Category: Sports

The 53rd Annual Semmes-McKenzie Lions Bowl freshmen football game will be played on Tuesday October 30th, 2018 at Wilkins Stadium in Tullahoma. This will feature four of the top freshmen football teams in the mid-state area. The first game will start at 6:00 pm when the Murfreesboro Oakland Patriots face off against the Shelbyville Golden Eagles. The second game will start at 8:00 pm when the currently undefeated Mount Juliet Golden Bears will face the currently undefeated Tullahoma Wildcats. The Lions Bowl originated in 1965 and was sponsored by the Tullahoma Civic and Service Council. Sleepy McKenzie was one of the bowl’s originators and continued leading the bowl team through 2006. Bill Comer has been the bowl chairman from 2006 to the present.
During the early years, there were no TSSAA playoffs and the bowls were the only post-season rewards for teams with outstanding records. The Tullahoma Lions Club became the sole sponsor of the game in 1970. After the playoff system was implemented, the bowls continued to operate successfully since only the top teams in a district participate in the playoffs, leaving ample teams with 7 or more wins (the TSSAA requirement at that time) to fill the bowl slots. Eventually, the TSSAA increased participation in the playoffs to the point that only a few teams across the state were available for the bowls. Clester Winningham, Tullahoma freshmen football coach at the time, suggested that the Lions Bowl format be changed to feature freshmen teams. This was done in 1997 and was highly successful. Today, the bowl is widely recognized across the mid-state area as an effective and meaningful reward for high school freshmen football teams.
In June of 2011, The Tullahoma Lions Bowl was renamed the Semmes-McKenzie Lions Bowl. This was done in memory of Dr. Frank Semmes who almost single-handily produced the Lions Bowl printed program from the time the Lions Club assumed sponsorship until his death in early 2011, and James “Sleepy” McKenzie who was one of the original founders of the bowl and chaired the bowl from its inception until 2006.
Proceeds from the game received by the Tullahoma Lions Club will be used to support the club’s Sight Conservation Program which purchases eyeglasses and provides surgery for needy citizens of the local area. The participating schools keep funds from their sale of advanced tickets.
Members of the bowl committee for 2015 are: Bill Comer, chairman; Woody Reasonover, team selection; Carl Webster facilities coordination; Sally Hoehl program; Don Jones, concessions; J. Ray Joellenbeck, tickets; Bob Johnson, press box; Jasper Smith, awards; Richard Kulp, DVD sales; and Tom Redman and John Brandon, gates. Don Jones is the current president of the Tullahoma Lions Club.
The primary sponsor of this year’s bowl will be Lakeway Publishers, Inc. The Tullahoma Lions Club is pleased to have Lakeway and The Tullahoma News participate in the bowl sponsorship along with all the other area businesses that have bought ads in the game program.

by Jim Wyatt

Six things standing out for the Titans after Sunday’s loss to the Chargers, and heading into the bye week.

The Titans return to action on Nov. 5 In a Monday Night Football game at Dallas.

Vrabel’s Guts

Mike Vrabel’s aggressive style of coaching has been noted in this space repeatedly this season. So I was surprised so many were surprised the Titans head coach went for two – and the win – on Sunday. It didn’t work, of course, so he’s being criticized. Personally, I understand the backlash of the actual play call more than the decision to go for it. Let’s face it – the play didn’t come close to working. But I have a hunch some of the same folks ripping Vrabel for the decision to go for two would have been even louder had the Titans kicked the extra point, and then lost without touching the ball in OT.

The Running Game

On too many Sundays, the Titans have been less than spectacular running the football. With the tandem of Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis, I know I expected the team to be better than 17th overall in rushing offense about now. But Sunday’s game vs. the Chargers provided a reason to be optimistic moving forward. Dion Lewis ran for 91 yards on just 13 carries, showing his elusiveness all game long. It was part of a 164-yard rushing day for the Titans, who got 33 yards and a touchdown out of Derrick Henry, and 38 more yards from Marcus Mariota.

Tajae Sharpe

The Titans are going to need more consistency from the receiving corps in the second half of the season. Through seven games, there have been too many drops and too many stretches with little productivity from key players. But on Sunday, I really liked what I saw from receiver Tajae Sharpe. Against the Chargers, Sharpe had seven catches for 101 yards, and he came up big time and again on third down. It should earn him more opportunities moving forward.

