Category: Sports

Tough day on the course for Raider, Lady Raider golfers

The Central High School boys and girls golf teams each fell to visiting Cookeville Monday afternoon at WillowBrook Golf Course.

The Raiders top four golfers carded a 399, led by Blake Perry at 93, Logan Hale 94, Zack Tidwell 102 and David O’Connor’s 110.

Meanwhile, Cookeville’s top three golfers broke 80, including Joseph Agee with a one-under par round of 71.

For the Lady Raiders, Araya Hughes shot 113 and Maggy Crouch 109 to finish at 222, well behind Cookeville’s 175.

Both teams return to the course Wednesday when they travel to Riverbend.

Coffee Middle volleyball drops first match of the season; now 5-1

The Coffee County Middle School volleyball team dropped its first match of the year Monday, falling 2-1 to White County in a home match.

In the best of three match, CMS won 25-20 before dropping the second set 14-25 and the third 7-15.

It was the first loss of the 2020 season for CMS after starting 5-0. The Lady Raiders return to action Wednesday when they travel to Tullahoma to take on a team they beat earlier this season.

Raider defense shines, CHS drops Franklin County 21-19 in season opener

Raider special teams lines up to attempt to block an extra point against Franklin County. -Photo by Holly Peterson. Thunder Radio.

The Raider defense showed up to play Friday night and the offense put together enough production for the Central High School Red Raiders to drop visiting Franklin County 21-19 Friday night at Carden-Jarrell Field in Manchester

After giving up two long touchdown passes in the second quarter of 85 and 53 yards, respectively, the Raider defense left the locker room and pitched a shutout in the second half.

Franklin County’s only score in the second half came on a interception return for a touchdown by Anthony Seno in the second half. Seno was in the right place in the right time when a Connor Shemwell passed went through the hands of CJ Anthony on a wide receiver screen, setting the stage for Seno to pluck it out of the air and walk into the end zone.

That Franklin County score cut into the Red Raider lead and made the score 21-19. But Raider linebacker Jalen Williams snuffed out the two-point conversion attempt to maintain the Raiders’ 2 point lead. That lead held through the remainder of the second half thanks to a stingy defense and a defensive stand in the last five minutes when Franklin County crossed the 50 yard line looking to take the lead.

For the Raiders, Shemwell finished the night 8 of 15, including a 51 yard touchdown pass to Kelvin Verge in the second quarter.

Shemwell put the Raiders on the board first in the opening quarter, capping a 13 play drive with a four-yard quarterback sneak thanks to a big push from the offensive line and some help from tailback Marshal Haney.

“These boys are out there trying out their new bodies,” said CHS head coach Doug Greene, speaking about the physicality the Raiders played with Friday. “And they are doing it at the expense of someone else. And that’s a lot of fun to see.”

Haney crossed the 100 yard mark, finishing with 106 yards on 19 totes, including a 21 yard touchdown run.

Perhaps Haney’s most important carries came late in the fourth quarter, when he stayed between the tackles and helped the Raiders melt the clock away.

Notebook

*The lights cut out in the third quarter and forced an approximate 40-minute delay. Head coach Doug Greene said he used that time to “pump more water” into the players.

The Raider defense was flawless after the extra intermission.

*The Raiders are now 1-0 on the season. They will now travel to Tullahoma to take on the Wildcats in the annual Coffee Pot Rivalry at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29. That game broadcast can be heard on Thunder Radio: 107.9 FM, 106.7 FM, 1320 AM

Kelvin Verge (no. 2) hauls in a pass Friday night. – Photo by Holly Peterson, Thunder Radio
CHS cheerleaders honored Dennis Weaver Friday night with special bows. Weaver, the play by play voice for the Red Raiders, passed away suddenly on July 24. – Photo by Holly Peterson, Thunder Radio

REMINDER: Coffee County has limited Coffee Pot tickets available for Friday’s game

The annual Coffee Pot football rivalry is set for Friday, Aug. 28 at Wilkins Stadium in Tullahoma. As Thunder Radio sports reported to you last week, due to stadium capacity limitations due to COVID-19 restrictions, Coffee County has only been allotted 500 tickets to sell.

