Tag Archives: Loretto

High School Football

Area high school grid preseason schedule

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Friday

Summit at Riverdale
Overton at Independence
Columbia Central at Lawrence Co.
Hickman Co. at Columbia Acad.
Spring Hill at Lebanon
Huntland at Richland
Mt. Pleasant at Cornersville

Tuesday (Aug. 3)

Collinwood at Mt. Pleasant
Summertown at Perry Co.
Columbia Acad. at Spring Hill
Richland at Giles Co.

Thursday, Aug. 5

Hardin Co. at Lawrence Co.

Friday, Aug. 6

South Gibson at Columbia Acad.
Loretto at Scotts Hill
Stewarts Creek at Summit
Hillsboro at Independence
Richland at Moore Co.
Spring Hill, Summertown at East Hickman

Tuesday, Aug. 10

Mt. Pleasant at Waverly
Tullahoma at Columbia Central

Friday, Aug. 13
Maury County Jamboree
at Lindsey Nelson Stadium

Goodpasture vs. Columbia Acad., 6 p.m.
Dickson Co. vs. Spring Hill, 7 p.m.
Creek Wood vs. Columbia Central, 8 p.m.

Giles County Jamboree
at Sam Davis Park

Fayetteville vs. Richland, 7 p.m.
Lawrence Co. vs. Giles Co., 8 p.m.

Summertown at Rogers (Ala.)
Zion Chr. at Loretto

Coaches whose program’s scrimmages or jamboree appearances are not listed are encouraged to e-mail [email protected] with that information.

high school softball

State champs dominate all-state softball squads

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SM-Tn Sports

Southern Middle Tennessee’s state championship softball programs are well represented on the Tennessee Sports Writers Association all-state teams that were announced this week.

Columbia Academy, the 2021 Division II-A state titlist following a 2019 championship in Class A, leads the way with four DII-A all-state selections. Summertown and Forrest, which claimed crowns in Class A and Class AA respectively during Spring Fling a couple of months ago, each have a trio of honorees.

For the Lady Bulldogs, juniors Myleah Hardy, Karli Quillin and Averi Slaughter were joined by Carson-Newman signee Journey Mitchell. Hardy hit .509 with 10 doubles, 20 home runs, 65 RBIs and 46 runs scored, with Quillin batting .449 and scoring 51 runs while stealing 22 bases on 23 attempts. Slaughter went 24-0 in the circle with an 0.83 earned run average and 220 strikeouts in 126 innings, while Mitchell posted a 15-2 mark and a 1.14 ERA, striking out 144 in 80 innings.

Behind that quartet, CA finished 41-2 and ended the season on a 27-game winning streak.

Summertown’s Kaley Campbell, Hailey Jones and Claire Woods were named all-state along with Loretto’s Briley Dover, Huntland’s Ashtyn Danley and Eagleville eighth-graders Brinli Bain and Addisyn Linton.

Campbell, an Austin Peay golf signee, hit .358 with four home runs and 32 RBIs while compiling a 13-1 record with an 0.66 ERA and 136 strikeouts in 74 innings for the Lady Eagles. Jones and Woods are both set to play softball collegiately – Jones at North Alabama, Woods at Middle Tennessee State. Jones batted .402 with 12 homers and 39 RBIs, while Woods went 21-1 with an 0.67 ERA and 197 strikeouts in 126 innings. At the plate, Woods hit .410 with seven homers and 32 RBIs.

Summertown went 34-2-1 en route to a second Class A state title in four years, to go with its 2018 championship and its runner-up finish in 2019.

Dover hit .542 with eight homers and 37 RBIs to lead the Lady Mustangs to the program’s first state tourney appearance.

In Class AA, Forrest won its second consecutive state tourney and finished 31-4-1 behind its senior threesome of Kentucky signee Jenna Blanton, MTSU recruit Laura Mealer and Walters State signee Ashley Milligan. Blanton batted .600, stole 39 bases and scored 61 runs for the Lady Rockets, while Mealer hit .609 with eight homers and 53 RBIs. Milligan went 23-2 in the circle, posting a 1.03 ERA and striking out 251 in 156 innings.

A third MTSU signee, Keri Munn, earned Class AAA all-state honors for Coffee County.

Earlier this week, the TSWA all-state teams in track and field, tennis, baseball and boys soccer were announced.

