Category: Sports

Brayden Tomberlin of CCMS volleyball

The Coffee County Middle School volleyball team welcomed old rival Tullahoma to the CCMS gym on Thursday for their 2^nd match of the year.  An injury and illness riddled Lady Raider team were looking for the season sweep in the series.  After picking up a win in the opening set, Coffee County dropped the final 2 sets to lose the match to Tullahoma.

Coffee County and Tullahoma split the first 2 sets 25 to 14.  Tullahoma captured the win in the tiebreaker set by a score of 15 to 9.  Raider coach Tori Taylor had praise for Kurry Neel and Madison Pruitt for their service game.  She also called out Brayden Tomberlin for her play at the net with blocks and hits.

Coffee County will return to the court on Tuesday when they play host to Westwood.  Thunder Radio will be on hand to bring you that broadcast as well as part of the 1^st National Bank Hometown Sports Series.  Opening serve is set for 4:30 PM, we will begin our live coverage at 4:20 PM.

Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota had the night off, and so did the rest of the team’s starters.

Thursday night in the Windy City was a night reserved for the back-ups, and roster hopefuls, many looking to make one final impression on the Titans – and the rest of the NFL.

Some made very good ones.

The Titans rallied for a 19-15 win over the Chicago Bears on Thursday night at Soldier Field, which wrapped up the preseason for both teams. Quarterback Logan Wooside guided a scoring drive in the closing minutes, and running back Dalyn Dawkins provided 117 rushing yards and two receiving touchdowns.

Woodside connected with Dawkins for a three-yard touchdown with 1:25 left to lift the Titans to a win.

After the contest, Titans head coach Mike Vrabel immediately put things in perspective.

“It’s the unfortunate reality: Some of those guys we just won a football game with won’t be with us,” Vrabel said. “Some of them will go somewhere else and play, some of the will be with us. And some of them won’t play football again.

“I thanked them for their effort. It was cool to see everybody into it on the sideline. Guys were excited for all those guys out there that finished that game and competed.”

Now, the focus turns to the regular season opener on September 8 at Cleveland.

But first, roster cuts.

All NFL teams must be down to 53 players by 3 p.m. CT on Saturday. The Titans currently have 89 players on their 90-man roster, counting former Packers linebacker Reggie Gilbert, who was acquired in a trade – pending a physical.

Woodside started Thursday night’s contest and played the entire game. He finished the night completing 17-of-29 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns, good for a passer rating of 104.4. In four preseason contests, Woodside completed 46-of-76 passes for 539 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. His passer rating was an impressive 99.6.

“It was a huge opportunity, and I just went out there and tried to make the most of it,” Woodside said. “I just wanted to be a leader, and I wanted to make some plays. Whatever happens now, I am excited for it. It is not up to me now, and whatever is meant to be will be.”

Dawkins led the Titans rushing attack, and he also caught a pair of three-yard touchdowns.

After the Bears jumped ahead 12-0, Woodside engineered a four-play, 75-yard drive in the second quarter that ended with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Dawkins. The touchdown was set up by a pair of big throws from Woodside – a 45-yard completion to receiver Kalif Raymond, and a 19-yard toss to receiver Cody Hollister. A missed extra point by kicker Ryan Succop kept the score 12-6, and that was the score at halftime.

A 33-yard field goal by Succop cut the lead to 12-9 with 9:13 left in the third quarter a drive that was highlighted by a 19-yard run from Dawkins and a 23-yard completion from Woodside to receiver Anthony Ratliff-Williams. But the Bears answered back with a field goal by Eddy Piniero, his third of the night.

Succop added another field goal – from 23 yards – to make it 15-12 with 10:26 left in the contest. The drive featured a pair of nice runs from Dawkins, a completion to receiver Cody Hollister, and a scramble by Woodside for a first down.

Just like on the offensive side of the ball, the Titans also rested their starters on defense.

Linebacker Derick Roberson was among the defensive stars, producing two sacks.

“It felt real good,” Roberson said. “Any time you can get to the quarterback it feels good. The focus was all the way there tonight. It was the last chance, and I wanted to make the most of it. The energy was definitely different.”

The Bears jumped out to a 6-0 lead on an eight-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Bray to Jesper Horsted before getting a pair of first half field goals from Piniero.

The Titans finished the preseason with a 2-2 mark.

On the final road game of the season, the Sounds defeated the Omaha Storm Chasers 8-4 on Thursday night. Matt Davidson launched his 32nd home run in the season to lead the Sounds’ offense.

Five of the Sounds’ runs were scored in the first inning. Zack Granite scored the first run on a wild pitch. Patrick Wisdom hit a two-run single. Davidson launched his two-run homer to cap off the first inning, giving the Sounds a 5-0 lead early.

Another run was scored by Nashville in the top of the third inning. Tim Federowicz hit an RBI single to extend the lead 6-0.

Nashville kept the heat on with two runs in the fifth inning. Preston Beck kept his good season with the Sounds going with an RBI single. Granite followed with an RBI single and extended Nashville’s lead to 8-0.

