Oak Ridge Today

McNally ‘roast’ on Saturday will benefit Blankenship Foundation, raise money for synthetic turf

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Blankenship Field Overall Plan

An overall view of the proposed renovation of Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong Stadium. A Saturday morning, May 21, 2016, “roast” of Tennessee Senator Randy McNally will benefit the nonprofit Blankenship Foundation and raise money for new synthetic turf on Blankenship Field.

 

A “roast” of Tennessee Senator Randy McNally on Saturday will benefit the Blankenship Foundation and raise money for synthetic turf at Blankenship Field.

The “roast” will include Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. It starts at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 21, at Blankenship Field.

“We will have Big Ed’s Pizza under the tent and hear lots of Randy’s old friends telling stories on him,” an invitation said.

Tables of 10 sell for $1,000, or you can buy individual tickets for $100 each, the invitation said. Event sponsorships are available, and all funds will go to the Blankenship Foundation, which is raising money for the synthetic turf field. [Read more…]

Four ORHS seniors sign to continue athletics in college

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Rizk Welsh Thompson and Beckett Signings May 2016

Jasmine Rizk, Katie Welsh, Caelyn Thompson, and Daniel Beckett are pictured above from left at signings to continue their athletic careers in college in May 2016. (Submitted photo)

 

Four Oak Ridge High School seniors recently signed to continue their athletic careers in college.

Daniel Beckett signed to run cross country with Maryville College. Caelyn Thompson signed to compete in track and field at Milligan College. Jasmine Risk signed to play girls soccer with Carson Newman College. And Katherine “Katie” Welsh signed to play girls soccer with Centre College.

Daniel Beckett Signing May 2016

Daniel Beckett signed to run cross country with Maryville College. (Submitted photo)

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Photos by Greene: Oak Ridge at Section I track, field championship

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This photo is property of Allen Greene. Unauthorized use of this photo is not permitted without consent.

Oak Ridge senior Jordan Hardy qualified for state by finishing third in the boys long jump in a Section I meet at Science Hill on Saturday, May 14, 2016. (Photo by Allen Greene Photography)

 

Eleven Oak Ridge athletes qualified for this month’s state tournament in seven track and field events at the Section I Championship at Science Hill in Johnson City on Saturday. Here are pictures by Allen Greene Photography.

See the story on the championship meet and the results here.

This photo is property of Allen Greene. Unauthorized use of this photo is not permitted without consent.

Oak Ridge senior Caelyn Thompson is pictured above in the girls high jump at the Section I track and field championship at Science Hill High School in Johnson City on Saturday, May 14, 2016. (Photo by Allen Greene Photography)

 

This photo is property of Allen Greene. Unauthorized use of this photo is not permitted without consent.

Oak Ridge freshman Jada Guinn finished fifth in the girls high jump and just missed qualifying for state during the Section I track and field championship at Science Hill High School in Johnson City on Saturday, May 14, 2016. (Photo by Allen Greene Photography)

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Soccer photos: Oak Ridge, Maryville in Region 2 semifinal

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Oak Ridge junior forward Austin Vinyard (9) had the corner kick that led to a Blake Clowers header for the game-winning goal during a 2-1 win over Maryville in a Region 2-AAA semifinal at home on Tuesday, May 17, 2016. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Oak Ridge eliminated Maryville 2-1 in a Region 2-AAA semifinal game at home on Tuesday. Here are photos by Julio Culiat.

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Oak Ridge senior forward Jose Rodriguez (11) scored the first goal for the Wildcats during a 2-1 win over Maryville in a Region 2-AAA semifinal at home on Tuesday, May 17, 2016. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

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Oak Ridge scored its winning goal off a header by senior defender Blake Clowers that followed a corner kick by junior forward Austin Vinyard (9) during a 2-1 Region 2-AAA semifinal victory over Maryville at home on Tuesday, May 17, 2016. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

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Wildcats eliminate Maryville, move on to Region 2 championship

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Wildcats-Clowers-Header-Maryville-May-17-2016

Oak Ridge senior defender Blake Clowers (3), pictured here in front of Maryville senior Luke Orren (11), scores the winning goal on a header off a corner kick by senior forward Austin Vinyard in a 2-1 Region 2-AAA semifinal win for the Wildcats at home on Tuesday, May 17, 2016. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:35 a.m.

