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Banks named new head volleyball coach at Westwood Middle
Westwood Middle will have a new volleyball coach on the bench next fall.
Hayley Banks has been named the new head coach of the program.
Banks played volleyball for Coffee County Central and graduated in 2014 before going on to Tennessee Tech. She helped to start and run the Manchester Volleyball Club, which has grown from two teams to six teams in just the past three years. MVC has players ranging from 12-17.
Banks will be a guest on the Coffee Coaches Show this Saturday, April 16, live from Al White Ford Lincoln. The show airs from 10-11 a.m. on Thunder Radio: 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM, Manchester Go app and thunder1320.com
UPDATED INFO: Sheriff’s Department continues to search for suspected thieves
Coffee County Sheriff’s Department authorities need your help locating two white males who are suspects in a trailer theft from the Busy Corner storage on April 1. They are also suspected of breaking into storage units.
The trailer has since been recovered.
However, authorities are still seeking the individuals allegedly responsible for taking the trailer and breaking into units. From a surveillance photo (see below), the truck is a white, extended cab pickup truck.
Authorities say the individuals and/or truck could be in the Bedford or Rutherford County area.
Anyone with information should contact investigator Brandon Gullett at 931-728-3591,
Multiple Easter Egg hunts are this weekend in Manchester
There are a few Easter Egg Hunts coming this weekend to be aware of.
Manchester’s Parks and Recreation Center will have its annual Easter egg hunt Saturday, April 16.
Manchester Recreation Department
The egg hunt for ages 7 and under will be at 1 p.m. in Fred Deadman Park. There will be a night egg hunt for ages 8 and older at The Babe Ruth Field that begins at 8 p.m. These events are free.
Call the rec center at 931-728-0273 for more information.
Common John Brewing Company
There will be multiple egg hunts and photos with the Easter Bunny at Common John Brewing Company Saturday, April 16.
Ages 1-3 at noon
Ages 4-6 at 12:15 p.m.
Ages 7-9 at 12:30 p.m.
Ages 10-12 at 12:45 p.m.
Everyone will have the opportunity for pictures with the Easter Bunny, as well.
Common John Brewing Company is located at 210 Woodbury Highway.
County, city offices closed April 15 for Good Friday
Several offices will be closed on Friday, April 15, in observance of Good Friday.
This includes Coffee County and Manchester City Government offices.
Several businesses in the area area altering hours, as well.
18th annual Dusty Elam Foundation Benefit is May 14
The 18th annual Dusty Elam Foundation Benefit is set for Saturday, May 14 at the Elam Farm – 5223 Woodbury Highway just outside of Manchester.
There will be food, fun and games to go along with a live auction and a musical contest – Dusty’s Voice Music Competition.
Also at the annual event will be field events, inflatables a dunking booth and face painting. Single tickets are $25 and 5 tickets are $100. Kids 12 and under are free – cost of food included with your ticket. Gates open at noon, live auction starts at 2 and Dusty’s Voice starts at 6 p.m.
Dusty’s Voice will feature a $1,500 first place prize. There is a 25 artist / band limit. Each artist or band will play 1 song or 5 minutes. $50 per entry. First place wins $1,500 and second place wins $500. For Dusty’s Voice details or entry, call Justin McIntosh at 931-273-5194.
For tickets to the benefit, call Chris Elam at 931-273-3419 or Jay Nogodula at 615-653-7846.
Manchester Arts Center looking for vendors, musicians for April 30 event
Manchester Arts Center will have a fundraiser pop-up event on April 30 in hopes of raising money to build much-needed interior walls for the facility.
The center plans to have vendors selling art and hand-made items on April 30. Vendors are needed. For a 10×10 outdoor space, cost is $25. Anyone interested should contact Linda Robertson Gaines at 931-409-2591 for an application.
The center is also looking for musicians who would be interested in playing for tips. The arts center is located at 128 E Main St. in Manchester.
TENNIS: Girls win, boys fall against Lincoln County; Raiders sweep Warren County
Coffee County tennis split with Lincoln County before beating Warren County in a rain-stoppage.
Red Raiders 1, Falcons 6
Jonathan Nelson Loss 7-9
Krish Patel loss 1-8
Liam Brown Loss 6-8
Nolan Sussen Loss 6-8
Alexander Blomquist Loss 8-1
Patel / Brown win 8-5
Nelson / Sussen loss 4-8
Lady Raiders 4, Lady Falcons 3
Lauren Perry win 8-1
Rylea McNamara win 8-2
Katie Lawrence loss 0-8
Savannah Blackburn loss 18
Emma Fulks win 8-6
Perry / Fulks win 8-1
CHS Boys 4, Warren County 0 (rain stoppage)
Jonathan Nelson win 8-0
Austin Dockrey win 8-1
Patel / Brown win 8-1
Nelson / Sussen win 8-2
CHS Girls 4, Warren County 0
Lauren Perry win 8-6
Savannah Blackburn win 8-1
Perry / Fulks win 8-3
Lawrence / Lawrence win 9-8
TRACK & FIELD: Coffee Co. girls take 2nd place at Tuesday meet
Coffee County Central girls track took second place out of 16 teams at Tuesday’s track meet at Blackman High School.
