Oak Ridge Today

Wildcats win Region 2 championship two years in a row

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Oak Ridge beat a young, talented Bearden team 86-73 in the Region 2-AAA basketball championship at Wildcat Arena on Thursday, March 2, 2017. The team is pictured above with coaches, cheerleaders, and the student section. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

Oak Ridge beat a young, talented Bearden team 86-73 in the Region 2-AAA basketball championship at Wildcat Arena on Thursday, March 2, 2017. The team is pictured above with coaches, cheerleaders, and the student section. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Oak Ridge senior Tajion Jones bounced back with 24 points and the Wildcats beat a young, talented Bearden team 86-73 in the Region 2-AAA championship at home on Thursday.

It’s the second consecutive regional championship for the Wildcats and their third in the past five years.

Oak Ridge (29-2) will now play David Crockett, the Region 1-AAA runner-up, in a sectional at Wildcat Arena at 7 p.m. Monday.

Bearden (21-9) will play at Science Hill, the Region 1 champion, in another sectional at 7 p.m. Monday.

The eight sectionals will determine which teams get to play in the Class AAA state basketball tournament from March 15-18 at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro.

Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said the Thursday night win over Bearden, which started four sophomores, was a collective effort. [Read more…]

Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament to benefit Community Mediation Services

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The Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament on Friday, April 28, 2017, will benefit Community Mediation Services of Anderson Country, providing participants a great way to give back to the youth and families in the community while having a great day of golf. (Photo via Community Mediation Services)

The Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament on Friday, April 28, 2017, will benefit Community Mediation Services of Anderson Country, providing participants a great way to give back to the youth and families in the community while having a great day of golf. (Photo via Community Mediation Services)

 

The Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament on April 28 will benefit Community Mediation Services of Anderson Country, providing participants a great way to give back to the youth and families in the community while having a great day of golf, a press release said.

It’s the 16th Annual Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament. It will be on Friday, April 28, at the Oak Ridge Country Club.

“Oak Ridge Country Club provides a beautiful and challenging setting for all golfers,” the press release said.

The Tournament is a two-session, scramble format with two flights: 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Golfers will get a complimentary breakfast, beverage carts, and a smoked barbecue lunch. Prize contests for participants in each flight will be awarded and a Hole-in-One Grand Prize will be available. Free Big Ed’s shirts and golf towels for all golfers are included. A Silent Auction will be held in conjunction with the Tournament. Auction items will be available for viewing online at www.peacefulresolution.org.

The registration deadline is Monday, April 24 ($125/player; $500/team). [Read more…]

Here’s a recap of the season for the ORHS Swim Team

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The Oak Ridge High School Wildcat state team qualifiers and coaches David Vander Sluis, far left, and Alicia Williamson, back right. (Photo courtesy Erik Groscost)

Pictured above are the Oak Ridge High School Wildcat state team qualifiers and coaches David Vander Sluis, far left, and Alicia Williamson, back right. (Photo courtesy Erik Groscost)

 

By Erik Groscost

The Oak Ridge High School Wildcat Swim Team dual meet record for the 2016-2017 swim season was 4 wins, 0 losses. We were undefeated for the second year in a row! The wins were over Farragut, Berean Christian, Knoxville Catholic, and Clinton/Anderson County high schools.

Our meet against Maryville was canceled due to the heater breaking at the Oak Ridge Civic Center pool in late December. Three weeks of key training were disrupted for both year round and high school swimmers. We found ways around that nuisance and our swimmers still had very good championship meet performances.

Our two big end-of-season championship meets: [Read more…]

Girls basketball photos: Oak Ridge-Hardin Valley

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Oak Ridge senior Courtney Ellison (10) made three three-point shots during a 71-42 win over Hardin Valley in the Region 2-AAA championship at Wildcat Arena on Wednesday, March 1, 2017. She is defended here by Hardin Valley junior Abbey Cornelius (25). (Photo by Luther Simmons)

Oak Ridge senior Courtney Ellison (10) made three three-point shots during a 71-42 win over Hardin Valley in the Region 2-AAA championship at Wildcat Arena on Wednesday, March 1, 2017. She is defended here by Hardin Valley junior Abbey Cornelius (25). (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won the Region 2-AAA championship for the second year in a row on Wednesday, crushing Hardin Valley 71-42 in their best overall game. Here are photos by Luther Simmons. [Read more…]

Playing their best game, Lady Wildcats win Region 2 championship

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Playing their best game, the Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won the Region 2-AAA championship for the second year in a row, crushing Hardin Valley 71-42 at Wildcat Arena on Wednesday, March 1, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

Playing their best game, the Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won the Region 2-AAA championship for the second year in a row, crushing Hardin Valley 71-42 at Wildcat Arena on Wednesday, March 1, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Note: This story was updated at 10:15 a.m.

