Category: Sports

Fall may have arrived in the Music City, but Nashville Soccer Club rose to the occasion at Nissan Stadium on Saturday night as the Boys in Gold clinched a home match in the USL Championship Playoffs with a 2-0 win over North Carolina FC. Lebo Moloto was the magician again for Nashville SC with a goal and an assist in a Man of the Match performance.

Nashville SC now guarantees itself at least one playoff match in front of the home fans at First Tennessee Park in two weeks, the first home playoff match in club history. While Nashville won’t know it’s official seed and opponent in the playoffs until after the final weekend of the season, it is assured of at least a top two seed and two potential home playoff matches.

The opening goal of the night came from a corner kick off Moloto’s boot that found the head of forward Ropapa Mensah inside the six-yard box at the 32’ minute mark. It was Mensah’s seventh goal in all competitions this season and Moloto’s 10th assist, a team-high.

In the second half, it was Moloto’s turn to have a header find the net. Off a counter attack, winger Taylor Washington sent a perfect ball to the on-rushing Moloto who went back across goal to find side-netting for his fifth of the season.

The defense again showed why it’s the best in the USL Championship, earning its 15th clean sheet of the season while allowing just two shots on target in the 90 minutes from North Carolina. Nashville SC has also yet to allow a goal in its four matches at Nissan Stadium over the last two seasons.

Here are three takeaways from the victory.

1) Top Two in the East

Nashville SC’s win, coupled with a draw in the Indy Eleven and Tampa Bay Rowdies match, confirmed that Nashville would finish in a top two spot in the Eastern Conference and could still win the East with dropped points by Pittsburgh in its season finale. Everything will be at stake in next Saturday’s match at First Tennessee Park against Atlanta United 2 at 7 p.m. as Nashville can lay claim to the number one seed.

2) No Goals Allowed at Nissan

The defense for Nashville SC at Nissan Stadium has been pristine through the four matches the club has played at its future MLS home over the last two USL Championship seasons. Two 0-0 draws last season and two 2-0 wins this season have made Nissan a fortress for Nashville SC and its fans.

3) Pickens In Line for Gold

With a league-leading 13th clean sheet of the USL Championship season, Nashville SC keeper Matt Pickens extending his lead in the Golden Glove race with just one match in the season. Pickens’ goals against average now sits at 0.67 for the season with just 16 goals allowed in 24 matches. He leads Phoenix Rising’s Zac Lubin who has allowed 22 goals in 27 matches, but has yet to play tonight.

Up Next Nashville SC will play its final regular season match at First Tennessee Park next Saturday night against Atlanta United 2. NSC is 4-0-0 against Atlanta United 2 in club history, and could clinch the East’s number one seed with a win.

The Lady Raider soccer team of Coffee County CHS closed out the regular season on Thursday in Murfreesboro taking on Siegel.  After taking off 2 full weeks, the Lady Raiders were looking to shake some rust off going into next week’s district tournament.  The Lady Raiders could not get their offense on track as they dropped a 5 to 0 decision.

The Lady Raiders will open district tournament play on Tuesday as they will host a semifinal matchup.  Coffee County will take on the winner of Saturday’s quarterfinal matchup between Shelbyville and Columbia.  Opening kick is set for 6:30 PM, Thunder Radio will be on hand to bring you the broadcast as part of the 1^st National Bank Hometown Sports Series.  Our live coverage begins with the pregame show at 6:20.  Coach Lee Xixis will be a guest on Saturday’s Coffee Coaches Show.  The Coffee Coaches Show is broadcast live each Saturday at 10 AM from the showroom of Al White Ford/Lincoln.  The Coffee Coaches Show is heard exclusively here on Thunder Radio.

The Coffee County Middle School 6^th grade basketball teams opened the season in Sparta on Thursday night.  The Lady Raiders dropped a 35 to 21 decision.  The Red Raiders fell 23 to 19.

The Lady Raiders were led in scoring by Natalie Barnes who had 16 points.  Ella Arnold added 5.  The Red Raiders were led in scoring by Jace Cashion who had 12 points.  Alex Kilgore added 6.

The 6^th graders will return to the court on Monday when they will host Warren County.  Tip-off for the girls’ game is set for 6 PM.

The Nashville Predators scored two goals in 28 seconds in the third period in a 6-5 win against the Washington Capitals at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday.