The all-state softball teams, in their entirety, follow:

Class AAA

C — Makenzie Henderson, Anderson Co., Jr.; INF — Cayden Baker, Powell, Sr.; Sierra Brown, Walker Valley, Jr.; Hayden Dye, Powell, Sr.; Cameron Young, Farragut, Sr.; OF — Reagan Duran, Siegel, Jr.; Syerra Rogers, East Hamilton, Sr.; Avery Strickland, Farragut, Jr.; UTIL — Lauren Brakovec, Farragut, Jr.; P — Avery Flatford, Farragut, Jr.; Keri Munn, Coffee Co., Sr.; Catelyn Riley, Jefferson Co., Sr.

Class AA

C — Olivia Underwood, Sequoyah, Sr.; INF — Jenna Blanton, Forrest, Sr.; Italia Kyle, Alcoa, Jr.; Laura Mealer, Forrest, Sr.; Abby Shoulders, Macon Co., Sr.; OF — Addy Edgmon, Sequatchie Co., Jr.; Ella Edgmon, Sequatchie Co., Sr.; Lexie Wright, Red Bank, Sr.; UTIL — Mykenzi Duke, Lexington, So.; P — Cadey McDaniel, Lexington, Jr.; Ashley Milligan, Forrest, Sr.; Bailee Phillips, Red Bank, Sr.

Class A

C — Brinli Bain, Eagleville, 8th; INF — Kaley Campbell, Summertown, Sr.; Briley Dover, Loretto, So.; Hailey Jones, Summertown, Sr.; Shelby Sullivan, Sale Creek, Sr.; OF — Ashtyn Danley, Huntland, So.; Zoey Neal, Gibson Co., Sr.; Sophie Theobald, Union City, Jr.; UTIL — Hannah Skiles, Sale Creek, Sr.; P — Campbell Gaby, North Greene, So.; Addisyn Linton, Eagleville, 8th; Claire Woods, Summertown, Sr.

Division II-A

C — Presley Williamson, Boyd Buchanan, Sr.; INF — Aubrey Barnhart, Goodpasture, Sr.; Kayla Clement, Tipton-Rosemark, Jr.; Myleah Hardy, Columbia Acad., Jr.; Brooke Harrison, Tipton-Rosemark, Fr.; OF — Ella Brooks, Knoxville Grace, Jr.; Hailey Brooks, Knoxville Grace, Fr.; Karli Quillin, Columbia Acad., Jr.; UTIL — McCade Cooper, Silverdale Baptist, Jr.; P — Journey Mitchell, Columbia Acad., Sr.; Charli Rice, Tipton-Rosemark, Sr.; Averi Slaughter, Columbia Acad., Jr.

Division II-AA

C — Ansley Blevins, Chatt. Girls Prep, Jr.; INF– Cadashia Collins, Baylor, Jr.; Chapel Cunningham, Chatt. Girls Prep, Sr.; Lauren Kay, Chattanooga Chr., Sr.; Madison Vandergriff, Chattanooga Christian, Sr.; OF — Raven Jones, Baylor, Jr.; Neely Taylor, St. Benedict, Jr.; Addi Yates, Baylor, Fr.: UTIL — Acelynn Sellers, Baylor, Sr.; P — Syd Berzon, Baylor, Jr.; Emily Day, Chattanooga Chr., Sr.; Josie Gex, St. Benedict, Sr.

high schools

TSSAA Board of Control reinstates scrimmages, jamborees for upcoming gridiron preseason

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By Maurice Patton

News that the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association Board of Control voted during its two-day meeting that concluded Wednesday to allow “normal” preseason activities for the 2021-22 school year was of no surprise to local football coaches.

“We took some proactive steps and went ahead and scheduled our scrimmages, 7-on-7 dates, anticipating this decision,” Columbia Academy coach Charlie Lansdell said. “We didn’t want to be stuck. We knew as soon as they made that ruling, everybody would be calling and filling up their schedules pretty quick. We actually started that back in the spring, making plans for this coming summer.

“We didn’t want to be caught with the opportunity to do it and not have the opportunity to do it.”

Among the guidelines established last summer because of the pandemic were that athletic programs were unable to participate in any activities involving another team prior to regular-season competition. Wednesday’s vote clears the way for a return to passing tournaments, scrimmages and jamborees prior to the Aug. 20 start of the 2021 gridiron campaign.

