Oak Ridge Today

Oak Ridge shuts out Campbell County to win region championship, secure home-field advantage

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Oak Ridge sophomore Tre Jackson (6) ran for 99 yards and two touchdowns during a 28-0 region championship win at Campbell County on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

JACKSBORO—Oak Ridge won the regional championship and secured home-field advantage to start the playoffs with a 28-0 win at Campbell County on Thursday.

The Thursday night shutout win followed two disappointing losses this month, one at McMinn County and the other at Webb. Both games were decided by four points or less.

After giving up 393 yards at Webb a week earlier, the Wildcats (8-2, 5-0 Region 3-5A) held the Cougars to 183 yards of total offense in the regular-season finale on Thursday.

The defense played great, Oak Ridge Coach Joe Gaddis said.

“Nobody has really shut them down like we did tonight, and no one has come close to shutting them out,” Gaddis said. “Tonight, we were ready to play.” [Read more…]

Football photos: Oak Ridge shuts out Campbell County to win region championship

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Oak Ridge Coach Joe Gaddis was pleased with the performance of the Wildcats’ defense, which is shown here trying to stop Cougars quarterback Zach Rutherford (12) during a 28-0 region championship win at Campbell County on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

JACKSBORO—The Oak Ridge Wildcats shut out Campbell County 28-0 on Thursday to win the Region 3-5A championship, making them a top seed going into the playoffs and giving them home-field advantage in at least the first two rounds, assuming they get a win in round one.

Here are photos from the game by John Huotari of Oak Ridge Today. [Read more…]

McMinn County gives Oak Ridge first loss, 28-24

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Note: This story was updated at 1:55 a.m

ATHENS—When the Oak Ridge Wildcats traveled to Athens on Friday night to face McMinn County, despite the Cherokees’ impressive 5-1 record, they probably were not expecting a loss.

But that’s exactly what happened, as the two teams swapped leads throughout the contest, and the Cherokees just barely escaped with the win, 28-24.

“They whipped us,” Oak Ridge head coach Joe Gaddis said. “To their credit, they whipped us. And I think they whipped us on both sides of the ball.”

McMinn County burned seven minutes and 20 seconds off the clock on their first offensive possession, with all but one of the plays designed runs, and concluded the drive with a Zane Byas touchdown carry to put the Cherokees ahead 7-0. [Read more…]

Wildcats race to quick 35-0 start again, this time against Karns

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Oak Ridge senior wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) caught two passes for touchdowns for the Wildcats during a 56-6 win over Karns on Blankenship Field on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016. One was a 56-yard reception on the Wildcats’ first offensive play, and the second was a 33-yard catch. Higgins is defended here by Karns senior Jefferson Holt (19). (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Like they did a week earlier, the Oak Ridge Wildcats again raced to a quick 35-0 start on Friday. The undefeated Wildcats scored their first four touchdowns in their first nine plays during a 56-6 win over the winless Karns Beavers.

Last week, against Sevier County, the Wildcats rolled to a 35-0 lead in the first quarter.

This week, against Karns, they jumped out to a 35-0 lead by early in the second quarter, on Senior Night on Blankenship Field. Like last week, the scoring pace slowed after that.

Oak Ridge held Karns to 65 yards on offense.

The Wildcats again scored on their first offensive play, this time on a 56-yard pass from junior quarterback Johnny Stewart to senior wide receiver Tee Higgins, a Clemson commitment who was left undefended in the middle of the field.

Higgins scored again late in the first quarter on a 33-yard touchdown pass from Stewart. [Read more…]

Football photos: Oak Ridge-Sevier County

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Oak Ridge sophomore Jordan Graham (22) runs during a 42-10 win over Sevier County on Blankenship Field on Homecoming Night on Friday, Sept. 23, 2016. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Oak Ridge jumped to a quick 35-0 first-quarter lead over Sevier County on Friday, and the Wildcats finished with a 42-10 win on Homecoming Night. Here are photos by Luther Simmons. [Read more…]

Football photos, videos: Oak Ridge vs. Lenoir City

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Oak Ridge junior quarterback Johnny Stewart (2) hands off the football during a 45-8 win at Lenoir City on Friday, Sept. 16, 2016. Stewart threw for 201 yards and three touchdowns, and he had 12 completions on 20 attempts (60 percent). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

LENOIR CITY—The Oak Ridge Wildcats beat the Lenoir City Panthers 45-8 in Lenoir City on Friday. Here are photos and videos from the game. [Read more…]

Caleb Jackson scores twice, recovers two turnovers in Wildcats’ win at Lenoir City

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Oak Ridge senior Caleb Jackson (25) scored two touchdowns for the Wildcats on Friday, Sept. 16, 2016, and he recovered two Lenoir City turnovers during a 45-8 win over the Panthers in Lenoir City. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

LENOIR CITY—Oak Ridge senior Caleb Jackson scored two touchdowns for the Wildcats on Friday, and he recovered two Lenoir City turnovers during a 45-8 win over the Panthers.

Senior wide receiver Tee Higgins, a Clemson commitment, added three touchdowns for Oak Ridge.

