Oak Ridge Today

Wildcats QB ties school record with five touchdown passes in 57-28 victory

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Oak Ridge Wildcats Ted Mitchell Reception

Junior wide receiver Ted Mitchell catches a touchdown pass from senior quarterback Jaylin Henderson near the end of the first quarter during the 57-28 homecoming victory against the Gibbs Eagles on Friday. (Photo courtesy Julio Culiat)

Oak Ridge quarterback Jaylin Henderson threw a record-tying five touchdown passes as the Wildcats rolled over the Gibbs Eagles 57-28 during a homecoming game at Blankenship Field on Friday night.

Oak Ridge (4-1, 3-0 in the district) had eight touchdowns total as they scored on drive after drive and kept the Wildcats band busy playing touchdown tunes.

Junior wide receivers Ted Mitchell and Brandon Bonds each had two touchdown catches in the first half, and senior Michael Baker caught one in the second. [Read more…]

Two sacks prove critical in Wildcats’ 600th win

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Oak Ridge Wildcats Ted Mitchell

Ted Mitchell, a junior wide receiver for the Oak Ridge Wildcats, tries to go around a defender for the McMinn County Cherokees on Friday at Blankenship Field.

Two sacks late in the fourth quarter proved critical in the milestone 600th win for the Oak Ridge Wildcats on Friday.

The Wildcats (3-1) were leading 28-19 with less than three minutes to play, but the McMinn County Cherokees had driven downfield and were threatening to score with 2:32 left in the game.

But the Cherokees’ drive stalled with back-to-back sacks by two Oak Ridge defenders, sophomore linebacker Gavin Warrington and senior defensive end Kyler Jones. The Cherokees (1-4) were pushed back from a second-and-7 at the Oak Ridge 18 to a fourth-and-long at about the Oak Ridge 38. [Read more…]

Gaddis returns to Oak Ridge in 51-14 win over Clinton

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Jaylin Henderson and Clinton Defender

Oak Ridge quarterback Jaylin Henderson is pursued by Clinton Dragons linebacker Shane Hooks during a 51-14 victory for the Wildcats at Blankenship Field on Friday.

Oak Ridge Wildcats Coach Joe Gaddis returned to Blankenship Field on Friday with a 51-14 win over the Clinton Dragons.

The Wildcats, who started and stuck with senior Jaylin Henderson at quarterback this week after trying three quarterbacks last week, are now 1-1.

“I am definitely happy,” Gaddis said after the lopsided victory. “We’re going to do this a bunch more.” [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Wildcats open 2013 football season at Farragut tonight

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Coach Joe Gaddis at Wildcat Day

Wildcats Coach Joe Gaddis leads a pep rally last week, one week before the season opener against Farragut.

The Oak Ridge Wildcats open their 2013 football season at 7:30 p.m. today (Friday) at Farragut.

It’s the first game for returning Coach Joe Gaddis, who came back to Oak Ridge in March after 15 years away. Gaddis led Oak Ridge to its last state championship in 1991, and his 119-24 record here is the best in the school’s history.

Still, the Wildcats could have their work cut out for them tonight. During a pep rally last week, Gaddis said Oak Ridge has lost the last six of seven games to Farragut. But Oak Ridge also played the Admirals in last year’s season opener, and the Wildcats won 28-24. [Read more…]

First Wildcat Day for all sports draws players, fans, Coach Gaddis

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Oak Ridge High School Wildband at Wildcat Day

Members of the Oak Ridge High School Band play at the opening of a Wildcat Day pep rally at the Ben Martin field on Saturday.

Enthusiastic fans and players flocked to Oak Ridge High School on Saturday for a first-of-its-kind pep rally that incorporated all sports and featured a football coach that helped the Wildcats win their last state championship and is leading the team once more.

The pep rally was part of what had officially been proclaimed Wildcat Day by the Oak Ridge City Council. The rally featured short cheerleader routines, music by members of the Oak Ridge High School Band, short speeches from city and school officials, an introduction to the ORHS Wildcats football team and coaches, and fireworks. [Read more…]

Robertsville Rams play football at home tonight

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The Robertsville Rams football game tonight against Christian Academy of Knoxville has been changed to Ben Martin Field, the Oak Ridge High School practice field, at 6:30 p.m. today.

The game was originally set to be played at CAK, but it has been moved due to field conditions there. Admission is free to everyone, and concessions will be sold to benefit the Robertsville Middle School Football Boosters, a press release said.

The varsity game will kick off at 6:30 p.m., and it will be followed by a JV quarter-game, the release said.