Oak Ridge eliminated Maryville 2-1 in a Region 2-AAA semifinal game at home on Tuesday, and the Wildcats advance to play at Bearden in the region championship on Thursday.

Oak Ridge scored the winning goal on a header by senior defender Blake Clowers off a corner kick by junior forward Austin Vinyard with 8:21 remaining in the playoff elimination game.

The Wildcats are guaranteed two more games: the Region 2-AAA championship and a state sectional. In the sectionals, the Region 1 champion plays the Region 2 runner-up, and the Region 2 champion plays the Region 1 runner-up.

The Region 2 championship game will start at 4 p.m. Thursday at Bearden High School in Knoxville. The sectionals are Saturday.

The Region 1 championship between Sevier County and Dobyns-Bennett starts at 6 p.m. Thursday in Sevierville.

[Read more…]

In rematch, Wildcats play Maryville in Region 2 semifinal today

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Oak Ridge senior defender Blake Clowers (3) scored the one goal for the Wildcats during a 4-1 loss to Maryville at home on Tuesday, May 3, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

They last played two weeks ago during the regular season, and Oak Ridge and Maryville will play again tonight (Tuesday, May 17) in a Region 2-AAA semifinal.

The game starts at 7 p.m. at Oak Ridge High School.

The Rebels beat the Wildcats 4-1 in a regular-season game on Tuesday, May 3.

But it was a tale of two halves, and Oak Ridge (13-7) won the second half, Wildcats Coach Jeff Trombly said. Maryville (13-5-2) picked up all its scoring, all four goals, in the first half. They were scoreless in the second, when the Wildcats scored one.

“The score was not as lopsided as it looks,” Maryville Coach Steve Feather said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge qualifies for state tournament in seven track, field events

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This photo is property of Allen Greene. Unauthorized use of this photo is not permitted without consent.

Oak Ridge freshman Kate Hausladen qualified for this month’s state track and field tournament by finishing first in the girls 300-meter hurdles and third in the 100-meter hurdles in the Section I Championship at Science Hill High School on Saturday, May 14, 2016. (Photo by Allen Greene Photography)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:30 p.m.

Eleven Oak Ridge athletes have qualified for this month’s state tournament in seven track and field events. Three athletes—freshman Kate Hausladen, sophomore Jose Villegas, and senior Tyler Boullie—will each compete in two events.

Hausladen finished first in the girls 300-meter hurdles at Science Hill High School on Saturday with a time of 47.47. She was third in the 100-meter hurdles at 16.86.

Boullie was second in the boys 800-meter run at 1:56.04. He was also on the boys 4×800-meter relay team that finished third at 8:05.88. The other members of that relay team are Villegas, senior Thomas Colburn, junior Jacob Etheridge, and alternate Reid Dukes, a junior.

Besides qualifying as a member of the relay team, Villegas also qualified for state by finishing fourth in the boys 3,200-meter run with a time of 9:57.14.

To qualify for state, an athlete or team must finish in the top four in an event. Saturday’s qualifying meet was the Section I Championship at Science Hill in upper East Tennessee.

Also qualifying for state were: [Read more…]

Soccer photos: Oak Ridge and Halls

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Oak Ridge freshman John Belbeck (22) tries to evade Halls players during a 10-2 district championship win at home on Friday, May 13, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge won the District 3-AAA championship with a 10-2 victory over Halls at home on Friday. Here are photos from the game.

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Oak Ridge sophomore forward Carson McGhee (15) dribbles the ball during a 10-2 district championship win over Halls at home on Friday, May 13, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

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Wildcats win district championship

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Wildcats-Belbeck-Halls-May-13-2016

Oak Ridge freshman John Belbeck (22) tries to evade Halls players during a 10-2 district championship win at home on Friday, May 13, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 12:30 p.m. May 14.

