Sports – Page 31 – Thunder Radio

Lady Raider junior Jalie Ruehling fights through an apparent foul Friday night, Feb. 4, 2022. On her birthday, Ruehling scored 11 points to help the Lady Raiders beat Warren County. — Thunder Radio photo by Holly Peterson

If championship rings were handed out for district championships, Coffee County would have gotten one for the thumb Friday night.

The CHS Lady Raiders fought off a pesky Warren County team in McMinnville, winning 48-45 to claim their 5th consecutive regular season district championship.

“Warren County is a good basketball team and Shelby Smartt was probably the best player on the floor tonight,” said 5th year Coffee County head coach Joe Pat Cope.

Junior Jalie Ruehling was pretty good, too. The junior has enjoyed playing Warren County all season – scoring in double figures all three games. She scored 11 points Friday night, including a pair of 3-pointers, and handled physical Warren County defensive pressure well all night.

“I like playing in tight games,” said Ruehling, who was also celebrating her 17th birthday. “Everyone did a good job staying calm late in the game.”

Warren County tied the game at 37-37 on a bucket from Smartt midway through the fourth quarter. From there, Coffee County found some offense. Alivia Reel answered with a midrange jumper and Ruehling buried a 3 with 2:46 on the clock to push CHS up 43-39. With a 2-point lead, Elli Chumley hit a free throw with 3.5 seconds to push CHS up 3.

“Every time they made a shot our girls stepped up and answered with a shot,” added Cope.

Chloe Gannon led Coffee County with 12 points, followed by Olivia Vinson with 12. Vinson hit three treys. Ruehling added 11 and Elli Chumley 8. Chumley was named Thunder Radio’s Stone Fort Mortgage Player of the Game.

Coffee County gets the regular season sweep over the Lady Pioneers with the win, going 3-0 against Warren County.

Coffee County improves to 22-3 on the year with the win and clinches first place in District 6-4A. The Lady Raiders will hit the road Saturday night at Rutherford County powerhouse Rockvale. Girls tip at 6 p.m. with the boys to follow – both games broadcast live on Thunder Radio at 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, 106.7 FM, Manchester Go app and thunder1320.com.

THIS GAME WAS BROADCAST LIVE ON THUNDER RADIO! CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE BROADCAST REPLAY!

MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL: Coffee County season ends two wins shy of final four

A Rockvale 3-pointer with 3 seconds on the clock sunk the Coffee County Middle Lady Raiders Friday afternoon, as CMS lost 46-43 in double overtime in the semi-finals of the TMSAA Sectional tournament.

The loss ends the season for CMS. A win would have put the Lady Raiders into the sectional finals and one win away from the TMSAA Final Four.

Natalie Barnes had herself a game for the Lady Raiders in the loss, piling up 22 points. Adalyn Clark pitched in 8.

The loss ends the CMS season with a 22-3 record.

SCHEDULE CHANGES – Coffee County basketball schedule changes and notes for the final week of the regular season

As the 2021-22 Coffee County Central basketball regular season winds down, there are a few scheduling items to take note of over the next week.

Friday, Feb. 4.

Coffee County Lady Raiders and Red Raiders are at Warren County for a pair of big district games. This is on the schedule with no changes. However, you need to purchase tickets online for these two games. No paper tickets at the gate. Purchase tickets with the Go Fan app or by clicking here (if you do not see tickets, hit refresh).

Saturday, Feb. 5
Coffee County Lady Raiders and Red Raiders are at Rockvale – on time and on schedule with no changes. Girls tip at 6pm, boys to follow.

Monday, Feb. 7

CHS will travel to Shelbyville for a double header. This game was originally scheduled for January 4, but was postponed due to snow.

Tuesday, Feb. 8

Both Coffee County teams were originally scheduled to make a 2-hour trek to Pickett County. However, Pickett County has cancelled. Now, the CHS Lady Raiders will travel to play Franklin County at 6 p.m. in a girls only game on Tuesday Feb. 8. This is a makeup from Jan. 21, when the Rebelettes could not play due to COVID.

Friday, Feb. 11

Both CHS teams will close the season at Tullahoma. Girls tip at 6 pm with the boys to follow. This is a makeup from December. Coffee County swept Tullahoma when the two teams met Dec. 17 in Manchester.

