Emory & Henry College is starting its brand new wrestling program with one of the best to ever do it at Coffee County Central.
CHS Lady Raider MaryAnne Walker committed to the Virgina college during a ceremony held Monday, April 26.
“The wrestling program is brand new – everything is new,” explained Walker. “They have all new clothes … all new everything. And the coaches are really nice and stay in touch with me. They make me feel comfortable and that’s a big deal to me. “
Walker leaves the CHS wrestling program cemented into the history books. She is a two-time region medalist, two-time state qualifier and the first ever two-time state tournament medalist in CHS history. She compiled a 15-4 senior record.
With a longtime desire to pursue nursing combined with a recent passion for criminal justice, Walker is also drawn to the school’s forensic nursing program.
“I just want to say thank you to my coaches, because I love them so much, and all of my teammates. I’m going to miss them,” said Walker. “Thank you to my family, they have supported me and taken me everywhere for all the tournaments and everything.”
Lady Raiders complete sweep of Lincoln County, lock up regular season district title
Keri Munn blasted a three-run home run as part of a 5-run third inning and later added an RBI double to help the Central High School Lady Raider softball team power past visiting Lincoln County 8-2 Monday night – a game you heard live on Thunder Radio.
The win completes the season sweep of Lincoln County and moves the Lady Raiders to 23-4-1 overall and 11-0 in District 8-AAA – sealing a regular season District 8-AAA Championship.
THIS GAME WAS BROADCAST LIVE ON THUNDER RADIO. LISTEN TO THE REPLAY HERE.
Keri Munn wasn’t just a force at the plate. As usual, the right-hander was nasty in the pitching circle. She allowed five hits and a pair of runs while striking out 10 Lady Falcon batters to pick up the win.
At the plate, CHS relied heavily on the fifth inning. The Lady Raiders go the rally started on a Madison Pruitt walk and Olivia Evans reached on an error. After a well-placed sacrifice bunt by Kiya Ferrell, both Pruitt and Evans scored on the same wild pitch.
Chesnie Cox followed that with a walk and Justus Turner reached on a fielder’s choice that erased Kaitlyn Davis, setting up Munn who blasted a home run to center field.
Ferrell also had an RBI on the night and Evans picked up a hit.
Coffee County will host Lawrence County at 6 p.m. Wednesday night. That game will be heard live on Thunder Radio. It will be senior night for Eliza Carden, Justus Turner and Keri Munn. Senior night festivities begin at 5:30 p.m.
Kiya Ferrell 
Alivia Reel 
Haidyn Campbell 
Emily Schuster 
Eliza Carden 
Kara Wheeler 
Chesnie Cox 
Kiya Ferrell 
Olivia Evans 
Madison Pruitt 
Kaitlyn Davis 
Keri Munn 
Justus Turner
Westwood golf wins big Monday; CMS falls to Tullahoma
Westwood Middle School’s golf team took care of business Monday, dropping Fayetteville 11.5 to 0.5 Monday afternoon at WillowBrook Golf Course.
The team of Jack Stowe and Leah Kate Sullivan each picked up 3 flags; Jaxon Philips and Amelia Thomas picked up 3 flags; Thompson Lowe, Ziya Dillard and Peyton Evans earned 2.5 flags; Landon Collins, Meagan McKenzie and Colin Bryant picked up 3 flags.
Meanwhile, Coffee Middle School golf dropped golf match 11.5 to 0.5 to Tullahoma Monday afternoon at WillowBrook Golf Course.
Tallan Crosslin was the lone Raider player to pick up any points, getting a half of a flag.
Middle school golf scoring is based on flags. The player that wins the most holes out of a 3-hole grouping is awarded a flag.
Claybusters have several top performers at Hog Heaven
Coffee County Claybusters Trap Shooting team had multiple winners to celebrate from the Hog Heaven shoot over the weekend.
Individual winners include, Intermediate Advanced Male Jacob Anderson and Intermediate Advanced Lady Halie Jacobs. (pictured below)
The Hog Heaven winning varsity squad includes Jonah Wyatt, Riley Bellomy, Garrett Taylor, Xavier Bartley and Tucker Carlton. (team photo below)
SOFTBALL: Offense sputters as CMS finishes third
Coffee Middle School’s softball team couldn’t muster any offense to close out the CTC tournament over the weekend and finished in third place.
The Lady Raiders fell to Tullahoma 2-0 in the winner’s bracket finals and then couldn’t fight out of the loser’s bracket to get a rematch with Tullahoma, falling to Warren County 1-0.
Granted the Lady Raiders didn’t stand a chance to win because they couldn’t score – but the pitching staff was on point. Channah Gannon allowed just 5 base runners in the loss to Warren County, the most costly coming in the fifth on a single that was followed by a double and a wild pitch.
The Lady Raiders got runners to third base twice but couldn’t get across the plate.
Meanwhile, against Tullahoma Gannon and Samantha Cothran teamed up to allow just two runs. The Lady Raiders once again couldn’t muster any offensive output. They got runners to second base three times and to third once, but stranded them all. In total CMS stranded 8 runners.
BASEBALL: CMS Raiders finish 3rd in CTC tournament
Back to back losses to Tullahoma and then to Warren County ended the Coffee Middle School Red Raider baseball season a bit earlier than they hoped.
