Whatever Coffee County coach Andrew Taylor said to his team in the locker room may need to be bottled up and sold. It worked like magic.
Trailing 25-21 at the break, the CHS Red Raiders outscored visiting Howard School 13-1 in the third quarter and dominated every aspect of the game in the second half on their way to a 52-40 win in the Region 3-4A quarter-finals Saturday night (Feb. 26, 2022) in Manchester.
Coffee County took control in the third quarter and never looked back. Howard’s only point in the entire period came on a questionable technical foul call with 30 seconds to play in the quarter. The Tigers didn’t score a second-half field goal until there was 6:55 to play in the fourth quarter.
Coffee County led by as many as 14 points. The Tigers never got closer than 9 in the final minutes.
Dayne Crosslin paced the Raiders with 14 points and was named Thunder Radio’s Stone Fort Mortgage Player of the Game. Connor Shemwell and Phineas Rollman each pitched in 10 points. Brady Nugent finished with 9 points, Aidan Abellana 4, John Dobson 2, Jahlin Osbourne 2 and Jackson Shemwell 1.
The Raiders did struggle at the free throw line, finishing 17-of-29.
But in the end that didn’t matter. The win improves the Raiders to 21-9 and sends them to the Region 3-4A semi-finals on Tuesday night (March 1) where they will see a familiar foe – the Rebels of Franklin County. The Rebels won the season series over the Raiders 2-1, including a double overtime loss for the Raiders.
Tip for Tuesday night is set for approximately 7:45 p.m. (There is another semi-final game at 6 p.m.). All region games played at Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gymnasium. Tickets will be available at the gate and that game will be broadcast live on Thunder Radio: 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM, Manchester Go app, thunder1320.com and on Raider TV (video streamed through Thunder Radio Facebook page). A win over Franklin County will put the Raiders in the Region Championship game and guarantees a spot in the state sectional game. A loss ends the season.
The loss Saturday night ends the season for Howard’s Hustlin’ Tigers. They finish 20-10.
THIS GAME WAS BROADCAST LIVE ON THUNDER RADIO. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE BROADCAST REPLAY.
girls play Monday
The CHS Lady Raiders will also play in the region semi-finals next week – hosting McMinn County at approximately 7:30 p.m. Monday night at The Patch. Tickets will be available at the gate and that game will be broadcast live on Thunder Radio: 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM, Manchester Go app, thunder1320.com and on Raider TV (video streamed through Thunder Radio Facebook page) . A win would move the Lady Raiders to the Region Championship and a spot in the state sectional. A loss ends the season.
Dayne Crosslin 
Jackson Shemwell 
Connor Shemwell 
Dayne Crosslin
-Thunder Radio photos by Holly Peterson
REGION BASKETBALL: Lady Raiders pull away from Ooltewah, advance to region semi-finals
The assignment is simple now. Survive and advance.
That’s the goal for basketball teams across the state now as region play began Friday night – and Coffee County’s Lady Raiders understood the assignment.
Coffee County got double-digit points from Elli Chumley, Kiya Ferrell and Jalie Ruehling, pulling away from visiting Ooltewah late for a 65-42 win over the Lady Owls.
“You know, this time of the year it is survive and advance and we were able to take care of business tonight,” said CHS head coach Joe Pat Cope. “Early on we had some shots that weren’t falling but we hung in there.”
Coffee County led wire to wire. Taking a 14-6 lead after one quarter and an 11 point lead into the locker room. The Lady Raiders led by 12 after three quarters and pulled away in the fourth behind a strong night off the bench from Ferrell, who dropped 11 points, and Jalie Ruehling who scored all 10 of her points in the second half.
Chumley led the way for CHS with 14 points – 6 coming at the free throw line. Chloe Gannon and Olivia Vinson pitched in 9 points apiece and Channah Gannon 7. Alivia Reel scored 4 and Ava McIntosh had 1 point for CHS.
The Lady Raiders were 13-of-23 at the free throw line and turned the ball over 6 times.
The win improves Coffee County to 29-3 on the season. The Lady Raiders will host McMinn County in the Region 3-4A semi-finals Monday night at 7:30 p.m. at Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gymnasium. That is also an elimination game. The winner will advance to the region championship against either Bradley Central or Warren County. The loser’s season will end.
