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Basketball: Girls, boys play for district championships

Posted at 4:00 pm February 22, 2021
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge boys and girls basketball teams will play for district championships on Monday and Tuesday. It’s the sixth consecutive trip to the district championship game for the girls and the ninth for the boys.

The Lady Wildcats (19-4) will play Powell (15-3) for the District 3-AAA girls championship at 7 p.m. Monday, February 22, in Wildcat Arena. The two teams also played for the district championship last year. Oak Ridge won that game 64-53.

Coached by Paige Taylor, Oak Ridge won district championships in each of the past five seasons, including two victories over Powell.

In the boys tournament, the Wildcats (23-4) will play Clinton (16-4) at 7 p.m. Tuesday, also in Wildcat Arena. The two teams also played for the district championship last year. Oak Ridge won that game 73-69.

The Wildcats have won the past two district championships. They are coached by Aaron Green, who recently achieved his 300th victory in 11 years.

The winners and losers of the district championship games this week will advance to the Region 2-AAA tournaments.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, High School, Sports Tagged With: Aaron Green, basketball, Clinton, District 3-AAA, district championship, Gracie Hearon, Hope Holt, Jeremy Miller, Jonathan Milloway, Kell Slater, Khamari Mitchell-Steen, Lady Wildcats, Oak Ridge, Paige Taylor, Powell, Semaj Clark, Stafford Shanklin, Wildcats

Lady Wildcats play in district semifinal game Friday night

Posted at 4:21 pm February 19, 2021
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats will play in a district semifinal girls basketball game tonight (Friday, February 19).

Oak Ridge (18-4) will play Clinton (9-12). The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. in Wildcat Arena at Oak Ridge High School.

The winner will play for the District 3-AAA championship on Monday.

The game will be broadcast on WCAT Live on YouTube, Channel 15 on Comcast cable television, and online at http://Prepradio.com.

The Lady Wildcats finished the regular season undefeated in the district, 14-0. It was their first undefeated regular season in the district since the 2016-2017 season. However, they only had one district loss in each of the past three seasons, including both the regular season and playoffs, defeated by Powell once and Campbell County twice.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, High School, Sports, Top Stories Tagged With: basketball, Clinton, District 3-AAA, district semifinal, Khamari Mitchell-Steen, Lady Wildcats, Oak Ridge, Wildcat Arena

COVID-19 emergency delays start of football, girls soccer seasons

Posted at 11:26 am July 3, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Blankenship-Field-James-Mitchell-Aug-2019
Blankenship Field—the city’s football field—is pictured above in August 2019. (File photo by James Mitchell via City of Oak Ridge)

The extension of the COVID-19 emergency in Tennessee has delayed the start of the high school football and girls soccer seasons.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has extended the COVID-19 state of emergency until August 29. A prior order by the governor includes limitations and restrictions on contact sporting events and activities.

In an update sent to member schools on Tuesday, Bernard Childress, executive director of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, said member schools cannot have any competition or scrimmage with other schools while the governor’s order is in place. The schools cannot have close contact activities during practice for football, 7-on-7 football, girls soccer, wrestling, and basketball. Football and girls soccer cannot begin their seasons as originally scheduled, Childress said.

The Oak Ridge football season opener had been scheduled for August 21.

The TSSAA Board of Control had a special meeting Wednesday and voted unanimously to require that member schools follow the governor’s executive order for sports activities.

The board discussed the effect that the extended COVID-19 state of emergency will have on contact sports in the fall. Football, girls soccer, and competitive cheer are considered contact sports.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: COVID-19, Front Page News, Health, High School, Sports Tagged With: 7-on-7 football, basketball, Bernard Childress, Bill Lee, Blankenship Field, competitive cheer, contact sports, COVID-19, football, girls soccer, state of emergency, Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, TSSAA, wrestling

State basketball tournaments suspended

Posted at 11:41 am March 13, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The BlueCross Basketball Championships, the state tournament games that were scheduled to include the Oak Ridge boys team, have been suspended because of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus.

It’s not clear yet if the games will be rescheduled.

The state basketball tournaments were suspended after quarterfinal games in the girls tournament on Thursday.

