Oak Ridge Today

Oak Ridge wins District 3 soccer championship

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Wildcats boys' soccer team won the District 3-AAA championship with a 4-0 shutout win over Central at the Oak Ridge Soccer Complex on Friday, May 12, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge Wildcats boys’ soccer team won the District 3-AAA championship with a 4-0 shutout win over Central at the Oak Ridge Soccer Complex on Friday, May 12, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

This story was last updated at 12 a.m.

Oak Ridge won the District 3-AAA soccer championship on Friday, shutting out Central 4-0 at home.

It’s the fourth year in a row that the Oak Ridge boys’ soccer team has won the district championship.

The Wildcats, who were undefeated in the district this season, will now play the loser of the District 4-AAA championship game in a Region 2-AAA semifinal at the Oak Ridge Soccer Complex on Tuesday.

Oak Ridge doesn’t know which team it will play yet. The District 4-AAA championship game between Maryville and Farragut is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday at Maryville. [Read more…]

Soccer: Vinyard scores four as Wildcats advance to district championship

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak-Ridge-Austin-Vinyard-Goal-Halls-Soccer-May-10-2017-Slider

Oak Ridge senior forward Austin Vinyard (9), left, scored four goals and had one assist as the Wildcats advanced to the District 3-AAA soccer championship with a 6-0 win over Halls on Wednesday, May 10, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge senior forward Austin Vinyard scored four goals and had one assist as the Wildcats advanced to the District 3-AAA soccer championship with a 6-0 semifinal win over Halls on Wednesday.

Vinyard, who signed to play soccer at Maryville College on Thursday, said he also had four goals in a game last season, but his four goals and an assist on Wednesday may be a career high.

Oak Ridge, the number one seed, will play Central, the number two seed, in the District 3-AAA championship game, which starts at 7 p.m. today (Friday, May 12) at the Oak Ridge Soccer Complex at Oak Ridge High School.

The Wildcats were undefeated in the district during the regular season, and they beat the Bobcats 2-1 on Monday, April 24. Central’s only district loss during the regular season was to Oak Ridge, according to records posted on CoachT.com.

Central advanced to the District 3-AAA championship with a 4-0 win over Powell on Wednesday. Oak Ridge and Central will both advance to the Region 2-AAA championship. [Read more…]

Big 12 Rowing Championship in Oak Ridge this weekend

Posted at
By 2 Comments

SIRA-Regatta-April-17-2016-6

The Big 12 Rowing Championship is in Oak Ridge this weekend, Saturday, May 13-Sunday, May 14, 2017. Pictured above is a race during the 2016 SIRA Championship Regatta in Oak Ridge on Sunday, April 17, 2016. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Big 12 Rowing Championship is in Oak Ridge this weekend.

It’s the third-straight season the Big 12 Rowing Championship will be at Melton Lake Park in Oak Ridge, according to big12sports.com.

“Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Texas, and West Virginia, along with affiliate members Alabama, Old Dominion, and Tennessee will meet May 13-14 to battle for the conference crown,” the website said. [Read more…]

After loss to Halls, Oak Ridge plays Clinton in elimination game today

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today

Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today

 

KARNS—After an 8-0 loss to Halls on Sunday, Oak Ridge will play in a district tournament elimination game today (Monday, May 8).

The season will end for the loser. The winner will move on to play the loser of the Halls-Karns game in the District 3-AAA baseball tournament on Tuesday. The Halls-Karns game is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. today at Karns High School.

The Oak Ridge-Clinton game is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. today at Karns High School.

Oak Ridge (13-15) beat Clinton (13-21) twice during the regular season. The first was an 8-0 win at home on Monday, April 17, and the second was a 5-1 victory at Clinton two days later, on Wednesday, April 19.

Before the Sunday loss to Halls (17-11), the Wildcats had lost once to the Red Devils during the regular season, a 7-2 defeat on Thursday, April 20. [Read more…]

Current too strong for regatta on Oak Ridge rowing course, forcing cancellation

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

RowingCourse Destruction_3414

The destruction of the Oak Ridge rowing course is pictured above after heavy rains in the past week led to flooding and now strong currents on the Clinch River, causing the cancellation of the Dogwood Regatta on April 29-30, 2017. (Photo courtesy Explore Oak Ridge)

 

The strong current on the Oak Ridge rowing course forced the cancellation of the Dogwood Regatta this weekend, April 29-30, a press release said.

