Mitchell Gibbons Archives - Oak Ridge Today

For members: Wildcats finish second in state

Posted at 2:56 pm December 5, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Wildcats finished second in Class 5A in Tennessee this season, losing to Summit of Spring Hill 28-7 in the state football championship on Friday.

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The Oak Ridge Wildcats finished second in Class 5A in Tennessee this season, losing to Summit of Spring Hill 28-7 in the state football championship on Friday.

It was Oak Ridge’s first trip to the state championship since 2005.

The Oak Ridge Wildcats finished second in Class 5A in Tennessee this season, losing to Summit of Spring Hill 28-7 in the state football championship on Friday.

The rest of this story is available if you are a member: an advertiser or subscriber to Oak Ridge Today.

Already a member? Great! Thank you! Sign in here.

Not a member? No problem! Subscribe here:

Basic

Pro

Temporary

Temporary access ($3 per week for two weeks)

If you prefer to send a check, you may do so by mailing one to:

Oak Ridge Today
P.O. Box 6064
Oak Ridge, TN 37831

We also have advanced subscription options. You can see them here.

We also accept donations. You can donate here. A donation of $50 or more will make you eligible for a subscription.

Thank you for reading Oak Ridge Today. We appreciate your support!

Wildcats play for state championship Friday

Posted at 10:00 am December 3, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Wildcats beat the South Doyle Cherokees 14-0 on Blankenship Field this past Friday, Nov. 27, 2020, in a semifinal game to advance to the state final for the first time since 2005. (Photo by Barry Houchin, used with permission)

Oak Ridge will play for a state football championship this Friday.

The Wildcats (11-3) beat South Doyle 14-0 this past Friday in a semifinal game to advance to the state final for the first time since 2005.

Oak Ridge will now play Summit (13-1) of Spring Hill in the Blue Cross Bowl Class 5A state championship at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville at 7 p.m. Friday.

The Wildcats scored early in the first quarter against South Doyle (10-4) on Blankenship Field last Friday after a fumble recovery by Jacob Berven. Oak Ridge senior quarterback Mitchell Gibbons rolled right and threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Cole Adams, who was able to push past two South Doyle defenders and reach his right arm into the end zone near the right pylon.

[Read more…]

Wildcats advance to semifinals after win over West

Posted at 5:10 pm November 23, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Wildcats advanced to a Class 5A football semifinal game after a 31-28 quarterfinal win at West on Friday.

The semifinal game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, November 27, against South Doyle (10-3) on Blankenship Field in Oak Ridge.

Before Friday, the Wildcats (10-3) had lost to the Rebels 22-7 during the regular season in September. A year ago, their season ended at West (12-2) in a 34-14 second-round loss.

The Wildcats led early in the Friday night game, but West took the lead late in the second quarter and held it into the fourth quarter. Then, the two teams traded leads three times in the fourth quarter. Oak Ridge senior quarterback Mitchell Gibbons threw the winning touchdown to senior wide receiver Jonathan Stewart with 2:33 remaining in the game.

[Read more…]

Football: Wildcats start season 0-2

Posted at 11:52 am September 3, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Wildcats have started the 2019 football season with two losses.

The first was a 13-6 loss to Hardin Valley at home on Friday, August 23, and the second was a 41-6 loss at Dobyns-Bennett in Kingsport on Friday, August 30.

The Wildcats will play their first Region 3-5A game at Campbell County (2-0) on Friday.

Oak Ridge scored their one touchdown in the season-opening game against Hardin Valley (1-1) with a 21-yard pass from junior quarterback Mitchell Gibbons to senior running back Tyrell Romano with 8:26 left in the third quarter.

[Read more…]

Oak Ridge shuts out Rhea County in first round of playoffs

Posted at 10:04 pm November 2, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge shut out Rhea County 42-0 in a first-round Class 5A playoff game on Blankenship Field on Friday, Nov. 2, 2018. Above, coach Joe Gaddis talks to the Wildcats after the game. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 10 a.m. Nov. 3.

Oak Ridge shut out Rhea County 42-0 in the first round of the Class 5A football playoffs on Blankenship Field on Friday.

“That was a complete game,” Oak Ridge Coach Joe Gaddis said. “It couldn’t have been more timely. No one has beaten them (Rhea County) like this.”

The Wildcats (9-2), a Region 3 team, advance to play at Soddy-Daisy (6-4), a Region 4 team, in the second round at 7 p.m. next Friday (November 9). Soddy-Daisy eliminated Clinton (a 4-7 Region 3 team) in another first-round game this Friday.

