Oak Ridge Today

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)

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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)

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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.

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Wildcats opened track, field season at Hardin Valley

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Boys 400-meter (Photo by Luther Simmons)

Boys 400-meter dash (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

HARDIN VALLEY—The Oak Ridge Wildcats opened their track and field season at Hardin Valley on Saturday, March 26.

The boys and girls teams finished about in the middle of the pack, Wildcats Coach Allen Etheridge said. The girls team was 11th out of 29 teams, and the boys were 18th in a field of 27.

But the teams didn’t set up to “score a ton of points,” Etheridge said.

The Wildcats were missing a few athletes, and with many new students on the team, they were trying new athletes in a few events and experimenting with different combinations.

“I saw a lot to be happy about,” Etheridge said. The teams have potential to be really good, Etheridge said.

The season opener was the Hardin Valley Academy Invitational. It featured 39 teams and 896 athletes.

Here are top 10 finishes for Oak Ridge girls: [Read more…]

Lady Wildcats to play Dyer County in state basketball tournament Wednesday

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The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats and cheerleaders celebrate a 39-32 sectional win over Dobyns-Bennett at Wildcat Arena on Saturday, March 5, 2016. The win sends the Lady Wildcats to the state tournament for the first time since 2010. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats will play Dyer County in the quarterfinals of the state girls basketball tournament on Wednesday.

The 2016 BlueCross Basketball Championship is scheduled on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday for the Division I Class AAA girls teams. It’s at the Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro.

The game between Oak Ridge and Dyer County on Wednesday is the first Class AAA quarterfinal game of the day. It starts at 10 a.m. Central time.

Oak Ridge, the number one seed in District 3, has a 27-4 record. The Lady Wildcats beat Dobyns-Bennett, the number one seed in District 1, 39-32 in a Class AAA sectional game on Saturday to advance to the state tournament for the first time since 2010. [Read more…]

Lady Wildcats going to state behind Guinn’s 14 second-half points

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The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats and cheerleaders celebrate a 39-32 sectional win over Dobyns-Bennett at Wildcat Arena on Saturday, March 5, 2016. The win sends the Lady Wildcats to the state tournament for the first time since 2010. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 10:47 p.m.

Oak Ridge freshman Jada Guinn scored 14 second-half points to help hold off a Dobyns-Bennett rally in a close Class AAA sectional game on Saturday, and the 39-32 victory sends the Lady Wildcats to the state basketball tournament for the first time since 2010.

Guinn had a big turnaround from the first half to the second. She hit her first shot, a layup, but then missed her next six shots in the first and second quarter. But she knocked down six shots in the second half, along with two free throws, for a game-high 18 points.

Guinn scored 10 in the fourth quarter, after the Lady Indians had rallied to take a one-point lead at the end of the third quarter and then widened it to 30-27 with 5:40 left in the fourth. [Read more…]

Clary: Miraculous journey of Lady Wildcats continues Saturday

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David Clary

By David Clary

Saturday night, the miraculous journey of the Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats continues with a one-game opportunity to join a historic group of great girls basketball teams who have worn the Cardinal and Gray.

For 30 years, the Lady Wildcats dominated East Tennessee basketball and were a major state force as well, making 21 state tournament appearances and playing in nine state championship games along the way. Oak Ridge played a national schedule, being invited to the most elite women’s tournaments in America. They finished several seasons ranked in the USA Today’s Top 25 poll and earned a number two preseason ranking, garnishing them an invitation to Florida to take on the number one-ranked team in that same poll. Twice during this time they tasted victory over a number one nationally ranked team and once a defending national champion. But since 2010, things had changed.

Since their last substate win and state appearance, the Lady Wildcats have fallen on hard times, for them anyway. Anything less than at least a sectional for such a storied program like Oak Ridge meant an unsuccessful season. [Read more…]

Lady Wildcats upset Bearden in Region 2 championship; Guinn named MVP

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Oak Ridge freshman Jada Guinn (24) led the Lady Wildcats with a game-high 17 points during a 49-35 upset over Bearden in the Region 2-AAA championship at Bearden on Wednesday, March 2, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 3:15 p.m. March 3.