“I’m just glad we have an opportunity to do a better job of preparing for the season,” Columbia Central coach Jason Hoath said. “Last year, going in and not seeing another team until Game 1 – that’s difficult.

“Seeing them in live competition against other schools really helps you determine a lot before Game 1.”

And there’s much to determine for most area football programs. Both Columbia Central and Spring Hill will debut new starting quarterbacks, while Kit Hartsfield at Mt. Pleasant is one of three new coaches locally.

“This gives us a chance to compete before the season actually starts, with 7-on-7 and scrimmages,” Hartsfield said. “We were concerned with that, basically starting from scratch and not being able to put the kids through a competitive environment.”

Spring Hill will host a 7-on-7 event on June 24, with a number of area teams participating. Columbia Central will hold a gathering two days prior, with various squads also set to compete at Shelbyville and at Giles County prior to the two-week dead period that begins June 28.

“Last year was the best reason why it’s a good thing,” Raiders coach Ben Martin said regarding the return of preseason work. “Our first scrimmage, seeing a team with a different jersey, was Game 1 when it counts. You’re trying to get two scrimmages and four or five 7-on-7s in one game, that’s going to count on our record.

“It seems like everything gets turned up a notch when you’ve got a different opponent going against you – not the same guys you see every day. You can practice, but you can’t simulate that going against another team, the speed, the timing with the receivers.”

The Board of Control also voted to remove restrictive probation for the Franklin County and Shelbyville football programs, making them eligible for postseason play. Both were sanctioned last fall following an unsportsmanlike incident during their Week 10 contest and were ineligible for the 2021 state playoffs as a result.

Minutes from the meeting also acknowledged Zion Christian Academy’s departure from the TSSAA. Zion Christian intends to participate in the Tennessee State Independent Athletic Association for at least the next two years.

In other board action:

● A request from members of Region 6-AAAA to hold their basketball tournament at a central site was approved, as the Region 6-AAA tourney has previously been conducted. The new region will consist of Brentwood, Centennial, Franklin, Hillsboro and Overton from District 11-AAAA and Columbia Central, Independence, Nolensville, Ravenwood and Summit of District 12-AAAA.

● A proposed two-year extension to contracts with the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce for the Division I girls and boys basketball tournaments and Spring Fling was approved. Those events will remain at Middle Tennessee State University’s Murphy Center and at locations in and around Murfreesboro, respectively, through the 2022-23 school year.

● A number of adjustments to the bowling competition and postseason formats were approved, including the addition of sectional tournaments as qualifiers for individual state tourneys.

high schools

TSSAA recognizes prep multi-sport athletes

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SM-Tn Sports

More than 3,400 Tennessee high school athletes participated in three or more TSSAA-sanctioned sports during the 2020-21 school year, with nearly 100 of those hailing from the Southern Middle Tennessee Sports coverage area.

The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association recently recognized those athletes, providing schools with printable certificates for presentation to each of them.

“So many things have been put into a different perspective over the past year and a half due to the pandemic,” TSSAA executive director Bernard Childress said. “School administrators and coaches continue to recognize that every opportunity a student-athlete has to compete in education-based athletics is invaluable.

“We continue to encourage coaches and administrators to allow student-athletes every opportunity to participate in the sports they desire to, whether that’s just one, or two, or three, or more.”

While the total number of TSSAA athletes from the just-completed school year was more than 75,000 – down from the reported 83,000-plus from the 2019-20 school year – those participating in three or more sports totaled 3,437 this year, an increase of 401 from last year’s 3,036.

“Our athletic programs do not exist to serve college sports programs,” Childress said, “but it is worth reminding coaches and parents that college recruiters are looking for students that display a great attitude, work ethic and leadership qualities.

“Those are traits that you develop through participating in a variety of activities.”

Of the 14 athletic programs in the SM-Tn Sports coverage area, 13 had at least one three-sport athlete. Columbia Academy, with 14, led the way.

Eight athletes, including Zion Christian’s Madison Hayes, Becca Hazard and Dillan Runions, participated in four sports; so did Mt. Pleasant’s Baleigh Gray, Santa Fe’s Elise Adkison and Josh Martin, Summertown’s Hailey Jones and Summit’s Veronika Whitten.

