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CHS baseball team celebrates with J.P. Duncan following his home run. Photo by Hayden Proffitt

A 2nd inning solo home run from J.P. Duncan staked the CHS Red Raider baseball team to a 1 to nothing lead thru 3 innings of play as Coffee County played host to Warren County on Friday afternoon at Pwers Field.  Warren County answered with 2 runs in the 4th inning before scoring 10 runs in the 5th and 6th innings to drop Coffee County 12 to 4.  In addition to Duncan’s home run, Noah Anderson was 2 for 3 on the game with an RBI, Dylan Sandoval was 1 for 2 with an RBI and Deandre Wakefield, who pitched well as he finished the game on the mound in relief, added the other RBI.

CHS senior baseball player Dylan Sandoval at third base in early season action

Another strong start but disastrous finish doomed the Red Raider baseball team on Saturday at Powers Field as they dropped a 17 to 2 decision to Independence.  After giving up a run in the top of the 1st to the visiting Eagles, Coffee County starting pitcher Daniel Gassman settled in to hold Independence scoreless through 3 innings which allowed Coffee County to plate the tying run on a Brandon Haston double in the 2nd inning which scored Dylan Sandoval from 1st base.  However, 3 Raider errors in the 5th inning broke open a close game as Independence built up a 8 to 1 lead which they would never relinquish.    Sandoval scored the 2nd run of the game when Haston reached on an Independence error in the 5th.  Coffee County could only muster 4 hits on the game as Sandoval, Wyatt Day and Zach Wise had singles to go with Haston’s double.  The JV baseball team will travel to Tullahoma on Monday for a doubleheader beginning at 4:00 PM.  Coffee County will play host to Tullahoma on Tuesday night at Powers Field.  First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 PM and you can hear the game on Thunder Radio beginning with the pregame show at 5:50.

Westwood’s Jacob Garms follows thru on an infield hit from early season action

The Rockets baseball team of Westwood Middle School played their 3^rd game of the week as they played host to Huntland on Friday evening at Looney Riddle Field at Fred Deadman Park.  The young Rockets continue to improve but dropped an 18 to 1 decision as coach Tyrell Campbell features a starting lineup loaded with 6^th and 7^th graders.  After spotting the visiting Hornets 2 runs in the top of the first inning, Westwood answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the first inning.  With one out, catcher Nick Smith singled, advanced to second base on Devin Taylor’s sacrifice and scored on Jacob Garms RBI single.  Westwood kept it close thru 3 innings before Huntland began to string together hits to put the game out of reach.  Winston Alford and Byron Sullivan added singles for Westwood in the game as Huntland’s pitcher did not allow a walk and the Hornet defense did not commit an error on the game.  Westwood will be off until Friday when they play host to Cornersville in a 3 PM start on Good Friday at Looney Riddle Field.

The CHS soccer team warms up in Gulf Shores on Friday before their 2nd game of the day. Photo by Heather Spaulding Reid’s husband

The Red Raider soccer team split their 2 games on Friday in Alabama as they opened play in the Gulf Shores tournament. The Raiders won a literal slug fest with Madison County, AL in their morning contest by a score of 3 to 0, before dropping the second game to the tournament host, Gulf Shores 5 to 1.
In the morning contest, Breyer Taylor ripped an unassisted goal past the Madison Co keeper at the 10 minute mark to give the Raiders an early lead. Samuel Brown added a goal at the 23rd minute off an assist from Ethan Hickman as Coffee County took a 2 to 0 lead into the second half. Breyer Taylor notched his second goal in the 55th minute before the fireworks ensued. Cole Hawkins took a punch from a Madison County defender before 2 other Tiger defenders jumped on Hawkins. After the fight was broken up, 3 red cards were issued to Madison County which disqualified those players from the game. Madison County decided to forfeit at that point. After the game, head coach Robert Harper expressed he composure shown by his squad.
In the afternoon contest, the Raiders took an early 1 to 0 lead on a Paco Barrera goal off of a Breyer Taylor assist in the 2nd minute. The host Dolphins added 2 first half goals to take a 2 to 1 lead into intermission and 3 goals in the second half against a tired Red Raider squad to claim the 5 to 1 win.

On Saturday, the Red Raiders opened with eventual tournament champion Sparkman as Coffee County was blanked 4 to 0.  Sparkman came into the game averaging 8 goals a match in the tournament, but the stingy Raider defense held them to 2 first half goals.  Sparkman added 2 goals in the final 10 minutes to advance to the title game and send Coffee County to the 5th place game against Gadsden Southside.  The Raiders got on the scoreboard first as Breyer Taylor drilled a shot past the keeper on a pass from Abilene Barrera in the 14th minute to give Coffee County a 1 to 0 lead at the half.  Southside answered with goals in the 38th, 43rd and 55th minutes to take a 3 to 1 lead.  Coffee County answered back in the 60th with an unassisted goal from Scott Randolph but could not find the equalizer in the 3 to 2 defeat.  The Raiders return home to open district play on Tuesday night as they travel to Franklin County for a 7:00 PM match in Winchester.

The Coffee County Middle School Red Raider baseball team completed the series sweep of North Franklin on Tuesday night with a 17 to 3 win over the Gators in 5 innings.  The Red Raider bats banged out 11 hits on the night as Tyler Surber went 3 for 4 with 6 RBI and Andrew Mahaffey was 3 for 4 with 3 RBI. Harley Hinshaw started on the mound and went 4 innings with 2 strikeouts giving up only 1 hit to get the win.  Hayden Skipper came in relief and had 2 strikeouts in his inning of relief.   The Raiders will be back in action on Thursday as they take on South Franklin with a 5:00 PM first pitch.

Tuesday night in high school basketball Coffee County traveled to Tullahoma for District 8-AAA action. In girl’s play the Lady Cats got off to a hot start leading 14-0 early in the game and 38-20 at halftime. Coffee County fought hard to pull within 7 points in the 4th quarter but Tullahoma held on for the 59-47 district win.
Leading the way for the Lady Raiders was Holli Smithson with 10 points. Sara Brown was named the Gateway Tire & Service Center player of the game.
Coffee County is now 11-9 overall and 2-4 in district play.

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The Coffee County boys played their first game after Head Coach J.D. Douglas was relieved of his duties. Under direction of interim Head Coach Ben Holl the Raiders lost a heartbreaker 59-56 in double overtime.
Red Raider Peyton Talley tied the game at 45 with 16 seconds remaining in regulation after he made three free-throws and Tullahoma failed to get a shot off at the buzzer.
At the end of OT #1 the game remained tied at 49. In OT #2 Tullahoma was able to put away Coffee County thanks to two big 3 point shots.
Addison Carter led the Raiders in scoring with 15. Peyton Talley was named the player of the game.
Coffee County drops to 4-17 overall and 0-6 in district play.
The Lady Raiders and Raiders will host Lawrence County on Friday beginning at 6pm. Airtime on Thunder Radio is 5:50pm.