Tickets for the region semi-finals are available at the gate – $8 for adults and $4 for students. The game will be broadcast live on Thunder Radio – 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM, Manchester Go App and thunder1320.com.
Ooltewah’s season ends with the loss to the Lady Raiders. The Lady Owls were led by Jordan McCullough with 14 points before she fouled out.
THIS GAME WAS BROADCAST LIVE ON THUNDER RADIO. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE REPLAY.
boys up next
The CHS Red Raider boys will host Howard Saturday night at 7 p.m. in the boys region quarter-finals. Tickets available at the gate – game can be be heard live on Thunder Radio.
Ava McIntosh & Joe Pat Cope 
Kiya Ferrell 
Kiya Ferrell 
Olivia Vinson 
Jalie Ruehling 
Elli Chumley
STATE WRESTLING: Barlow to wrestle for 3rd place
Coffee County Central High School sophomore Jacob Barlow will wrestle for third place in the state Saturday morning at the TSSAA State Wrestling meet.
Wrestling in the 152-pound class, Barlow won his first two matches of the tournament and was one win shy of reaching the state title match, but lost 4-3. He bounced back and won an 8-3 decision over Charles McTorry of Nolensville for third place Saturday morning at the Williamson County Expo Center.
REGION BASKETBALL: Lady Raiders, Raiders host region games this weekend
The Region 3-4A tournament is coming to Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gymnasium in Manchester. Coffee County will host tournament opening games Friday and Saturday night in the quarter-final round.
Ticket prices have been set by TSSAA at $8 per adult and $4 for students. No season tickets, renaissance cards or employee passes will be accepted. Tickets are available at the gate.
Lady Raiders play Friday
The Coffee County Lady Raiders (no. 1 seed) will host Ooltewah, the no. 4 seed from District 5-4A in the region quarter-finals on Friday. This is an elimination game – the loser’s season comes to an end.
Tip is set for 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25 in Manchester at Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gymnasium. Tickets are available at the gate.
The Ooltewah Owls enter Friday night’s contest with a 15-14 record – having played in a tough district with Cleveland and Bradley Central. Walker Valley is the lone common opponent between Ooltewah and Coffee County, and both teams swept the Lady Mustangs. Coffee County beat Walker Valley twice, Ooltewah beat them three times.
Meanwhile, the Coffee County Lady Raiders enter the region quarter-final matchup with Ooltewah with a 28-3 record, riding a 25-game winning streak and ranked no. 4 in the state AP rankings.
The winner will advance to the Region semi-finals at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28 against the winner of Franklin County and McMinn County. That game is also an elimination game and will also be at Coffee County Central High School. The winner of the semi-final game will move on to the region championship, which will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 2 at Coffee County.
Friday night’s game will be broadcast live on Thunder Radio, with an expanded pregame show starting at 6:35 p.m. Listen live at 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM, on the Manchester Go smartphone app and thunder1320.com.
Raider boys hope to keep historic season alive, host Howard
The Howard Hustlin’ Tigers lost to McMinn County in the District 5-4A consolation game, putting the Tigers fourth place in that district and sending them to play the Raiders in the region Saturday night in Manchester.
Tip is set for 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26 in Manchester at Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gymnasium. Tickets are available at the gate.
Howard enters Saturday night with a record of 21-8 on the year, 9-3 in District 5-4A. The Tigers actually placed second during the regular season, but slipped up in the district tournament and placed fourth.
The lone common opponent between Howard and Coffee County this season is the Walker Valley Mustangs. Howard split with Walker Valley, losing by 11 and winning by 2. The CHS Red Raiders lost twice to the Mustangs, by 13 and by 10. However, those losses were before the Christmas break.
The Raiders enter Saturday night with a 20-9 record – coming off a district tournament championship. The Raiders have won 11 of their last 13 games.
The winner will advance to the Region semi-finals at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, March 1 against the winner of Franklin County and Cleveland. That game is also an elimination game and will also be at Coffee County Central High School. The winner of the semi-final game will move on to the region championship, which will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 3 at Coffee County.
Saturday night’s game will be broadcast live on Thunder Radio, with an expanded pregame show starting at 6:35 p.m. Listen live at 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM, on the Manchester Go smartphone app and thunder1320.com.
Titans’ Dupree optimistic about improvement, good health in 2022
TITANS ONLINE
Bud Dupree spent last offseason rehabbing his torn ACL while gearing up for his first season on a new team.