The Oak Ridge Wildcats had been scheduled to play in a quarterfinal game of the Class AAA boys tournament on Wednesday of next week.

“Whether we will be able to reschedule these events will depend on the length of the suspension and the availability of facilities,” the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: COVID-19, Front Page News, Health, High School, Sports, Top Stories Tagged With: basketball, BlueCross Basketball Championships, Oak Ridge Wildcats, state basketball tournament, Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, TSSAA

Attendance being limited at state basketball tournaments

Posted at 2:28 pm March 12, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Attendance will be limited at the boys and girls state basketball tournaments starting Friday, and that will affect an Oak Ridge team and its fans and cheerleaders.

The Oak Ridge Wildcats are one of the eight teams playing in the Class AAA boys basketball tournament, which starts Wednesday, March 18.

The attendance limits are because of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus. The limits were announced Thursday by the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association.

“Like many other athletic associations and leagues throughout the country, TSSAA has decided that the health and safety of our student-athletes and spectators alike require that we limit fan attendance at our girls’ and boys’ state basketball championships,” the organization said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: COVID-19, Health, High School, Sports Tagged With: basketball, coronavirus, COVID-19, Oak Ridge Wildcats, state basketball tournament, Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, TSSAA

Roane State names head women’s basketball coach

Posted at 11:02 am August 2, 2019
By Owen Driskill Leave a Comment

David Harnish

David Harnish

 

David Harnish, Roane State’s new head women’s basketball coach, will hit the hardwood running as he assumes his new duties.

But for this Colorado native, it’s a return to what he loves doing and does so well. Harnish, 60, was the coach of the Western Nebraska Community College’s women’s team for 29 years and built a remarkable career record of 764 wins and 155 losses.

In 2003, his team played in the national championship title game before coming up short and finishing second in the nation. He has coached 14 All-Americans and more than 40 All-Region student athletes.

“We are extremely fortunate to have a coach coming in who has taken his former school to the NJCAA Division I tournament and has enjoyed such great, long-term success,” Roane State Athletic Director Randy Nesbit said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Sports Tagged With: basketball, basketball coach, David Harnish, Jason Taylor, Lady Raiders, Monica Boles, Randy Nesbit, Roane State, women's basketball

Western Carolina standout named assistant women’s basketball coach at Roane State

Posted at 9:15 am June 14, 2019
By Owen Driskill Leave a Comment

Angel Allen

Angel Allen, a recent Western Carolina University graduate and four-year player for the Catamounts, has been named assistant women’s basketball coach at Roane State Community College.

Allen joins the staff of first-year coach Jason Taylor, a Roane State alumnus who took over the program in May.

Allen, from Murfreesboro, attended Blackman High School and was a two-time girls’ AAA state champion (2014 and 2015) and a one-time ESPN, Maxpreps, and USA Today national champion (2014). [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Front Page News, Sports Tagged With: Angel Allen, basketball, Blackman High School, Jason Taylor, Roane State, Roane State Community College, Western Carolina University, women's basketball coach

Basketball photos: Oak Ridge in state quarterfinal game

Posted at 7:12 pm March 8, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Senior Jada Guinn (24) has broken basketball records at Oak Ridge, including most points scored in a game and most points scored in a season. Guinn, a Miss Basketball finalist who has signed to play at Tennessee Tech, is pictured above shooting the basketball during a 65-49 win over Science Hill in a Class AAA girls basketball tournament quarterfinal game in Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University in Mufreesboro on Thursday, March 7, 2019. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

Senior Jada Guinn (24) has broken basketball records at Oak Ridge, including most points scored in a game and most points scored in a season. Guinn, a Miss Basketball finalist who has signed to play at Tennessee Tech, is pictured above shooting the basketball during a 65-49 win over Science Hill in a Class AAA girls basketball tournament quarterfinal game in Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University in Mufreesboro on Thursday, March 7, 2019. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats defeated Science Hill 65-49 in a quarterfinal game of the Class AAA girls basketball tournament in Murfreesboro on Thursday. Here are photos by Luther Simmons.