Omaha started scoring late in the game. The Storm Chasers grabbed two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Jorge Bonafacio hit an RBI double to score the first run of the game. Erich Weiss hit him in to make the game 8-2. Weiss scored two more runs in the eighth inning after hitting a two-run homer to cut the Sounds’ lead to 8-4.

David Carpenter came in to close out the game in the ninth inning, halting Omaha’s offense in a non-save situation. The Sounds were able to defeat Omaha 8-4, splitting the series 2-2. Nashville returns home on Friday for the final series of the season against San Antonio. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.

Post-Game Notes

– With Thursday’s 8-4 win, the Sounds improved to 63-71 in 2019.

– Thursday was the last road game for the Sounds. They finished with a 36-32 record.

– Matt Davidson drilled his 32nd home run of the season Thursday. He tied Renato Nuñez (2017) and Chad Hermansen (1999) for the fifth-most homers in a single-season by a Sounds’ hitter. It was also his third-straight game with a home run and his second three-game home run streak in his last 11 games.

– Zack Granite led all hitters with three hits. It was his eighth three-hit game of the season, tying Andy Ibanez for the most on the team.

– Seth Maness finished his season with a quality start and his eighth win of the season. It was his sixth quality start of the season.

Thursday Prep Schedule
4:00 PM – Elementary School Cross Country Meet at Manchester Soccer Park
4:30 PM – CCMS Volleyball HOSTS Tullahoma
4:45 PM – CCMS Girls’ Soccer HOSTS White County – 1st National Hometown Sports Series broadcast on Thunder Radio
6:30 PM – CHS Volleyball at Lincoln County
6:30 PM – WMS Football HOSTS Fayetteville

Blayne Myers of CCMS football

The Coffee County Middle School football team welcomed Harris Middle School to Carden-Jarrell Field on Wednesday night.   The Red Raiders took advantage of 3 first half turnovers by Harris to build a 17 to 0 halftime lead on their way to a 36 to 6 win.

Coffee Middle enjoyed great field position all night as they started every drive in Harris territory.  Red Raider fullback Blayne Myers led the Raider attack with 4 touchdowns on the night, 2 in each half.  Jackson Shemwell added the 5^th Coffee Middle touchdown on a 6 yard touchdown run in the 4^th quarter.  Ethan Hargrove had a field goal and 2 extra point kicks as well as pinning Harris deep all night long on kickoffs and punts.

Cole Pippenger led the Red Raiders in rushing with 41 yards on 7 carries.  Myers ended up with 36 yards on 7 carries.  Pippenger was also the leading receiver as he caught 2 passes for 17 yards.

The Raiders are back at home on Tuesday when they welcome South Franklin for Homecoming.  Kick-off is set for 6:30 PM.

The Coffee County CHS golf team welcomed 12 teams to Willowbrook for the annual Golden Classic on Wednesday.  Fielding one of the strongest fields in the state of Tennessee, the Raider linksters hosted teams from all corners of the Volunteer State.

In boys’ action, Signal Mountain won the tournament with a score of 283.  Cookeville grabbed 2^nd place with a team score of 309 and Oakland finished in 3^rd place with a score of 317.  Coffee County posted a team score of 358.

In girls’ play, Cleveland walked away with the title with a score of 163 edging 2^nd place Tullahoma by 3 strokes.  Milan finished in 3^rd place with a round of 173.  Coffee County ended the round with a score of 298.

The Raider linksters return to the links on Tuesday when they travel to McMinnville to compete in the Keith Maxwell Invitational at McMinnville Country Club.  That tournament will tee off at 9 AM.

Allie Sullivan of WMS volleyball

Returning to the court for the first time in 2 weeks, the Westwood volleyball team played host to Warren County on Wednesday night.  Despite improved communication from Westwood, the more experienced Lady Pioneers grabbed a 2 set win.   Warren County won by set scores of 13-25 and 18-25.

“(The) girls talked to each other on the court and played well, we just were not getting our serves in” said Lady Rocket coach Kinda Baxter.  She called out the play of Rylee Clark and Allie Sullivan in the varsity match.

The junior varsity fought hard but fell in straight sets too.  Westwood fell by set scores of 17-25 and 12-25.  “JV did better than they ever have” said Baxter.  She went on to say “they called the ball and played their positions well.”  Baxter highlighted the play of Kaidence Medley and Maddy Carter.

The Lady Rockets will be back at home on Friday afternoon as they welcome South Franklin to the Joel Vinson Gym.  First serve is set for 4:30 PM.

The Nashville Sounds Baseball Club returns to First Tennessee Park on Friday, August 30 to begin their final homestand of the 2019 season. The Sounds welcome the San Antonio Missions for four games from August 30-September 2.

Below is a preview for the four-game homestand:

Friday, August 30 vs. San Antonio – 7:05 p.m.

– Gates open at 5:35 p.m.

– 2020 Magnet Schedule Giveaway presented by FOX 17 News to the first 4,000 fans.