All games can be heard live on Thunder Radio WMSR: 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, Manchester Go app and thunder1320.com.

Raiders drop heartbreaker in double-overtime

Jackson Shemwell goes up for 2 points Tuesday night, Feb. 1, 2022. — Thunder Radio photo by Holly Peterson

Back-and-forth late craziness finally ended with Franklin County on top Tuesday night, as the Raiders fell 41-39 in double overtime in Manchester.

Coffee County actually sent the game to overtime after time expired. It appeared as if the Rebels won at the end of regulation after the Raiders could not get a game winning basket, trailing by 1. But a technical foul was called on the Rebels after time expired, sending Dayne Crosslin to the line. He missed the first, but sunk the second to tie the game at 37-37 and force overtime.

And that is where the offense died. For both teams.

Coffee County milked over 2:30 off the clock in the first overtime and appeared poised to take a crack at a game winning shot. But with under 10 seconds to play, the Rebels forced a turnover and had a fast break. Connor Shemwell was called for an intentional foul on the breakaway with 1.5 seconds to play.

From that point, the Rebels went on to miss 4 free throws in the final 1.5 seconds – 2 after the intentional foul and 2 more when the Raiders were whistled for a foul on the Rebels inbound play.

But offense was still stagnant in the second overtime. The Rebels finally went in front with just under 3 seconds to play when Kaleb Rigsby penetrated and scored near the basket.

Defensively, Coffee County did everything it needed to. CHS held Franklin County to single digit points in every quarter except the fourth. But offense was just not there for the Raiders.

Dayne Crosslin led the way with 9 points, followed by Jackson Shemwell with 8.

The loss ends a 6 game winning streak and knocks the Raiders out of first place in the district. It also gives the Rebels the upper hand in the season series, 2-1, and the tiebreaker over CHS.

The Raiders play again this Friday, Feb. 4, at Warren County.

THIS GAME WAS BROADCAST LIVE ON THUNDER RADIO. CLICK HERE FOR THE REPLAY.

Reel drops season high as Lady Raiders roll Rebelettes

Lady Raider junior Alivia Reel poured in a season-high 21 points Tuesday night, Feb. 1, 2022, as the Lady Raiders throttled Franklin County 69-33. — Thunder Radio photo by Holly Peterson

Alivia Reel always has a little smile on her face when she sees Franklin County on the schedule.

The junior guard always plays well against the Rebelettes and that held true Tuesday night in Manchester, as Reel poured in a season high 21 points, including five 3-pointers to lead Coffee County to a 69-33 win.

“I don’t know what it is about them,” said Reel.

The Lady Raiders got off to a sluggish start, actually trailing 10-7 late in the first quarter. But it was all CHS from there, as the Lady Raiders ripped off a 30-0 run to close the half, holding Franklin County scoreless in the entire second period to take a 37-10 halftime lead.

“Anytime you can hold a 4A basketball team scoreless for over 8 minutes is good defense,” said CHS head coach Joe Pat Cope.

Coffee County substituted liberally late in the game.

Junior post Chloe Gannon pitched in 13 points, followed by a litany of players near double figures. Channah Gannon scored 9, Jalie Ruehling 8, Olivia Vinson and Elli Chumley each with 7. Kiya Ferrell added 4 points for CHS.

With the win, the Lady Raiders are one district win away from clinching the District 6-4A regular season title. They play at Warren County Friday.

THIS GAME WAS BROADCAST LIVE ON THUNDER RADIO. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE AUDIO REPLAY.

Coffee Middle advances to next round of TMSAA Sectional

Double digit points from Natalie Barnes and Ella Arnold led the Coffee Middle Lady Raiders past Oakland 40-14 in the opening round of the TMSAA Sectional Tournament Tuesday afternoon at Stewarts Creek.

Barnes poured in 15 points and Arnold added 11. The Lady Raiders improve to 22-2 with the win and will now play in the next round of the sectional at 5:15 p.m. Thursday at Stewarts Creek. That game will be broadcast live on Thunder Radio.

If Coffee County can beat Rockvale, the Lady Raiders will advance to the Sectional Championship at 6 pm Friday. A win in that game puts them in the final four of the state.

