Category: Sports

Westwood Middle School, which premiered tennis as a varsity sport this spring, will have a new coach in 2016.  Melissa Askins has been tabbed as the replacement for Justin Winton following Coach Winton’s resignation.  Coach Winton, who is taking a job in Murfreesboro, brought to life the boys and girls tennis program this past spring which saw strong participation numbers and an improvement in individual skills throughout the season.

Coach Askins, a Language Arts teacher at Westwood Middle School, is excited for the opportunity to lead the young program. “Tennis is a lifelong sport and I am excited to see it grow in this area at the younger ages” said Askins.  While this will be her first coaching assignment at the varsity level, Askins has been the Student Council sponsor at Westwood for the last few years and is starting a Writing Club in the coming school year.  Askins, who is originally from West Virginia, played tennis in an adult career league in Ohio prior to moving to Manchester in 2007.  Askins and her husband Steve have a 9 year old son, Jon.

Yesterday meets today in the annual Lady Raider Alumni Basketball Game coming up next Friday, June 5 at 6:00 PM at the Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gym at Coffee County High School.  Members of the 2015-2016 Lady Raider basketball team will take on a team of alumni in a fun-filled night of basketball.   Former Lady Raiders are encouraged to come on out for the festivities as ALL former players will be recognized.  Those former players that want to play, are encouraged to bring their sneakers (and maybe a knee brace or two) to play in the Alumni Game.  Games in the past have featured a lot of fun times along the way so mark your calendar to attend.

Also, the Lady Raiders Basketball Camp will be held @ Coffee County High School the week of June 1 – 5.  It will start at 9:00 AM each morning and go to 12:00 noon each day.  All girls going into the 1st grade thru the 8th grade are eligible to attend.  Cost for the week is $50.00.  All girls will get a t-shirt and a basketball and lots of quality instruction.  Coaches and player of this years Lady Raider basketball team will serve as camp instructors.  Fun will be had by all each day as we develop young Lady Raider Basketball  Players!!!  For more information, contact Coach Herb Horton at 931-723-5174

Of the 67 student-athletes listed on the roster of the four sports that Motlow College participated in during the 2014-15 academic year, 29 achieved either the Dean’s List or the Honor Roll for the recently completed spring 2015 semester. The 43% achievement rate is one of the highest in school history.

Motlow has consistently been among the state’s top community colleges when it comes to graduating student-athletes, and that trend is expected to continue. The 29 academic honorees is an increase from the fall 2014 semester, when 25 student-athletes earned either the Dean’s List or Honor Roll.

Dean’s List (3.5 – 4.0 grade point average)

Baseball: Hayden Bailey, Lewisburg; Chris Fly, Douglasville, Ga.; Charter Helton, Hohenwald; Spencer Mossburg, Ooltewah; and Patrick Poteet, Maryville.
Softball: Chelsea Buffington, Fort Payne, Ala.; Makayla Campbell, Lewisburg; Aubrey Crowell, Murfreesboro; Riley Long, Whitwell; Mackenzie Peacock, Stevenson, Ala.; Cameron Pearson, Winchester; and Traci Shelton, Fayetteville.
Men’s Basketball: Clint Nwosuh, Sugar Land, Texas.
Women’s Basketball: Ashley Kee, Smyrna; Kelsey Munn, Manchester; and Chloe Neil, Bristol.

Honor Roll (3.0 – 3.49 grade point average)

Baseball: Josh Bankston, Harrison; Cody Blackburn, Lewisburg; Conner Boyd, Smyrna; Dewayne Parsons, Winchester; Matt Sharp, Belfast, Tenn.; Cole Thiede, Franklin; and Darren White, Meridianville, Ala.
Softball: Miranda Whelan, Palmyra, Ind.; Bridgette Wilson, Athens, Ala.; and Taylor Wolaver, Cornersville.
Men’s Basketball: Kytrel Williams, Memphis.
Women’s Basketball: Jadah Fite, Antioch and Sabrina Jackson, Louisville, Ky.

