Oak Ridge Today

Wildcats open playoffs at McMinn Co.

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Oak Ridge sophomore De’Jauvis Dozier (22) runs for a season-high 210 yards during a 48-21 win over Campbell County at home on Friday, Oct. 29, 2021. At back left is junior lineman Zac Snyder (70) and, at right, junior quarterback Hayden Tarwater (8). (Photo by Barry Houchin)

After struggling this season, the Oak Ridge Wildcats gained confidence headed into the football playoffs tonight with a 48-21 win over region rival Campbell County last Friday.

“This was our best game in a lot of ways, for a lot of reasons,” Oak Ridge Coach Joe Gaddis told his huddled team on Blankenship Field after the victory over the Cougars (6-4, 1-3 Region 3-5A). “That’s a good way to finish the regular season.”

The 48 points was the most scored by Oak Ridge (3-7, 3-2) this season.

The Wildcats also had the most rushing yards and total yards of the season, by far, against the Cougars on Friday. They ran for 366 yards and totaled 517.

“This is kind of a breakout game,” Gaddis said. “We were able to run the ball.”

Oak Ridge sophomore De’Javius Dozier broke tackles and scored three touchdowns as he ran for more than 200 yards, the best performance of any Wildcat this season. He also ran for three touchdowns. Dozier’s previous team-high rushing total was 130 yards at Lenoir City on September 3.

[Read more…]

Basketball: Oak Ridge boys win at Campbell County

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JACKSBORO—The Oak Ridge boys basketball team picked up their second district win of the season in a 81-67 victory at Campbell County on Friday night.

The Cougars took an early lead, but the Wildcats led 22-12 by the end of the first quarter.

Oak Ridge (5-1, 2-0 District 3-AAA) outscored Campbell County 48-29 in the next two quarters to widen the lead to 70-44.

But the Cougars (0-7, 0-2) scored 23 points in the fourth quarter, compared to 11 for the Wildcats, to narrow the final score to 81-67. [Read more…]

Basketball: Wildcats, Lady Wildcats beat Halls in first district games

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The Oak Ridge Wildcats and Lady Wildcats won at Halls in their first district games of the season on Tuesday night.

The girls (2-0, 1-0 District 3-AAA) won the first game 77-49. In the second game, the boys (4-1, 1-0) defeated the Red Devils 81-34.

Oak Ridge senior guard Jada Guinn, who signed this month to play basketball at Tennessee Tech, led the Lady Wildcats with 29 points against the Lady Red Devils (1-4, 0-1).

It was the second game of the season for the girls. They won at Meigs County 56-38 in a non-district game on Tuesday, November 13. Guinn had 31 points, five assists, and four steals in that game.

The girls will play their second district game of the season at Campbell County (4-0, 1-0) on Friday. That game will start at 6 p.m. For the past three years, the Lady Wildcats and Lady Cougars have battled for the top two spots in their district, with Powell usually number three. [Read more…]

Baseball: Regular season ends this week, district tournament begins

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Oak Ridge senior pitcher Seth Caldwell (0) is pictured above during a 9-1 win over Campbell County at Bobby Hopkins Park in Oak Ridge on Tuesday, April 24, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Oak Ridge senior pitcher Seth Caldwell (0) is pictured above during a 9-1 win over Campbell County at Bobby Hopkins Park in Oak Ridge on Tuesday, April 24, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 8:05 p.m.

The regular baseball season ends this week, and the district tournament begins.

As of Tuesday, Oak Ridge was 15-11 overall and 7-6 in District 3-AAA.

In their last district game, at home on Tuesday, the Wildcats beat Campbell County 9-1. They were scheduled to play their final regular-season district game, a rescheduled game, at Campbell County this afternoon (Sunday, April 29).

Oak Ridge will play a a non-district game at Walker Valley in Cleveland on Monday and a throwback game using wooden bats at Farragut on Tuesday.

The district tournament starts on Thursday, and games will be hosted by the top two seeds, which could be Karns and either Halls or Powell. [Read more…]

Football: Wildcats improve to 4-2 with win over Sevier County

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Oak Ridge senior linebacker Adarius Simpson (24) makes a tackle against West at home on Blankenship Field on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. In the background is senior linebacker Cobe Angel (22). (Photo by Luther Simmons)

Oak Ridge senior linebacker Adarius Simpson (24) makes a tackle against West at home on Blankenship Field on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. In the background is senior linebacker Cobe Angel (22). (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

The Oak Ridge Wildcats improved to 4-2 for the season with a 30-14 win over Sevier County at home on Blankenship Field on Friday.