Following his initial season with the Titans, Dupree is looking forward to Year 2 in Tennessee, and finding ways to make even more of a splash.
“This (2021) season reminds me of my second year in the league, when I had a sports hernia and missed like 10 games,” Dupree said of his 2016 season with the Steelers. “Battling through stuff … you get through it and the next year you come back strong. I have to take this offseason and make sure everything is at its highest ability when I come in Day 1, there is no setbacks and nothing to get right and everything would be in a mode to turn up.”
After spending his first six NFL seasons with the Steelers, Dupree recorded 17 tackles, three sacks, 15 quarterback pressures and two tackles for a loss while playing in 11 games, with six starts, with the Titans in 2021, along with two tackles for a loss, a pass defensed and a forced fumble.
Dupree, who recorded 19.5 of his career 42.5 sacks in the two years before arriving in Nashville, said he felt better as the season went on during a year when he was slowed with the knee early, and later with an abdominal injury.
Dupree had surgery on the ACL in December of 2020 while in Pittsburgh.
“At the end of the (2021) season I started to feel good, but they always say after the ACL, that second season is when you start to feel all the way back,” Dupree said. “So, I am looking forward to that. But at the end of the day there is no excuses. Once you go on the field you have to get stuff done, fight through injuries, people go through that all the time. I will make sure (next) year I am as healthy as I’ve ever been and keep going.”
Dupree said he plans to train this offseason in Atlanta with pass rush specialist Chuck Smith and others to get ready for 2022.
He said he’s excited about the prospects of being able to focus more on his training than his rehab, although he knows some rehab work will continue to get himself right.
Dupree is also excited about his new home, in Nashville, with the Titans, and what’s next.
“You have to look at the positive side of things, and you just have to keep grinding,” Dupree said. “The city of Nashville is lit, I would definitely say that. I did not know anything about Nashville (before I got here).
“(And) the organization, there’s a lot of different things I didn’t know about. It’s a family family-oriented organization, and guys really look out for one another. The players are very close-knit, the guys are really looking to know one another outside of football, outside the building, which plays a big part when you are going to battle with your brothers on the field and that is always a plus.”
HEAR THE TITANS IN COFFEE COUNTY EXCLUSIVELY ON THUNDER RADIO – LISTED BY REALTOR CHARLIE GONZALES. 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM.
CHS wrestlers head to state meet Thursday
The Coffee County wrestlers who qualified for the state tournament will head to to the Williamson County Expo Center Thursday to compete.
For anyone wishing to attend, tickets are available for $12 at gofan.co or for $15 at the door.
Red Raider Jacob Barlow, who won the section 152 pound division, will take on Ceron Campbell of Centennial in the opening round. Meanwhile, Nazario Flores will wrestle Zander Ward in the opening round of 170-pound class. Blayne Myers will hit the mat with Ryan Small of Summitt in the 285-pound class.
Lady Raider Lyra Leftwich will take on Madelin Allen of Clarksville in the girls 145 pound first round.
Details and results will be posted at thunder1320.com.
HS BASKETBALL: Raider boys now know region opponent
Coffee County’s Red Raider basketball team now knows who it will host in the boys Region 3-4A quarter-finals Saturday night in Manchester.
The Howard Hustlin’ Tigers lost to McMinn County in the District 5-4A consolation game, putting the Tigers fourth place in that district and sending them to play the Raiders in the region.
Tip is set for 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26 in Manchester at Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gymnasium. Tickets are available at the gate.
Howard enters Saturday night with a record of 21-8 on the year, 9-3 in District 5-4A. The Tigers actually placed second during the regular season, but slipped up in the district tournament and placed fourth.
The lone common opponent between Howard and Coffee County this season is the Walker Valley Mustangs. Howard split with Walker Valley, losing by 11 and winning by 2. The CHS Red Raiders lost twice to the Mustangs, by 13 and by 10. However, those losses were before the Christmas break.
The Raiders enter Saturday night with a 20-9 record – coming off a district tournament championship. The Raiders have won 11 of their last 13 games.
The winner will advance to the Region semi-finals at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, March 1 against the winner of Franklin County and Cleveland. That game is also an elimination game and will also be at Coffee County Central High School. The winner of the semi-final game will move on to the region championship, which will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 3 at Coffee County.