Tickets are $7 each and there is no student discount.

On Tuesday, Aug. 25, and Wednesday, Aug. 26, tickets will only be sold to the varsity football team, cheer squad, dance team and band. Each student may purchase no more than two tickets. Students or a parent of a student can purchase tickets at the Central High School main office between 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

On Thursday, Aug. 27, any remaining tickets will be sold to the public in the CHS main office from 8 a.m. until noon. There will be no tickets sold on Friday or at the stadium.

TACA and TSSAA passes will be accepted at the Pass Gate.

If you can’t attend the game, you can listen to every Red Raider football game all season long on Thunder Radio. Game broadcasts begin with the Friday Night Thunder pregame show at 6 p.m. and kickoff at 7 p.m. on Thunder Radio – 107.9 FM, 106.7 FM, 1320 AM and streaming at www.thunder1320.com and the Manchester Go smartphone app.

Monday, Aug. 24 Prep Sports Schedule

Monday’s Prep Sports Schedule.

1 pm – CHS Golf HOSTING Cookeville at WillowBrook

5 p.m. – CMS volleyball HOSTING White County

5 p.m. – CHS JV football AT Franklin County

7 p.m. – CHS Freshman Football AT Franklin County

Raider defense pitches second half shutout, CHS beats Franklin County 21-19

All Red Raider football players have a “DW” sticker on their helmets in memory of Dennis Weaver, the voice of the Red Raiders who passed away July 24, 2020.

The Raider defense showed up to play Friday night and the offense put together enough production for the Central High School Red Raiders to drop visiting Franklin County 21-19 Friday night at Carden-Jarrell Field in Manchester

After giving up two long touchdown passes in the second quarter of 85 and 53 yards, respectively, the Raider defense left the locker room and pitched a shutout in the second half.

Franklin County’s only score in the second half came on a interception return for a touchdown by Anthony Seno in the second half. Seno was in the right place in the right time when a Connor Shemwell passed went through the hands of CJ Anthony on a wide receiver screen, setting the stage for Seno to pluck it out of the air and walk into the end zone.

That Franklin County score cut into the Red Raider lead and made the score 21-19. But Raider linebacker Jalen Williams snuffed out the two-point conversion attempt to maintain the Raiders’ 2 point lead. That lead held through the remainder of the second half thanks to a stingy defense and a defensive stand in the last five minutes when Franklin County crossed the 50 yard line looking to take the lead.

For the Raiders, Shemwell finished the night 8 of 15, including a 51 yard touchdown pass to Kelvin Verge in the second quarter.

Shemwell put the Raiders on the board first in the opening quarter, capping a 13 play drive with a four-yard quarterback sneak thanks to a big push from the offensive line and some help from tailback Marshal Haney.

“These boys are out there trying out their new bodies,” said CHS head coach Doug Greene, speaking about the physicality the Raiders played with Friday. “And they are doing it at the expense of someone else. And that’s a lot of fun to see.”

Haney crossed the 100 yard mark, finishing with 106 yards on 19 totes, including a 21 yard touchdown run.

Perhaps Haney’s most important carries came late in the fourth quarter, when he stayed between the tackles and helped the Raiders melt the clock away.

Notebook

*The lights cut out in the third quarter and forced an approximate 40-minute delay. Head coach Doug Greene said he used that time to “pump more water” into the players.

The Raider defense was flawless after the extra intermission.

*The Raiders are now 1-0 on the season. They will now travel to Tullahoma to take on the Wildcats in the annual Coffee Pot Rivalry at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29. That game broadcast can be heard on Thunder Radio: 107.9 FM, 106.7 FM, 1320 AM

Click here to listen to the first half broadcast from Thunder Radio.

Click here to listen to the second half broadcast from Thunder Radio.

