Oak Ridge Today

Basketball photos: Oak Ridge and Powell

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Oak Ridge senior guard Geevantay Gee (12) had nine points and eight assists during a 78-61 win over Powell on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015. Gee is guarded here by Powell senior Charlie Richards (23). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

POWELL—Oak Ridge junior Tajion Jones led the undefeated Wildcats to a 78-61 win at Powell on Tuesday with five three-point shots and 22 points total. Here are pictures by John Huotari of Oak Ridge Today.

Wildcats-Jones-Pass-Powell-Dec-8-2015

Oak Ridge junior Tajion Jones (3) hit five three-point shots and scored 22 points during a 78-61 win at Powell on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

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Jones leads Wildcats to win with five 3-pointers, 22 points at Powell

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Oak Ridge junior Tajion Jones (3) hit five three-point shots and scored 22 points during a 78-61 win at Powell on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

POWELL—Oak Ridge junior Tajion Jones led the undefeated Wildcats to a 78-61 win at Powell on Tuesday with five three-point shots and 22 points total.

“He’s shooting it well,” Wildcats Coach Aaron Green said of Jones.

Oak Ridge, which got into foul trouble, led by as much as 19 points in the second quarter, but Powell narrowed the lead to seven with about four minutes left in the game.

“I was proud of the way they (the Panthers) fought in the second half,” Powell Coach Gary Barnes said. [Read more…]

Five Wildcats score 10 or more in 85-51 win over Clinton

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Oak Ridge junior Tajion Jones (3) led the Wildcats with 22 points in an 85-51 win over Clinton at Wildcat Arena on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Five Wildcats scored 10 points or more as Oak Ridge beat Clinton 85-51 in the first district game of the basketball season on Tuesday.

The Wildcats (8-0, 1-0 District 3-AAA) were led by junior Tajion Jones, who scored 22 points, including on four three-pointers. Jones also had three rebounds.

Junior Tee Higgins, who was named most valuable player in a basketball tournament in the Bahamas on Thanksgiving weekend and was named Mr. Football in Class 5A in Tennessee two days later, on Monday, finished with 16 points. Higgins knocked down three three-pointers in the third quarter, and he also had five rebounds and six assists.

Oak Ridge hit nine three-point shots, compared to one for Clinton. That’s a difference of 24 points. [Read more…]

Wildcats win Tabernacle Baptist Thanksgiving championship in Bahamas

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The Oak Ridge Wildcats, pictured above with their coaches, won the Tabernacle Baptist Thanksgiving championship game in the Bahamas on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015, beating the home team, St. Georges Jaguars, 69-54. (Photo courtesy Paige Green)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11:05 a.m.

During their second trip to the Bahamas, the Oak Ridge Wildcats won the Tabernacle Baptist Thanksgiving Tournament championship game on Saturday, beating the home team, St. Georges Jaguars, 69-54.

It was the first championship for the Wildcats in the tournament. The boys basketball team also played in the Tabernacle Christian Academy Invitational Tournament in 2013, when they finished 3-2, said broadcaster David Clary of Prepradio.com.

This year, the Wildcats finished 5-0 in the Bahamas.

Junior Tee Higgins was named the most valuable player of the tournament. Higgins drilled four three-pointers and finished with 25 points, according to Grandbahamasports.com. [Read more…]

Football stats: Oak Ridge and Ooltewah

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Oak Ridge freshman Jordan Graham (30) ran for 69 yards on 11 carries in a 26-17 loss at Ooltewah in a second-round Class 5A playoff game on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Oak Ridge lost to Ooltewah, 26-17, in a second-round Class 5A playoff game in Ooltewah on Friday. Here are preliminary stats by Mark Haste.

The Wildcats gained a few more total yards than the Owls, ending with 294 compared to 285. Oak Ridge also had 16 first downs, compared to 10 for Ooltewah.

But mistakes, missed opportunities, and turnovers hurt Oak Ridge in the first quarter, when Ooltewah breezed to a 17-0 lead in the first 11 minutes. Oak Ridge rallied to close the gap to 20-17 late in the third quarter, even after they lost star playmaker Tee Higgins to a knee injury. But it wasn’t enough as Ooltewah scored again in the fourth quarter, and a final Wildcats drive ended with an interception. [Read more…]

Down early, Oak Ridge rallies, but falls short at Ooltewah

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Wildcats Tee Higgins Catch at Ooltewah Nov. 13, 2015

Before he was injured, Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins (5) makes an impressive catch during a 26-17 loss at Ooltewah in a second-round Class 5A playoff game on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Note: This story was updated at 4:45 p.m. Nov. 15.

OOLTEWAH—Oak Ridge gave up 17 points in the first quarter and lost its star playmaker in the second, but the Wildcats rallied to close the gap before falling short in a second-round Class 5A playoff game in Ooltewah on Friday.

The final score was 26-17 in favor of the Owls, who move on to play Rhea County in a Class 5A quarterfinal game next week.

A lot went wrong for Oak Ridge (10-2) in the first quarter at Ooltewah on Friday: an early fumble, a dropped end-zone pass, a missed field goal, and a turnover on a punt return. Ooltewah (10-2) breezed to a 17-0 lead in the first 11 minutes.

Then, Oak Ridge lost star playmaker Tee Higgins late in the second quarter to a knee injury on his right leg. Higgins, a junior standout receiver, defensive back, and punt returner who is a University of Tennessee commitment, did not return. [Read more…]

Basketball: Meet the Wildcats Night is Tuesday

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Oak Ridge Wildcats Logo

The Oak Ridge High School basketball teams are participating in Meet the Wildcats Night at 6 p.m. Tuesday, November 10, in the Wildcat Arena. The public is invited, and admission is free.