Picture: It’s football time in Tennessee!

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Jefferson Middle School Eagles

The Jefferson Middle School Eagles lost 44-8 to the Rhea County Eagles on Thursday.

The Jefferson Middle School Eagles lost 44-8 to the Rhea County Eagles in their first game of the football season on Thursday.

The Oak Ridge High School Wildcats open their season on Friday, Aug. 30, at Farragut.

The Robertsville Middle School Rams play next at Christian Academy of Knoxville at 7 p.m. Thursday. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge football coach moving back to Middle Tennessee

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Oak Ridge High School football coach Scott Blade has resigned and is moving back to Middle Tennessee, where he will coach at Independence High School south of Nashville.

Blade has coached the Oak Ridge Wildcats since 2009, compiling a 35-15 record. He resigned Thursday, ORHS Athletic Director Mike Mullins said.

Mullins said Blade’s parents live in Franklin in Middle Tennessee, and Blade came to Oak Ridge from Hillsboro High School in Nashville. In addition, his wife received a job promotion in the medical field, and Independence quickly hired Blade.

“It was a job opportunity that he just couldn’t turn down,” Mullins said.

[Read more…]

Oliver Springs football field house damaged by weekend fire

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Information from WYSH Radio

Investigators are still working to determine what started a fire that did some damage to the Oliver Springs High School football field house.

According to Oliver Springs Assistant Chief Justin Bailey, the fire happened sometime over the weekend. The coaching staff discovered the damage on Monday.

[Read more…]

Wildcats show promise in third, fall to Rebels in fourth

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Oak Ridge had a strong third quarter, scoring twice against Maryville and tying a Friday night second-round playoff game at 25.

But it wasn’t enough. The top-ranked Rebels answered with two touchdowns of their own in the fourth quarter and beat the Wildcats 39-25.

The Wildcats were down 25-10 at halftime, but the football team mounted a comeback in the third quarter with a 16-play drive and an interception by quarterback Rian Hall.

But the momentum shifted back to Maryville and its running game in the fourth quarter, and Hall was injured and had to leave the game with a little more than eight minutes to play.

It was the second match-up between the Wildcats (10-2) and Rebels (12-0) this year. Oak Ridge lost both, one during the regular season and the second during Friday night’s Class 6A playoff game in Maryville.

The Rebels will play the Dobyns-Bennett Indians (12-0) in Maryville next week.

Oak Ridge beat Science Hill 35-28 in a first-round playoff game last week.

The Wildcats finished the regular season 9-1, the best since 2005, and the football team was undefeated in the district and also district champions.

Hall touchdown propels Wildcats to 35-28 playoff victory

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Oak Ridge Wildcats Play Science Hill

Oak Ridge Wildcats quarterback Rian Hall, pictured at center above trying to outrun Science Hill defenders, rushed for a game-winning touchdown with 29.8 seconds to play in a first-round playoff game on Friday.

A six-yard touchdown run by Oak Ridge quarterback Rian Hall with 29.8 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter broke a tie Friday night and propelled the Wildcats to an exciting 35-28 first-round playoff victory over Science Hill.

Hall’s game-winning run followed a crucial 12-yard catch by Wildcats receiver Robert Valdez on a fourth-and-4 play with 1:02 left to play at Blankenship Field.

Oak Ridge (10-1) had a few two-touchdown leads during the game—ahead 21-7 in the second quarter and 28-14 in the third—but the Hilltoppers (9-2) rallied back behind Science Hill quarterback Reed Hayes to tie the game at 28 with 3:38 remaining.

“Tonight, we had to fight for everything, every first down, every yard,” Oak Ridge coach Scott Blade said, calling it an incredible game between two good teams.

The Wildcats travel to Maryville next week to play the top-ranked Rebels in the second round of the Class 6A playoffs. Maryville, which gave Oak Ridge its only loss during the regular season, eliminated Hardin Valley 42-10 on Friday.

Oak Ridge Wildcats beat Campbell County 33-8, finish season 9-1

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Note: This story was updated at 4:44 p.m. Oct. 27.

Oak Ridge beat Campbell County 33-8 in the last game of the regular 2012 football season.

The Wildcats finished the season 9-1, the best since 2005, and were undefeated in the district and were also district champions, according to David Clary and the staff on “Voice of the Wildcats” radio show on prepradio.com.

The Wildcats’ one loss this season was to Maryville on Sept. 20.

Oak Ridge will play Science Hill (9-1) in a first round playoff game at Blankenship Field at 7 p.m. Friday.