Oak Ridge Today

UT Arboretum Society to hold fall wildflower walk meet & greet in September

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Kris Light is pictured above on a fall wildflower walk at the University of Tennessee Arboretum. (Photo by UT Arboretum Society)

Kris Light is pictured above on a fall wildflower walk. (Photo by UT Arboretum Society)

 

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will host a meet-and-greet followed by a fall wildflower walk at Haw Ridge Trails on Saturday, September 2. The event is scheduled from 9-11 a.m.

Kris Light, an expert naturalist, educator, and photographer will lead this fun, educational, and easy walk, a press release said. Participants may want to bring a camera to take pictures of the many wildflowers, the release said.

Describing the walk, Light said, “Most people think of springtime as wildflower season, but late summer and fall color the fields and roadsides in gold, purple and white. Come to the fall wildflower walk to learn more about the wildflowers of the fields.” [Read more…]

Football photos: Oak Ridge-Hardin Valley

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Hardin Valley defenders tackle Oak Ridge senior running back Adarius Simpson (24) during a 21-20 win for the Wildcats on Blankenship Field on Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Hardin Valley defenders tackle Oak Ridge senior running back Adarius Simpson (24) during a 21-20 win for the Wildcats on Blankenship Field on Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Wildcats won a close one-point game against Hardin Valley Academy on Friday night when the Hawks missed an extra point with 21.5 seconds left in the season opener. Here are photos from the 21-20 win by John Huotari. [Read more…]

Football: Wildcats win when Hardin Valley misses extra point in final minute

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Oak Ridge quarterback Johnny Stewart (2) runs against Hardin Valley during a 21-20 win on Blankenship Field on Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Oak Ridge quarterback Johnny Stewart (2) runs against Hardin Valley during a 21-20 win on Blankenship Field on Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Wildcats won a close one-point game against Hardin Valley Academy on Friday night when the Hawks missed an extra point with 21.5 seconds left in the season opener.

The Hawks scored in the final minute after Oak Ridge junior linebacker Jeremy Mitchell dropped a Hardin Valley player in the backfield, and the football came loose. There was a scramble for the ball near the goal line, and it squirted into the end zone, where Hardin Valley recovered it for a touchdown. The Hawks then trailed by just one point, 21-20.

They had a chance to tie the game at 21 with an extra point, and they had a chance to take the lead with a two-point conversion.

A few extra point attempts by Hardin Valley were waived off due to penalties, including one on a try that was no good and bounced down to Blankenship Field off the crossbar on an Oak Ridge offsides.

The final attempt went wide left, and Oak Ridge kept its 21-20 lead with 21.5 seconds remaining.

Hardin Valley, a Class 6A team, used an onsides kick to try for one final score in the final seconds of the non-region game. But Oak Ridge, a Class 5A team, recovered and only had to take a knee to run out the clock. [Read more…]

Girls soccer: Oak Ridge shuts out Halls in first home game

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Oak Ridge senior Zoe Van Hook (17) is pictured above during a 8-0 win over Halls at home on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Oak Ridge senior Zoe Van Hook (17) is pictured above during an 8-0 win over Halls at home on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge girls soccer team shut out Halls 8-0 during the first home game of the regular season on Thursday.

The Lady Wildcats led 5-0 at halftime and scored three more goals in the second half.

Sophomore Maddie Peters, credited with five shots, scored first for Oak Ridge about eight minutes into the game. She fired a shot from the right side of the goal box, and it bounced in off the left upright.

About 13 minutes later, senior Zoe Van Hook passed the soccer ball across the field from right to left and freshman Katelyn Mattus kicked it into the left side of the net.

A minute later, Oak Ridge scored again when sophomore Katie O’Brien lofted a shot that bounced in off the hands of Halls goalkeeper Madison Wright. [Read more…]

Girls soccer photos: Oak Ridge vs. Catholic

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The Oak Ridge girls soccer team played at Knoxville Catholic on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

The Oak Ridge girls soccer team played at Knoxville Catholic on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

KNOXVILLE—The Oak Ridge girls soccer team opened its regular season at Knoxville Catholic on Tuesday. Here are photos by Luther Simmons.

The girls will play their first home game of the regular season at 7 p.m. today (Thursday, August 17) at the Oak Ridge High School Pro2Serve Soccer Complex. It’s also the first district game.

The girls lost to Catholic 2-1 on Tuesday. That was a non-district game. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Rowing Association hosting USRowing Masters National Championships this week

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The 2017 USRowing Masters National Championships will be held in Oak Ridge in August. The championships are scheduled for August 17-20 on Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge. (Photo courtesy USRowing)

 

Oak Ridge Rowing Association will host the 2017 USRowing Masters National Championships from Thursday, August 17, to Sunday, August 20.

“With 3,000 rowers coming to town to compete in the highest masters level race and a peninsula filled with food and shopping, come experience the event!” the Oak Ridge Rowing Association said in a press release distributed by the City of Oak Ridge.

This regatta will take place down at the Oak Ridge Rowing Association Boathouse and on the waterfront. Rowers will arrive on site to practice on Wednesday, August 16, and will compete August 17-20, the press release said.