Oak Ridge won the District 3-AAA championship with a 10-2 victory over Halls at home on Friday.

The Wildcats (13-7) advance to play the loser of Saturday’s District 4-AAA championship game between Bearden and Maryville. The District 4 runner-up will come to Oak Ridge to play in a Region 2-AAA semifinal game on Tuesday.

The Red Devils (10-7), the District 3 runner-up, advance to play the winner of the Bearden-Maryville District 4 championship game.

It was the second time Oak Ridge played Halls this year, and the win was more lopsided this time. The Wildcats, who finished the season undefeated in the district with a 7-0 record, won the first game against the Red Devils, a regular season game, 4-1 on April 7.

“I think we’re a different team now,” Oak Ridge Coach Jeff Trombly said.

Halls finished the regular season second in the district with a 6-2 record. [Read more…]

Soccer: Wildcats play for district championship against Halls today

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Oak Ridge beat Campbell County 9-0 in a District 3-AAA semifinal game at home on Wednesday, May 11, 2016. The Wildcats attempt to score on a header here after a corner kick by Austin Vinyard. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Wildcats will play Halls for the district championship this evening.

The District 3-AAA championship game starts at 7 p.m. today (Friday, May 13) at Oak Ridge High School.

The Wildcats (12-7, 7-0 D3-AAA) beat the Red Devils 3-1 in a regular-season game on April 7.

Oak Ridge eliminated Campbell County (11-4-1, 4-2) in a 9-0 blowout during a semifinal district tournament game on Wednesday, May 11. Halls (10-6, 6-2) advanced to the district championship on a 1-0 victory over Gibbs on Wednesday.

Oak Ridge’s 9-0 win over Campbell County this week was the most lopsided victory for the Wildcats this season. Oak Ridge beat Campbell County 4-0 in the season opener on March 15. [Read more…]

Updated: Oak Ridge falls in no-hitter by Powell’s Alford, then loses to Gibbs

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Powell Alford Oak Ridge May 6 2016

Powell pitcher Peyton Alford strikes out the side in the top of the first inning during a 3-0 no-hitter win over Oak Ridge in the District 3-AAA tournament opener at Gibbs on Friday, May 6, 2016.

 

Note: This story was updated at 10 p.m. May 21.

GIBBS—Oak Ridge baseball head coach Mark Garrison had to give credit where credit was due.

The Wildcats fell victim to a dominating pitching performance by Powell’s Peyton Alford, who struck out 14 Oak Ridge batters and finished the game with a no-hitter in the Panthers’ 3-0 victory on Friday.

“He’s always good and I think that he was extra good today,” Garrison said. “He had a lot of days of rest, about five or six days. We did everything we could do. (Oak Ridge senior) Spencer Wilson did a great job even though he scattered 10 hits. We played great defense, and he kept us in the game. That’s what Spencer does. We just didn’t have an answer for Alford. He was very, very good.”

It was the District 3-AAA tournament opener, played at Gibbs High School.

Aside from an error, the Wildcats did in fact play solid defense and the pitching of Wilson—who recently tied the school’s record for most wins in a season—prevented Powell from taking a substantial lead. [Read more…]

Soccer photos: Oak Ridge-Clinton

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Oak Ridge junior Austin Vinyard (9) looks for a pass during a 3-0 win over Clinton at home on Friday, April 29, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

For the second year in a row, the Oak Ridge Wildcats were undefeated in the district in regular season soccer games. They won their last district game of the regular season on Friday, April 29, beating Clinton 3-0 at home.

Here are pictures from the game.

Oak Ridge (11-5, 7-0) has two non-district games remaining, one against Maryville at home tonight (Tuesday, May 3) and the second at Farragut on Thursday, May 5.

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Oak Ridge senior Matt Warmbrod (5), who scored two goals, passes through the legs of a Clinton defender during a 3-0 win over the Dragons at home on Friday, April 29, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

[Read more…]