“The rain over the last several days has caused major flooding in the area,” said Sarah McAuliffe, Oak Ridge Rowing Association regatta director. “The current is about 10 times the norm and has done damage to our race course and other infrastructure, but the larger issue is athlete safety. “

The Tennessee Valley Authority and the U.S. Coast Guard have confirmed that the water flow rate will remain too high for safe rowing regatta operations over the weekend, the press release said. [Read more…]

Soccer: So far, Oak Ridge undefeated in district

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge senior forward Austin Vinyard (9), battling Daniel Van Buren (25) of Powell here, scored two goals against the Panthers in a 6-0 win at the Oak Ridge Soccer Complex on Tuesday, April 11, 2017. Pictured at right is freshman forward Warren Stetzl (23). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Oak Ridge senior forward Austin Vinyard (9), battling Daniel Van Buren (25) of Powell here, scored two goals against the Panthers in a 6-0 win at the Oak Ridge Soccer Complex on Tuesday, April 11, 2017. Pictured at right is freshman forward Warren Stetzel (23). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

With two district games remaining, the Oak Ridge Wildcats are undefeated in District 3-AAA. The Wildcats improved to 8-3-2 overall at Karns on Thursday and to 6-0 in District 3-AAA.

Oak Ridge defeated Karns 4-1 on Thursday and, in their previous district game, beat Powell at home 6-0 on Tuesday, April 11.

The two remaining district games are at Central on Monday, April 24, and at Campbell County at 6 p.m. Monday, May 1.

In the meantime, Oak Ridge plays Hardin Valley Academy at home in a rescheduled non-district game that starts at 7 p.m. today (Friday, April 21). [Read more…]

Oak Ridge will celebrate new eighth rowing lane on Friday, April 28

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Rowers are pictured above on the Oak Ridge rowing course in the spring of 2017. The area that needed work to recently add the eighth lane is pictured at center-right along Melton Lake Drive. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

Rowers are pictured above on the Oak Ridge rowing course in the spring of 2017. The area that needed work to recently add the eighth lane is pictured at center-right along Melton Lake Drive. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

Oak Ridge will celebrate the new eighth rowing lane with a special dedication ceremony on Friday, April 28, the city said in a press release.

The dedication, announced by the City of Oak Ridge, will be at 3 p.m. Friday, April 28. It is expected to include state and local leaders, and it will help kick off one of the biggest rowing weekends of the season, the press release said.

The eighth rowing lane, which is now complete, has been on the city’s wish list for many years. Officials have said that it could help attract even more and larger regattas (rowing races) and help maintain the Oak Ridge course as one of the top-ranked rowing venues in the United States.

Those who attend Friday’s dedication ceremony will gather in Melton Lake Park at the pavilion across from the Oak Ridge Rowing Association and then take a short walk on Melton Lake Greenway to the new overlook for the eighth rowing lane, the press release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge will host NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships in 2020

Posted at
By 4 Comments

SIRA-Regatta-April-17-2016-6

The Oak Ridge rowing course is pictured above during the 2016 SIRA Championship Regatta in Oak Ridge on Sunday, April 17, 2016. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The 2020 NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships will be in Oak Ridge.

The selection was announced by the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) on Tuesday, April 18. The NCAA said it has selected more than 600 host sites for preliminary rounds and finals of predetermined championships in Divisions I, II, and III to be held from 2017-18 through 2021-22. The selections for Division I are posted online at the NCAA website.

The hosts for the 2020 NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships at the Oak Ridge rowing course are the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge Rowing Association.

