Thunder Radio
The Coffee County Central High School Red Raider football team (2-3 overall / 1-2 Region 3-6A) travels to Rockvale Friday to take on the Rockets (1-5) and look to get back to .500 on the season.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and the game can be heard live on Thunder Radio. Pregame coverage with the Friday Night Thunder pregame show begins at 6 p.m. You can listen to the game on 107.9 FM, 106.7 FM, 1320 AM, Manchester Go app and thunder1320.com.
Anyone wishing to travel to the game must purchase tickets digitally at www.gofan.co. No tickets will be available at the gate.
Thunder Radio is your home for all Red Raider and Lady Raider athletics.
Braves sweep Reds 2-0, advance to NLDS
Ian Anderson might not be old enough to fully grasp the significance of the Braves once again tasting postseason success. But the young hurler already appears capable of giving Atlanta fans a chance to regularly celebrate in October.
Anderson drew comparisons to Tom Glavine and Steve Avery after dazzling in his postseason debut. His six innings extended a historic scoreless run for the Braves, who swept the Reds in the National League Wild Card Series with a 5-0 win on Thursday afternoon at Truist Park.
With a pair of shutout wins in this best-of-three series, the Braves became the first team in postseason history to hold a team scoreless over the first 22 innings of a series. The longest such streak was previously produced by the Yankees, who blanked the Giants over the first 20 innings of the 1921 World Series.
Read the complete story by clicking here.
Thunder Radio is your exclusive home for Atlanta Braves baseball in Coffee County.
College Street breaks ground on school expansion
The much-awaited expansion project at College Street Elementary School has broken ground – with an official ceremony held Thursday morning.
The $4.1 million project will mean six new rooms for the school and a new cafeteria kitchen. The existing kitchen and cafeteria will be remodeled to flow together and expand seating.
Attending the ground-breaking ceremony were several members of the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen, along with the Manchester Board of Education, Director of Schools Dr. Joey Vaughn and staff with Lashlee-Rich, the group overseeing the expansion project.
“There are many more good things to come,” Vaughn said to those gathered. “We have been working on this project for about 10 years. Our city has seen growth and our system is doing well.”
Vaughn added that the expansion ensures College Street will be able to serve the community for many years to come.
–Pictured below, builders, school board members, city aldermen and College Street administrators gather for a ceremonial ground-breaking photo Thursday. Photo by Josh Peterson, Thunder Radio.
Old Timers Day festivities are Friday, Saturday
The annual Old Timers Day festivities are set for Friday and Saturday. Friday night, Oct. 2, there will be a free Bingo Night from 7-9 p.m. on the square in downtown Manchester.
On Saturday, there will be events all day. The annual parade will be at 10 a.m., going from the intersection of US Highway 41 and State Route 55 to the Manchester downtown square. There will also be entertainment – including Macy Tabor at 11 a.m., the Dixie Dancer Cloggers at noon, Travis Clower at 12:30, Duck River Dance at 1:30, East of Nowhere at 2 p.m. and Beech Grove Bob at 3 p.m.
There will also be vendors, games and other fun entertainment, including a free digital scavenger hunt.
Body found in Manchester Thursday; foul play not suspected
Manchester Police Department investigators discovered the body of a male near the area of McKellar St. and Powers Rd. near a bridge on Thursday.
According to MPD investigator Brandon Tomberlin, no foul play is suspected. However, the situation remains under investigation.
Tomberlin said the body has been sent to the state medical examiner’s office for an autopsy.
Tomberlin said he and another investigator were performing a welfare check in the area after receiving a call concerned about the victim. Upon investigation, officers discovered the body. MPD officials have been able to make a positive identification and are in the process of notifying family. The body was discovered near the deceased man’s home.
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