Oak Ridge Today

For first time, Wildcats, Lady Wildcats both finish regular season undefeated in district

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Wildcats-Johnson-Powell-Dec-8-2016-Cropped

Oak Ridge senior forward Javien Johnson (11) is pictured above during a 78-61 win at Powell on Dec. 8, 2015. Johnson led the Wildcats with 18 points during a 71-43 win at Campbell County on Friday, Feb. 12, 2016, in the last regular-season district game. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

For the first time, the Oak Ridge Wildcats and Lady Wildcats basketball teams have both finished the regular season undefeated in the district.

The closest the two teams have ever come to that feat was in 1999-2000, when the girls went undefeated but the boys lost to Campbell County in the Cougars’ last win over Oak Ridge, said broadcaster David Clary of Prepradio.com.

Clary said the Oak Ridge girls went five straight seasons without losing a regular-season district game between 1985-1990.

This year’s two Oak Ridge teams ended their regular-season district games on Friday at Campbell County.

The girls (22-3, 16-0 District 3-AAA) won the regular-season district championship with a come-from-behind 47-32 win over the Lady Cougars. The only two district losses for the Lady Cougars (23-5, 14-2) this year have been to Oak Ridge.

The boys (28-2, 16-0) finished with a 71-43 blowout at Campbell County (14-14, 5-11). [Read more…]

Higgins one of three Mr. Basketball finalists in Class AAA

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This photo is property of Allen Greene. Unauthorized use of this photo is not permitted without consent.

Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins (5) is one of three finalists for Mr. Basketball in Class AAA in Tennessee. (Photo by Allen Greene/TriCitiesSports.com)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:45 p.m.

Already named Mr. Football this year, Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins is now one of three finalists for Mr. Basketball in Class AAA in Tennessee.

The Mr. Basketball finalists were announced Friday.

The other two Class AAA finalists are Nathan Hoover of Arlington and Alex Lomax of Memphis East.

Higgins had earlier committed to play football at the University of Tennessee, but he recently re-opened his recruitment in football and basketball. [Read more…]

Wildcats finish top in district, enter playoffs as No. 1 seed

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Oak Ridge senior point guard Geevantay Gee (12) scored 10 points for the Wildcats during an 86-60 win over Karns on Friday, Feb. 5, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Wildcats, who are undefeated in their district, won the regular-season district championship on Friday and will enter the basketball playoffs as the top seed.

The Wildcats (26-2, 14-0 District 3-AAA) will also automatically get a spot in the Region 2 tournament, Coach Aaron Green said.

Oak Ridge played Karns again on Friday. That game was not as close as the last meeting between the two teams, when the Wildcats escaped with a 72-68 win. In that January 5 game, the Beavers whittled the lead down to two points, 70-68, with 1:04 remaining, and they had a chance to tie the game or even take the lead with about 35 seconds left.

The second game, at Wildcat Arena on Friday, February 5, was competitive, but Oak Ridge maintained a healthy lead through most of it, often leading by 10 points or more. They were up by 13 points, 43-30, at halftime, and widened the lead in the fourth quarter to finish with an 86-60 win.

Oak Ridge has two district games remaining. The first had been scheduled for Tuesday, January 9, at Halls (6-19, 2-12), but it has been postponed to Wednesday. The second is at Campbell County (14-12, 5-9) on Friday. [Read more…]

Photos: Wildcats finish second at state cross country meet

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Gashaw Duhamel State Cross Country Meet Nov. 7, 2015

Senior Gashaw Duhamel was the top runner for Oak Ridge in the 5,000-meter state Class AAA boys race in Nashville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015, when the Wildcats finished second as a team. Duhamel finished 10th among individual runners, with a time of 16:20.01 on the muddy course on a chilly, overcast Saturday morning. (Photo by Steve Martin)

 

NASHVILLE—The Oak Ridge High School boys team finished second in Tennessee during the 2015 state cross country meet in Nashville on Saturday. Brentwood finished first.

Senior Gashaw Duhamel was the top runner for Oak Ridge in the 5,000-meter, or 5k, Class AAA boys race. Duhamel finished 10th, with a time of 16:20.01 on the muddy course on a chilly, overcast Saturday morning.

Here are pictures by Adrian Etheridge and Steve Martin. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge boys cross country finishes second in state

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Oak Ridge Boys Cross Country 2015 State Runner-Up

The Oak Ridge High School boys cross country team finished second in Tennessee during the 2015 state Class AAA meet in Nashville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015. (Photo by Adrian Etheridge)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 8:34 p.m.