The championships will be in Indianapolis in 2019 and in Sarasota, Florida, in 2021 and 2022.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Baseball: Wildcats win 3 of last 5 district games, play Clinton Monday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge junior catcher Jacob Ownby (44) is pictured above during a 6-4 loss to Powell at Bobby Hopkins Field on Friday, March 31, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Oak Ridge junior catcher Jacob Ownby (44) is pictured above during a 6-4 loss to Powell at Bobby Hopkins Park on Friday, March 31, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Wildcats have won three of their last five district baseball games. They have three more district games this week, including one at home today (Monday, April 17) against Clinton and then another at Clinton on Tuesday.

The Wildcats (9-10, 3-4 District 3-AAA) will then travel to Halls on Thursday.

Today’s varsity game against Clinton (10-15, 1-6) is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. at Bobby Hopkins Park. The junior varsity game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

Here are summaries of recent district games: [Read more…]

SIRA Regatta in Oak Ridge this weekend

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

SIRA-Regatta-April-17-2016-Slider-1

The 2016 SIRA Championship Regatta is pictured in Oak Ridge on Sunday, April 17, 2016. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association, or SIRA, Regatta is in Oak Ridge this weekend. The regatta started Friday, April 14, and it will end Saturday, April 15.

It’s hosted by the Oak Ridge Rowing Association. It’s the 49th annual SIRA Regatta in Oak Ridge, a press release said.

“Few partnerships have stood the test of time like that of SIRA and Oak Ridge,” said the press release, which was from Explore Oak Ridge.

This year, the regatta will feature 59 teams from 12 states.

“This is the largest regatta in SIRA history for an Easter weekend,” said Sarah McAuliffe, Oak Ridge Rowing Association regatta director.  “We are looking forward to a great weekend of rowing.”

The race distance is 2,000 meters, or about 1.25 miles. You can view the start line from Calhoun’s restaurant on Melton Lake Drive. Teams cross the finish line downstream at the UT-Battelle Rowing Tower. Coaches and spectators can now view races from start to finish with no obstructions because of the recent completion of the eighth lane, the press release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge wins two games in softball tournament at home

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge lost a high-scoring 17-15 district softball game to Clinton at home on Thursday, March 30, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Oak Ridge lost a high-scoring 17-15 district softball game to Clinton at home on Thursday, March 30, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won two games in the Oak Ridge Invitational last week.

The girls’ softball team (5-8-1, 1-5 District 3-AAA) lost a district game to Clinton, 17-15, in the first game of the tournament on Thursday.

But the next day, on Friday, the girls beat Concord Christian 8-1 and Greenback 8-2.

Oak Ridge tied White County, a team from Sparta, 4-4 on Saturday.

The last three games were all non-district games.

The Lady Wildcats also won two of three games in a softball tournament in Oneida the weekend before the Oak Ridge Invitational. [Read more…]

Wildcats celebrate team win over Walker Valley

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

After an 11-0 loss to Walker Valley on Tuesday, Oak Ridge squeezed past the Mustangs 9-8 with two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning at home on Thursday, March 30, 2017. It was considered a big team win. Oak Ridge junior Jacob Ownby (44) scored the tying run, and senior Brice Mlekodaj scored the winning run on a two-strike "squeeze," or bunt by freshman Donovan Black. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

After an 11-0 loss to Walker Valley on Tuesday, Oak Ridge squeezed past the Mustangs 9-8 with two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning at home on Thursday, March 30, 2017. It was considered a big team win. Oak Ridge junior Jacob Ownby (44) scored the tying run, and senior Brice Mlekodaj (6), front left, scored the winning run on a two-strike “squeeze,” or bunt, by freshman Donovan Black. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

After an 11-0 loss to Walker Valley on Tuesday, Oak Ridge squeezed past the Mustangs 9-8 at home on Thursday.

It was considered a big team win. Down by one late in the game, the Wildcats (5-7) scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to take the victory. They had already battled back from an 0-4 deficit earlier in the game.

“It was a great team effort,” Oak Ridge Coach Mark Garrison said.

The Wildcats tied the Mustangs 7-7 in the sixth inning with help from a two-run double by Logan Williams. The junior was 4-of-5 at bat and he didn’t give up any runs on the mound, Garrison said.

Walker Valley (7-4) took a one-run 8-7 lead in the top of the ninth inning. [Read more…]