Oak Ridge Today

Jones named MVP as Wildcats win fifth straight district championship

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The Oak Ridge Wildcats won their fifth straight District 3-AAA championship with an 86-58 victory over Powell at Clinton on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

The Oak Ridge Wildcats won their fifth straight District 3-AAA championship with an 86-58 victory over Powell at Clinton on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

CLINTON—Oak Ridge senior Tajion Jones was named most valuable player as the Wildcats won their fifth straight District 3-AAA championship with an 86-58 victory over Powell at Clinton on Tuesday.

Oak Ridge (26-2) will play West, which finished fourth in District 4-AAA, in a first-round Region 2-AAA game at Wildcat Arena at 7 p.m. Saturday. West (15-17) lost to Hardin Valley 64-58 in the third-place District 4 game on Tuesday.

The Wildcats, the top seed in the District 3-AAA basketball tournament, advanced to the district championship at Clinton High School on Tuesday by beating Clinton, which had been the number five seed, 111-77 in a semifinal game on Saturday.

Oak Ridge was led against Powell on Tuesday by senior Anthony Gibson. He scored a game-high 24 points, with 22 of those in the first half. Gibson knocked down three three-point shots.

Jones scored 21, with 12 of those on four three-point shots. Jones, a Mr. Basketball finalist in Class AAA, also had a baseline drive for a dunk. [Read more…]

Dowdell named MVP, leads girls in District 3 championship

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The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won the District 3-AAA girls' basketball championship in 59-34 victory over Powell at Clinton High School on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won the District 3-AAA girls’ basketball championship in a 59-34 victory over Powell at Clinton High School on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

CLINTON—Oak Ridge junior Mykia Dowdell was named most valuable player and the Lady Wildcats won their second straight District 3-AAA championship with a 59-34 victory over Powell at Clinton on Tuesday.

Oak Ridge (26-3) will play Bearden in a first-round Region 2-AAA tournament game at Wildcat Arena at 7 p.m. Friday. The Lady Bulldogs (24-3) lost to Hardin Valley 58-50 in a third-place District 4-AAA game at Hardin Valley Academy on Monday.

Dowdell led the Lady Wildcats with 21 points in the District 3 championship game against Powell on Tuesday, and she had at least six rebounds. She had eight points in the first quarter alone, and another six in the second.

While Dowdell was named MVP, three other Oak Ridge players were also named to the District 3-AAA All Tournament Team on Tuesday: senior Courtney Ellison, junior Jaymi Golden, and sophomore Jada Guinn. [Read more…]

Basketball: Defense spells victory for JMS Eagles in tournament finale

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Dawson Warwick of Jefferson Middle School shoots over a Knoxville Christian defender in a fifth-place game in the West Valley Christmas Tournament in Knoxville on Friday, Dec. 30, 2016. (Photo courtesy Jason Nussbaum)

 

KNOXVILLE—A tough defensive effort propelled the Jefferson Middle School boys basketball team to a fifth-place finish in the West Valley Christmas Tournament.

The Eagles (16-4) closed out the tournament with a 44-23 victory over Knoxville Christian on Friday at West Valley Middle School.

Jefferson had offensive struggles against the overmatched Knights, but that was nothing new for the Eagles, who are regulars at West Knox County holiday tournaments.

“It seemed like there was a lid on the basket today,” Jefferson Coach Jason Nussbaum said. “It’s been that way throughout the whole tournament. We’ve had trouble scoring all week.

“I’m proud of our boys for the way we played defense today. Our defense was good in the tournament.” [Read more…]

Basketball: Wildcats, Lady Wildcats open season 2-0

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The Oak Ridge boys’ and girls’ basketball teams both won their second games of the regular season on Friday.

The boys (2-0) beat Bearden (2-1) 66-63 at the Stone Memorial Thanksgiving Showcase at Stone Memorial in Crossville.

The Wildcats play McCallie at the showcase at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Crossville. [Read more…]

Cross country photos: Oak Ridge boys win Region 2-AAA championship

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Oak Ridge senior Jake Etheridge finished first in the boys’ race in the Region 2-AAA cross country meet at Victor Ashe Park in Knoxville on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

KNOXVILLE—The Oak Ridge Wildcats boys’ cross country team finished first in the Region 2-AAA meet at Victor Ashe Park in Knoxville on Thursday. It was the third year in a row that the boys have won the regional championship.

