Category: Sports

Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced that the club has acquired two second-round draft selections (37th and 50th overall) in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, a 2013 third-round selection and goaltender Sebastien Caron in exchange for goaltender Anders Lindback, forward Kyle Wilson and a 2012 seventh-round selection (202nd overall). The Predators now have nine selections in this week’s Entry Draft in Pittsburgh, Pa. The draft begins Friday.

The Middle Tennessee Softball Coaches Association has announced their 2012 All-Academic team. 4 girls from the Coffee County received the honor for their outstanding work in the classroom.

Sr 1B Niki Campbell Coffee County
Jr 2B Ginny Clayborne Coffee County
Jr P Alania Lusk Coffee County
Sr OF Karlie Benedict Coffee County

Tullahoma High School recently hired Greg Watson as its next boy’s basketball coach. Watson was coming to the Cats from Belgreen High School in Russellville, Alabama. Watson has decided to remain with Belgreen and not take the head coaching job in Tullahoma.
Athletic Director Jerry Mathis told us that the search is back on for the next coach.
The new coach will takes over for Jeff Taylor who left the Cats for Franklin County.

Longtime Dirt Late Model sponsor and team owner Bob Harris of Shelbyville has purchased Duck River Speedway, the quarter-mile oval in nearby Wheel. Harris, who owns and operated Preferred Sandblasting in Shelbyville, will partner with longtime Duck River Racer and two-time Late Model Series champion David Gentry in operating the track. Details about the remaining schedule for this year are to be announced by the owners.

After competing Tuesday in the Middle Tennessee All-Star softball game in Murfreesboro Juli Layne from Coffee County received another honor. Layne was selected to play in the TN/KY softball All-Star game on June 28th at Western Kentucky University. Layne will play her college ball starting next season at MTSU.

Motlow Bucks first baseman/designated hitter Tyler Murphy was recently named first team All-American by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). He becomes only the second Motlow player in school history to be named to the first team. Pitcher Mark Shuler received the same honor following the 1978 season.
Murphy, a first-year sophomore, played his prep ball at Glenwood High School in Phenix City, Alabama, and spent his first college season at Bevill State Community College in Fayette, Alabama. Bevill State cut all its athletic programs in March 2011.
After the baseball program was closed at Bevill State, Murphy landed at Motlow as part of head coach Dan McShea’s 2012 recruiting class. McShea commented following the announcement of Murphy’s All-American status, which came on the heels of him being named first team all-conference following the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association season.
“Tyler Murphy is one of the best hitters I have ever had the pleasure to coach. He has a great approach at the plate with the ability to hit the ball with a lot of power. Tyler also consistently came through for us in big situations. He was a team leader on and off the field. The power numbers he was able to put up this year are outstanding, especially when you consider that he missed 11 games due to injury.
Murphy set the Motlow single season batting average record with his .459 average, inching past former record holder Judd Brownell, who hit .457 in 2002.
Additional entries in the school’s all-time record book for a single season include Tyler’s 17 home runs, which ties him for fourth all time with Jason Baker, who hit 17 in 1992. Joshua Arteaga slammed a school-record 27 homers during the 2000 season.
His 57 runs batted in ties him for seventh with Brian Bennett, who knocked in 57 runs in 2002. Arteaga set the record with an amazing 90 during his 2000 season. Murphy is tied with five former Bucks for eighth in hits with 73, with Arteaga and teammate Steven Morris tied for the record with 95.
Murphy’s numbers not only placed him into multiple categories in the Motlow record book, but also placed him among the nation’s leaders for the 2012 season. His 17 home runs tied for third and his .459 batting average was tied for fifth.

Student-athletes who suited up for the Motlow Bucks and Lady Bucks in basketball, baseball, and softball during the Spring 2012 semester excelled not only on the court and on the field, but in the classroom as well.

Sixteen student-athletes achieved a grade-point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher, qualifying them for the Dean’s List, while 15 more recorded a GPA between 3.00 – 3.49, placing them on the Honor Roll.

Dean’s List

 Women’s Basketball – Ashley Davis (Flintville), Katie Lipham (Hazel Green), Jennifer Maynard (Cookeville)

Baseball – Caleb Bowen (Gurley, Ala.), Shaw Dickerson (Dyersburg), Jacob Honea (Tullahoma), Brett Mansfield (Athens, Ala.), Andrew Mullendore (Murfreesboro), Kent Voorhies (Pleasant View), Zach White (Lawrenceburg)

Softball – Roxanne Hillman (Clintwood, Va.), Amy Perry (Lynchburg), Shelby Webb (Ashland City)

Men’s Basketball – Darryl Bond (Antioch), Brandon Hunter (Gallatin), Michael Tomlin (Jackson)

Honor Roll

 Women’s Basketball – Callisha Johnson (Shelbyville), Emily Rivers (Bolivar), Lekera Taylor (Chattanooga)

Baseball – Kilgore Gailmard (Gallatin), Kenneth Perkey (Madison, Ala.)

Softball – Meghan Brayton (Tullahoma), Kayla Green (Nolensville), Morgan Hemmingsen (Woodlawn)

Men’s Basketball – Kevonta Black (Nashville), JC Bonny (Lawrenceville, Ga.), Chris Jordon (Huntsville), Andrew Scofield (Huntsville), Bryan Thomas (Norcross, Ga.), Ricky Tisdale (Bolivar), Raul Tutton, Jr. (Memphis)

Celebrities, professionals, and the local community may have participated in the fifth annual Willowbrook Pro-Am Golf Classic held last week, but one thing was certain:
The tournament was all about the youth of Coffee and Warren Counties.
The money raised from the classic benefits the Coffee County Junior Golf Association as well as educational opportunities in Warren County including the Citizen’s for Progress Scholarship Program.
Over the past four years, the Classic has raised $235,000 for the youth of Coffee and Warren Counties, including $70,000 last year, alone.
The Classic had been known to bring out the local community, as well as celebrities alike, to raise funds for the Coffee and Warren County organizations. Celebrities that have participated in the past have included Vince Gill, Otis Nixon, and Johnny Majors. National College Football Hall of Fame inductee and Winchester native, Phillip Fulmer was one of the featured celebrities this year.
“It means a lot to me to be able to come out and support two worthwhile charities,” stated Fulmer. “It’s really great to be back in this area. It feels like home.”-Nick Trail Manchester Times-

On Friday night at Fred Deadman Park in Manchester the Minor League division championship was decided. Mark Lemons Construction beat John Roberts Toyota 9-7 for the trophy.
Tonight (June 11) the Major League division heads to the quarter-finals.

Warren County High School in McMinnville senior Morgan Frye has committed to continue her education and athletic career at Motlow College. She signed recently adding to the several new players Coach Tori Rabi-Gentry has brought in to be a part of the Lady Bucks.