Ryan Johansen scored two goals, and Matt Duchene and Filip Forsberg each had a goal and an assist for the Predators (3-1-0).

Alex Ovechkin scored two goals and John Carlson had three assists for the Capitals (2-1-2), who lost their third in a row and had a four-game point streak to start the season end.

Nick Bonino scored for the Predators to tie the game 5-5 at 14:52 of the third period on a rebound.

Mattias Ekholm scored 28 seconds later to give the Predators a 6-5 lead on a slap shot from the point.

T.J. Oshie gave the Capitals a 5-4 lead at 10:09 of the third period on a wrist shot from the right circle.

Matt Duchene scored his first goal with Nashville to tie the game 4-4 at 6:13 of the third period on a one-timer from below the right face-off circle. He received a pass from Forsberg

Lars Eller gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 9:17 of the first period.

Forsberg scored for the Predators to tie the game 1-1 at 10:39 of the first period on a breakaway.

Ovechkin gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead at 4:46 of the second period with a one-timer on the power play. He received a pass from Carlson and beat Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne.

Johansen scored to tie the game 2-2 at 7:37 of the second period on the rush on a pass from Viktor Arvidsson.

Tom Wilson gave the Capitals a 3-2 lead with a shorthanded goal on the rush at 12:28 of the second period on the rush.

Ovechkin gave the Capitals a 4-2 lead at 17:36 of the second period on the power play on a one-timer.

Johansen scored his second goal of the game for the Predators to make it 4-3 on the power play at 5:03 of the third period on a rebound from in front of the net.

The Predators will hit the ice again on Saturday when they travel to Los Angles to take on the Kings.  Face off is set for 5 PM and Thunder Radio will have the broadcast as part of the Fifth Third Bank/Nashville Predators Radio Network.  Predators hockey is brought to you locally by the law offices of Burch and Lockhart.

Pete Weber’s Postgame Report

Thursday Prep Schedule

5:00 PM – CHS Volleyball HOSTS Franklin Co – District Tourn – 1^st National Bank Hometown Sports Series broadcast on Thunder Radio

6:00 PM – CCMS 6th Grade Basketball at White County

7:00 PM – CHS Girls’ Soccer at Siegel

Story by Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com

The Titans have signed kicker Cody Parkey to the team’s roster, along with a pair of running backs – Rod Smith and Dalyn Dawkins.  The Titans have also waived offensive lineman Hroniss Grasu, a day after parting ways with offensive lineman David Quessenberry.

Parkey will take over the kicking duties for the Titans, who also released Cairo Santos on Monday after his bad day on Sunday vs. the Bills.  The Titans travel to Denver to face the Broncos on Sunday.

Smith, who has spent most of his NFL career with the Cowboys, brings even more experience to the backfield. He joins running backs Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis on the roster, along with Dawkins, who was promoted from the team’s practice squad. The Titans recently placed running back David Fluellen on Injured Reserve.

Smith, who has also spent time with the Seahawks and Giants, spent four seasons with the Cowboys, playing in 48 games from 2015-18 after being awarded to Dallas on waivers from Seattle. He scored two touchdowns, including an 81-yarder, against New York in a game in 2017. In his career, the Ohio State product has rushed for 364 yards and five touchdowns and caught 30 passes for 272 yards.

Parkey, who played collegiately at Auburn, went 23-of-30 on field goals and 42-of-45 on extra points with the Bears last season. In his career he’s made 99-of-118 kicks (83.9 percent) and 149-of-156 extra point attempts (95.5 percent) while also kicking with the Dolphins, Browns, and Eagles, where he was a Pro Bowl performer in 2014.

The Titans began the season with Santos after Ryan Succop was placed on Injured Reserve. Santos went 4-of-9 in five games with the team, including an 0-for-4 performance on Sunday against the Bills.

Succop isn’t eligible to return until after Week 8.

Also on Tuesday, the Titans signed offensive lineman Daniel Munyer to the practice squad while terminating receiver Papi White from the team’s practice squad. Munyer (6-1, 305) played collegiately at Colorado and has spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs, Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts.

The Titans also re-signed Quessenberry back to the team’s practice squad. Quessenberry played in the team’s first four games, but he was inactive on Sunday. The offensive tackle caught a touchdown pass in the team’s game against the Colts earlier this season.