THIS GAME WAS BROADCAST LIVE ON THUNDER RADIO. CLICK HERE TO CATCH THE BROADCAST REPLAY.

CHS sends 4 swimmers to state; Grace Academy qualifies 6 swimmers

The Coffee County High School swim team had four swimmers qualify for the TISCA High School State Meet coming up on Feb. 11 and 12 at Centennial Sportplex. Grace Academy Home School had six swimmers to qualify for the state.

Qualifying for the state for CHS were Kennedy Norman-Young, Emily Williams, Abby Gilday and Elsie Lazalier. For Grace Academy were Maddie DeWolfe, Matthew Howlett, Isaac Lee, TJ Skalicky, Braeden Buchanan and Rosalea Buchanan.

See full results here.

Bottom row- Coffee County Central High School Swimmers, Kennedy Norman- Young, Emily Williams, Abby Gilday, Elsie Lazalier Back row- Grace Academy Homeschool, Maddie DeWolfe, Matthew Howlett, Isaac Lee, TK Skalicky, Braeden Buchanan, Rosalea Buchanan

Raiderette dance team nabs top 5 finish

The Coffee County Central Raiderette Dance team took a top 5 finish in the pom category and a top 10 finish in Jazz and Gameday categories at their UDA dance competition over the weekend.

Some of the top dance teams in the country were on hand for the competition.

DISTRICT SWEEP: Vinson drops 24, Shemwell 21 as CHS rolls at Shelbyville

Olivia Vinson tied a career high with 24 points Friday night, January 28, 2022. –Thunder Radio photo by Holly Peterson

Once they started falling, they didn’t stop for Olivia Vinson Friday night.

The freshman guard was red hot from behind the 3-point line, using 6 3-pointers to tie her career high of 24 points as the Central High School Lady Raiders cruised past Shelbyville Eaglettes 63-29 at Shelbyville Central High School.

“Once the first one went in they just started falling,” said Vinson, who was named Thunder Radio Stone Fort Mortgage Player of the Game.

Vinson had 15 in the first half to held CHS take a 31-9 halftime lead. The Lady Raiders only allowed one field goal from the Eaglettes in the entire first half.

“We made some adjustments, we wanted to switch on screens better after they had some open looks at our place,” said CHS head coach Joe Pat Cope.

The win marks 18 in a row for the Lady Raiders, who are ranked no. 5 in the state AP rankings.

Vinson was joined early by Jalie Ruehling, who knocked down a couple of 3-pointers. And that freed up the middle of the floor, where the Gannon sisters took over in the second half. Chloe Gannon poured in 14 points (11 in the second half) and sister Channah Gannon pitched in 8 in the second half.

Alivia Reel had a strong second half and finished with 8 points. Ruehling added 6 and Kiya Ferrell 4.

THIS GAME WAS BROADCAST LIVE ON THUNDER RADIO. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE BROADCAST REPLAY.

Red Raiders 60, Eagles 46

The Red Raiders are playing their best basketball of the season.

Connor Shemwell was hot early and never cooled off Friday night, torching the Eagles of Shelbyville for 21 points to lead the Raiders to a 60-46 win. Coffee County never trailed and controlled the game throughout, despite the Eagles cutting the deficit to 5 at one point in the fourth quarter.

Junior guard Dayne Crosslin battled foul trouble and still managed to finish with 13 for Coffee County. Cooper Reed, Phineas Rollman and Brady Nugent pitched in 6 points apiece, Jackson Shemwell 4, Jahlin Osbourne 3 and Aidan Abellana 2.

The win marks six straight for the Raiders, putting them at 15-7 overall and 5-1 in District 6-4A, alone in the top spot of the standings.

The Raiders were able to overcome a rough night at the charity stripe (7-of-16) by limiting turnovers to just 6.

Shelbyville struggled with fouls – losing two starters fouling out.

THIS GAME WAS BROADCAST LIVE ON THUNDER RADIO. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE AUDIO REPLAY.

Both Coffee County teams return to action on Tuesday when Franklin County comes to town. It is the final home game of the season for CHS – girls tip at 6 pm with the boys to follow. Tickets available at the gate. Hear the games live on Thunder Radio: 107.9 FM, 1320 AM, Manchester Go app and thunder1320.com.