NASHVILLE—The Oak Ridge High School boys team finished second in Tennessee during the 2015 state cross country meet in Nashville on Saturday. Brentwood finished first.

Senior Gashaw Duhamel was the top runner for Oak Ridge, the runner-up in the Division I Class AAA boys race. It was a 5,000-meter, or 5k, race. Duhamel finished 10th, with a time of 16:20.01 on the muddy course on a chilly, overcast Saturday morning.

Brentwood had two of the top three runners: sophomore Brodey Hasty, who was first with a time of 15:35.09, and junior Taylor Vroon, who finished third with a time of 15:50.85.

Oak Ridge senior Tyler Boullie was 16th, crossing the finish line at Percy Warner Park Steeplechase Course at 16:36.85.

Also in the top five for the Wildcats, meaning their scores were included in the team total, were senior Thomas Colburn, who finished 20th at 16:40.94; junior Jacob “Jake” Etheridge, who was 22nd with a time of 16:43.07; and sophomore Jose Villegas, who finished 27th at 16:45.09. [Read more…]

Soccer: Clarksville, defending state champ, eliminates Hardin Valley 1-0

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Hardin Valley Hawks Soccer Team at 2015 Sectional Oct. 24, 2015

The 2015 Hardin Valley Academy Hawks girls soccer team is pictured above. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 7:07 p.m.

Clarksville, the defending state champion, eliminated Hardin Valley from this year’s girls soccer playoffs in a 1-0 win during a Class AAA quarterfinal game in Murfreesboro on Thursday.

Clarksville (22-4) will move on to play the winner of another quarterfinal game between Collierville and Cookeville on Thursday. That semifinal game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at the Richard Siegel Soccer Complex in Murfreesboro.

It’s the end of the season for Hardin Valley (16-4-2). It was their second consecutive trip to the state soccer tournament. Last year, they lost to Ravenwood 4-1 in the first round. [Read more…]

Hardy finishes second, fourth in boys state track meet

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ORHS Wildcats Malik Hardy at State Track Meet 2015

Oak Ridge High School senior Malik Hardy finished second in the boys 200-meter dash, fourth in the long jump, and ninth in the 100-meter dash during the Class AAA state track meet, the Spring Fling, at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro on Friday, May 22, 2015. (Photo by Kindell Moore)

 

Note: This story was updated at 9:39 a.m.

MURFREESBORO—Senior Malik Hardy finished second in the 200-meter dash and fourth in the long jump during the Class AAA state track meet in Murfreesboro on Friday, May 22. And the Oak Ridge Wildcat finished ninth in the field of 16 competitors in the 100-meter dash.

Also during the meet, the boys 4×800-meter relay team finished fifth, and senior Wesley Robinson finished seventh in the 1,600-meter run. Junior Tyler Boullie finished 13th in the 800-meter run.

Hardy (2nd) had a time of 22.12 in the 200-meter dash. The top runner was Jordan Thomas, a senior at Centennial, with a time of 22.11. The third-place finish went to Martarious Brooks, a junior at Antioch (22.16).

Hardy (4th) had a jump of 22-05.75 in the long jump. The top three jumpers were Weldon Wright, a senior at Hardin Valley (23-07.00); Rashad Haynes, a junior at Memphis Central (22-10.00); and Bailey Overbay, a senior at Morristown-East (22-06.00). [Read more…]

Greenhalgh, girls relay team finish 11th at state track meet

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ORHS Wildcats Abbey Greenhalgh at State Track Meet 2015

Oak Ridge High School sophomore Abbey Greenhalgh, left, finished 11th in the girls 800-meter run during the Class AAA state track meet, the Spring Fling, at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro on Thursday, May 21, 2015. (Photo by Kindell Moore)

 

Note: This story was updated with a correction at 7:06 p.m.

MURFREESBORO—Sophomore Abbey Greenhalgh finished 11th in the 800-meter run, and the Oak Ridge High School girls relay team finished 11th in the 4×100-meter relay and 4×200-meter relay during the Class AAA state track meet in Murfreesboro on Thursday, May 21.

And ORHS senior Lauren Smallwood finished 13th in the 200-meter dash.

There were 16 competitors in each race.