(Note: The girls’ season ended with a 56-50 loss to Bradley Central during a semifinal game on Friday.) [Read more…]

Filed Under: High School, Slider, Sports, Sports Tagged With: basketball, basketball photos, Bri Dunbar, Class AAA girls basketball tournament, Jada Guinn, Khamari Mitchell-Steen, Lady Wildcats, Luther Simmons, Middle Tennessee State University, Oak Ridge, Paige Redman, Rachael Brewer, Raja Eckles, Science Hill, Shatyrah Copeland, Taliah Davis

Lady Wildcats eliminated by Bradley Central in overtime

Posted at 6:22 pm March 8, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge sophomore Khamari Mitchell-Steen (2) shoots the basketball during a 65-49 win over Science Hill in a Class AAA girls basketball tournament quarterfinal game in Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University in Mufreesboro on Thursday, March 7, 2019. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

Oak Ridge sophomore Khamari Mitchell-Steen (2) shoots the basketball during a 65-49 win over Science Hill in a Class AAA girls basketball tournament quarterfinal game in Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University in Mufreesboro on Thursday, March 7, 2019. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 7 a.m. March 9.

Oak Ridge was eliminated by Bradley Central, 56-50, in overtime of a semifinal game in the state basketball tournament in Murfreesboro on Friday.

The Lady Wildcats (34-3) trailed by 10 points early, and they were behind at the end of the first and second quarters.

But Oak Ridge outscored the Bearettes 11-3 in the third quarter to take a 36-31 lead.

However, Bradley Central (33-3) rallied behind the 12 points (six points each) of Jamaryn Blair and Anna Walker to tie the score at 43 at the end of the fourth quarter.

Bradley Central made 11 three throws in the overtime period to help outscore Oak Ridge 13-7 in those four minutes to take the six-point win. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, High School, Sports Tagged With: Anna Walker, basketball, Bradley Central, Class AAA state girls basketball championship, Houston, Jada Guinn, Jamaryn Blair, Khamari Mitchell-Steen, Lady Wildcats, Oak Ridge, Paige Redman, Riverdale, state basketball tournament

Lady Wildcats advance to state basketball semifinal with win over Science Hill

Posted at 3:12 pm March 7, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats made it to the state basketball tournament for the third time in four years by beating Dobyns-Bennett 59-42 in a Class AAA sectional game at Wildcat Arena on Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats made it to the state basketball tournament for the third time in four years by beating Dobyns-Bennett 59-42 in a Class AAA sectional game at Wildcat Arena on Saturday, March 2, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 3:25 p.m.

Oak Ridge advanced to a state semifinal game on Friday with a 65-49 win over Science Hill in the Class AAA girls basketball tournament in Murfreesboro on Thursday.

The Lady Wildcats trailed in the first quarter by five points, but they went on an 11-0 run to take the lead by the end of that quarter.

The game remained relatively close until Oak Ridge went on a 14-4 run starting at about 3:30 in the third quarter and continuing through the first few minutes of the fourth quarter. The Lady Wildcats then widened their lead in the final six minutes.

The Lady Wildcats (34-2) will play Bradley Central (32-3) in a Class AAA girls semifinal game in Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University at 2:45 p.m. (3:45 p.m. Eastern) on Friday.

Bradley Central advanced by defeating Lebanon 34-26 in another quarterfinal game on Thursday. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, High School, Slider, Sports, Sports Tagged With: Alasia Smith, basketball, Bradley Central, Bri Dunbar, Class AAA girls basketball tournament, Class AAA girls semifinal, Jada Guinn, Khamari Mitchell-Steen, Lady Wildcats, Leila Greenlee, Middle Tennessee State University, Murphy Center, Raja Eckles, Science Hill, Shatyrah Copeland, state semifinal

After finishing second in region, Wildcats’ season ends at Sevier County

Posted at 2:25 pm March 5, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Wildcats finished as runner-up in Region 2-AAA with a 65-51 loss to Bearden in the championship game at Wildcat Arena on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge Wildcats finished as runner-up in Region 2-AAA with a 65-51 loss to Bearden in the championship game at Wildcat Arena on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge finished second in Region 2-AAA after a 65-51 loss to Bearden in the championship game on Thursday, and the Wildcats’ season ended with a 62-57 loss at Sevier County in a sectional game on Monday.