Thunder Radio will broadcast all Coffee County region games – 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM, Manchester Go app and thunder1320.com.
Lady Raiders play Friday
The Coffee County Lady Raiders (no. 1 seed) will host Ooltewah, the no. 4 seed from District 5-4A in the region quarter-finals on Friday. This is an elimination game – the loser’s season comes to an end.
Tip is set for 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25 in Manchester at Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gymnasium. Tickets are available at the gate.
The Ooltewah Owls enter Friday night’s contest with a 15-14 record – having played in a tough district with Cleveland and Bradley Central. Walker Valley is the lone common opponent between Ooltewah and Coffee County, and both teams swept the Lady Mustangs. Coffee County beat Walker Valley twice, Ooltewah beat them three times.
Meanwhile, the Coffee County Lady Raiders enter the region quarter-final matchup with Ooltewah with a 28-3 record, riding a 25-game winning streak and ranked no. 4 in the state AP rankings.
The winner will advance to the Region semi-finals at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28 against the winner of Franklin County and McMinn County. That game is also an elimination game and will also be at Coffee County Central High School. The winner of the semi-final game will move on to the region championship, which will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 2 at Coffee County.
Westwood soccer shows out at Saturday playday
Westwood’s Rocket soccer team dominated at a playday over the weekend – with the varsity Rockets going 3-0, without giving up a single goal.
The Rockets dropped Fayetteville 8-0, Liberty 6-0 and SAS 5-0 — all 30-minute shortened games.
Goals were scored by Micah Anderson, Ismael Salazar, Junior Petatan, Joel Barrera-Ramirez, William Rogers, Farmer Rigsby, Aiden Walker, Joan Denda and Michael Vieras.
The JV Rockets beat Liberty 2-1 before losing to SAS and Community. Mario Gonzales, Damieon Duncan and Skyler Brown scored goals for JV..
HS BASKETBALL: Girls region tournament bracket now in focus
The picture is now clear for the upcoming girls basketball Region 3-4A tournament.
The Coffee County Lady Raiders (no. 1 seed) will host Ooltewah, the no. 4 seed from District 5-4A in the region quarter-finals on Friday. This is an elimination game – the loser’s season comes to an end.
Tip is set for 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25 in Manchester at Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gymnasium. Tickets are available at the gate.
The Ooltewah Owls enter Friday night’s contest with a 15-14 record – having played in a tough district with Cleveland and Bradley Central. Walker Valley is the lone common opponent between Ooltewah and Coffee County, and both teams swept the Lady Mustangs. Coffee County beat Walker Valley twice, Ooltewah beat them three times.
Meanwhile, the Coffee County Lady Raiders enter the region quarter-final matchup with Ooltewah with a 28-3 record, riding a 25-game winning streak and ranked no. 4 in the state AP rankings.
The winner will advance to the Region semi-finals at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28 against the winner of Franklin County and McMinn County. That game is also an elimination game and will also be at Coffee County Central High School. The winner of the semi-final game will move on to the region championship, which will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 2 at Coffee County.
Boy still waiting
The Raider boys are still waiting to see who they will play in the region quarter-finals. The top seeded Raiders will play the loser of McMinn Co and Howard, who play Tuesday night at McMinn County. The boys region quarter-final game will be at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26 and is an elimination game. If the Raiders win Saturday, they advance to the semi-finals on Tuesday, March 1. All boys region games will be in Manchester at Coffee County Central.
Thunder Radio will post updates as they are available.
Thunder Radio will broadcast all Coffee County region games – 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM, Manchester Go app and thunder1320.com.
***
Correction: An earlier version of this story said the Raider boys play the loser of Walker Valley and Cleveland. That was an oversight.
Coffee County sending four wrestlers to individual state meet
It was a good weekend on the mats for the Coffee County Central wrestling team as four wrestlers have now qualified to go to the state tournament.
The Raider boys had five guys wrestling in the Section two tournament and three have qualified to advance to the state – led by Jacob Barlow who took the championship in the 152 pound division.
Nazario Flores placed fourth in 170 pounds and Blayne Myers took fourth in the 285 pound division.
Red Raiders Jeremiah Wardell and Ian Walker also wrestled at the sectional but did not qualify to reach the state.
Meanwhile, wrestling on her birthday Friday night, Lady Raider Lyra Leftwich took second place in the Region 2 tournament to qualify for the state tournament.
