PRESS RELEASE
There are a few changes coming to the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association in the coming year – changes that were discussed and passed at the June 7-8 Board of Control Meeting.
The Board voted to change the football mercy rule to decrease the margin necessary to bring about a running clock from 35 points to 30 points. No other part of the rule was changed. The mercy rule in football only applies in the second half and if one team’s deficit falls under 30 points at any time, the game goes back to standard timing.
The Board also voted to return to the traditional, pre-pandemic handling of canceled football contests. Canceled games will be considered no-contests, meaning that teams will no longer receive a win if their opponent cancels, and any contract between the schools will be enforceable.
A state championship event for TMSAA in the sport of volleyball beginning with the 2023-24 school year was approved by the Board. The championship would take place in the fall. There are currently TMSAA state championships held in girls’ and boys’ basketball, softball, baseball, track and field and cross country.
Financial reports for the basketball, wrestling, and bowling tournaments were approved as well as the financial reports for the A.D. and Cheer/Coaches conferences.
The Board approved a change to the postseason baseball format proposed by Bartlett High School and the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association, which will go into effect beginning with the 2022-23 school year. Region tournament participants must now win two games to advance to the sectional tournament. A game will be played between the semifinal round losers, the winner of which will face the loser of the region final game to determine the second team that will advance out of the region tournament. The sectional round will now become a best two-out-of-three series between the region champion of one region playing the region runner-up from the opposing region. The region champion would first host a doubleheader on Thursday to open the series, then if a game three is needed, the deciding game would be held the next day at the same site.
The Board of Control heard a report by the staff in regard to the number of coaches ejected, disciplinary action and unsportsmanlike incidents investigated during the 2021-22 school year. In addition, the Board voted to resume the A. F. Bridges Awards Program this upcoming school year, allocating $27,000 in award money for the 27 winning schools.
BASKETBALL SUMMER CAMP UPDATES
Multiple teams continue to be in action over the summer – including home basketball camp games for the Central High School Lady Raiders and the CMS Lady Raiders.
On Tuesday, the CHS Lady Raiders took it to Tullahoma with a 54-16 win – playing with all starters except for senior point guard Jalie Ruehling, who is scheduled for ankle surgery this week. Meanwhile, the JV Lady Raiders also beat Tullahoma in an overtime effort.
Also on Monday and Tuesday, Coffee Middle hosted 7 different schools and went 10-0 in a combination of 6th grade, junior varsity and varsity games.
Natalie Barnes 
Chloe Gannon 
Olivia Vinson 
Ava McIntosh
Renovations begin at CHS softball complex
The aesthetic at the Coffee County Central High School softball complex next spring will be quite different.
Volunteers tore out the bleacher section of the complex Tuesday (June 7) in preparation for a brand new bleacher area for the field. The bleachers that were torn out were part of the original structure constructed in the 1990s.
The new bleachers are expected to be completed by late October or early November.
Lady Raider softball just completed a trip to the TSSAA Spring Fling in May – there second trip in as many years.
Four Coffee County softball players earn postseason honors
Multiple Coffee County Central Lady Raider softball players have earned postseason honors.
Recent graduate Haidyn Campbell and junior Kaitlyn Davis were each named to the Tennessee Softball Coaches Association 4A All-State Team.
Meanwhile, recent graduates Olivia Evans and Kiya Ferrell were selected to play on the Middle Tennessee All-Star Team.
The all-star series features all-stars from the three grand division of Tennessee and will be played June 14 at Volunteer State Community College in Gallatin. Games will be played at 10 a.m., noon and 2:30 p.m.
Haidyn Campbell, who will be playing at Walter State Community College next year, hit .402 for the Lady Raiders this spring with 7 doubles and a team-leading 32 RBI.
Kaitlyn Davis led the Lady Raiders with 9 home runs and anchored CHS in the circle, with a 16-8 record and 108 strikeouts in 160 innings of work.