The full list of area three-sport (or more) athletes, based on eligibility reports submitted by each school for each sport, follows:

Columbia Acad.: Anna Claire Butt — Cross Country, Soccer, Tennis; Drew Butt — Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country; Hallie Butterfield – Basketball, Tennis, Volleyball; Kennedy Chatman — Basketball, Softball, Volleyball; Tori Duval — Bowling, Softball, Volleyball; Andrew Fleming — Bowling, Soccer, Track and Field; Jaelyn Hickerson — Basketball, Cross Country, Track and Field; Collins Malone — Basketball, Football, Track and Field; Gavin Morgan — Basketball, Cross Country, Track and Field; Hayden Morgan — Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer; Ian Pulse — Bowling, Football, Soccer; Ian Pulse — Bowling, Football, Soccer; Parker Shirley — Basketball, Football, Track and Field; Averi Slaughter — Basketball, Softball, Volleyball; Nathan Thomas — Football, Tennis, Track and Field

Columbia Central: Justin Buchmann — Basketball, Football, Track and Field

Culleoka: Maci McKennon — Basketball, Cross Country, Volleyball

Hampshire: Craig Delk — Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country; Errette Delk — Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country; Kadence Stoner — Basketball, Cross Country, Volleyball

Independence: Chaise Bethmann — Basketball, Soccer, Tennis

Lawrence Co.: Sam Bradley — Baseball, Football, Wrestling; Carley Fields — Basketball, Softball, Volleyball; T.J. Gobble — Baseball, Basketball, Tennis; Andrew Honn — Cross Country, Soccer, Track and Field; M’kala Kerr — Basketball, Softball, Volleyball; Luke Mattox — Baseball, Basketball, Golf; Emily Moore — Bowling, Golf, Tennis; Luke Nichols — Baseball, Basketball, Football; Madison Tidwell — Basketball, Softball, Volleyball

Loretto: Emily Cozart — Basketball, Soccer, Softball; Carter Daniel — Baseball, Basketball, Football; Shelby Fisher — Basketball, Softball, Volleyball; Savannah Qualman — Cross Country, Soccer, Tennis; Clint Seymore — Baseball, Basketball, Football; Carlee Urban — Basketball, Softball, Volleyball

Mt. Pleasant: Chris Andrews — Basketball, Football, Track and Field; Gracie Boyd — Basketball, Softball, Volleyball; Demarkus Brown — Basketball, Football, Track and Field; Keevan Cooper — Basketball, Football, Track and Field; Baleigh Gray — Basketball, Cross Country, Softball, Volleyball; Ben Hirsch — Baseball, Cross Country, Track and Field; Hayden Holt — Baseball, Basketball, Golf; Landen Manning — Cross Country, Tennis, Track and Field

Santa Fe: Elise Adkison — Basketball, Cross Country, Softball, Volleyball; Chloe Anderson — Basketball, Cross Country, Softball; Josh Martin — Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Golf; Lexi McEwen — Basketball, Bowling, Softball; Terralyn Pemberton — Basketball, Softball, Volleyball; Bowman Ruch — Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country; Aniston Slaughter — Basketball, Cross Country, Volleyball; Shane West — Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country; Logan Wilkins — Baseball, Basketball, Golf

Spring Hill: Kevin Caraballo — Cross Country, Track and Field, Wrestling; Kat Carter — Basketball, Softball, Volleyball; Kemonta Fry — Football, Track and Field, Wrestling; Nicolette Harper — Bowling, Softball; Dakota Jackson — Cross Country, Soccer, Wrestling; Wesley Jones — Basketball, Cross Country, Track and Field; Tyson Peters — Cross Country, Football, Soccer; Elijah Smith — Football, Golf, Soccer

Summertown: Isaac Barker — Basketball, Cross Country, Tennis; Kaley Campbell — Basketball, Golf, Softball; Mia Dinwiddie — Basketball, Cross Country, Volleyball; Harrison Gobble — Baseball, Basketball, Golf; Hailey Jones — Basketball, Cross Country, Softball, Volleyball; Weston Pigg — Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country; McKenzie Runnels — Basketball, Softball, Volleyball; Skyler Trousdale — Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country

