Category: CHS Red Raiders

Coffee County got the buckets when it needed them and held off a late Cannon County Saturday night in Manchester.

Trenton Scrivnor hit a pair of big 3-pointers in the third quarter and Jaxon Vaughn rattled off six free throws down the stretch to lead the Raiders to a 49-42 win over the Lions at Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gymnasium (a game you heard live on Thunder Radio).

The win moves the Raiders to 1-1 on the season.

Coffee County led 15-13 at the half and pulled away late in the third quarter on a pair of big 3-pointers on the left wing from Scrivnor, who finished with 12 points – including a rebound and a basket as time expired in the first half. Scrivnor’s shooting helped push the Raiders in front 35-23 after 3-quarters, a lead that extended to 39-25 early in the 4^th quarter.

But the Lions wouldn’t go away – a late 3-pointer by Lion AJ Armstrong cut the Raider lead to 44-40 with 42 seconds to play and complete a 15-5 run by the Lions. But the Raiders never let Cannon County get any closer than that, finishing strong at the free throw line, including a pair of free throws by Connor Shemwell – who finished with 8 points.

Vaughn finished with 16 and was named Stone Fort Mortgage Player of the Game on Thunder Radio. CJ Anthony added 7 and Kyle Farless six.

Coffee County will host White County Tuesday, Nov. 24 in a double-header with the Lady Raiders. The girls will tip at 6 p.m. with the boys to follow. Both games will be broadcast live on Thunder Radio: 107.9 FM, 106.7 FM, 1320 AM, on your smartphone using the Manchester Go app and at thunder1320.com. You can also listen on your Amazon Alexa device (enable the Thunder Radio skill, then say “Alexa, play Thunder Radio.”)

Miss the Saturday night game against Cannon County? Listen to the replay of the Thunder Radio broadcast below:

Also, see more photos from Saturday’s win below.

Coffee County’s Lady Raider basketball team picked up on Friday night where it left off on Thursday night.

Coffee County pounced on Siegel 20-0 in the first quarter and cruised to a 65-15 win over the visiting Lady Stars Friday night at Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gymnasium in Manchester (a game that was broadcast live on Thunder Radio).

The win moves the Lady Raiders to 2-0 on the season, having outscored their opponents 155-37.

“These kids play hard,” said CHS head coach Joe Pat Cope following the Lady Raider win over Siegel. “They bring it every day. They live it, they talk it, they breathe it. Every kid we got just wants to win.”

Coffee County won from the tip on Friday  night. The Lady Raiders led 20-0 after the first quarter and had a 31-0 lead before Siegel scored its first points, a free throw from Erin Van Hook with 4 minutes to play in the first half. Siegel didn’t pick up its first field goal until there were two minutes left in the first half.

Most of that was due to the Lady Raiders’ smothering defense – forcing over 20 turnovers, led by sophomore guard Jalie Ruehling, who was named the Stone Fort Mortgage Player of the Game by Thunder Radio. Ruehling finished with 17 points, including a trio of 3-pointers.

The Lady Raiders went on to lead 41-3 at the half and 51-5 after three quarters before substituting liberally. Despite the dominating performance, Ruehling still sees room for improvement.

“I think we need to be smarter with some of our passes, quicker on defense,” said Ruehling, who added that there is always room for improvement.

CHS senior Bella Vinson led the way on offense for Coffee County with 22 points – giving her 58 over her first two games. Vinson set the tone for 9 different Lady Raiders who got into the scorebook.

The Lady Raiders will certainly get more of a challenge in their next game – Tuesday when they host the White County Warriorettes. Tip is set for 6 p.m. and you can hear on Thunder Radio: 107.9 FM, 106.7 FM, 1320 AM, thunder1320.com, Manchester Go app and on Amazon Alexa (“Alexa, Play Thunder Radio.”)

“I’m definitely looking forward to [playing White County],” said Rueling. “I know it’s going to be tough, and we just have to prepare and be ready for that.”

Miss the Friday night broadcast over Siegel? Listen to the Thunder Radio broadcast by clicking here.

Lady Raiders in the scorebook:

Miranda Medley – 2 points

Remi Benjamin – 2 points

Jalie Ruehling – 17 points

Emma Fulks – 2 points

Alivia Reel – 4 points

Bella Vinson – 22 points

Elli Chumley – 7 points

Chloe Gannon – 5 points

Elizabeth Browh – 4 points

Coffee County battled early foul trouble and first-game shakiness Tuesday night in a 70-59 road loss to the Blue Devils of Jackson County.

In a game you heard on Thunder Radio, the Raiders struggled from behind the three-point line and the Blue Devils didn’t. Jackson County shot 40% from behind the arc, most of that damage coming from senior Eli Burris who piled up 23 points on the Raiders.

Meanwhile, Coffee County was only 22% from behind the arc on 27 attempts. The Blue Devils were also able to outrebound the Raiders on the defensive glass 23-14. For the deficiencies, one of the biggest for the Raiders was at the free-throw line. Coffee County was only 9-of-17 at the stripe, while the Blue Devils were 22-of-27.

The Raiders scrapped and turned a 9-point halftime deficit and a 12-point deficit midway through the third quarter into a 50-45 game going into the final quarter.

Senior Kyle Farless heated up and scored 12 of his 13 points in the third quarter, including a pair of three pointers to breathe life into the Raider offense. The Raiders couldn’t pull any closer than 5-points  down the stretch.

Farless led the Raiders with 13 points. He also had 2 assists and 4 rebounds. He was named the Stone Fort Mortgage Player of the Game.

CJ Anthony was limited due to foul trouble most of the night, but still managed to pick up 12 points for the Raiders.