The Wildcats are now 2-0 in Region 3-5A. Their remaining four games are all region games.

After their season-opening win at home against Hardin Valley, the Wildcats:

  • lost 28-25 in a non-region game at Dobyns-Bennett in Kingsport on August 25,
  • won 17-15 in their first region game at Campbell County on September 1,
  • were shut out 41-0 at Farraugt, a non-region opponent, on September 8, and
  • won their second region game, 23-13, over West at home on September 15.

The win over Sevier County this past Friday night was the second straight win for the Wildcats.

Here are the four games remaining, all Region 3-5A games:

  • at home against Karns (2-4, 0-3) on Friday, September 29;
  • at home against Clinton (2-3, 0-1) on Friday, October 13;
  • at Powell (5-1, 2-1) on Friday, October 20; and
  • at Fulton (4-1, 2-0) on Friday, October 27.

All games start at 7:30 p.m.

Here are highlights of the season so far: [Read more…]

Baseball photos: Oak Ridge-Campbell County

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Oak Ridge senior Brice Mlekodaj (6) is pictured above at bat during a 9-4 win over Campbell County at Bobby Hopkins Field on Tuesday, April 4, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Oak Ridge senior Brice Mlekodaj (6) is pictured above at bat during a 6-3 win over Campbell County at Bobby Hopkins Park on Tuesday, April 4, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Wildcats beat Campbell County 6-3 and 9-4 in two games at home this month. Here are photos from the first game by John Huotari. [Read more…]

Photos: Wildcats beat Campbell County 94-57

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Oak Ridge senior Tee Higgins (5), shown dunking the ball here, had a season-high and game-high 21 points during a 94-57 win at Campbell County on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

JACKSBORO—The Oak Ridge Wildcats tied a school record with 15 made three-point shots during a 94-57 win at Campbell County on Tuesday. Here are photos from the game. [Read more…]

Wildcats tie record for three-pointers at Campbell County

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Oak Ridge senior Tajion Jones (3) scored 17 points and made three three-point shots during a 94-57 win at Campbell County on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017. Jones is defended here by Campbell County senior Jacob Walden. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 1 p.m. Jan. 16.

JACKSBORO—The Oak Ridge Wildcats tied a school record with 15 made three-point shots during a 94-57 win at Campbell County on Tuesday.

“You don’t make 15 threes a lot,” Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said.

Wildcats senior Tee Higgins had a season-high and game-high 21 points. Five of those were three-point shots, with four in the third quarter.

Before Tuesday, Higgins only had four made three-point shots this season, according to Wildcats broadcaster David Clary. Higgins missed some games early in the season because he wasn’t initially going to play basketball in order to focus on football, and he has missed some games midway through the season due to football-related commitments.

“He can shoot the ball really well,” Green said of Higgins. [Read more…]

Photos: Oak Ridge High School cheerleaders

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Oak Ridge High School cheerleaders are pictured above during the boys’ basketball game at Campbell County on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

JACKSBORO—The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats beat the Campbell County Lady Cougars 56-39 in Jacksboro on Tuesday, and the Wildcats defeated the Cougars 94-57. Here are photos of the Oak Ridge cheerleaders during the boys’ game. [Read more…]

Lady Wildcats, Campbell County—both undefeated in district—play Tuesday

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The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats huddle with Coach Paige Green during the championship game against Bradley Central in the Andrew Johnson Bank Ladies Classic in Greeneville on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge and Campbell County girls’ basketball teams are both undefeated in District 3-AAA, and the two teams will play today.

One team will remain undefeated, and the other will pick up its first district loss of the season.

Oak Ridge, ranked number seven in the first Class AAA poll of 2017, is 14-2 overall and 6-0 in District 3-AAA.

Campbell County is 13-4 and 6-0 in District 3-AAA. [Read more…]

Campbell County finishes first, Clinton second in Christmas basketball tournament

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Daraon Jones (10) led Clinton with 12 points during a 57-46 loss to Campbell County during the Don W. Lockard Christmas Invitational Championship at Clinton High School on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

CLINTON—Campbell County held off a second-half rally by Clinton to beat the Dragon 57-46 and win the championship at the Don W. Lockard Christmas Invitational basketball tournament on Wednesday. Clinton finished as runner-up.

The tournament began at Clinton High School on Monday, and it ended on Wednesday.

Wednesday started with the Campbell County boys (12-5, 2-3 District 3-AAA) erasing an early 13-point deficit to blow out Oakdale 77-52.

The afternoon session began with Clinton’s boys—resting many of their starters—holding off First Baptist Academy, or FBA, 70-62. [Read more…]

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…]