Oak Ridge Today

Wildcats play for state championship Friday

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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.

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Wildcats advance to semifinals after win over West

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The Oak Ridge Wildcats advanced to a Class 5A football semifinal game after a 31-28 quarterfinal win at West on Friday, Nov. 20, 2020. Above, Oak Ridge senior quarterback Mitchell Gibbons (14) runs with the football as Preston Turner (22) blocks. (Photo by Barry Houchin used with permission)

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.

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Wildcats scrimmage changed, will play Morristown West at home tonight

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Oak Ridge Wildcats Logo

Oak Ridge’s scrimmage against South-Doyle at South-Doyle tonight has been canceled, and the Wildcats will instead scrimmage against Morristown West at home.

South-Doyle has apparently had some injuries, and another team canceled on Morristown West, Oak Ridge Coach Joe Gaddis said Friday morning.

So, Oak Ridge and Morristown West will scrimmage at 6:30 p.m. today (Friday, August 7) at the practice field, Ben Martin Track at Oak Ridge High School. There will be no admission and no concessions.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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Wildcats scrimmages under way; stats from Friday night at Halls

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Oak Ridge Wildcats Logo

Note: This story was updated at 8:54 a.m. August 5.

The Oak Ridge Wildcats had a scrimmage at Halls on Friday, and the football team has a scrimmage with South-Doyle at South-Doyle at 7 p.m. Friday, August 7.

The Wildcats then will have a scrimmage at Heritage on Thursday, August 13, at 7:30 p.m. at Heritage. The freshman start at 6 p.m.

Saturday, August 15, is the Third Annual Wildcat Day. That’s a community pep rally that includes food, fireworks, and fun. It starts at 7 p.m. August 15 at Ben Martin Track at Oak Ridge High School. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge falls to Rhea County in thrilling fourth-quarter comeback

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Oak Ridge Wildcats Logan Fadnek and Rhea County Golden Eagles

Rhea County dampened a fourth-quarter comeback by Oak Ridge, sacking Wildcats quarterback Logan Fadnek (17) three times in one eight-play drive before intercepting him. Also pictured above is Tyler Pendleton (40) of the Golden Eagles. (Photos by Julio Culiat)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:50 a.m. Nov. 24.

Oak Ridge mounted a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback against Rhea County on Friday—narrowing a three-touchdown deficit to one—but the Wildcats were unable to make up for missed opportunities and turnovers and they fell to the Golden Eagles 35-21 in a state quarterfinal playoff game.

Down 28-7 in the final quarter, Oak Ridge scored back-to-back touchdowns in 24 seconds to close the 28-7 deficit to 28-21 with about eight minutes left to play.

After a defensive stop less than two minutes later, the Wildcats had the ball back at midfield, with a chance to tie the game. Oak Ridge fans were fired up, and Coach Joe Gaddis said he’s never heard Blankenship Field so loud. [Read more…]

Wildcats use playoff ‘fury,’ determination to eliminate Soddy-Daisy

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Oak Ridge Wildcats Tee Higgins and Soddy-Daisy Trojans

Sophomore wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) of the Oak Ridge Wildcats catches a 30-yard touchdown pass over defender Christian Bell (26) of the Soddy-Daisy Trojans, giving Oak Ridge a 23-14 lead midway through the third quarter in a first-round playoff game on Friday. (Photos by Julio Culiat)

 

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

Ahead by 17-14 at halftime, the Oak Ridge Wildcats played with fury and determination in the second half of their first-round playoff game on Friday and opened up a large lead against Soddy-Daisy, winning 53-28—despite an impressive offensive performance by the Trojans.

The undefeated Wildcats were not happy with the three-point margin at halftime.

“For it to be that close was just unacceptable,” junior running back Jaylen Nickerson said.

The 11-0 team was determined to play better in the second half against the best offense they had played all year, Coach Joe Gaddis said.

“We just came out and played with a fury,” he said.

While the Trojans had held Oak Ridge to two touchdowns and a field goal in the first half, they allowed four in the second—including two by Nickerson—and gave up a safety and an interception returned for a touchdown, or 36 points total. [Read more…]

Wildcats to play Soddy-Daisy in first round of football playoffs

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Oak Ridge Wildcats Football Helmet

The Oak Ridge Wildcats (10-0) will play the Soddy-Daisy Trojans (4-6) in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs on Friday, November 7. The game starts at 7 p.m. at Blankenship Field in Oak Ridge.

Pairings for the football playoffs for the 2014 Division I BlueCross Bowl were posted on the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association website on Saturday.

Thirty-two teams will compete in 16 games in the Class 5A playoffs next Friday. Winners advance to the second round on November 14.

Other District 3-AAA teams in the playoffs are Anderson County (8-2), Campbell County (8-2), Clinton (7-3), Knoxville Central (5-5), and Gibbs (5-5). [Read more…]

AP prep football poll: Anderson County still No. 3, Oak Ridge moves into Top 10

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Note: This story has been updated to correct the date of the Oak Ridge-Anderson County football game.

Information from WYSH Radio

The Associated Press high school football polls for this week were unveiled Monday.

Here is a look at the teams from East Tennessee who are ranked this week.

In Class 6A, Maryville remains #1, with Science Hill at #6 and Dobyns-Bennett #9.

In Class 5A, Knoxville West (5-1) stays in first place, while the Anderson County Mavericks (7-0) remain at #3. South Doyle (6-0) is #7 in Class 5A, and Oak Ridge (6-0) made its debut in the poll this week at #10. [Read more…]

Anderson County rallies in second half without Fox to win 32-27

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Information from Jim Harris/WYSH Radio

CLINTON—Anderson County trailed 21-7 at halftime at home Friday night, but outscored South Doyle 25-6 in the second half, despite being without leading rusher Matt Fox (ankle).

Mavericks quarterback Tyler Hicks picked up the slack, scoring three rushing touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with just over two minutes to play. Hicks finished the second round Class 5A playoff game with 131 yards, including 114 in the second half.

Anderson County (11-1) will host Knox West (11-1) in the state 5A quarterfinal Friday night.