Oak Ridge senior wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) dives for a touchdown on a four-yard pass in the first quarter of a 42-10 win over Sevier County on Blankenship Field on Homecoming Night on Friday, Sept. 23, 2016. (Photo by Luther Simmons)
Oak Ridge jumped to a quick 35-0 first-quarter lead over Sevier County on Friday, and the Wildcats finished with a 42-10 win on Homecoming Night. Here is the second set of photos by Luther Simmons. [Read more…]
Oak Ridge sophomore Jordan Graham (22) runs during a 42-10 win over Sevier County on Blankenship Field on Homecoming Night on Friday, Sept. 23, 2016. (Photo by Luther Simmons)
Oak Ridge jumped to a quick 35-0 first-quarter lead over Sevier County on Friday, and the Wildcats finished with a 42-10 win on Homecoming Night. Here are photos by Luther Simmons. [Read more…]
Oak Ridge junior quarterback Johnny Stewart (2) hands off the football during a 45-8 win at Lenoir City on Friday, Sept. 16, 2016. Stewart threw for 201 yards and three touchdowns, and he had 12 completions on 20 attempts (60 percent). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
LENOIR CITY—The Oak Ridge Wildcats beat the Lenoir City Panthers 45-8 in Lenoir City on Friday. Here are photos and videos from the game. [Read more…]
Oak Ridge senior Caleb Jackson (25) scored two touchdowns for the Wildcats on Friday, Sept. 16, 2016, and he recovered two Lenoir City turnovers during a 45-8 win over the Panthers in Lenoir City. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
LENOIR CITY—Oak Ridge senior Caleb Jackson scored two touchdowns for the Wildcats on Friday, and he recovered two Lenoir City turnovers during a 45-8 win over the Panthers.
Senior wide receiver Tee Higgins, a Clemson commitment, added three touchdowns for Oak Ridge.
The Wildcats scored on their first four drives, once after intercepting Lenoir City sophomore quarterback Gabe Williams.
Halfway through the regular season, Oak Ridge is undefeated at 5-0 overall and 3-0 in Region 3-5A.
Lenoir City fell to 1-4 and 0-2 with the loss at home on Cecil Thomas Field.
Oak Ridge plays Sevier County (1-4, 1-1 Region 1-5A) at home on Blankenship Field at 7:30 p.m. September 23. It’s Homecoming Night. [Read more…]
Oak Ridge senior linebacker Kyndall Clark (54) tackles Dobyns-Bennett senior quarterback Cole Maupin (6) with help from Oak Ridge sophomore Caelan Thompson (32) during a 41-28 win for the Wildcats at home on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016. (Photo by Julio Culiat)
The Oak Ridge Wildcats beat the Dobyns-Bennett Indians 41-28 on Blankenship Field on Friday. Here is the first of two sets of photos by Julio Culiat. [Read more…]
Oak Ridge sophomore running back Jordan Graham (22) scored the last of his three touchdowns on a 79-yard carry up the right side of the field in the second quarter of a 41-28 win over Dobyns-Bennett on Blankenship Field on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016. (Photo by Julio Culiat)
The Oak Ridge Wildcats’ 41-28 win over Dobyns-Bennett on Friday featured acrobatic catches by senior wide receiver Tee Higgins, long touchdown runs by sophomore running back Jordan Graham, and three fumble recoveries by senior linebacker Kyndall Clark. He forced one and recovered another for a touchdown.
There were also a few firsts: first touchdown catch for junior wide receiver Caleb Martin and first interception of the season for senior linebacker Jacob Gross. And sophomore Kai’Reese Pendergrass, who returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown at Clinton last week, stopped a Dobyns-Bennett drive on Blankenship Field on Friday with an interception in the end zone in the third quarter.
The Indians (1-1, 0-0 Region 1-6A) dominated in total yards in the non-region game: 579 to 391. They also had 21 first downs to Oak Ridge’s nine.
But Dobyns-Bennett lost four fumbles and gave up two interceptions, and penalties (11 for 101 yards) also hurt the Indians. The Wildcats (2-0, 1-0 Region 3-Class 5A) had no turnovers.
Much of the buzz after the game focused on two highlight-reel catches by Higgins, who was double-teamed on both. [Read more…]
Oak Ridge senior Tee Higgins (5) had two touchdown catches, two interceptions that the Wildcats converted into touchdowns, and a scoring punt return, pictured here, that was called back because of a block in the back during a 56-21 rout at Clinton on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. Higgins is pictured above with seniors Chase Kimbro (10) and Wilson Hammer (52). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
CLINTON—The Oak Ridge Wildcats opened the regular football season with a 56-21 rout at Clinton on Thursday. Here is the second of two sets of photos by John Huotari.
Oak Ridge senior Chase Kimbro (10) runs with the football during a 56-21 rout at Clinton on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. Blocking for Kimbro is sophomore Jordan Graham (22). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
Oak Ridge senior Jacob Gross (7) blocks Clinton senior Demarea Whitt (4), a former Wildcat, for Oak Ridge senior Tee Higgins (5) during a punt return for a score during a 56-21 rout at Clinton on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. The touchdown was called back because of a block in the back. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
Oak Ridge senior Tee Higgins (5) congratulates sophomore Jordan Graham (22) after Graham scored on a two-yard touchdown catch, helping to give the Wildcats a 21-0 lead at Clinton at 2:29 in the first quarter on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. Also pictured is junior quarterback Johnny Stewart (2). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
CLINTON—The Oak Ridge Wildcats opened the regular football season with a 56-21 rout at Clinton on Thursday. Here is the first of two sets of photos by John Huotari.