The parking lot in front of the boathouse will remain closed from August 17-20 for the championship regatta, the press release said. The public boat ramp next to the boathouse will be closed for the duration of the regatta also. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will close the waterway that is affected by the regatta until Sunday, August 20, the press release said. [Read more…]

Road detour for USRowing Masters National Championships this weekend

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The USRowing Masters National Championships will be at Melton Lake Park this weekend, August 17-20.

There will be a detour for non-local traffic at Melton Lake Drive and Emory Valley Road to reduce congestion and increase pedestrian safety, a press release said. The Melton Lake Greenway will be open as usual, but users should be cautious as there will be considerably more activity on the section that parallels the rowing course, the press release said. The parking lot and boat ramp at Melton Lake Park will be closed to the public from Thursday through Sunday.

Oak Ridge Rowing Association is the local host of the regatta. Questions or concerns should be directed to the regatta director, Sarah McAuliffe, at (508) 488-0868.

Explore Oak Ridge will be on site supporting the event and providing visitors with information about Oak Ridge, the press release said.

Oak Ridge volleyball opens regular season against Hardin Valley on Tuesday

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The Oak Ridge High School volleyball team will open its regular season at home against Hardin Valley on Tuesday.

Junior varsity starts at 5 p.m. Tuesday, and varsity begins at 6 p.m.

“We’re looking forward to getting the season going in earnest,” Coach David Kolodney said. “Practice is great, but matches are where it’s at!”

See the 2017 ORHS volleyball schedule below: [Read more…]

USRowing Masters National Championships is in Oak Ridge this week

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The 2017 USRowing Masters National Championships will be held on the Oak Ridge rowing course from August 17-20. (Photo courtesy USRowing)

 

The 2017 USRowing Masters National Championships are in Oak Ridge this week.

The rowing races are scheduled from Thursday, August 17, to Sunday, August 20, on the Oak Ridge rowing course on Melton Hill Lake.

The 2016 regatta had more than 2,000 entries as 165 clubs converged on the waterways of Lake Quinsigamond for the largest USRowing event ever. For Oak Ridge Rowing Association Regatta Director Sarah McAuliffe, it set the bar even higher for this year, and she is looking forward to the challenge, a press release said.

“Oak Ridge Rowing Association is extremely excited to provide an excellent athlete experience for rowers at Masters Nationals 2017,” McAuliffe said. “With our race course recognized as one of the best in the country, and an organization that has decades of experience hosting high-caliber events, rowers will have the ability to connect with other athletes socially and competitively.” [Read more…]

Photos: Oak Ridge-Heritage football scrimmage

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Oak Ridge had an opening football scrimmage at Heritage High School in Blount County on Monday, July 31, 2017. (Photos by Luther Simmons)

Oak Ridge had an opening football scrimmage at Heritage High School in Blount County on Monday, July 31, 2017. (Photos by Luther Simmons)

 

BLOUNT COUNTY—Oak Ridge had an opening football scrimmage at Heritage High School in Blount County on Monday. Here are photos by Luther Simmons.

The final score was Oak Ridge 41, Heritage 14. You can see some of the highlights posted by Oak Ridge Sports on Twitter.

During the freshman scrimmage, Oak Ridge scored three touchdowns while holding Heritage scoreless. [Read more…]

See 2017 Oak Ridge girls’ soccer schedule here

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Here is the 2017 game schedule for Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats soccer:

Preseason

  1. July 29—KIL Jamboree: McMinn County (away)—10:30 a.m./Webb (away)—11:30 a.m.
  2. August 1—South Doyle (home)—7 p.m.
  3. August 3—CAK (away)—6 p.m.
  4. August 8—Alcoa (home)—7 p.m.
  5. August 10—Maryville (away)—7 p.m.

Regular Season [Read more…]

See 2017 Oak Ridge football schedule here

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Note: This story was updated at 11:20 a.m.

Here is the 2017 game schedule for Oak Ridge Wildcats football:

  • August 18—Hardin Valley at home (Blankenship Field)—7:30 p.m.
  • August 25—Dobyns-Bennett in Kingsport (away)—7:30 p.m.
  • September 1—Campbell County in Jacksboro (away)—7:30 p.m. (Region 3-5A game)
  • September 8—Farragut at Farragut (away)—7:30 p.m.
  • September 15—West at home—7:30 p.m. (Region 3-5A game)
  • September 22—Sevier County at home—7:30 p.m.
  • September 29—Karns at home—7:30 p.m. (Region 3-5A game)
  • October 13—Clinton at home—7:30 p.m. (Region 3-5A game)
  • October 20—Powell at Powell (away)—7:30 p.m. (Region 3-5A game)
  • October 27—Fulton in Knoxville (away)—7:30 p.m. (Region 3-5A game)

Fulton and West, both of Knoxville, are new regional opponents of Oak Ridge in 2017 under the 2017-2018 classification.

Farragut and Lenoir City—two high schools that were in Division I, Class 5A, Region 3, with Oak Ridge last year—have both moved to another class or region. Farragut, a longtime Oak Ridge rival, is now in Class 6A, although the Wildcats will still play the Admirals this season. Farragut won the Class 5A state championship in 2016 after losing to Oak Ridge during the regular season. [Read more…]