Blown Coverages

The Titans played well enough to win on defense against the Chargers, holding them to just 14 first downs. Take out the 55-yard completion and the 75-yard completion and the Titans held the Chargers to just 214 yards of offense on 42 plays. Only that’s the problem – you can’t remove those plays from the equation. So the Titans really gave up 344 yards, including the long TD catches. What the Titans have to do moving forward is keep from getting beat by deep balls, and blown coverages.

Darius Jennings

Return man Darius Jennings continues to do a really nice job on kickoff returns. How nice? Well, the Titans are ranked No.1 in the NFL in kickoff return average. Sure, special teams coach Craig Aukerman and the blockers deserve credit as well. But Jennings has earned some props, because he’s done a really nice job of being aggressive, and hitting it. Jennings, of course, returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown in the opener, and on Sunday he averaged 31.2 yard on five returns, giving the Titans good field position all game.

Division Wide Open

The Titans have hurt themselves in the race for a Wild Card spot. With losses to the Dolphins, Ravens and Chargers, they’re in trouble when it comes to potential tiebreakers. But whose goal is to make the playoffs as a Wild Card anyway? The Titans entered the season with plans to win the AFC South, and the possibility is very much alive. The Texans (4-3) are one game ahead of the Titans (3-4) and Jaguars (3-4) in the division, with the Colts (2-5) bringing up the rear. The Titans are currently 2-0 in the division as well. The Titans control their own destiny. Now, the Titans need to quit letting opportunities escape their grasp and start winning games.

The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF ) announced that tickets to the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup have gone on sale to the general public.

*Tickets to the matches at Allianz Field (Saint Paul, MN) and Children’s Mercy Park (Kansas City, KS) will go on-sale at a later date. Sign-up at GoldCup.org to receive additional information.

Tickets to the Gold Cup, which crowns the best national team in North, Central America and the Caribbean while celebrating soccer, sportsmanship and culture, are available by visiting www.GoldCup.org or calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000. Fans can also contact their specific venue or visit venue websites for box office hours and information.

Buy your tickets at www.GoldCup.org
Follow the tournament news at the event’s official Twitter account and Facebook page
Primesport, the official ticket hospitality and travel package partner of the 2019 Gold Cup, will offer pre-game hospitality and travel packages for select gamedays during the continental championship. Fans can learn more by visiting www.primesport.com.

The complete schedule will be announced early next year, once all nations have qualified for the Gold Cup via the Concacaf Nations League Qualifier, with rounds upcoming in November 2018, and March 2019. To date, six of the 16 national teams scheduled to participate have qualified for next year’s tournament, those being the countries that participated in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Hexagonal qualifier round: Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States.

Taking place every two years, the Concacaf Gold Cup is the region’s premier national team competition, which includes North, Central America and the Caribbean.

The 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup is sponsored by Allstate Insurance Company, Cerveza Modelo, Nike, Scotiabank, and Toyota. The tournament will be broadcast nationally on the Univision and FOX family of networks and transmitted on radio in Spanish by Fútbol de Primera Radio Network, and broadcast by television partners in countries around the world.

2019 Concacaf Gold Cup Host Cities & Venues
Seeded Nations
Group A – Mexico
Group B – Costa Rica
Group C – Honduras
Group D – United States

Dates & Venues:
June 15, Group A – Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
June 16, Group B – Non-US venue to be determined
June 17, Group C – Non-US venue to be determined
June 18, Group D – Allianz Field, Saint Paul, MN
June 19, Group A – Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, CO
June 20, Group B – Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
June 21, Group C – BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, TX
June 22, Group D – FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, OH
June 23, Group A – Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
June 24, Group B – Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ
June 25, Group C – Banc of California Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
June 26, Group D – Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, KS
June 29, Quarterfinal – NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
June 30, Quarterfinal – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
July 2, Semifinal – State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
July 3, Semifinal – Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
July 7, Final – Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

The Rockets and Lady Rockets of Westwood Middle School traveled to Wartrace on Tuesday night for a conference basketball doubleheader.  Taking on the always tough Champions of Cascade the Westwood teams fell in both matchups.  The Lady Rockets lost 32 to 28 while the Rockets fell 59 to 18.

Trailing by only 3 points entering the 4^th quarter, the Lady Rockets could not muster a field goal in the final 6 minutes.  Westwood was 3 of 6 from the free throw line but it was not enough to pull the upset.  The Lady Rockets were led in scoring by Leonor Moreno and Bryleigh Gray who each had 6 points.  Maddie Sullivan and Anna Johnson finished with 5 points each.

The Rockets had no luck in overcoming the full court pressure defense of Cascade.  Cascade held Coffee Middle to just 7 points in the first half in the loss.  Jayden Carter was the leading scorer for Westwood as he tallied 6 points.  Izick Sierra added 4 points.