The CHS Red Raider cheerleaders had special bows in their hair Friday against Franklin County, honoring Dennis Weaver – the play-by-play voice of Raider athletics who passed away July 24, 2020. – Photos by Holly Peterson

Red Raider football opens season Friday; Thunder Radio coverage begins at 6 p.m.

Coffee County Central High School’s Red Raiders open the season Friday night, Aug. 21 when Franklin County visits Carden-Jarrell Field.

Thunder Radio will be on hand for the radio coverage as we begin our 63rd year celebrating athletes at Central High School.

Coverage begins with The Friday Night Thunder pregame show (delivered by Riddle Trucking) at 6 p.m., with interviews from both head coaches and a tribute to Dennis Weaver, the voice of Coffee County athletics who passed away less than a month ago as he was getting set to call play-by-play action again this season.

Thunder Radio will have the pregame, game broadcast and the postgame show (Friday Night Thunder) on 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM and streaming at www.thunder1320.com and on the Manchester Go smartphone app.

Lady Raider volleyball remains perfect, sweeps Riverdale

After three matches of the 2020 season, the Central High School Lady Raider volleyball team remains perfect.

In fact, the team has yet to lose a single set.

Coffee County swept visiting Riverdale 3-0 Thursday night at Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gymnasium (25-10, 25-21 and 25-16.) The win comes after the Lady Raiders dropped Warren County 3-0 and Shelbyville 3-0 earlier this week.

Junior Lauren Brandt and her three aces led CHS at the service line Thursday against the Lady Warriors of Riverdale. Brandt also led the Lady Raiders in kills with seven and was second on the team in assists with nine. Kiya Ferrell put together 10 assists for CHS and had three kills on the night. Keri Munn added six kills and Lexi Bryan five as the Lady Raiders spread out the production around the net.

The Lady Raiders will return home Tuesday, Aug. 25 to take on Columbia at 6:30 p.m. That match will be broadcast on Thunder Radio as part of the First National Bank Hometown Sports Series

CMS soccer falls to Tullahoma 8-1

Coffee County Middle School’s Lady Raider soccer team dropped to 1-1 on the season Thursday afternoon with an 8-1 loss to Tullahoma.

In a game you heard on Thunder Radio as part of the First National Bank Hometown Sports Series, Coffee County fell behind 4-1 at half. The Lady Raiders trailed 2-0 when seventh grader Sadie Moore launched a perfect corner kick that Jasmine Norris connected on to find the back of the net and cut the deficit to 2-1.

But the Tullahoma offense was too powerful, pulling ahead 4-1 by halftime and 8-1 with the final goal coming with 25 seconds to play.

The Lady Raiders have a week off before traveling to North for a 5:30 p.m. start on Aug. 27.

COFFEE POT TICKETS: Coffee County limited to 500 tickets for annual rivalry

The annual Coffee Pot football rivalry is set for Friday, Aug. 28 at Wilkins Stadium in Tullahoma. Due to stadium capacity limitations due to COVID-19 restrictions, Coffee County has only been allotted 500 tickets to sell.

Tickets are $7 each and there is no student discount.

On Tuesday, Aug. 25, and Wednesday, Aug. 26, tickets will only be sold to the varsity football team, cheer squad, dance team and band. Each student may purchase no more than two tickets. Students or a parent of a student can purchase tickets at the Central High School main office between 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

On Thursday, Aug. 27, any remaining tickets will be sold to the public in the CHS main office from 8 a.m. until noon. There will be no tickets sold on Friday or at the stadium.

TACA and TSSAA passes will be accepted at the Pass Gate.

If you can’t attend the game, you can listen to every Red Raider football game all season long on Thunder Radio. Game broadcasts begin with the Friday Night Thunder pregame show at 6 p.m. and kickoff at 7 p.m. on Thunder Radio – 107.9 FM, 106.7 FM, 1320 AM and streaming at www.thunder1320.com and the Manchester Go smartphone app.