Oak Ridge Today

Football: McKamey leaving Grace Christian to coach Clinton

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Randy McKamey, who once coached at Clinton Middle School, is leaving Grace Christian Academy to coach football at his alma mater, Clinton High School.

Clinton High School Athletic Director Brad Collette announced the decision last week.

Collette said that McKamey was offered the job on Monday and accepted. He met with his Grace Christian players to inform them of his decision.

McKamey once coached at Clinton Middle School, but he has spent the last 10 years at Grace Christian, compiling an 89-32 record and making the playoffs nine times, including this season, when the Rams finished 6-6 and lost in the second round to Happy Valley. His Rams appeared in three state semifinals, won seven region championships, and went unbeaten in the regular season twice, including in 2011, when the program was serving a two-year playoff ban handed down by the TSSAA. [Read more…]

Kerr, Clinton High football coach, resigns after six years

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Clinton High School football coach Josh Kerr has resigned after six years on the Dragons’ sideline.

Kerr took over in 2011 and led the Dragons to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2014 and 2015, but he saw the team finish 1-9 this past season. Kerr’s record as Clinton’s coach was 18-44. Kerr informed his players of his departure Friday afternoon.

On Monday, Kerr talked a little about his decision to step down, citing the fact that he has two young daughters and a son on the way in the spring. He said he wants to take a step back and spend a little more time being a father. He plans to continue coaching but indicated he is not interested in being a head coach at this time. [Read more…]

Mavericks uncork big plays, notch 8th straight Crosstown Showdown victory

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Anderson County 71, Clinton 43: Stanton Martin completed 20 of 24 passes Friday night for 420 yards and seven touchdowns, while also adding 56 yards and a touchdown on the ground as the Mavericks capitalized on defensive breakdowns for several big plays on their way to an eighth straight win in the Crosstown Showdown with Clinton. The Mavericks have now won in 17 of the last 18 games.

Three different Maverick receivers caught two touchdowns each: Caleb Bethel (nine catches for 157 yards), Thyshaud Thrasher (five catches for 98 yards), and Michael Carroll, two catches for 99 yards. Everette Dews caught the seventh scoring strike.

Mason Phillips also had a strong offensive game for Anderson County as he tallied 125 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The Mavericks racked up 604 yards of total offense. [Read more…]

CHS football: Kerr under fire; Parrott responds

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After a disappointing start to the 2016 season, some fans of Clinton High School football have seemingly run out of patience. Anderson County Director of Schools Tim Parrott sent a letter Friday afternoon to local media outlets, county commissioners, school board members, administrators at Clinton High, and some parents urging people to stop spreading what he called “untruths” about Clinton football coach Josh Kerr.

Parrott said in the letter that he has met with parents of one football player and three community members that he said had concerns about the Dragon football program and Kerr. Parrott said he has met with Kerr supporters as well. In the letter, Parrott writes, “I have listened to their comments, been present at football practice and games over the past six years, and I have never witnessed Coach Kerr belittling players, being unsafe, or not playing to win.”

Parrott said that all coaches are also teachers and operate on one-year contracts that are evaluated at the end of each school year. [Read more…]

Defense, TD passes to Higgins give Wildcats 24-13 win over Clinton

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Oak Ridge Wildcats Jordan Dunbar and Clinton Dragons

Senior quarterback Jordan Dunbar (14) ran for 27 yards on nine carries and six first downs against the Clinton Dragons on Blankenship Field on Friday. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 22.

Junior receiver Tee Higgins caught two touchdown passes, and the Oak Ridge defense prevented Clinton from scoring in the first half as the Wildcats beat the Dragons 24-13 in the season opener at home on Friday.

Oak Ridge also blocked a Clinton field goal attempt, sacked senior quarterback Tyler Thackerson five times, and scored a defensive touchdown on a high Dragon punt snap that rolled into the end zone. The Wildcats also forced Clinton to turn over the ball twice on downs, and Oak Ridge senior Brandon Nickle kicked a 24-yard field goal about halfway through the third quarter.

Oak Ridge Coach Joe Gaddis said the Wildcats played well on defense, especially in the first half, but the offense made some mistakes, particularly in the first half, that have to be corrected before next week’s game against Dobyns-Bennett in Kingsport. [Read more…]