For the third time this season at First Tennessee Park, Nashville SC produced a stoppage time match-winning goal to take a vital three points against Louisville City FC 2-1. The latest heart stopper came courtesy of defender Jimmy Ockford, whose leaping header at the top of the box in the second minute of stoppage time gave Nashville a massive win over defending champions Louisville City.

From a free kick, Forrest Lasso sent a perfect ball to the box where it met the head of Ockford. The goal was made extra sweet after Louisville City had equalized just 10 minutes prior off a corner to seemingly pull a draw from the hands of defeat, but Nashville again showed relentless effort in pulling out the win.

It was Nashville SC who struck first in the 5’ minute with a volley from Taylor Washington. Winger Ropapa Mensah beat his man towards the end line and served a ball across the face of goal that made it through to Justin Davis on the far side. Davis immediately sent the ball short to Washington who volleyed into the top of the net to give Nashville the lead.

Nashville then defended for its life as Louisville City came in waves, controlling the two-thirds of the possession and taking 10 shots in the second half. The defense held firm, and Nashville got another top shelf performance from its keeper Matt Pickens.

Here are three takeaways from the dramatic stoppage time victory.

1) Title Race Update

There has been no bigger win for Nashville SC when it comes to the standings in the East. Instead of being tied for second and three points behind Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC for first, Nashville SC is just one point behind Pittsburgh in the race for the Eastern Conference crown and two points clear of third-place Indy Eleven. Nashville SC can clinch home field in the first round of the playoffs with one win in the final two matches of the season, both at home. First place is still very possible as Pittsburgh will have to go on the road for its final two matches at Saint Louis FC and Birmingham Legion FC. Any dropped points will open the door for Nashville.

2) Ockford and Lasso the Difference

The goal, scored by Ockford and assisted by fellow defender Forrest Lasso, was a snapshot of the difference between the Nashville SC that lost to Louisville 2-1 earlier in the season and Nashville that won today. Neither Lasso or Ockford were members of Nashville for that defeat in July, but were brought in on loan soon after to bolster the defense and provide NSC a spark for the stretch run. The moves have worked to perfection as Nashville has allowed just seven goals in the last fourteen matches with a 10-2-2 record. The Boys in Gold are the best defensive team in the USL Championship with only 26 total goals allowed.

3) Club of Chaos

Dubbed a “Club of Chaos” by TV broadcaster John Freeman, Nashville SC won its third home match out of the last four on a dramatic stoppage time goal in front of the supporters’ section. Those six added points, the difference between three draws and three wins, mean Nashville SC is in second instead of fifth. The taste for the title is certainly sweeter, and the celebration that ensued after Ockford’s header with the fans was as chaotic as the goal, as the players formed a dogpile behind the net with the cheering fans serving as a backdrop. It might not do much for fans’ cardiac health, but Nashville SC has lately had one of the most fun home forms of any team in the league.

Up Next

Nashville SC will play its second match of the week on Saturday night at 7 p.m. when it takes on North Carolina FC at Nissan Stadium in a showcase before its first season of Major League Soccer in 2020. Tickets are available for the match starting at $15.

The Temple Baptist Christian School volleyball team traveled to Cleveland on Tuesday for a tri-match.  The Lady Eagles squared off against Shenandoah Baptist and Fairview Christian Academy of Athens.  The Lady Eagles ended up with a pair of wins on the day in a pair of best of 3 matches.

Against the host Shenandoah Lady Lions, Temple dropped the first set 22 to 25 before rallying to grab the next 2 sets 25-11 and 15-9.   The Lady Eagles grabbed a 2 set win over the Lady Falcons of Fairview.  Temple won by set scores of 25-14 and 25-21.

Temple’s season will conclude this weekend with another tournament in Louisville, KY hosted by Landmark Christian Academy.   That tournament will be held on Friday and Saturday.

 
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Four members of the Westwood football team were honored as members of the Duck River Valley Conference All Conference team.  The announcement was made on Tuesday that Brayden Dixon, Cody Douglas, Izick Sierra and Jayden Carter were selected for the squad in a vote by the league coaches.   The quartet helped lead the Rockets to a record of 3 and 5 this season including wins over Cannon County and Community.  The Rockets are coached by Chad Dyer.