After winning the regular season CTC championship, the Raiders fell to the Wildcats in the winner’s bracket finals and then lost to Warren County 6-3 to finish third in the tournament in Sparta.
The Raiders finished with an 11-1 regular season CTC record, their lone loss coming to Tullahoma.
Cole Pippenger and Colter Neel were selected to the CTC all-tournament team.
THUNDER RADIO BROADCAST SCHEDULE: April 26-May 1
This week’s Thunder Radio broadcast schedule is below (subject to change, weather permitting)
MONDAY: CHS softball HOSTS Lincoln County – 7 p.m.
TUESDAY: CHS baseball HOSTS Shelbyville – 6 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: CHS softball HOSTS Lawrence Co – 6 p.m. (senior night)
THURDAY: WMS Soccer semi-finals at 6:30 p.m.
FRIDAY: CHS Soccer Senior Night – 7 p.m.
SATURDAY: CHS Baseball HOSTS Cookeville – 1 p.m.
Raiders split double header with Central Magnet
The Central High School Red Raider baseball team split a double header with visiting Central Magnet Friday night at Powers Field – part of the Crethan Hansert Memorial Tournament.
Central Magnet 6, Red Raiders 5
Coffee County outhit Central Magnet School 11-5 Friday night, but couldn’t get enough runs across the plate in a 6-5 loss at Powers Field in Manchester.
Coffee County fought from behind and turned a 6-2 deficit to 6-5 in the bottom of the sixth, but could never get any closer.
Hayden Hullett, Brady Nugent and Jacob Holder all doubled, and Holder added a home run as the Raiders had no trouble getting extra base hits. But CHS stranded seven runners on base.
CHS sent three pitchers to the mound to get work in the non-district affair. Griffin Meeker allowed two runs on four hits in his three innings. Carter McKenzie was tagged with the loss, allowing four runs (none earned) on a hit and four strikeouts. CHS committed a pair of fielding errors.
Mays Snipes tossed two flawless innings on just 18 pitches.
Red Raiders 10, Central Magnet 2
The Red Raider pitching staff held Central Magnet to just 3 hits and Coffee County took control early in game 2 – building a 7-0 lead and pulling away for a 10-2 win.
Senior Braden Brown earned the start and picked up the win on the mound. Brown needed just 77 pitches to power through five innings of three-hit baseball. He struck out 8 and didn’t allow a run. Charlie Pierce and Brady Nugent each worked an inning of relief.
At the plate, Coffee County singled Central Magnet to death and picked up a home run from Jacob Holder – his second of the night after blast one in game one of the double header. Holder had a pair of hits and three RBIs in game two.
Griffin Meeker picked up an RBI on a bases loaded walk and Dayne Crosslin had a hit and an RBI to go along with two runs scored.
The Raiders move to 13-8 with the split.
They will play Shelbyville in their final district series of the season next week.
Westwood softball season ends in conference tournament
Westwood scored one run in the top of the seventh inning to take an 8-7 lead over Cannon County. But they couldn’t hold it.
Cannon County got a walk, a double and another hit to score two runs in the bottom of the seventh and beat Westwood Middle School’s Lady Rockets 9-8.
The loss ends the season for the Lady Rockets.
The Lady Rockets were close to pulling out a win. Maggie Brei singled and scored in the top of the seventh to give the Lady Rockets their short-lived late lead. Brei had a standout night at the plate with a triple, double and a single. She also scored three runs. Lily Norman also had a big night with a home run, double and a single. She scored a pair of runs.
Lady Raiders fall in tight contest with Forrest Friday afternoon
The tying run was at third and the winning run at second for the Lady Raiders Friday afternoon.
But that’s as far as they could get.
Forrest left fielder Abby Ferguson threw a seed to the plate to cut down Aleayia Barnes who was attempting to tag-up on a fly ball, ending the game with Forrest taking a 3-2 win at Dave King Park. The game ended in six innings due to time limit.
THIS GAME WAS BROADCAST LIVE ON THUNDER RADIO. LISTEN TO THE AUDIO REPLAY HERE.
It was the opening game of the Coffee County Classic – hosted annually by the Lady Raiders at Dave King Park and Terry Floyd Field at CHS.
After giving up two runs in the top of the sixth inning to fall behind 3-1, Coffee County cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the inning when Haidyn Campbell ripped an RBI single to score Cheyenne Vickers (running for Keri Munn). Barnes (running for Justus Turner) moved to third on the hit and Emily Schuster later drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Alivia Reel lifted a flyball to left field that made the second out, and Barnes was cut down at the plate trying to tie the game.
Coffee County never led. The Lady Raiders trailed 1-0 in the third and then tied the game on an RBI single by Chesnie Cox to score Kiya Ferrell.
Munn took the loss in the circle for the first time this year. She allowed 3 runs (1 earned) on six hits and struck out four. CHS did commit two errors. Munn’s record stands at 16-1 on the season and the Lady Raiders drop to 22-4-1 overall.
The Lady Raiders are scheduled to play at 9 a.m., 2:30 and 4:40 Saturday weather permitting. The last two games will be on Thunder Radio.
UPDATE: The final three games of the tournament have been rained out and will not be rescheduled.