Oak Ridge (26-7) trailed in both games from start to finish, although the Wildcats narrowed the Smoky Bears’ lead to one point in the final minute before Sevier County (25-6) pulled away on free throws in the Class AAA sectional game on Monday.

The sectional games determine which teams go to the state basketball tournaments at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro this month. The winners of the sectional games advance to the state tournaments, and the season is over for the teams that lose.

It’s Sevier County’s first trip to the state tournament since 1991. The Smoky Bears are one of only eight teams in Division I, Class AAA, to play in the state tournament. Bearden is another.

Oak Ridge last went to the state tournament in 2017, when the Wildcats were eliminated 63-60 by Memphis East in a semifinal game. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, High School, Sports Tagged With: basketball, Bearden, Bulldogs, Cam Burden, Camden McElhaney, Class AAA sectional, Dobyns-Bennett, Drew Pember, Herbert Booker, Jake Agee, JaVonte Thomas, Joe Kesterson, Marcus Smith, Mark Haste, Marvin Castro, Oak Ridge, Ques Glover, Region 2-AAA championship, Sevier County, Smoky Bears, state basketball tournament, Trent Stephney, Wes Maples, Wildcats

After win over Catholic, Wildcats play for Region 2 championship

Posted at 11:56 am February 28, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Wildcats were led by senior guard Marcus Smith (2), pictured above during a district tournament game on Feb. 18, 2019, with a game-high 23 points against Catholic in a Region 2-AAA semifinal game on Tuesday, Feb. 26. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge Wildcats were led by senior guard Marcus Smith (2), pictured above during a district tournament game on Feb. 18, 2019, with a game-high 23 points against Catholic in a Region 2-AAA semifinal game on Tuesday, Feb. 26. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge will play Bearden in the Region 2-AAA boys basketball championship at Wildcat Arena this evening (Thursday, February 28).

Oak Ridge (26-5), the District 3 champion, advanced by defeating Knoxville Catholic 65-58 in a semifinal elimination game at home on Tuesday.

Bearden (27-5), the District 4 champion and defending Region 2 champion, advanced by beating Maryville 55-43 in the other semifinal game at Wildcat Arena on Tuesday.

The Wildcats were led by senior guard Marcus Smith with a game-high 23 points against Catholic. Senior guard Herbert Booker scored 16 points, and he had at least five steals. Senior guard JaVonte Thomas added 15, and he had at least five rebounds.

The Fighting Irish (25-7), the District 4 runner-up, were led by 6-foot-9 junior forward Akeem Odusipe, who scored 19 points and had at least seven rebounds and three blocks. Freshman Presley Patterson added 13 points, including on three three-point shots, and senior Ryan MacDonald and freshman Brian Edwards each scored 10 for Catholic. Edwards also had at least eight rebounds. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, High School, Sports, Top Stories Tagged With: Akeem Odusipe, basketball, Bearden, Brian Edwards, Bulldogs, Drew Pember, Fighting Irish, Handje Tamba, Herbert Booker, JaVonte Thomas, Jonathan Milloway, Knoxville Catholic, Marcus Smith, Oak Ridge, Presley Patterson, Ques Glover, Region 2-AAA, Region 2-AAA boys basketball championship, Ryan MacDonald, Trent Stephney, Wildcat Arena, Wildcats

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Classifieds

Public Notice: Comment period extended for Draft EA for Lithium Processing Facility at Y-12

EXTENSION OF THE COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE LITHIUM PROCESSING … [Read More...]

Public Notice: Draft Environmental Assessment Available for Lithium Production Facility at Y-12

AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE LITHIUM PROCESSING FACILITY AT THE Y-12 … [Read More...]

Availability of the Final Environmental Assessment for the Oak Ridge Enhanced Technology and Training Center (ORETTC) (DOE/EA-2144), Finding of No Significant Impact, and Wetland Statement of Findings

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the … [Read More...]

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