– Faith and Family Worship Night presented by Trevecca University – Join the Sounds for a night of worship and baseball at First Tennessee Park. Trevecca’s Awaken performs a pre-game concert near the Family Fun Zone with worship set to begin at 6:00. Fans attending Faith and Family Worship Night can receive a $2 ticket discount by ordering tickets online.

– Memphis Grizzlies Regional Caravan Tour stop at First Tennessee Park featuring 2019 second overall pick Ja Morant and the Grizz Entertainment Squad. Morant will sign autographs from 6:45 to 7:30, or the end of the first inning.

– FOX 17 News postgame fireworks presented by Koorsen Fire & Security.

Saturday, August 31 vs. San Antonio – 7:05 p.m.

– Gates open at 6:00 p.m.

– University of Tennessee Visor Giveaway presented by First Tennessee to the first 2,000 fans.

– Enjoy Saturday at the Park with visits to The Band Box and our Family Fun Zone in the right field corner.

Sunday, September 1 vs. San Antonio – 6:15 p.m.

– Gates open at 5:15 p.m.

– Labor Day Club Level All-You-Can-Eat Cookout – Tickets start at $60 for a Club Level ticket and includes a ticket to the game, all-you-can-eat buffet on the Budweiser Deck, Budweiser and Bud Light draft beer, soda, water & tea, commemorative Sounds Rally Towel (while supplies last) and exclusive access to the Brauer Club Lounge. The all-you-can-eat-buffet is available from 5:15-7:15 p.m. and beer is available until last call.

– Fans can enjoy the game from the most luxurious area at First Tennessee Park in the Field Suites directly behind home plate. The Field Suites offer the closest view of the game, a social area behind the seats and a climate-controlled suite with flat-screen TVs. Individual Field Suite tickets start at $40 plus tax.

– Middle Tennessee Hyundai Dealers pre-game autograph session with select Sounds players from 5:15 to 5:30 p.m.

– Postgame Kids (12 & under) Run the Bases presented by First Tennessee.

– Celebrate Labor Day Weekend with the final postgame fireworks show of the season.

Monday, September 2 vs. San Antonio – 12:05 p.m.

– Gates open at 11:00 a.m.

– Kroger Plus Monday – Score a “Family 4-Pack” that includes 4 Select section tickets, 4 hot dogs & 4 fountain sodas for $44 when fans show their Kroger Plus card at the Sounds Ticket Office. Offer is subject to availability.

– Labor Day Club Level All-You-Can-Eat Cookout – Tickets start at $60 for a Club Level ticket and includes a ticket to the game, all-you-can-eat buffet on the Budweiser Deck, Budweiser and Bud Light draft beer, soda, water & tea, commemorative Sounds Rally Towel (while supplies last) and exclusive access to the Brauer Club Lounge. The all-you-can-eat-buffet is available from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and beer is available until last call.

– Fans can enjoy the game from the most luxurious area at First Tennessee Park in the Field Suites directly behind home plate. The Field Suites offer the closest view of the game, a social area behind the seats and a climate-controlled suite with flat-screen TVs. Individual Field Suite tickets start at $40 plus tax.

– Fan Appreciation Day – Celebrate the 2019 season finale with $1 hot dogs and $2 & $3 drink specials presented by Pepsi, Eisenberg & Martin’s Potato Rolls (while supplies last).

Seniors and Military families can enjoy a $2.00 discount on single-game ticket prices at First Tennessee Park. The offer is valid for any reserved seat section on Sunday through Wednesday games – subject to availability. Offer valid for up to four (4) tickets per I.D. (Seniors 55 +, government-issued military I.D. required at ticket office; no phone orders).

The 2020 season begins on Thursday, April 9 when the Sounds host the Iowa Cubs. 2020 season ticket memberships are on sale through the Nashville Sounds ticket office with special early-bird benefits and incentives through the month of August. For more information on membership packages, call 615-690-4487, or e-mail tickets @ nashvillesounds.com.

Kiya Ferrell of CHS volleyball

Hitting the road for their first road district match of the season, the Coffee County Central High School volleyball team visited Columbia on Tuesday.  Taking on one of the top teams in the district, the Lady Raiders squared off against the Lady Lions.  Coffee County struggled with hitting errors as they fell in 4 sets.  Coffee County dropped the match 23-25, 25-23, 17-25 and 20-25.

Twenty one hitting errors and 9 service errors ended up giving Columbia almost a 3^rd of the points they would accumulate in the match.  Defensively, the Lady Raiders had an impressive 52 digs and 6 blocks.  Kiya Ferrell led the Lady Raiders in aces with 4, kills with 11 and digs with 13.  Keri Munn led the Lady Raiders in blocks with 3 while Keelie Hillis and Lexi Bryan each had 2.  Bryan also finished with 10 kills. Maddie Husted tallied 12 digs.  Amanda Mukai led Coffee County in assists with 16 and Hillis added 10.

The loss is the first of the season for Coffee County.  The Lady Raiders will be back on the road on Thursday when they travel to Fayetteville to take on Lincoln County.  First serve is set for 6:30 PM.