The boys will race in the state cross country meet in Nashville on Saturday, November 5.

Oak Ridge senior Jake Etheridge finished first in the regional meet on Thursday. Sophomore Dalton Morgan was fourth. Daeton Byars was eighth, Reid Dukes was 10th, Will Jeter was 15th, Christian Borden was 21st, and Jose Villegas was 29th.

Here are photos from the Thursday meet by John Huotari of Oak Ridge Today.

[Read more…]

Soccer: Lady Wildcats fall to Bearden

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KNOXVILLE—It was not what Jeff Trombly was looking for.

The Oak Ridge girls soccer head coach spoke plainly about his team’s performance after an 0-4 loss to Bearden Thursday night, saying that he would grade it as an F.

“There was no effort,” Trombly said. “There was no connecting the passes. There was no spirit involved in the team at all. Worst game we’ve played all year.”

The Lady Wildcats traveled to Knoxville hoping to gain a late-season victory over the defending Lady Bulldogs.

Instead, Oak Ridge (10-6-1, 3-1 District 3-AAA) fell behind early in the contest, and struggled to gain any momentum. [Read more…]

Soccer photos II: Oak Ridge-Bearden in Region 2-AAA championship

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Oak Ridge senior defender Blake Clowers (3) scored the one goal for the Wildcats during a 4-1 loss at Bearden in the Region 2-AAA championship on Thursday, May 19, 2016. Also pictured are Bearden senior Kelvin Garcia (10) and Oak Ridge senior Matt Warmbrod (5). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

KNOXVILLE—Oak Ridge finished as Region 2-AAA runner-up at Bearden on Thursday, and the Wildcats play Dobyns-Bennett in a sectional soccer game in Kingsport this afternoon (Saturday, May 21). Here are more photos from Thursday’s game.

The winner of today’s game will advance to the Class AAA state tournament in Murfreesboro next week.

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Bearden senior Jameson Elmore (21) goes for a shot during a 4-1 win over Oak Ridge at Bearden on Thursday, May 19, 2016. Also pictured from left are Oak Ridge senior goalkeeper Joel Turner, junior midfielder Brent Robinson (6), and senior defender Blake Clowers (3). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

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Oak Ridge junior midfielder Brent Robinson (6), at right), heads the ball past Bearden senior Gabe Alvarez during a 4-1 loss for the Wildats at Bearden in the Region 2-AAA championship on Thursday, May 19, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/oak Ridge Today)

[Read more…]

Soccer photos I: Oak Ridge-Bearden in Region 2-AAA championship

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Oak Ridge junior midfielder Brent Robinson (6) and Bearden senior Jameson Elmore (21), who had an assist on the Bulldogs’ first goal, go for a header during the Region 2-AAA championship game at Bearden on Thursday, May 19, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

KNOXVILLE—Oak Ridge finished as Region 2-AAA runner-up at Bearden on Thursday, and the Wildcats play Dobyns-Bennett in a sectional soccer game in Kingsport this afternoon (Saturday, May 21). Here are photos from Thursday’s game.

The winner of today’s game will advance to the Class AAA state tournament in Murfreesboro next week.

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Oak Ridge junior midfielder Brent Robinson (6) and Bearden senior Gabe Alvarez (33), who scored two goals, battle for the soccer ball during a 4-1 win for the Bulldogs at Bearden on Thursday, May 19, 2016. Behind Alvarez is Bearden senior Spencer Smiley (7), who also scored two goals. Oak Ridge senior Blake Clowers (3), right, had the one goal for Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

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Bearden kept Oak Ridge senior goalkeeper Joel Turner busy, peppering him with 31 shots, with 18 of those on goal during a 4-1 win for the Bulldogs in the Region 2-AAA championship at Bearden on Thursday afternoon, May 19, 2016. Turner makes the save here against Bearden senior Spencer Smiley, who scored two goals for the Bulldogs. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

[Read more…]

Soccer: Wildcats finish as Region 2 runner-up, play Dobyns-Bennett this afternoon

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Oak Ridge junior midfielder Brent Robinson (6) and Bearden senior Gabe Alvarez (33), who scored two goals, battle for the soccer ball during a 4-1 win for the Bulldogs at Bearden on Thursday, May 19, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

KNOXVILLE—Oak Ridge finished as Region 2-AAA runner-up at Bearden on Thursday, and the Wildcats play Dobyns-Bennett in a sectional soccer game in Kingsport this afternoon (Saturday, May 21). The winner of that game will advance to the Class AAA state tournament in Murfreesboro next week.