Westwood will travel to Lynchburg on Thursday night for another conference game with Moore County.  That doubleheader will tip off with the girls’ game getting underway at 6 PM.

Evan Kirby of CCMS basketball

The Coffee County Middle School 6th grade basketball teams hit the road on Tuesday night. Traveling to Sparta, the Raider teams got a rematch with the always tough White County teams. The Raider teams earned their second split in 2 meetings with the Warriors. The Lady Raiders won 35 to 19 while the Red Raiders fell 41 to 16.
The Lady Raiders featured balanced scoring on the night led by Addi Sartain who had 9 points. Peyton Graham chipped in 8 points in the win.
In the boys’ game, the Warriors jumped out to a double digit lead in the first quarter and never looked back. Coffee Middle was held to just 8 points in the first half. The Red Raiders were led in scoring by Evan Kirby who had 6 points. Colter Neel added 4.
The 6th grade squads will be back in action on Thursday night when they host Warren County. That doubleheader will tip off with the girls’ game getting underway at 6 PM.

The Coffee County CHS Red Raider golf team celebrated their record breaking 2018 season with their end of the year banquet on Monday night at The Mercantile Cafe.  All in attendance celebrated a year that saw the team finish 3^rd in the state and compile a team record of 80 and 7.  The Red Raiders won their 2^nd consecutive district and region titles in 2018 and made their 2^nd straight state tournament.

Coaches Mike Ray and Lucky Knott presided over the festivities as they handed out All-District trophies to Matthew Hale, Samuel Prater, Austin Farris and Josh Perry.  Samuel Prater was honored as the District 8 Player of the Year.  Logan Hale was named the Rookie of the Year.  Josh Perry was tabbed as the Most Improved Player.  Matthew Hale won the Coaches Award while Samuel Prater and Austin Farris were named the team’s Co-Players of the Year.  Varsity letters were awarded to Logan Hale, David O’Connor, Chase Hancock and Blake Perry.

October 26th is going to be the 8th Annual Team Up to Tackle Breast Cancer event at the Coffee County CHS football game versus White County at 7 p.m.  The football team will be wearing pink jerseys.  All other participants of the night such as the cheerleaders, dance team members, and band members will also be sporting pink for the night.

Fans are encouraged to participate by purchasing the t-shirt designed for the event.  Anyone wishing to purchase a shirt can contact any Coffee County CHS FBLA member or contact the high school at 931.723.5159.  Shirts are on sale now.  The shirts are long-sleeved costing $15 and $18 for extended sizes.

All proceeds from the shirts will be donated to the Tennessee Breast Cancer Coalition to assist breast cancer patients in Coffee County. Let’s all team up with Coffee County CHS and FBLA to tackle breast cancer.

The Motlow State Community College men’s basketball team seated, from left, are Bryce McBride, Nic Barstad, Jaellan White, Justin Hill, Leo Castillo, Jr., Kin Webster, Derrick Rayford, Darius Harding and Moses Fofana. Standing, from left, are Arthur Latham, head coach; Anterrious Ryhan, Ronald Blount, Jayven Humphrey, Marcus Lacey, Kiyon Sowell, Josh Endicott, Jarius Key, Josh Greer, Gabriel Martin, Kashawn Bradley, and Nick Porter, assistant coach. [Motlow staff photo]

So what have you done lately?

With the beginning of a new season comes new expectations. The championship trophies and All-American awards are stored safely in their cases. All starting players from the past two seasons, who won 53 games and multiple individual awards, are gone, most now playing at four-year schools. Yet Head Coach Arthur Latham has a couple of tricks up his sleeve.

Red-shirt sophomores Leo Castillo, Jr. and Kin Webster return, both bringing two years of championship experience to the Bucks’ revamped roster. Castillo and Webster were red-shirts two years ago, practicing hard and bringing positive energy to the bench during games. Last year both played critical minutes on their way to winning title number two. This year they will be counted on to lead the way if the Bucks are going to contend for a third consecutive TCCAA title and NJCAA tournament trip.

“We are thrilled that both Leo and Kin chose to come back to Motlow and complete their community college experience both on the court and in the classroom,” said Latham. “They are both high-character young men and they are winners, and we are counting on them to be leaders in everything they do this year.”

Castillo is from the Virgin Islands and can play either guard or forward at 6’4. He started three games last year but played in all 31 contests, averaging 6.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He shot 50 percent from the field, including 35 percent from behind the three-point line, and connected on 71 percent of his free throws.

