Oak Ridge Today

Softball: Rescheduled Coach Johnson Appreciation Night set for this evening

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The 2017 Oak Ridge High School softball team is pictured above. (Submitted photo)

The 2017 Oak Ridge High School softball team is pictured above. (Submitted photo)

 

The rescheduled Coach Marianne Johnson Appreciation Night is scheduled for this evening (Monday, May 1).

At last check around lunchtime today, the game was still on for this evening.

The before-game ceremonies with a Hospitality House representative and Coach Johnson are scheduled to start around 5:30 p.m.

The game against Concord Christian is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. at 15 Wilberforce Road on the Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats’ softball field, Field “C.”

It’s the last regular-season game. [Read more…]

Softball: Lady Wildcats to honor Coach Johnson during last regular-season game tonight

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The 2017 Oak Ridge High School softball team is pictured above. (Submitted photo)

The 2017 Oak Ridge High School softball team is pictured above. (Submitted photo)

 

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats will honor retired Coach Marianne Johnson during the last regular-season game today (Thursday, April 27).

Coach Johnson retired in July 2016 after serving the student-athletes of Oak Ridge High School from 1985-2016, an event flyer said.

“Enjoy a night of memories with Coach Johnson and the ‘Pink Out’ night softball game with the Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats versus Concord Christian Lions,” the flyer said. “Come join us in celebrating Coach Marianne Johnson Appreciation Night.” [Read more…]

Man indicted on reckless homicide charge in death of Lauren Fritts

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Troy Andrew Venable

Troy Andrew Venable

 

An Oak Ridge man has been indicted on a reckless homicide charge in the death of an Oak Ridge High School graduate and former goalkeeper for the Lady Wildcats who was, at the time of her death, the member and customer service representative at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce.

Lauren Alexandra Fritts, 26, died Saturday, October 8, 2016, according to her obituary.

Troy Andrew Venable, 28, was indicted on the reckless homicide charge in her death on Tuesday, April 4. He was arrested Friday afternoon and released about four hours later from the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton. His bond has been set at $25,000. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge wins two games in softball tournament at home

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Oak Ridge lost a high-scoring 17-15 district softball game to Clinton at home on Thursday, March 30, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Oak Ridge lost a high-scoring 17-15 district softball game to Clinton at home on Thursday, March 30, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won two games in the Oak Ridge Invitational last week.

The girls’ softball team (5-8-1, 1-5 District 3-AAA) lost a district game to Clinton, 17-15, in the first game of the tournament on Thursday.

But the next day, on Friday, the girls beat Concord Christian 8-1 and Greenback 8-2.

Oak Ridge tied White County, a team from Sparta, 4-4 on Saturday.

The last three games were all non-district games.

The Lady Wildcats also won two of three games in a softball tournament in Oneida the weekend before the Oak Ridge Invitational. [Read more…]

Playing their best game, Lady Wildcats win Region 2 championship

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Playing their best game, the Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won the Region 2-AAA championship for the second year in a row, crushing Hardin Valley 71-42 at Wildcat Arena on Wednesday, March 1, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

Playing their best game, the Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won the Region 2-AAA championship for the second year in a row, crushing Hardin Valley 71-42 at Wildcat Arena on Wednesday, March 1, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Note: This story was updated at 10:15 a.m.

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won the Region 2-AAA championship for the second year in a row on Wednesday, crushing Hardin Valley 71-42. Oak Ridge Coach Paige Redman said it was the best overall game she’s seen the girls play.

“This game showed me a lot about them from start to finish on both ends of the court,” Redman said. “We played really, really well.”

The Lady Wildcats (29-3) had at least 15 steals, and they scored on eight of those. Oak Ridge had 25 points off of turnovers, including steals. Some of those turnovers led to three-point shots, some to layups, and still others to two-point plays converted into three-point plays because of Hardin Valley fouls.

Oak Ridge also had at least a half-dozen feeds in the paint for a basket, sometimes from one player standing near the free throw line to another cutting inside toward the basket when Hardin Valley guards came out too far.

“Tonight they played basketball,” Redman said of her team. “It was the best overall game I’ve seen them play.” [Read more…]

Dowdell named MVP, leads girls in District 3 championship

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The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won the District 3-AAA girls' basketball championship in 59-34 victory over Powell at Clinton High School on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won the District 3-AAA girls’ basketball championship in a 59-34 victory over Powell at Clinton High School on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

CLINTON—Oak Ridge junior Mykia Dowdell was named most valuable player and the Lady Wildcats won their second straight District 3-AAA championship with a 59-34 victory over Powell at Clinton on Tuesday.

Oak Ridge (26-3) will play Bearden in a first-round Region 2-AAA tournament game at Wildcat Arena at 7 p.m. Friday. The Lady Bulldogs (24-3) lost to Hardin Valley 58-50 in a third-place District 4-AAA game at Hardin Valley Academy on Monday.

Dowdell led the Lady Wildcats with 21 points in the District 3 championship game against Powell on Tuesday, and she had at least six rebounds. She had eight points in the first quarter alone, and another six in the second.