Visit the official website of Motlow Athletics at <www.motlowsports.com> for rosters, schedules, stats and more. Interact with Motlow Athletics at <Facebook/MotlowSports> and <Twitter@MotlowSports>.

The summer high school baseball season is here!  The Red Raiders will take part in this weekend’s Tullahoma 17U tournament beginning on Thursday.  The Red Raiders will travel to Grider Stadium to take on the Wildcats in 7:30 PM game.  The Raiders will be at home on Friday as they play host to Grundy County and Central Magnet.  Coffee County will take on Grundy County at 4:30 PM on Friday and Central Magnet at 8:30 PM.  Those games will be played at Powers Field.  The tournament concludes on Sunday.

Attention Coffee County Lady Raider Softball players and parents. This is John St.Clair and I am working on an end of season video/slide show for CHS Softball. Would you please let me know what your “Most Memorable Moment” or favorite memory is from this past season. I would like to highlight your memories as possible. If you are FB friends with me, you can pm me or you can email me at jstclair3@gmail.com or call me at 931-273-2700. PARENTS: Do you have a funny or touching photo you would like included in the slide show. If so, please send it to me. Time is short – please act on this request as soon as you can.

After Tuesday’s storms pushed through southern middle Tennessee, the Coffee County Middle School Girl’s Soccer team have made a change in their tryout times.  Tryouts for the 2015 CCMS Lady Raider soccer team will begin on Wednesday at 4:00 PM at the CCMS field. The tryouts will run Wednesday and Thursday from 4:00 to 6;00 PM each afternoon. Those young ladies who are wishing to try out, should remember to bring: Cleats, shin guards and a copy of a current TSSAA sports physical. If you need more information, contact Coach Travis O’Kelley at okelleyt@k12coffee.net

CHS senior softball pitcher Brianna Jones from early season action. Photo by John St. Clair www.JohnStClairPhoto.com

With the high school softball season officially over, post season honors have begun to be announced for a pair of Coffee County Lady Raiders. Senior pitcher Briana Jones and sophomore catcher Tori Bell were named for a pair of honors by the Tennessee Softball Coaches Association(TSCA).

The TSCA named Jones the AAA Miss Softball for Middle Tennessee and Tori Bell a member of the TSCA All-Midstate team on Monday. Jones, who led the state in earned run average and strikeouts, was also named to the TSCA Midstate All-Star Team. Both players will receive their awards as part of the Tennessee All Star Game scheduled for June 15th at Columbia State Community College.

Tori Bell in action earlier this season.

Jones finished the season with a record of 24 wins and 4 losses with an earned run average of 0.25 which was the best mark in Tennessee and 3rd nationally according to the MaxPreps database.   Her strikeout total of 358 ranked her first in Tennessee and 7th in the nation.   On offense, Jones batted .302 for the season as she led the team in RBI with 26, doubles with 9 and home runs with 5.

Bell, a sophomore catcher, led the Lady Raiders in batting average as she hit .348 on the season.   Bell was second on the team in doubles with 7 and home runs with 3.  Bell also led the team in fielding percentage with an average of .994 including 19 assists.  Bell threw out 5 of the 13 runners that attempted stolen bases against her for an impressive success rate of 38.5%.

Clint Nwosuh set the all-time Motlow record by hitting 11 three-point shots in one game. Nwosuh will continue his career at Idaho State University. Photo by Jeff Reed Photography.

Following a stellar sophomore season at Motlow College, Clint Nwosuh will continue his career in the classroom and on the basketball court at Idaho State University in Pocatello.

Nwosuh is a 6-2 guard from Houston, Texas, who transferred to Motlow after playing his freshman season at Alcorn State University. He played his prep basketball at Alief Hastings High School in Houston, where he was named all-city and honorable mention all-state.

Clint was a critical part of Motlow’s 23-6 squad last year, averaging 14 points, four rebounds, 2.5 assists and one steal per contest. He shot 87.3 percent from the free throw line, 46 percent from the field and 44 percent from behind the three-point line.