Summit: Ben Bawcum — Baseball, Basketball, Football; Elijah Castro-Harris — Cross Country, Football, Soccer; Ryan Crane — Cross Country, Football, Soccer; Garet Dean — Baseball, Basketball, Football; Jadon Hickman — Basketball, Football, Track and Field; Tre Hunter — Baseball, Basketball, Football; Claudette Runk — Basketball, Golf, Softball; Graham Schneider — Baseball, Basketball, Football; Sam Sloan — Baseball, Basketball, Football; Veronika Whitten — Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer, Track and Field

Zion Chr.: Halle Adcox — Basketball, Softball, Volleyball; Max Brown — Baseball, Basketball, Football; Becca Hazard — Basketball, Soccer, Softball, Volleyball; Madison Hayes — Basketball, Soccer, Tennis, Volleyball; Jackson Hughes — Baseball, Basketball, Golf; Jaron Keyser — Baseball, Basketball, Football; Zachary Knowles — Basketball, Football, Soccer; Connor Matheny — Basketball, Football, Soccer; Emily Mesko — Basketball, Soccer, Softball; Wesley Riggins — Basketball, Football, Soccer; Dillan Runions — Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football; Peyton White — Basketball, Softball, Volleyball

high school softball

Lady Mustangs’ initial tourney trip cut short

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By Jackson Maxwell

MURFREESBORO —  For Loretto, the first Class A softball state tournament appearance ended Wednesday as the Lady Mustangs fell short in a 1-0 defensive battle against Halls.

The game’s lone run scored in the top of the first inning as Halls converted a leadoff walk, a sacrifice bunt, a stolen base and an attempted double steal.

Starting pitcher Emily Cozart and relievers Carlee Urban and Adisen Buie combined to limit Halls to one hit.

Loretto, which lost 3-1 to Huntland in its tourney opener Wednesday, finished with six hits but stranded five runners in the shutout loss.

“When you go from hitting 65-plus (MPH) to upper- to mid-50s, that’s a hard change in a day,” Lady Mustangs coach Justin Tidwell said, referring to the challenge his offense faced in its two contests.

Shelby Fisher went 3-for-3 (two doubles) in the loss, with Darby Traglia adding another two hits. Fisher, a junior, will return as Loretto moves to Class AA for next year, while Traglia is one of the team’s two seniors along with Madelinn Tidwell — the coach’s daughter.

“Having those two has been a blessing,” he said. “They have actually played some way or somehow for me for the last eight years because they played travel ball for me earlier before I became the coach here. They have a lot to be proud of.”

As the program contemplates its move up, Tidwell considers this year’s success — the Lady Mustangs finished 19-16-1 — a stepping stone.

“We are a young team with lots of talent,” he said. “I’m OK with (Wednesday’s loss). I do see this as a stepping stone, as long as the girls continue to work, continue to play summer ball, get soe reps in and see some different situations.”

high school softball

Huntland sends Lady Mustangs to losers bracket

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By Chris Yow

MURFREESBORO — Loretto coach Justin Tidwell says it’s his team’s M.O. to have just one bad inning on defense.

Unfortunately for the Lady Mustangs, that one bad inning was the difference in the opening round of the Class A softball state tournament against Huntland, as the Lady Hornets took home a 3-1 win Tuesday.

Outside of the third inning where the Lady Mustangs gave up three runs on two hits and an error, the first-time state tournament participants played at a state tournament level.

“This being our first time to a softball state tournament, we can’t let everything that is going on around us affect how we play,” Tidwell said. “We have to let the game come to us, have good at-bats and learn from everything.”

The difficulty of having good at-bats increases significantly with Ashtyn Danley in the circle. The Lady Hornet sophomore gave up three hits in a complete-game effort, striking out 11 and walking just two. 

“Their pitcher had some velocity, but we’ve seen velocity before,” Tidwell said. “We just can’t be afraid to get in the box and hit.”

Darby Traglia learned she had a possible advantage and laid down a bunt before beating the throw to first in the top of the seventh inning with one out to give her team some life. She, along with Briley Dover and Jenny Clifton had the only hits of the game for Loretto.

Traglia eventually came around to score on an error that allowed Emily Cozart to reach base as well. 

The game ended, however, when courtesy runner Jerica Ray was called out after being tagged on the chest attempting to steal second base. 

Loretto now drops to the losers bracket, but Tidwell said his team isn’t backing down and won’t be happy with just making the state tournament.

“We just have to play with confidence. They have to understand how to handle the situation and handle the moment,” he said.