KNOXVILLE—The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats upset Bearden and won their first Region 2-AAA championship since 2010 on Wednesday, and freshman Jada Guinn was named most valuable player in the regional tournament—one week after being named most valuable player in the district tournament.

The 49-35 win for Oak Ridge, the Region 2 champion, means the Lady Wildcats (27-4) will have home-court advantage when they play Dobyns-Bennett in a Class AAA sectional at Wildcat Arena at 7 p.m. Saturday. Dobyns-Bennett (25-10) is the Region 1 runner-up.

Bearden (27-6), the Region 2 runner-up, will also play in a Class AAA sectional, but the Lady Bulldogs will have to travel to Morristown West (30-3), the Region 1 champion.

Sectional winners advance to the state tournament. [Read more…]

Lady Wildcats keep composure, Ellison scores 21 in Region 2 semifinal win

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Oak Ridge junior Courtney Ellison (10) scored a career-high 21 points for the Lady Wildcats during a 64-53 Region 2-AAA semifinal win over William Blount at Bearden on Monday, Feb. 29, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 2:25 a.m.

KNOXVILLE—The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats battled back from an eight-point deficit in the second quarter of a Region 2 semifinal win against William Blount on Monday and kept their composure against a swarming defense to advance to the regional championship against Bearden on Wednesday.

The Lady Wildcats (26-4) permanently seized the lead about halfway through the second quarter behind the 10 first-half points of junior Courtney Ellison. They widened the lead to as many as 16 points in the second half before finishing ahead 64-53 in the Region 2-AAA elimination semifinal at Bearden High School.

Ellison led Oak Ridge with 21 points, a career high. Late in the third quarter, she made a three-point shot and a field goal within about 45 seconds to help open up a 44-31 lead. She added two more field goals from the left and right baseline late in the fourth quarter to maintain an Oak Ridge margin of about 10 points.

“I was really into it tonight,” Ellison said. “I was really wanting the win, and it was there.”

It’s the first time the Lady Wildcats have made it to the regional championship since 2010, the last year Jill Prudden coached Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Sulack of CAK sets record with nine 3s at Arby’s Classic

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Junior guard Isaiah Sulack (3) of Christian Academy of Knoxville set a single-game record with his nine three-point shots during the second game of the Arby’s Classic basketball tournament in Bristol on Saturday. (Photo courtesy CAK Boys Basketball)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:17 a.m.

Junior guard Isaiah Sulack of Christian Academy of Knoxville set a single-game record with his nine three-point shots during the second game of the Arby’s Classic basketball tournament in Bristol on Saturday.

CAK beat Tabernacle Baptist of the Bahamas 71-44 behind a barrage of three-pointers to advance to play Taylor County, Kentucky, on Monday. That game starts at 8:30 p.m. Monday at Tennessee High School in Bristol.

Sulack, a 6’2” guard, came off the bench in the play-in game and finished with 39 points for the Warriors, a 6-5 Class AA team. He had 26 at the half.

The previous record for three-point shots was eight. Sulack broke it halfway through the third quarter on Saturday. CAK finished with 13 three-pointers total. [Read more…]

Wildcats play D-B in Arby’s Classic in Bristol tonight

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The Oak Ridge Wildcats will play their first game in the Arby’s Classic basketball tournament in Bristol, Tenn., at 7 p.m. Saturday, December 26. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Wildcats play their first game in the 2015 Arby’s Classic basketball tournament in Bristol at 7 p.m. today (Saturday, December 26).

The first game for the Wildcats (14-0, 5-0 District 3-AAA) is against Dobyns-Bennett (2-7, 0-1 District 1-AAA). Oak Ridge beat the Indians 88-36 in Oak Ridge on Friday, December 18.

The winner and loser will both advance to games on Tuesday, December 29.

The 2015 Arby’s Classic, which is at Tennessee High School in Bristol, features 18 teams from four countries. [Read more…]