The Wildcats scored on their first four drives, once after intercepting Lenoir City sophomore quarterback Gabe Williams.

Halfway through the regular season, Oak Ridge is undefeated at 5-0 overall and 3-0 in Region 3-5A.

Lenoir City fell to 1-4 and 0-2 with the loss at home on Cecil Thomas Field.

Oak Ridge plays Sevier County (1-4, 1-1 Region 1-5A) at home on Blankenship Field at 7:30 p.m. September 23. It’s Homecoming Night. [Read more…]

Football photos II: Oak Ridge in 41-28 win over Dobyns Bennett

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Oak Ridge senior lineman Caleb Brinkman (76) is pictured on the sideline above during a 41-28 win for the Wildcats at home on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

The Oak Ridge Wildcats beat the Dobyns-Bennett Indians 41-28 on Blankenship Field on Friday. Here is the second of two sets of photos by Julio Culiat. [Read more…]

Acrobatic catches, long TD runs, fumble recoveries help Wildcats in 41-28 win over D-B

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Oak Ridge Wildcats Jordan Graham Touchdown Run Dobyns-Bennett Aug 26 2016

Oak Ridge sophomore running back Jordan Graham (22) scored the last of his three touchdowns on a 79-yard carry up the right side of the field in the second quarter of a 41-28 win over Dobyns-Bennett on Blankenship Field on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

The Oak Ridge Wildcats’ 41-28 win over Dobyns-Bennett on Friday featured acrobatic catches by senior wide receiver Tee Higgins, long touchdown runs by sophomore running back Jordan Graham, and three fumble recoveries by senior linebacker Kyndall Clark. He forced one and recovered another for a touchdown.

There were also a few firsts: first touchdown catch for junior wide receiver Caleb Martin and first interception of the season for senior linebacker Jacob Gross. And sophomore Kai’Reese Pendergrass, who returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown at Clinton last week, stopped a Dobyns-Bennett drive on Blankenship Field on Friday with an interception in the end zone in the third quarter.

The Indians (1-1, 0-0 Region 1-6A) dominated in total yards in the non-region game: 579 to 391. They also had 21 first downs to Oak Ridge’s nine.

But Dobyns-Bennett lost four fumbles and gave up two interceptions, and penalties (11 for 101 yards) also hurt the Indians. The Wildcats (2-0, 1-0 Region 3-Class 5A) had no turnovers.

Much of the buzz after the game focused on two highlight-reel catches by Higgins, who was double-teamed on both. [Read more…]

Wildcats scrimmage against Heritage; need to improve tackling, blocking, coach says

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The Oak Ridge Wildcats had a scrimmage against the Heritage Mountaineers at Blankenship Field on Friday, July 29, 2016. Pictured above is rising sophomore running back Jordan Graham (22). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Wildcats had a scrimmage against the Heritage Mountaineers of Blount County at Blankenship Field on Friday.

Oak Ridge could have blocked better and tackled better, Wildcats Coach Joe Gaddis said.

“They don’t score if we tackle,” he said.

The Oak Ridge first team tied the Heritage team 13-13. The Moutaineers outscored the Wildcats once the second teams came in, and the final score was 33-13.

But the focus wasn’t on the final score. Instead, Gaddis wanted to try different possibilities. Among other things, the Wildcats wanted to run the option quite a bit, he said.

“Scrimmages are all about learning about your team,” Gaddis said. [Read more…]

Football photos: Oak Ridge and Ooltewah

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Oak Ridge senior running back T.J. Allison (6) led all Wildcats with 94 yards on 20 carries during a 26-17 loss at Ooltewah in a second-round Class 5A playoff game on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 2:40 p.m.

Oak Ridge lost to Ooltewah, 26-17, in a second-round Class 5A playoff game in Ooltewah on Friday. Here are pictures by Julio Culiat.

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Oak Ridge senior defensive end Alex Alcorn (66) was credited with two blocked passes during a 26-17 loss at Ooltewah in a second-round Class 5A playoff game on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

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Down early, Oak Ridge rallies, but falls short at Ooltewah

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Wildcats Tee Higgins Catch at Ooltewah Nov. 13, 2015

Before he was injured, Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins (5) makes an impressive catch during a 26-17 loss at Ooltewah in a second-round Class 5A playoff game on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Note: This story was updated at 4:45 p.m. Nov. 15.

OOLTEWAH—Oak Ridge gave up 17 points in the first quarter and lost its star playmaker in the second, but the Wildcats rallied to close the gap before falling short in a second-round Class 5A playoff game in Ooltewah on Friday.

The final score was 26-17 in favor of the Owls, who move on to play Rhea County in a Class 5A quarterfinal game next week.

A lot went wrong for Oak Ridge (10-2) in the first quarter at Ooltewah on Friday: an early fumble, a dropped end-zone pass, a missed field goal, and a turnover on a punt return. Ooltewah (10-2) breezed to a 17-0 lead in the first 11 minutes.

Then, Oak Ridge lost star playmaker Tee Higgins late in the second quarter to a knee injury on his right leg. Higgins, a junior standout receiver, defensive back, and punt returner who is a University of Tennessee commitment, did not return. [Read more…]