Winners of the second-round games advance to the state quarterfinals. The winner of the Oak Ridge-Soddy-Daisy game will play the winner of Catholic-Fulton in a quarterfinal game on Friday, November 16. [Read more…]

Football photos at Sevier County by Houchin, Simmons

Posted at 12:24 am October 2, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge senior Jordan Graham (8) runs during a 41-13 win at Sevier County on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. (Photo by Barry Houchin)

Oak Ridge senior Jordan Graham (8) runs the football during a 41-13 win at Sevier County on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. (Photo by Barry Houchin)

The Oak Ridge football team is 6-1 so far this season. Here are photos from the September 21 game at Sevier County, courtesy of Barry Houchin and Luther Simmons.

Oak Ridge is off this week. They play next at Clinton on Friday, October 12. [Read more…]

Football: Oak Ridge Wildcats 6-1 so far this season

Posted at 9:48 pm October 1, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Wildcats walk down the stairs at Jack Armstrong Stadium before a 41-12 win over Dobyns-Bennett on Blankenship Field on Friday, Aug. 24, 2018. (Photo by Barry Houchin)

The Oak Ridge football team is 6-1 so far this season.

The Wildcats have had three wins and no losses in Region 3-5A. They have defeated Campbell County at home and West and Karns on the road.

Their other three wins were in non-regional games, with victories at Hardin Valley, at home against Dobyns-Bennett, and at Sevier County.

Their one loss, a non-regional game, was to Farragut on Blankenship Field.

All three games remaining in the regular season are regional games: Clinton (1-5, 0-2); Powell (6-1, 3-1); and Fulton (5-1, 2-0).

Oak Ridge is off this week. They play at Clinton on Friday, October 12. Their final two games, against Powell and Fulton, will be at home on October 19 and 25.

Here is a summary of the first seven games. [Read more…]

Football photos: Jefferson vs. Robertsville in City Championship

Posted at 10:26 pm October 2, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

jefferson-robertsville-middle-school-football-city-championship-1-sept-29-2016-web

Jefferson Middle School quarterback Mitchell Gibbons (17) threw a 19-yard touchdown pass and scored twice on quarterback keepers on two-point conversions during a 16-12 win over Robertsville Middle School in the City Championship on Blankenship Field on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Jefferson Middle School Eagles won the City Championship for the second year in a row, beating the Robertsville Middle School Rams 16-12 in a game of fourth-quarter drama on Blankenship Field on Thursday. Here are photos from the game. [Read more…]

Football: Jefferson Eagles win City Championship for second year in row

Posted at 10:06 pm October 2, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

jefferson-robertsville-middle-school-football-city-championship-jonathan-stewart-touchdown-sept-29-2016-web

The Jefferson Middle School Eagles won the City Championship for the second year in a row, beating the Robertsville Middle School Rams 16-12 on Blankenship Field on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016. Pictured above is JMS eighth-grader Jonathan Stewart (2), who caught a 19-yard pass for a touchdown in the first quarter. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Jefferson took the lead late in the first quarter and held it until midway through the fourth quarter, when the Eagles led by 8-6.

But then RMS sixth-grader Jayden Williams intercepted a JMS pass at about the Eagles 25 and weaved his way into the end zone, giving Robertsville its first lead of the evening, a 12-8 lead with 4:27 remaining.

But after the two-point conversion failed, the Eagles regained the lead 17 seconds later, when eighth-grader Jonathan Stewart, who scored both touchdowns for Jefferson, returned a kickoff for six points.

This time, the Eagles kept the lead for good. Jefferson quarterback Mitchell Gibbons, who also played defense, intercepted Robertsville quarterback Ky Hirsch on the Rams’ next and final drive, helping to preserve the Eagles’ win. [Read more…]

Jefferson Middle wins city championship in 52-0 blowout over Robertsville

Posted at 12:42 am October 2, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Jefferson Middle Isaiah Johnson and Robertsville Middle Keyon Porter on Oct. 1, 2015

Isaiah Johnson (20) of Jefferson Middle School returned a Robertsville Middle School punt for a touchdown to give the Eagles a 24-0 lead at 4:05 in the first quarter. Here is being pursued by Keyon Porter (1) of Robertsville Middle School. Johnson also returned an interception a few minutes earlier for a touchdown in the first quarter of a 52-0 win over the Rams on Blankenship Field on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Five Jefferson Middle School football players scored touchdowns, and Eagles quarterback Jack Replogle ran for two and threw for one during a 52-0 blowout city championship win over Robertsville Middle School on Blankenship Field on Thursday.

Replogle wasn’t the only Eagle to score two touchdowns. Isaiah Johnson also had two. He returned an interception for a touchdown a few minutes into the first quarter, and he returned a punt for a TD about two minutes after that, giving Jefferson a 24-0 lead at 4:05 in the first quarter.

Three other Eagles scored touchdowns during the annual city championship on Thursday: Jonathan Ellis, Carson Hope, and Mitchell Gibbons. [Read more…]

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