Also scoring for Coffee County were Jaxon Vaughn with 11, Hayden Hullett 7, Brady Nugent 5, Connor Shemwell 5, Trenton Scrivnor 4 and Tyler Taylor 2.

The Raiders play again Saturday at 6 p.m. when they travel to Cannon County. That game will be broadcast live on Thunder Radio (107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM, Manchester Go app, thunder1320.com)

MISS TUESDAY’S GAME? WE HAVE THE RECORDING FROM OUR BROADCAST! CLICK HERE.

Coffee County Central High School basketball will start sooner than first expected.

The Red Raider boys have picked up a game at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Jackson County. This comes after Knowledge Academy cancelled Thursday’s home game.

Meanwhile, the Lady Raiders have also picked up a game – set to travel to Grundy County for a 7 p.m. tip on Thursday. This is a makeup for the Saturday home game that was cancelled by Goodpasture. The Lady Raiders will still play at home at 6 p.m. Friday against Siegel.

Thunder Radio will be there to broadcast the Raiders and Lady Raiders all season. Tune in Tuesday night to catch the Raiders from Jackson County. Pregame begins at 7:15 p.m. with tip at 7:30 p.m.

Listen to the Raiders and Lady Raiders all season long at 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM on the Manchester Go smartphone app, at thunder1320.com and on Amazon Alexa (enable the Thunder Radio skill, then say “Alexa, play Thunder Radio”). Thunder Radio is your home for Red Raider and Lady Raider sports.

Monday night was senior night for the Red Raider football seniors, as well as dance team, cheerleaders and band members.

These seniors didn’t get to participate in a regular senior night after their game on Oct. 30 with Riverdale was cancelled due to COVID-19.

Thunder Radio would have been there to broadcast the game, so we thought we should be there Monday night to broadcast senior night festivities at Carden-Jarrell Field. We were there to broadcast live. You can hear the podcast here:

The final Coffee County Central High School home football game of the year on Oct. 30 was cancelled due to COVID-19.

This also meant the cancellation of senior night.

Monday, Nov. 16, the CHS football seniors, cheerleader seniors, dance team seniors and band seniors will get their opportunity to celebrate with a senior night celebration at Carden-Jarrell field. The festivities will begin at 6:30 p.m. (gates open at 6 p.m.). There is no admission charge to attend.

As your home for all Red Raider and Lady Raider sports, Thunder Radio will be on hand to broadcast the senior night festivities. Tune in live beginning at approximately 6:25 p.m. Monday to hear the broadcast.

You can listen at 107.9 FM, 106.7 FM, 1320 AM, on the Manchester Go app, Thunder1320.com or on your Amazon Alexa device (enable the Thunder Radio skill and say: “Alexa, play Thunder Radio.”

It was senior Lexi Bryan putting the finishing touches on many of the Coffee County Lady Raider volleyball team’s offensive attacks this fall.

Thursday, Bryan put the finishing touches on an outstanding high school volleyball career, signing her letter of intent to play collegiate volleyball at Chattanooga State Community College.

Bryan – a four-year member of the Lady Raider volleyball program – said her goal since she was a freshman was to find a place to play collegiately. She was enticed by the Chattanooga State nursing program, which she will be a part of as a freshman. Listen to her comments below:

Bryan was a key hitter for the Lady Raider volleyball program for the 2020 season, which happened to be a historic run for CHS. Coffee County rolled through its schedule to a District 8-AAA championship and reached the Region 4-AAA championship and the state sectional for the first time in the program’s 16 year history.

The TSSAA Board of Control on Thursday approved region realignment for the 2021-2022 school years.

There were a few changes and appeals approved across the state, but none that will change where Coffee County Central is headed.

In football, Coffee County will now compete in Region 3-6A with Lebanon, Warren County, Cookeville and Shelbyville. Shelbyville appealed to leave 6A but was denied by the board of control.

Meanwhile, in basketball, baseball and softball, Coffee County will move out of the familiar District 8-AAA and into the new District 6-4A. This will be a small, four-team district with Warren County, Franklin County and Shelbyville.

These new districts and regions will begin with next school year.

Also on Thursday, the board approved guidance for district and region basketball tournaments in February. Instead of a central tournament location, the TSSAA is calling for the highest-seeded team to host tournament games in the district and region tournaments. This will avoid larger congregations of multiple teams at one gym site.

You can hear CHS Red Raider and Lady Raider basketball all season long on Thunder Radio – your home for all Red Raider and Lady Raider sports. Tune in every night at 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM, stream on the Manchester Go smartphone app, thunder1320.com or on Amazon Alexa (just enable the Thunder Radio skill and say: “Alexa, play Thunder Radio.”)

A recruiting process that began as early as the 8th grade for Bella Vinson officially ended with the stroke of her pen Wednesday afternoon.

Vinson, a standout four-year starter for the Central High School Lady Raider basketball team, signed her collegiate letter of intent to play basketball for the Lipscomb Bisons Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 11, 2020) in the CHS library with friends, coaches and family in attendance.

“Not many people get the opportunity to go through [the recruiting process],” explained Vinson. “I’ve been going through that since about the 8th grade. It’s been really exciting, really awesome and really a once in a lifetime thing.”

Vinson went on to say that she chose Lipscomb out of several other offers because it “checked everything off her list.” See her full comments about Lipscomb here:

Bella said she is excited to have the process behind her and be able to focus on her senior year of basketball at Coffee County.

The Lady Raiders open the season on Friday, Nov. 20 at home when Siegel comes to town for a TSSAA Hall of Champions game. Tip is at 6 p.m. and that game will be broadcast live on Thunder Radio. You can hear the Lady Raiders all season long on Thunder Radio (107.9 FM, 1320 AM, Manchester Go smartphone app, thunder1320.com, Amazon Alexa smart “device >>”Alexa, play Thunder Radio”).