The Centennial Golf Course and range will remain closed on Saturday due to snow and ice.
Course crews will reassess conditions on Saturday to determine if there is a possibility of opening on Sunday for regular hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., a press release said.
[Read more…]Scott Cummings, who led West to a Class 5A state championship in 2014, has been named head football coach at Oak Ridge High School.
Joe Gaddis announced his retirement as Oak Ridge football coach in November. He has been named interim athletic director.
Oak Ridge Schools announced the appointment of Cummings, who will replace Gaddis as football coach, on Monday.
A press release said Cummings was named head football coach at Knoxville West High School in 2002.
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Oak Ridge High School Athletic Director Mike Mullins is retiring, and football coach Joe Gaddis, who announced his retirement as coach in November, will serve as interim athletic director.
Mullins’ decision to retire was announced Wednesday by ORHS Principal Garfield Adams. Gaddis’ appointment as interim athletic director was announced Thursday.
“As athletic director, Mullins was responsible for leading an athletic department that is committed to excellence both in the classroom and in competition,” Adams said in a letter to families. Mullins led several capital improvement projects, Adams said, including the multi-million-dollar revitalization of Blankenship Field and the design of Wildcat Arena, which was part of a $61 million renovation of ORHS.
“This state-of-the-art facility is home to the Wildcat basketball and volleyball teams and is one of the finest venues in the state,” Adams said.
Other facility upgrades completed during Mullins’ tenure include the Pro2Serve Soccer Complex, a renovated weight room, and many locker room enhancements.
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After 48 years coaching, a state championship, and more than 300 wins, Oak Ridge football coach Joe Gaddis is retiring.
On Tuesday, Gaddis, who has the most wins of any Oak Ridge coach and is among the top in the state, said he made the decision to retire during the past few weeks.
“I think coaches just know when it’s time,” he said. “You just kind of know.”
Oak Ridge High School Principal Garfield Adams said Gaddis has an overall record of 334 wins and 146 losses, and he is one of only three active coaches in the state of Tennessee with 300 wins.
“At Oak Ridge High School, Coach Gaddis holds a record of 196 wins and 58 losses, making him the winningest coach in Oak Ridge history and the eighth winningest coach in Tennessee football,” Adams said.
[Read more…]Oak Ridge senior Jacob Berven blocked a punt inside the McMinn County 10-yard line, giving the Wildcats a chance to tie the football game with about two minutes remaining.
But Oak Ridge was unable to convert that blocked punt into a score, and the Wildcats’ season ended in a 24-17 first-round playoff loss to the Cherokees on Friday. The Wildcats were unable to score when McMinn County stopped Oak Ridge quarterback Hayden Tarwater two yards short of the end zone on a fourth-and-goal play with 3.2 seconds left.
The season-ending defeat came a week after the Wildcats played their best game, a 48-21 win over region rival Campbell County.
Oak Ridge got credit for not giving up this season, even in the final minutes, despite their 3-8 losing record.
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After struggling this season, the Oak Ridge Wildcats gained confidence headed into the football playoffs tonight with a 48-21 win over region rival Campbell County last Friday.
“This was our best game in a lot of ways, for a lot of reasons,” Oak Ridge Coach Joe Gaddis told his huddled team on Blankenship Field after the victory over the Cougars (6-4, 1-3 Region 3-5A). “That’s a good way to finish the regular season.”
The 48 points was the most scored by Oak Ridge (3-7, 3-2) this season.
The Wildcats also had the most rushing yards and total yards of the season, by far, against the Cougars on Friday. They ran for 366 yards and totaled 517.
“This is kind of a breakout game,” Gaddis said. “We were able to run the ball.”
Oak Ridge sophomore De’Javius Dozier broke tackles and scored three touchdowns as he ran for more than 200 yards, the best performance of any Wildcat this season. He also ran for three touchdowns. Dozier’s previous team-high rushing total was 130 yards at Lenoir City on September 3.