The Lady Raiders put together a handful of top five finishes on the day, including:
Kailee Rossman – 5th place – 800 meter run: 2:49.02
Kailee Rossman – 3rd place – 1600 meter run: 5:49.90
4×800 relay – 2nd place. 11:11.85
Jalyn Case – 1st place – high jump: 4-8
Elizabeth Brown – 3rd place – high jump: 4-6
Autumn Stover – 2nd place – discus: 79-0
Elli Chumley – 1st place – shot put: 33-6
On the boys side, the Raiders were able to muster up a few top 5 finishes as well:
John Dobson – 5th place – 400 meter dash – 54.25
Landon Kenney – 3rd place – 800 meter run – 2:15.78
Garrett Masters – 5th place – 1600 meter run – 5:05.75
4×800 relay team – 2nd place – 9:11.73
Ethan Welch – 3rd place – discus – 114-3
FOOTBALL: Raiders to hold spring practice May 3-20; Haynes returns as defensive coordinator
Spring football dates have been announced for the Coffee County Central High School Red Raiders.
The Raiders will open spring practice on May 3 and practice and wrap practice with a home scrimmage against Marshall County at 6 p.m. Friday, May 20th. The Raiders have 21 days to fit in 10 on-field practices. Multiple rain dates are built in. Practices will be held at the CHS practice field. The spring scrimmage is scheduled to be held at Carden-Jarrell Field behind Raider Academy and everyone is encouraged to attend.
Coached by fourth-year head coach Doug Greene, the Red Raiders are coming off their best regular season since 2007 (6-4 record). The 2021 Raiders went 5-5 and qualified for the TSSAA playoffs, losing a tight contest in the first round to Riverdale. Coffee County lost 7 seniors from that squad, and only one starter on defense.
Speaking of defense, Roger Haynes will return to the Raiders as defensive coordinator this year. Haynes served as DC in 2020 and helped to build what many considered a formidable defensive unit – a unit that continued to frustrate opponents last year. Haynes left for the 2021 season due to family health concerns.
“Having Roger back is huge for us,” Greene told CHS players and parents in a meeting Tuesday. “Having him and, hopefully a full staff for the first time, allows me to completely focus on the offensive side of the ball. I lost a lot of hair last year (trying to do both).”
The Raiders open the regular season August 19th when Franklin County comes to Manchester for a 7 p.m. kickoff. This will mark the centennial year celebration for Red Raider football – the 100th year of football in Manchester.
You can hear the Red Raiders all season long on Thunder Radio WMSR as we begin our 65th year of broadcasting Red Raider football in Manchester. Listen all season beginning with the Friday Night Thunder pregame show at 6 p.m. on 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM, Manchester Go app and Thunder1320.com.
This fall’s complete schedule is below:
Aug. 19 – vs. Franklin County. 7 p.m.
Aug. 26 AT Tullahoma. 7 p.m.
Sept. 2 vs. *Shelbyville. 7 p.m.
Sept 9 AT Page. 7 p.m.
Sept. 16 vs. *Lebanon. 7 p.m.
Sept. 23 vs. ***Spring Hill 7 p.m.
Sept. 30 AT *Warren County 7 p.m.
Oct. 7 OPEN WEEK
Oct. 14 AT *Cookeville. 7 p.m.
Oct. 21 AT Rockvale. 7 p.m.
Oct. 27 vs. Rhea County. 7 p.m. (Thursday night game. Senior night)
*Denotes Region Game
***Homecoming
Games in bold are at home.
BASEBALL: Raiders split district double header at Franklin County
Brady Nugent played the hero in game one of a double header with Franklin County Wednesday night in Winchester.
In a game that went extra innings and saw the Raiders fall behind 6-5 in the top of the 9th, Nugent tied things up immediately in the bottom of the inning (the Raiders were the home team in game 1) when he turned around a 3-2 pitch and parked it over the left field fence.
Caleb Moran followed suit by earning a walk. After stealing second base, Moran moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an error to give the Raiders a walk-off win over the Rebels.
Moran was big at the plate all night with a pair of RBIs and three runs scored. Jacob Holder also knocked in a pair for the Raiders, who came from behind after trailing 5-3 entering the bottom of the sixth inning.
Timothy Henderson earned the win in relief – allowing 2 earned runs on 4 hits while striking out 4. Aiden Robertson started for the Raiders and got a no-decision. He struck out 9 over 5 innings, scattering 5 hits and 4 runs.
Raiders 8, Franklin County 7
The Rebels flipped the script on the Raiders in game two – getting a walk-off of their own.
After Coffee County scored 2 in the top of the 7th to take a 7-4 lead, the Rebels rallied for 4 in the bottom half, including a walk-off double to win 8-7.
Jacob Holder went 6.2 for the Raiders and allowed 6 earned runs while walking 5 and striking out 9. He scattered 7 hits. He ran out of fuel in the seventh, Brady Nugent entered and a two-run double gave the Rebels the win.
The Raiders got 4 extra base hits in the win – including a triple and a home run out of Aiden Robertson, who had 4 RBIs and scored twice. Cole Pippenger, Holder and Jacob Sherrill all doubled.
The Raiders remain tied with Franklin County in the district standings and will play Warren County in a 2-game series next week.