Oak Ridge Today

Basketball: Bench provides lift in Wildcats’ win over Clinton

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Oak Ridge trailed by seven points early in a Thursday night game against Clinton, but three Wildcats came off the bench and helped flip the lead.

Clinton had taken an early lead and widened it to 15-8 halfway through the first quarter in a district game at Wildcat Arena.

But Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green put in three bench players: senior forward Shemar Smith, junior guard Jack Replogle, and sophomore guard/forward Jonathan Stewart.

The Wildcats then went on a 13-0 scoring run in the next 3.5 minutes to take a 21-15 lead at the end of the first quarter.

They never trailed after that. [Read more…]

Football photos: Oak Ridge at Clinton

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Pictured above during a 54-28 win at Clinton on Friday, Oct. 12, 2018, are Oak Ridge junior linemen Tyler Galloway (72) and Issair Franquez (70). (Photo by Barry Houchin)

Pictured above during a 54-28 win at Clinton on Friday, Oct. 12, 2018, are Oak Ridge junior linemen Tyler Galloway (72) and Issair Franquez (70). (Photo by Barry Houchin)

 

After a week off earlier this month, the Oak Ridge Wildcats (8-1, 5-0 Region 3-5A) have had two more regional wins in the past two weeks: a 54-28 win at Clinton on Friday, October 12, and a 28-21 win at home against Powell on Friday, October 19.

Here are photos from the Clinton game by Barry Houchin. [Read more…]

Updated: After trailing Powell in first half, Wildcats take lead in second

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Oak Ridge trailed Powell in the first half on Blankenship Field on Friday, Oct. 19, 2018, but took the lead and a 28-21 win in the second half.

Oak Ridge trailed Powell in the first half on Blankenship Field on Friday, Oct. 19, 2018, but took the lead and a 28-21 win in the second half.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11:45 a.m. Oct. 20.

Oak Ridge trailed Powell in the first half on Blankenship Field on Friday but took the lead and a 28-21 win in the second half.

It was the second week in a row that Oak Ridge (8-1, 5-0 Region 3-5A) struggled in the first half but played better in the second. Last week, Oak Ridge led Clinton 24-21 at halftime but then scored 30 points in the second half to beat the Dragons 54-28.

The Wildcats will meet the only other undefeated team in the region, Fulton (also 8-1, 5-0), at 7 p.m. Thursday in Oak Ridge for the region championship. It’s the last regular-season game.

Powell (1-8, 1-5 after forfeiting six wins due to an ineligible player) had a 21-7 lead over Oak Ridge halfway through the second quarter on Friday. But the Wildcats narrowed the lead to 21-14 on a two-yard run by senior Jordan Graham with 1:20 remaining before halftime. The Wildcats then scored two more touchdowns in the second half while holding the Panthers scoreless. [Read more…]

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

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Information from WYSH Radio

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…]

Football: Dragons rally on road, upend Beavers; AC falls to Fulton

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Information from WYSH Radio

Clinton 29, Karns 26: The Dragons entered the fourth quarter of Friday night’s game at Karns down by a score of 26-14. Instead of packing it in, however, Clinton took over in the fourth quarter and rallied for a 29-26 win over the Beavers.

The young Dragons grew up a lot on Friday night, especially first-year starting quarterback, sophomore Luke Harrison, who led the Dragons’ comeback with two fourth-quarter touchdown tosses, one to Demarea Whitt and the game-winner to J’Quan Thomas with 5:08 to play.

From there, the defense held, and the Dragons won their first game of the season to improve to 1-2, 1-1 in Region 3-5A. [Read more…]

Football photos: Oak Ridge vs. Clinton, II

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Oak-Ridge-Punt-Return-Higgins-Aug-18-2016-Web

Oak Ridge senior Tee Higgins (5) had two touchdown catches, two interceptions that the Wildcats converted into touchdowns, and a scoring punt return, pictured here, that was called back because of a block in the back during a 56-21 rout at Clinton on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. Higgins is pictured above with seniors Chase Kimbro (10) and Wilson Hammer (52). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

CLINTON—The Oak Ridge Wildcats opened the regular football season with a 56-21 rout at Clinton on Thursday. Here is the second of two sets of photos by John Huotari.

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Oak Ridge senior Chase Kimbro (10) runs with the football during a 56-21 rout at Clinton on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. Blocking for Kimbro is sophomore Jordan Graham (22). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak-Ridge-Punt-Return-Higgins-Gross-Clinton-Whitt-Aug-18-2016-Web

Oak Ridge senior Jacob Gross (7) blocks Clinton senior Demarea Whitt (4), a former Wildcat, for Oak Ridge senior Tee Higgins (5) during a punt return for a score during a 56-21 rout at Clinton on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. The touchdown was called back because of a block in the back. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

[Read more…]

Graham, Higgins combine for five touchdowns in 56-21 rout at Clinton

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Oak-Ridge-Higgins-TD-Catch-Clinton-Thomas-Aug-18-2016-Web-Cropped

Oak Ridge senior wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) catches a 17-yard pass from junior quarterback Johnny Stewart before falling backward into the end zone for a touchdown near the left pylon, putting the Wildcats ahead of the Clinton Dragons 42-7 with 2:57 left in the first half at Clinton on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. Higgins is defended here on his second TD catch by Clinton senior J’Quan Thomas (5).

 

CLINTON—Senior Tee Higgins and sophomore Jordan Graham scored five of Oak Ridge’s eight touchdowns in a 56-21 rout at Clinton on Thursday.

A wide receiver, Higgins scored on Oak Ridge’s opening play less than one minute into the season-opening game.

He scored again late in the first half with a leaping goal-line catch of a high, arcing pass from junior quarterback Johnny Stewart, who was 5-for-5 passing for three touchdowns, no interceptions, and one rushing touchdown in his first varsity start.

Higgins—a Clemson commitment who also plays cornerback—also had two interceptions that led to Oak Ridge touchdowns. And he became the all-time leader in career receiving yards for Oak Ridge.

Graham, a speedy running back who is also on the high school track team, scored three times for the Wildcats.

The Dragons turned over the ball five times, and the Wildcats converted four of those turnovers into touchdowns. Two of the turnovers were Higgins’ interceptions of Clinton’s sophomore quarterback, Luke Harrison.

Another was an interception by Oak Ridge senior linebacker and defensive playmaker Kyndall Clark, who set up the Wildcats’ sixth touchdown from inside the Clinton 20 with about three minutes left in the first half. [Read more…]