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won the Region 2-AAA championship for the second year in a row on Wednesday, crushing Hardin Valley 71-42. Oak Ridge Coach Paige Redman said it was the best overall game she’s seen the girls play.

“This game showed me a lot about them from start to finish on both ends of the court,” Redman said. “We played really, really well.”

The Lady Wildcats (29-3) had at least 15 steals, and they scored on eight of those. Oak Ridge had 25 points off of turnovers, including steals. Some of those turnovers led to three-point shots, some to layups, and still others to two-point plays converted into three-point plays because of Hardin Valley fouls.

Oak Ridge also had at least a half-dozen feeds in the paint for a basket, sometimes from one player standing near the free throw line to another cutting inside toward the basket when Hardin Valley guards came out too far.

“Tonight they played basketball,” Redman said of her team. “It was the best overall game I’ve seen them play.” [Read more…]

Boys basketball photos: Oak Ridge-Maryville

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Oak Ridge senior Tajion Jones (3) shoots form three-point range during a 46-43 win over Maryville in a Region 2-AAA semifinal elimination game at Wildcat Arena on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

Oak Ridge senior Tajion Jones (3) shoots from three-point range during a 46-43 win over Maryville in a Region 2-AAA semifinal elimination game at Wildcat Arena on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Maryville senior guard Easton Upchurch scored 25 points and made seven three-point shots on Tuesday, but it wasn’t enough to keep Oak Ridge from advancing to its fifth straight regional championship. Here are photos from the Region 2-AAA semifinal game by Luther Simmons. [Read more…]

Upchurch scores 25, but Maryville can’t stop Oak Ridge

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Oak Ridge senior Anthony Gibson (23) led the Wildcats with 13 points during a 46-43 win against Maryville in a Region 2-AAA semifinal elimination game at Wildcat Arena on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

Oak Ridge senior Anthony Gibson (23) led the Wildcats with 13 points during a 46-43 win over Maryville in a Region 2-AAA semifinal elimination game at Wildcat Arena on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Maryville senior guard Easton Upchurch scored 25 points and made seven three-point shots on Tuesday, but it wasn’t enough to keep Oak Ridge from advancing to its fifth straight regional championship.

The Wildcats were held to their lowest offensive output of the season in the 46-43 Region 2-AAA semifinal win over the Rebels at Wildcat Arena. No Oak Ridge player scored more than 13, which is unusual.

Maryville Coach Mark Eldridge said Oak Ridge has better players than the Rebels, so his team tried to limit the number of possessions. More possessions mean the better team wins, Eldridge said.

The Wildcats probably had about half as many possessions as they normally do, Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said. Maryville has guards who are good enough that the Rebels could run time off the clock—and they did.

“Sometimes you have to find ways to grind them out,” Green said. “Our guys haven’t had a lot of close games, and our guys kept their composure.”

Oak Ridge (28-2) advances to play Bearden (21-8) in the Region 2-AAA championship at Wildcat Arena at 7 p.m. Thursday. The season is over for Maryville (24-6). [Read more…]

Girls basketball photos: Oak Ridge-William Blount

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Oak Ridge junior Destiny Kassner (30) plays defense during a 48-47 Region 2-AAA semifinal win over William Blount at Wildcat Arena on Monday, Feb. 27, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

Oak Ridge junior Destiny Kassner (30) plays defense during a 48-47 Region 2-AAA semifinal win over William Blount at Wildcat Arena on Monday, Feb. 27, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Two steals, a layup, and a free throw in the final minute helped Oak Ridge beat William Blount by one point, 48-47, in a Region 2-AAA semifinal game that came down to the final few seconds on Monday. Here are photos by Luther Simmons. [Read more…]

Lady Wildcats win close game to advance to Region 2 championship

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Two steals, a layup, and a free throw in the final minute helped Oak Ridge beat William Blount by one point, 48-47, in a Region 2-AAA semifinal game that came down to the final few seconds on Monday, Feb. 27, 2017. Pictured above are Oak Ridge juniors Jaymi Golden (32) and Destiny Kassner (30). (Photo by Luther Simmons)

Two steals, a layup, and a free throw in the final minute helped Oak Ridge beat William Blount by one point, 48-47, in a Region 2-AAA semifinal game that came down to the final few seconds on Monday, Feb. 27, 2017. Pictured above are Oak Ridge juniors Jaymi Golden (32) and Destiny Kassner (30). (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Two steals, a layup, and a free throw in the final minute helped Oak Ridge beat William Blount by one point, 48-47, in a regional semifinal game that came down to the final few seconds on Monday.