Oak Ridge senior Chase Kimbro (10), at center, runs with the football during a 56-21 rout at Clinton on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. Blocking for Kimbro are sophomore Jordan Graham (22), left, and senior Jordan Smith (55). At front left trying to tackle Kimbro is Clinton senior J’Quan Thomas (5). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
In his first varsity start, Oak Ridge junior quarterback Johnny Stewart (2), pictured above on ground at center, was 5-for-5 passing with no interceptions and three touchdown throws. Stewart also had a rushing touchdown, pictured above, during a 56-21 rout at Clinton on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
Oak Ridge senior wide receiver and cornerback Tee Higgins (5) makes one of two interceptions during a 56-21 rout at Clinton on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. Also pictured are senior Chase Kimbro (10) and sophomore Caelan Thompson (32). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
CLINTON—The Oak Ridge Wildcats opened the regular football season with a 56-21 rout at Clinton on Thursday. Here are preliminary statistics by Mark Haste.
|
TEAM STATISTICS |
||
|
Oak Ridge |
Clinton |
|
|
FIRST DOWNS |
||
|
8 |
Total | 15 |
|
8 |
By rushing | 7 |
|
0 |
By passing | 8 |
|
0 |
By penalty | 0 |
| RUSHING | ||
|
29 |
Attempts | 34 |
|
313 |
Yards gained | 177 |
|
31 |
Yards lost | 24 |
|
282 |
Net yards | 153 |
| PASSING | ||
|
5 |
Completions | 14 |
|
5 |
Attempts | 28 |
|
100.00% |
Percentage | 50.00% |
|
0 |
Intercepted | 4 |
|
104 |
Net yards | 131 |
| TOTAL OFFENSE | ||
|
386 |
Net yards | 284 |
| PUNTS | ||
|
1 |
Attempts | 3 |
|
31 |
Average | 31 |
| RETURN YARDS | ||
|
24 |
Punt returns | 0 |
|
126 |
Kickoff returns | 15 |
|
45 |
Interception returns | 0 |
| FUMBLES | ||
|
3 |
Total | 3 |
|
2 |
Fumbles lost | 1 |
| PENALTIES | ||
|
6 |
Total | 4 |
|
45 |
Yards lost | 35 |
Oak Ridge senior wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) catches a 17-yard pass from junior quarterback Johnny Stewart before falling backward into the end zone for a touchdown near the left pylon, putting the Wildcats ahead of the Clinton Dragons 42-7 with 2:57 left in the first half at Clinton on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. Higgins is defended here on his second TD catch by Clinton senior J’Quan Thomas (5).
CLINTON—Senior Tee Higgins and sophomore Jordan Graham scored five of Oak Ridge’s eight touchdowns in a 56-21 rout at Clinton on Thursday.
A wide receiver, Higgins scored on Oak Ridge’s opening play less than one minute into the season-opening game.
He scored again late in the first half with a leaping goal-line catch of a high, arcing pass from junior quarterback Johnny Stewart, who was 5-for-5 passing for three touchdowns, no interceptions, and one rushing touchdown in his first varsity start.
Higgins—a Clemson commitment who also plays cornerback—also had two interceptions that led to Oak Ridge touchdowns. And he became the all-time leader in career receiving yards for Oak Ridge.
Graham, a speedy running back who is also on the high school track team, scored three times for the Wildcats.
The Dragons turned over the ball five times, and the Wildcats converted four of those turnovers into touchdowns. Two of the turnovers were Higgins’ interceptions of Clinton’s sophomore quarterback, Luke Harrison.
Another was an interception by Oak Ridge senior linebacker and defensive playmaker Kyndall Clark, who set up the Wildcats’ sixth touchdown from inside the Clinton 20 with about three minutes left in the first half. [Read more…]
The Oak Ridge Wildcats had a scrimmage against the Heritage Mountaineers at Blankenship Field on Friday, July 29, 2016. Pictured above is rising sophomore running back Jordan Graham (22). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
The Oak Ridge Wildcats had a scrimmage against the Heritage Mountaineers of Blount County at Blankenship Field on Friday.
Oak Ridge could have blocked better and tackled better, Wildcats Coach Joe Gaddis said.
“They don’t score if we tackle,” he said.
The Oak Ridge first team tied the Heritage team 13-13. The Moutaineers outscored the Wildcats once the second teams came in, and the final score was 33-13.
But the focus wasn’t on the final score. Instead, Gaddis wanted to try different possibilities. Among other things, the Wildcats wanted to run the option quite a bit, he said.
“Scrimmages are all about learning about your team,” Gaddis said. [Read more…]
Junior receiver Tee Higgins (5) celebrates his first touchdown catch for the Oak Ridge Wildcats at 11:16 in the second quarter against the Clinton Dragons on Friday, Aug. 21, 2015. Higgins had three catches for 57 yards and two touchdowns. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
Tee Higgins, a five-star wide receiver at Oak Ridge High School who has committed to Clemson, talked to The Clemson Insider about his experience at The Opening finals in Beaverton, Oregon, last week. You can read the interview with The Clemson Insider here.
Among other things, Higgins said his relationship with Tigers coach Dabo Swinney and wide receivers coach Jeff Scott were important factors in his decision to commit to Clemson.
“They were a big part,” Higgins told The Clemson Insider. “They made Clemson feel like I was at home.”
Higgins competed with other top high school football prospects from across the country at the Nike Football The Opening Finals in Beaverton, Oregon, from July 5-10. He was listed as a top 10 performer on Day Two by Scout.com. [Read more…]