Webster is an undersized 6’5 power forward from Nashville who played in 26 games last year and is a tenacious rebounder and has a knack for quick put-backs under the basket. He averaged 3.3 points and three rebounds per game and shot 61.3 percent from the floor, by far the best shooting percentage on last year’s team.

Two more returnees bring championship experience back to Latham’s roster. Derrick Rayford, a 5’11 guard from Canton, Ohio, played in 21 games last year and averaged 4.7 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and one steal per game. Justin Hill, a 6’6 forward from Bartlett, saw action in 25 games and averaged 1.5 points and 1.5 rebounds per contest.

“Derrick and Justin are experienced sophomores who will need to step up this year and play more significant roles in our rotation,” added Latham. “They know what kind of effort it takes every day to win a championship, and like Leo and Kin, they are going to have to lead in exhibiting that effort to the rest of the squad. They must lead by example.”

The Bucks have added some impressive student-athletes to the roster. Among the incoming sophomore transfers are Ronald Blount from Ellsworth Community College, Josh Greer from Itawamba Community College, and Kashawn Bradley from Tennessee Wesleyan. Three incoming red-shirt freshman also add roster strength. Josh Endicott spent a year at the University of Cincinnati, Marcus Lacey was a red-shirt last season in Auburn’s football program, and Jaellan White played his prep ball at Blackman High School in Murfreesboro.

Also added into the mix are incoming first-year freshmen Nic Barstad of Tullahoma, Bryce McBride from South Side High School in Jackson, Jayven Humphrey from Tupelo, Miss.; Jarius Key from Bowling Green, Ky.; Moses Fofana from St. Benedict High School in Memphis, Darius Harding from Elizabethtown, Ky.; Kiyon Sowell from East Hickman in Lyles, Tenn.; Gabriel Martin from Murfreesboro Blackman, and Anterrious Ryhan from Rossville, Tenn., who played at Rossville Christian Academy.

“We like our mixture of returning veterans, incoming sophomores and red-shirts, and first-time freshmen,” said Latham. “All of these guys can play and they each have an opportunity to earn time on the playing floor this year. This may be the deepest roster we have had in my four years here at Motlow.”

The men’s basketball program has developed into a national power over the last dozen years, beginning in 2006 when Bobby Steinburg arrived as head coach. Even though his first team only went 12-15, he recruited a dynamite class that won 28 games the following year. From 2007-18, the program has won 245 games while losing only 85, winning 74 percent of its games while winning three TCCAA/Region VII titles and making three NJCAA tournament appearances. Motlow has had nine All-Americans and two conference players of the year.

The Coffee County Youth Bass Club was in action on Saturday at J. Percy Priest Lake.  Launching at Fate Sanders Marina, five boats of Red Raider anglers hit the water with the coldest temperatures of the season.  All 5 Raider boats ended up scoring fish on the day competing against the field of 135 region teams.   The junior division team of Delainee Driver and Grayson Mangrum competed but did not score a fish.

The brother team of Branson and Dawson Wells led the way for the Raider fishers as they landed 4 fish weighing in at 9.85 pounds to capture 5^th place overall.  Isaiah Owens and Garrett Davis came home in 24^th place with a 2 fish total of 4.95.  The team of Briley Sain and Kaden Freeze finished in 44^th place with 1 fish tipping the scales at 2.91 pound.  Adam Petty and Jayden Yates were close behind as they finished in 48^th place with a fish weighing in at 2.64 pounds.  Colby Thurmond and Jacob Garms finished in 62^nd place as they landed a 1.65 pound bass.

After 3 events, the regional standings find the Coffee County team of Branson and Dawson Wells in 4^th place.  Defending region champs Isaiah Owens and Garrett Davis are close behind in 8^th place while the team of Colby Thurmond and Jacob Garms sit in 10^th place as the Red Raiders claim 3 boats in the Top 10.  Briley Sain and Kaden Freeze are in 62^nd place followed by the team of Adam Petty and Jayden Yates in 64^th. For the Junior division, the team of Kyaln Mantooth and Lance Marcrom currently sit in 4^th place while Delainee Driver and Grayson Mangrum are in striking distance in 16^th place.

The next 2 region events for the Raider anglers are close to home.  On Saturday, November 17^th, the South Central Region will host a Captain’s Tournament on Tims Ford.  On Saturday, December 8^th, the region will compete on Normandy Lake.  The next Tennessee BASS National State Trail Tournament will be held on Saturday at Dale Hollow Lake.  This tournament will launch from Sunset Marina near Byrdstown.