The Lady Governors led by two points late in the Region 2-AAA semifinal elimination game, Oak Ridge Coach Paige Redman said. But a steal by Lady Wildcats senior Courtney Ellison led to a tying layup by junior Mykia Dowdell.

Then, another Oak Ridge steal led to a William Blount foul and two free throws by Lady Wildcats sophomore Jada Guinn. She missed the first one but hit the second, Redman said. That gave the Lady Wildcats (28-3) a one-point lead with about half a minute remaining.

With just over two seconds to go, Oak Ridge got the basketball. But the Lady Wildcats turned it over with about 1.3 seconds remaining. When the Lady Governors threw it in, Dowdell knocked it out of bounds. The clock ticked down to 0.3 seconds. That wasn’t enough time for William Blount (21-11) to get the ball in bounds and possibly make a game-winning basket. After being nervous—the Lady Governors led 47-45 with 2:14 remaining—Oak Ridge fans were jubilant.

“Wow!” said Stephanie Thompson, Oak Ridge High School assistant principal. “What a win for the Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats!” [Read more…]

Boys basketball photos: Oak Ridge-West

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Oak Ridge junior point guard Levert Smith (10) became the single-season assist leader for Oak Ridge, with 187 assists this year, during a 68-38 Region 2-AAA quarterfinal win against West at home on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017. Also pictured are Oak Ridge seniors Tee Higgins (5) and Tajion Jones (3), who became only the second Wildcat to hit his 200th career three-point shot. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

Oak Ridge junior point guard Levert Smith (10) became the single-season assist leader for Oak Ridge, with 187 assists this year, during a 68-38 Region 2-AAA quarterfinal win against West at home on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017. Also pictured are Oak Ridge seniors Tee Higgins (5) and Tajion Jones (3), who became only the second Wildcat to hit his 200th career three-point shot. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Oak Ridge senior Anthony Gibson again led the Wildcats in a playoff win, this time in a Region 2-AAA quarterfinal win against West at home on Saturday. Here are photos from the game by Luther Simmons. [Read more…]

Gibson again leads Wildcats, this time in quarterfinal win over West

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Oak Ridge senior Anthony Gibson (23) again led the Wildcats in a playoff win, this time in a 68-38 Region 2-AAA quarterfinal win against West at home on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

Oak Ridge senior Anthony Gibson (23) again led the Wildcats in a playoff win, this time in a 68-38 Region 2-AAA quarterfinal win against West at home on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Note: This story was updated at 9 a.m. Feb. 28.

Oak Ridge senior Anthony Gibson again led the Wildcats in a playoff win, this time in a Region 2-AAA quarterfinal win against West at home on Saturday.

Gibson, a 6-foot-1 guard, scored a game-high 18 points in the elimination game at Wildcat Arena on Saturday. He had four three-points shots for 12 of those points.

Earlier in the week, on Tuesday, Gibson led Oak Ridge with 24 points as the Wildcats won their fifth straight District 3-AAA championship with an 86-58 defeat of Powell.

With the Region 2 quarterfinal win on Saturday, Oak Ridge advanced to play Maryville at Wildcat Arena at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in a semifinal elimination game. The winner of the Tuesday night Oak Ridge-Maryville game will move on to play in the Region 2-AAA championship. The season will be over for the loser.

“This is the toughest game of the year,” Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said. “There’s a lot on the line across the state.” [Read more…]

Photos: AJ Cucksey visits Oak Ridge

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AJ Cucksey is pictured above with the Oak Ridge Wildcats basketball team during a 68-38 win over West in a Region 2-AAA quarterfinal game at Wildcat Arena on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017. (Photo courtesy Oak Ridge Wildcats Basketball)

AJ Cucksey is pictured above with the Oak Ridge Wildcats basketball team during a 68-38 win over West in a Region 2-AAA quarterfinal game at Wildcat Arena on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017. (Photo courtesy Oak Ridge Wildcats Basketball)

 

AJ Cucksey, a six-year-old cancer survivor, met two of Oak Ridge’s best athletes—junior Destiny Kassner and senior Tee Higgins, both basketball players—during Region 2-AAA quarterfinal games at Wildcat Arena this past weekend.

AJ was at the Friday night game, when Destiny helped the Lady Wildcats beat Bearden in a regional tournament quarterfinal. He was back again on Saturday, when Tee helped the Wildcats in a win over West, also in a quarterfinal game.

Here are photos from AJ at the basketball games, and before. [Read more…]