Greenhalgh (11th) had a time of 2:26.13 in the 800-meter run. The top three runners were Celine Rone, a senior at Arlington (2:16.35); Hailey Hendry, a junior at Brentwood (2:17.85), and Shian Mallory, a junior at Houston (2:18.33). [Read more…]

Altman scores three as Hilltoppers end Wildcats’ season, move on to state

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Oak Ridge Wildcats Blake Clowers and Science Hill Elliot Fry

Oak Ridge’s Blake Clowers fights Science Hill’s Elliot Fry for possession. (Photo credit: Dave Ongie/Johnson City Press)

 

Junior midfielder Lucas Altman scored three goals as Science Hill ended Oak Ridge’s season in a 3-1 win in a sectional playoff game in Johnson City on Saturday. The Hilltoppers move on to play in the state tournament in Murfreesboro next week.

The Wildcats (15-5-2) scored first on a goal from senior forward Blade Kimbro less than 10 minutes into the game.

“Blade gave us everything he had,” Oak Ridge coach Jeff Trombly said. “He played really well.”

But Science Hill (19-2-2) tied it 1-1 about halfway through the first half on the first of three goals, a hat trick, by Altman. Altman scored again with about 8:15 left in the first half.

“We started off well,” Trombly said. “After that, we sort of lost our composure for about 10 minutes, and they scored two goals. It was hard for us to come back for us after that.” [Read more…]

Ten ORHS students to compete in 10 track, field events at state

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Malik Hardy 200-meter Dash

Senior Malik Hardy of Oak Ridge, right, finished first in the 200-meter dash during a Class AAA sectional track meet at Hardin Valley on Saturday. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Ten Oak Ridge High School students will compete in 10 track and field events at the state meet in Murfreesboro in May after finishing in the top four in a sectional meet at Hardin Valley on Saturday.

Senior Malik Hardy will compete in three events: the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, and the long jump. Senior Lauren Smallwood will also compete in three events: the 200-meter dash, the 4×100-meter relay, and the 4×200-meter relay.

Senior Wesley Robinson will compete in two events—the 1,600-meter run and the 4×800-meter relay—and junior Tyler Boullie will also compete in two: the 800-meter run and the 4×800-meter relay.

Boullie finished first in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:56.27 during the sectional on Saturday, and Hardy finished first in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.11. [Read more…]

Headed to championship, Wildcats open up large 80-49 lead over Central

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Javien Johnson, Geevantay Gee, and DeAndre Gibson of Oak Ridge Wildcats

Javien Johnson (11), Geevantay Gee (12), and DeAndre Gibson (10) of Oak Ridge react to another three-pointer by sophomore Tajion Jones in the third quarter of a 80-49 win over the Central Bobcats in a district semifinal game in Knoxville on Saturday. Jones hit three three-pointers and scored 11 points in the third quarter. (Photo by Melissa Livesey)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:30 a.m. Feb. 15

KNOXVILLE—Oak Ridge opened up a large 80-49 lead over Central in the second half of a district semifinal game in Knoxville on Saturday, and the Wildcats will move on to play Karns in the district championship at Central on Tuesday.

The game had been closer at halftime, with Oak Ridge (25-2) ahead 35-27.

But the Wildcats’ defense improved in the third quarter, and Oak Ridge outscored Central 27-12. Sophomore shooting guard Tajion Jones came off the bench to knock down three three-pointers within about one minute in the third quarter to give Oak Ridge a 20-point lead at 56-36. [Read more…]

Wildcats wipe out Fulton lead on three-pointer by Higgins

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Oak Ridge Wildcats Tee Higgins at Fulton

Tee Higgins (5) of Oak Ridge had 20 points, 13 rebounds, and the game-winning three-pointer against Fulton on Saturday. (Photo by Luther Simmons) 

 

KNOXVILLE—The Wildcats needed a big basket late in the game, and Tee Higgins hit one. With his team down by two, the sophomore stayed cool under pressure and hit a three-point shot with 3.1 seconds left to give Oak Ridge a one-point victory over Fulton in front of a raucous sold-out crowd at Jody Wright Arena in Knoxville on Saturday.

The dramatic all-out battle was the last regular-season game for the two top-five teams.

The Falcons dominated early, applying pressure that hurt Oak Ridge, and they led by as much as nine points through much of the fast and furious first half. The Wildcats were “out of whack” offensively, Coach Aaron Green said.

But Oak Ridge got back into the game behind sophomore Anthony Gibson, who came off the bench to score 10 points in the first half and 13 on the night. [Read more…]