The night will include boys and girls scrimmages, three-point contests, and slam dunk contests.

The girls basketball team will host a silent auction in the arena, and sample sandwiches will be given away.

“Bring the family for a fun-packed Tuesday evening with the basketball Wildcats!” organizers said.

Oak Ridge boys cross country finishes second in state

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Oak Ridge Boys Cross Country 2015 State Runner-Up

The Oak Ridge High School boys cross country team finished second in Tennessee during the 2015 state Class AAA meet in Nashville on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015. (Photo by Adrian Etheridge)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 8:34 p.m.

NASHVILLE—The Oak Ridge High School boys team finished second in Tennessee during the 2015 state cross country meet in Nashville on Saturday. Brentwood finished first.

Senior Gashaw Duhamel was the top runner for Oak Ridge, the runner-up in the Division I Class AAA boys race. It was a 5,000-meter, or 5k, race. Duhamel finished 10th, with a time of 16:20.01 on the muddy course on a chilly, overcast Saturday morning.

Brentwood had two of the top three runners: sophomore Brodey Hasty, who was first with a time of 15:35.09, and junior Taylor Vroon, who finished third with a time of 15:50.85.

Oak Ridge senior Tyler Boullie was 16th, crossing the finish line at Percy Warner Park Steeplechase Course at 16:36.85.

Also in the top five for the Wildcats, meaning their scores were included in the team total, were senior Thomas Colburn, who finished 20th at 16:40.94; junior Jacob “Jake” Etheridge, who was 22nd with a time of 16:43.07; and sophomore Jose Villegas, who finished 27th at 16:45.09. [Read more…]

Football: Wildcats-Soddy Daisy playoff game moved to Thursday

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The first-round playoff game between Oak Ridge and Soddy Daisy has been moved to Thursday because of thunderstorms forecast for Friday night, athletic officials said.

The football game will start at 7 p.m. Thursday, November 5, on Blankenship Field in Oak Ridge. Tickets are $8.

Other games, including the Clinton-Ooltewah game at Ooltewah, have also been moved to Thursday.

See more information about the football playoffs and a link to the Class 5A bracket here.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Copyright 2015 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Football photos: Oak Ridge and Campbell County

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Wildcats Tee Higgins Catch against Campbell County Oct. 30, 2015

Oak Ridge junior wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) hauls in a catch near the left sideline during a 45-6 win over Campbell County on Blankenship Field on Friday, Oct. 30, 2015. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

The Oak Ridge defense shut down Campbell County, and the Wildcats used an opportunistic offense and great punt returns in a 45-6 rout of the Cougars on Friday. Here are photos by Julio Culiat.

See a story on the game here. See stats here.

Wildcats Darel Middleton against Campbell County Oct. 30, 2015

Oak Ridge senior wide receiver Darel Middleton (9) stretches to catch a pass that was slightly overthrown by senior quarterback Logan Fadnek during a a 45-6 win over Campbell County on Blankenship Field on Friday, Oct. 30, 2015. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

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Football stats: Oak Ridge and Campbell County

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Oak Ridge Wildcats and Campbell County Cougars Oct. 30, 2015

The Oak Ridge Wildcats defense stifled the Campbell County Cougars’ running game on Friday, Oct. 30, 2015, allowing only 33 yards rushing on Blankenship Field. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

The Oak Ridge defense shut down Campbell County, and the Wildcats used an opportunistic offense and great punt returns in a 45-6 rout of the Cougars on Friday. Here are preliminary stats by Mark Haste. See photos by Julio Culiat here.

TEAM STATISTICS

Oak Ridge

Campbell Co.

FIRST DOWNS

11

 Total 8

9

 By rushing 1

1

 By passing 7

1

 By penalty 0
RUSHING

31

 Attempts 16

297

 Yards gained 43

6

 Yards lost 10

291

 Net yards 33
PASSING

4

 Completions 19

6

 Attempts 33

66.67%

 Percentage 57.58%

0

 Intercepted 0

65

 Net yards 141
TOTAL OFFENSE

356

 Net yards 174
PUNTS

2

 Attempts 8

28.5

 Average 34.38
RETURN YARDS

126

 Punt returns 0

4

 Kickoff returns 0

0

 Interception returns 0
FUMBLES

2

 Total 0

1

 Fumbles lost 0
PENALTIES

5

 Total 7

30

 Yards lost 60

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Coaches agree: Oak Ridge peaking at right time, headed into playoffs

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Oak Ridge Wildcats and Campbell County Cougars Oct. 30, 2015

The Oak Ridge Wildcats defense stifled the Campbell County Cougars’ running game on Friday, Oct. 30, 2015, allowing only 33 yards rushing on Blankenship Field. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:15 a.m.

The two football coaches agreed: Oak Ridge is peaking at the right time, late in the season and headed into the playoffs.

After a decisive 62-6 win over Webb last week, the Wildcats celebrated a 45-6 rout of Campbell County on Friday on Blankenship Field. That win ensured Oak Ridge (9-1, 4-1 Region 3-5A) will play at home next week against Soddy Daisy, a Region 4 team, in the first round of the playoffs. The game starts at 7 p.m. on Friday, November 6, on Blankenship Field.

The Wildcats, the No. 2 seed, shut out the Cougars (5-5, 3-2) at home in the first half on Friday, October 30. The score at halftime was 45-0. Campbell County, the No. 3 seed, scored after Oak Ridge put in reserves in the second half.

“There is no doubt this is the best team we’ve played,” Campbell County Coach Justin Price said. “They’ve improved tremendously as the season went on.”

Since losing to Farragut 31-14 on September 4, Oak Ridge has outscored its opponents 327-75 in seven games. That’s an average of about 47 points per game for the Wildcats. [Read more…]