Olivia Evans led the Lady Raiders in batting average at a .494 clip. She also stole 18 bases. Evans will be playing at Tennessee Tech next year.
Ferrell was a .446 hitter for Coffee County with 1 home run and led the team in runs scored with 41. She will play volleyball in college.
Olivia Evans 
Kiya Ferrell 
Haidyn Campbell 
Kaitlyn Davis
Two Coffee Co bass teams qualify for national tournament
Only 50 slots are available in the 2022 Bassmaster High School National Tournament. Two of those slots are going to Coffee County anglers.
The team of Kaden Freeze – Kylan Mantooth as well as Jaxon Wells-Caden Davis both qualified for one of the spots in the national tournament – which will cover 3 days on Lake Hartwell in South Carolina.
Coffee County Claybusters show out
The Coffee County Claybusters trap-shooting team had some show out performers at Big Springs AIM on June 4.
The squad of Ellis Pichulo, Garrett Taylor, Landon Meadows, Logan Meadows and Jonah Wyatt won High Overall Junior Squad.
Meanwhile, Pichulo won junior runner-up.
Lady Raiders show out at home basketball camp
Coffee County Central Lady Raider basketball has already had a busy summer.
With four starters returning and expectations as high as ever, the Lady Raiders handled business in a home summer camp last week. CHS went 4-0, beating Huntland 65-27, Franklin 57-4, Fayetteville City 64-26 and Page 54-32.
The Lady Raiders are playing the summer without the services of upcoming senior point guard Jalie Ruehling, who is having ankle surgery. Meanwhile, incoming freshmen Natalie Barnes, Audri Patton and Ella Arnold have been picking up some summer playing time along with returning starters Alivia Reel, Chloe Gannon, Channah Gannon and Olivia Vinson. CHS lost one starter from last year’s team – Elli Chumley – who will be playing at Freed Hardeman next year.
CHS cheerleaders to welcome youngsters to cheer clinic June 11th
Coffee County Central Red Raider cheerleaders will host a youth cheerleading clinic from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 11.
Registration begins at 7:45 a.m. The clinic will be held at Raider Academy gym on McMinnville Highway.
Cost to attend is $25. Clinic hosted by CHS Red Raider cheerleaders. A clinic t-shirt is included in registration. Contact Christy Clouse at clousec@k12coffee.net for more information.
Summer camp results: basketball
Multiple area teams are involved in summer camps and workouts.
The Coffee Middle Lady Raider basketball team spent Tuesday and Wednesday at Siegel camp. The Lady Raiders picked up wins over Central Magnet, West Wilson and Oakland Middle. Meanwhile, the Lady Raiders lost to Blackman.
The Lady Raiders will host a middle school girls camp at CMS Monday, June 6 and Tuesday, June 7, starting at 9 a.m. each day.
Saturday is deadline to register for youth Bball camp at CHS
Kids entering kindergarten through 8th grade who love basketball will have a chance to learn from the best this summer.
Coach Cope and Coach Taylor’s Basketball Camp 2022 will be June 8-10 from 8-10:30 a.m. each day at the Central High School gymnasium.
The camp is for boys and girls entering grades K-8 next school year.
Campers will be placed in groups by age and skill level and work on basketball fundamentals with Lady Raider head coach Joe Pat Cope and Red Raider boys basketball coach Andrew Taylor, as well as assistant coaches, current and former players.
The Lady Raider basketball program has won 5 consecutive district championships. Meanwhile, the Raider boys are fresh off a trip to the TSSAA State Tournament.
Campers will be working on dribbling, shooting, passing, offense and defense each day. Each camper will receive a t-shirt. Cost is $60 per player.
Due to overwhelming demand, an extra registration day has been added. Campers should pre-register from 8-9 a.m. Saturday, June 4 at the CHS gymnasium. Campers MUST pre register to receive a shirt. Anyone with questions should contact Cope at copej@k12coffee.net