The Wildcats (14-8) lost to the Bulldogs 4-1 at Bearden on Thursday. Oak Ridge senior goalkeeper Joel Turner was busy the entire game, trying to keep a steady stream of Bearden shots out of the net. The Bulldogs finished with 31 shots, or about one shot every 2.5 minutes. Eighteen of those shots were on goal.

Bearden (19-3) scored in quick back-to-back goals less than three minutes apart late in the first half and about 30 seconds apart late in the second.

Oak Ridge scored its only goal with 1:14 remaining on a penalty kick by senior defender Blake Clowers.

Bearden seniors Spencer Smiley and Gabe Alvarez had two goals each for the Bulldogs. [Read more…]

Wildcats eliminate Maryville, move on to Region 2 championship

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Oak Ridge senior defender Blake Clowers (3), pictured here in front of Maryville senior Luke Orren (11), scores the winning goal on a header off a corner kick by senior forward Austin Vinyard in a 2-1 Region 2-AAA semifinal win for the Wildcats at home on Tuesday, May 17, 2016. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:35 a.m.

Oak Ridge eliminated Maryville 2-1 in a Region 2-AAA semifinal game at home on Tuesday, and the Wildcats advance to play at Bearden in the region championship on Thursday.

Oak Ridge scored the winning goal on a header by senior defender Blake Clowers off a corner kick by junior forward Austin Vinyard with 8:21 remaining in the playoff elimination game.

The Wildcats are guaranteed two more games: the Region 2-AAA championship and a state sectional. In the sectionals, the Region 1 champion plays the Region 2 runner-up, and the Region 2 champion plays the Region 1 runner-up.

The Region 2 championship game will start at 4 p.m. Thursday at Bearden High School in Knoxville. The sectionals are Saturday.

The Region 1 championship between Sevier County and Dobyns-Bennett starts at 6 p.m. Thursday in Sevierville.

[Read more…]

In rematch, Wildcats play Maryville in Region 2 semifinal today

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Oak Ridge senior defender Blake Clowers (3) scored the one goal for the Wildcats during a 4-1 loss to Maryville at home on Tuesday, May 3, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

They last played two weeks ago during the regular season, and Oak Ridge and Maryville will play again tonight (Tuesday, May 17) in a Region 2-AAA semifinal.

The game starts at 7 p.m. at Oak Ridge High School.

The Rebels beat the Wildcats 4-1 in a regular-season game on Tuesday, May 3.

But it was a tale of two halves, and Oak Ridge (13-7) won the second half, Wildcats Coach Jeff Trombly said. Maryville (13-5-2) picked up all its scoring, all four goals, in the first half. They were scoreless in the second, when the Wildcats scored one.

“The score was not as lopsided as it looks,” Maryville Coach Steve Feather said. [Read more…]

Wildcats win district championship

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Oak Ridge freshman John Belbeck (22) tries to evade Halls players during a 10-2 district championship win at home on Friday, May 13, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 12:30 p.m. May 14.

Oak Ridge won the District 3-AAA championship with a 10-2 victory over Halls at home on Friday.

The Wildcats (13-7) advance to play the loser of Saturday’s District 4-AAA championship game between Bearden and Maryville. The District 4 runner-up will come to Oak Ridge to play in a Region 2-AAA semifinal game on Tuesday.

The Red Devils (10-7), the District 3 runner-up, advance to play the winner of the Bearden-Maryville District 4 championship game.

It was the second time Oak Ridge played Halls this year, and the win was more lopsided this time. The Wildcats, who finished the season undefeated in the district with a 7-0 record, won the first game against the Red Devils, a regular season game, 4-1 on April 7.

“I think we’re a different team now,” Oak Ridge Coach Jeff Trombly said.

Halls finished the regular season second in the district with a 6-2 record. [Read more…]