He excels not only on the basketball court but in the classroom as well, being named to the Dean’s List for the spring 2015 semester.

Nwosuh holds multiple spots in the Motlow College record book, including the most made 3-point baskets in a game with 11. His 37 points during that January 24 win over Volunteer State is the tenth-most points ever scored by a Motlow player in a single game.

His free-throw shooting percentage is the fifth-best in school history for a single season, and his 67 three-point shots made is the sixth-most by a Motlow player. Despite only playing one season, Nwosuh’s 67 three-pointers is the twelfth most in a career at Motlow.

Idaho State is coming off a 7-23 season which saw them finish 4-14 in the Big Sky Conference. The Bengals are coached by Bill Evans, set to begin his fourth season leading the program.

Visit the official website of Motlow Athletics at <www.motlowsports.com> for rosters, schedules, stats and more. Interact with Motlow Athletics at <Facebook/MotlowSports> and <Twitter@MotlowSports>.

Kani Johnson fires out of the starting blocks on Friday at the TSSAA Spring Fling state track meet

A 3rd place finish in his 110M high hurdle section race was not enough to lift Kani Johnson to the medal stand on Friday afternoon at the TSSAA Spring Fling state track meet at MTSU. Johnson’s time of 15.52 was 0.11 seconds slower than the 8th best time ending the high school track career for the talented senior. “I liked my run, I felt like I was nice and low” said Johnson following the race. Coach Stan Jarrell agreed with Kani but said that Kani did not get as good a start as he would of liked. When asked about a false start in the race before his, Johnson admitted some concern.

Kani Johnson clears a hurdle on Friday at the TSSAA Spring Fling state track meet

“Yeah, that had me a little cautious at the (starting) line.” Johnson, who ran a personal best time of 15.03 earlier in the season, did get some revenge by beating his rival Trenton Brewington of Riverdale who he had lost to in the sectional race last week. “It goes by really fast” Kani said after the race “but I really want to thank my coaches; Coach Jarrell, Coach (Phil) Bonham and Coach (Samantha) Amis for helping me get here.” Johnson also qualified to run in the 300M hurdle race which was scheduled for later in the program but elected to skip it to come back to Manchester to graduate with his classmates. “I have worked just as hard at getting my diploma as I have at track, so I felt like it was just as important” added Johnson. You can see a video of Kani’s race at:

http://tn.milesplit.com/meets/190304/videos/…

Taylor DeBerry prepares to leave the starting blocks in Thursday’s 100M hurdle race at the TSSAA state track meet

Trailing the runner to her left, Taylor DeBerry clipped the top of the 7^th hurdle killing her momentum and her chances of medaling in Thursday’s 100M hurdle race at the TSSAA Spring Fling.  DeBerry managed to maintain her balance enough to finish in 12^th place with a time of 18.88 seconds.  “I should have kept my eyes forward and run my race” said DeBerry following the race as she sported a bloody left knee that stuck the top of the hurdle.  DeBerry, in her first trip ever to the state meet said the experience was exciting but intimidating.  “I wish I had more time to warm up, that kind of made me more nervous” added DeBerry.  “I could not be prouder of Taylor” said Coach Stan Jarrell “these conditions made it really tough” added Jarrell of the cold and windy conditions.

Taylor DeBerry clears the 5th hurdle in Thursday’s 100M hurdle race at the TSSAA state track meet

DeBerry, who was overcome with emotion following the race, thanked her teammates.  “I am very appreciative of my teammates.  They helped make this a great senior season” as a smile crossed her face.  Speaking of her teammates, senior Kani Johnson will compete on Friday in the 110M hurdles in the 4 PM session of the TSSAA state track meet at MTSU.  Johnson, who also qualified for the 300M hurdles which is scheduled for later in the program, will return to Manchester for graduation ceremonies.

Watch the video of Taylor’s race at: http://tn.milesplit.com/meets/190304/videos?id=90842#.VV54yflViko