While Dowdell was named MVP, three other Oak Ridge players were also named to the District 3-AAA All Tournament Team on Tuesday: senior Courtney Ellison, junior Jaymi Golden, and sophomore Jada Guinn. [Read more…]

Photos: Oak Ridge, Bradley Central in Ladies Classic championship

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Oak Ridge sophomore Jada Guinn (24) led the Lady Wildcats with 55 points in four games at the Andrew Johnson Bank Ladies Classic in Greeneville last week. Guinn is pictured above driving to the basket in a 63-32 loss to Bradley Central in the championship game on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

GREENEVILLE—The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats finished in second place in the Andrew Johnson Bank Ladies Classic in Greeneville on Saturday, losing to Bradley Central 63-32 in the championship game. Here are photos from Saturday’s game.

See the story from Saturday’s game here. [Read more…]

Basketball: Oak Ridge finishes second in Ladies Classic

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The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats finished as runner-up in the Andrew Johnson Bank Ladies Classic in Greeneville on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

GREENEVILLE—The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats finished in second place in the Andrew Johnson Bank Ladies Classic in Greeneville on Saturday, losing to Bradley Central 63-32 in the championship game.

Rhyne Howard of Bradley Central, a 6-foot-1 junior, dominated. The tallest player on the floor, she scored a tournament-high 30 points. No other player scored more than 12. Howard also led both teams with 10 rebounds and eight steals.

It was a much better performance for Howard than in March, when Oak Ridge and Bradley Central played in the Class AAA semifinal game in Murfreesboro. The Lady Wildcats beat the Bearettes 38-31 in that game to advance to the Class AAA state championship, and Howard, who was then a sophomore, was limited to six points, two rebounds, and one steal.

Bradley Central had other advantages on Saturday, including in rebounding and turnovers, and better shooting. The undefeated Bearettes shot 57 percent from field goal range, compared to 37 percent for the Lady Wildcats, and they were 4-of-12, compared to 0-for-3, from three-point range. They led in total steals, 17-5, and forced 23 Lady Wildcat turnovers, while giving up about half as many, 13. [Read more…]

Lady Wildcats play for championship in basketball tournament today

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Oak Ridge junior Jaymi Golden (32) dribbles the ball during a 69-50 win over Greeneville in a quarterfinal game at the Andrew Johnson Bank Ladies Classic in Greeneville on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016. At left is sophomore Jada Guinn (24). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

GREENEVILLE—The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats will play for the championship in a basketball tournament in Greeneville today (Saturday, December 31).

Oak Ridge (13-1, 5-0 District 3-AAA) will play Bradley Central, a team the Lady Wildcats beat 38-31 in the Class AAA state semifinal last season. Today’s championship game in the Andrew Johnson Bank Ladies Classic starts at 4:30 p.m. in the Hal Henard Gymnasium in Greeneville.

The Lady Wildcats advanced to the championship by winning three straight games in the tournament this week. That included a Friday night 51-41 semifinal victory over South Greene (14-2, 2-0 District 1-A). The Lady Rebels, a Greeneville team, were the Class A state champions last season, and they made it to the final game of the Ladies Classic last year.

Before South Greene on Friday, Oak Ridge defeated Jefferson County 57-50 in the opening round on Wednesday and Greeneville 69-50 in a quarterfinal game on Thursday. [Read more…]

Area hoops squads to stay on court after Christmas

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Information from WYSH Radio

With the pre-Christmas tournaments wrapped up, attention will turn for some area teams to post-Christmas basketball tournaments next week.

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats will take part in the Andrew Johnson Bank Classic in Greeneville next week, starting play against Jefferson County on Wednesday.

The Wildcat boys will participate in the Arby’s Classic at Tennessee High in Bristol and will open up Tuesday against Science Hill, a team Oak Ridge beat 82-72 last weekend in Johnson City. [Read more…]

Lady Wildcats open wide lead over Cleveland in second half

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Oak Ridge sophomore Jada Guinn (24) led the Lady Wildcats with 21 points against Cleveland in the Champion Chevrolet Shootout at Science Hill High School in Johnson City on Friday, Dec. 16, 2016. (Photo by Robert Kell)

 

JOHNSON CITY—The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats opened up a wide lead in the second half to beat the Cleveland Lady Blue Raiders 69-35 in the Champion Chevrolet Shootout in Johnson City on Friday.

Oak Ridge (9-1, 5-0 District 3-AAA) was led by sophomore Jada Guinn with 21 points. Junior Desiree Bates had 14 points, and junior Jaymi Golden had eight.

The score was closer earlier in the game, with Oak Ridge ahead by two, 9-7, after the first quarter. The halftime score was 25-17. [Read more…]

Basketball: Wildcats, Lady Wildcats win at Clinton

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Information from WYSH Radio

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats beat the Clinton Lady Dragons 61-19 on Tuesday, and the Wildcats won 87-57.

It was the 59th consecutive time the Oak Ridge girls have defeated the Clinton girls since 1990. The Lady Wildcats (3-1, 1-0 District 3-AAA) were led at Don Lockard Gymnasium by junior Mykia Dowdell with 18 points and sophomore Jada Guinn with 14. Only three Lady Dragons (0-4, 0-1) scored, led by Nikki Jones with eight points, Kinley Martin with six, and Danyel Joy with five. [Read more…]