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The City of Oak Ridge continues to work on a Rails to Trails project that has been planned for years and will convert 4.6 miles of unused railroad into a greenway for walkers, runners, and bicyclists.
The city will have a drop-in public meeting about the project from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 10, in the Oak Ridge Civic Center Gym. The trail design and next steps will be presented, and the city will seek input from residents. Masks are encouraged at the meeting, the city said.
The greenway along the former CSX railroad will extend from east Oak Ridge past Jefferson Middle School to Y-12 National Security Complex. It will start at Elza Gate at the Oak Ridge Turnpike; run along Belgrade Road, Warehouse Road, Fairbanks Road, and Lafayette Drive; and cross South Illinois Avenue to the Y-12 National Security Complex entrance on Scarboro Road.
“The greenway system brings parkland nearer to all Oak Ridge citizens,” Recreation and Parks Director Jon Hetrick said. “It provides opportunity for motor-less commuting, enjoyable physical exercise, learning experiences about wildlife, and connections to parks, schools, and shopping areas.”
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The Roane State Raiders volleyball team won the National Junior College Athletic Association Region VII tournament Saturday in only the team’s second year of competition.
The Raiders, the top seed in the tournament, defeated Walters State 3-1 in four sets: 25-20, 19-25, 25-20, and 25-21.
The win was the Raiders’ third victory over the Senators this season and improved the team’s record to 18-4, a press release said.
Head coach Steve Dallman said after the match, “Those kids gave 150-percent out there. (The win) is about Roane State athletics and not just us.”
[Read more…]The Secret City Half Marathon and 5K will be in person again this year with a regular start.
Last year’s race had a time trial-style start to help ensure social distancing among the runners along with a temperature check for participants.
The 2021 race is scheduled for Saturday, November 20.
“Available spots are filling up quickly as the autumn marathon season gears up, so interested parties are encouraged to sign up before the race hits maximum capacity,” a press release said.
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It came down to the last game of the regular season for the Roane State Raiders volleyball team to become the 2021 Tennessee Community College Athletic Association regular season champion.
In only the program’s second season, the Raiders achieved the unexpected with a come-from-behind, five-set win over five-time defending champion Walters State (19-25, 25-22, 21-25, 25-16, and 16-14), a press release said. By winning the regular season crown, the Raiders earned the top seed in the upcoming National Junior College Athletic Association Region VII tournament. It is scheduled for October 29 and 30 at Walters State Community in Morristown.
Led by freshman Mattie Arnett’s 32 kills on 61 attempts, Roane State came back from a 2-1 deficit in what was certainly the program’s most hard-fought and exciting match, the press release said.
[Read more…]The Secret City Head Race is in Oak Ridge this weekend, and more than 1,100 athletes will compete in more than 500 boats.
The regatta is hosted by the Oak Ridge Rowing Association. Rowing races are scheduled Saturday and Sunday at the Oak Ridge Marina. There will be athletes from major programs such as the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, a press release said.
“Spectators and fans are once again welcome to flock to the greenway ranging from Calhoun’s to the Melton Lake Park as they watch male and female rowers compete in a variety of nail-biting events,” the press release said.
[Read more…]Note: This story was updated at 12:30 a.m.
Oak Ridge lost 35-9 to the undefeated Greeneville football team on Friday.
The Wildcats (2-5, 2-1 Region 3-5A) made some improvements. But it wasn’t enough against the Greene Devils, who remained undefeated overall (8-0) and in Region 1-4A (4-0).
Greeneville, about 90 minutes east of Oak Ridge, scored four of their five touchdowns in the first half. Junior quarterback Brady Quillen run for three touchdowns and threw for two, according to The Greeneville Sun.
The Wildcats scored their only touchdown about halfway through the third quarter.
Oak Ridge was visiting Greeneville for the first time since 1947, according to Wildcats broadcaster David Clary, who operates Prepradio.com.
Both teams have played in recent state championship football games. Oak Ridge finished as state runner-up in Class 5A in 2020, while Greeneville won the state championship in Class 4A in 2018.
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