The Father Ryan girls basketball team doesn’t enjoy the luxury of having a dynamic scorer like Wilson Central’s Kendall Spray, Blackman’s Crystal Dangerfield or East Nashville’s Erica Haynes-Overton.
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Father Ryan coach Jason Larkin instructs his team during a break in Wednesday afternoon’s practice.
The unbeaten Lady Irish do, however, have one of the most commonly used sports cliches of all time on their side.
If that old adage “defense wins championships” is true, Father Ryan appears in prime position to produce its first state title in program history.
“You can’t win games without defense,” said Lady Irish senior Olivia Rolick. “We focus a lot on it.”
That much is obvious given the fact that Father Ryan has been limiting opponents to a state-low 25.7 points per game. That’s five points fewer than the state’s second-stingiest team (Middleton, 30.7) and nearly a touchdown less than the Fighting Irish football team surrendered last fall (31.3).
“One of the things we focus on is giving relentless effort,” Rolick said. “That means we’re diving on the ground for loose balls or stepping up and taking a charge. Those hustle plays, that’s what we pride ourselves on.”
That blue-collar approach, which has helped the Lady Irish limit 10 of their first 15 opponents to fewer than 30 points, has undoubtedly been the driving force behind the 15-0 start.
“It’s a team effort,” said Father Ryan coach Jason Larkin, whose squad is averaging scoring 43.4 points. “We’re man-to-man 90 percent of the time, and it comes down to those girls buying in because it’s not a real easy defense. They buy into it and take a lot of pride in doing it right on every possession.
“It really bothers them I think when the ball gets by them or they give up an offensive rebound or points in transition.”
Father Ryan, ranked second in Division II, has held opponents to a season-low 16 points on two occasions, coasting to lopsided Division II-AA wins over Briarcrest and Pope John Paul II by a combined score of 80-32.
The Lady Irish have held eight additional teams — Lipscomb, Harpeth, Franklin Road Academy, Battle Ground Academy, Bishop McGuinness (N.C.), Mother of Mercy (Ohio), St. Joseph’s Academy (Mo.) and Station Camp — to season-low scoring outputs.
And with each passing win, the thing that has perhaps most impressed Larkin is his team’s focus — something he says is a credit to his pair of two-sport senior leaders.
Rolick, who starred for Father Ryan’s state champion volleyball team last fall, along with classmate Maggie Ryder, a Lady Irish soccer standout, have kept the squad grounded in spite of the squad’s unprecedented success to this point.
“It sounds weird but it really doesn’t ever feel like it’s a streak for us; it really just feels like one game,” Rolick said. “It never feels like we’ve put them in a string together, it’s just been focus on this game then we’ll focus on the next.
“I don’t think any of us are going in thinking, ‘Oh we’re 15-0, this will be easy.’”
Keeping that mindset would be wise, especially considering the most difficult portion of Father Ryan’s schedule, including a pair of games against defending DII-AA champ Brentwood Academy, is still in front of them.
And while Friday’s opponent, Ensworth, suffered a 14-point defeat to the first-place Lady Eagles on Tuesday, Larkin expects the Lady Tigers to be among his team’s toughest opponents to date.
“They’re a good team, and I definitely think it will be a good test for us,” said Larkin, whose teams have managed just two wins over Ensworth in their last 13 tries. “They’ve got really good players — really athletic players who can put it on the floor and get to the rim — and some great shooters like Jordyn (Cambridge).
“It’s just an honor to be chosen,” Cuneo said. “I’ve worked really hard for this.”
Cuneo, who ran the fastest time for any female in this year’s TSSAA’s state cross country meet (18:21.24), won her second consecutive Class A/AA state title over Christian Academy of Knoxville’s Rebecca Story.
Cuneo is the first Rutherford County athlete to garner multiple TSSAA cross country state titles.
“Taylor Cuneo is certainly an amazing student-athlete,” Riverdale coach Stephen Williams said. “As far as sheer talent and further potential, I sincerely believe that she is the best girls cross country runner in the state. I have watched Cuneo race since she began in middle school, and every time she has a hiccup, she comes back twice as strong at the next race.”
Cuneo now has five TSSAA individual state titles. She won three track championships — 800-meter run, 1,600 and 3,200 — during the 2015 TSSAA State Track and Field Championships. Cuneo said she hasn’t ruled out trying to win all three events this season.
Cuneo finished fourth at the Nike Cross Nationals Southeast championships, finishing in 17:31. She then finished 19th (17:31.7) in the Nike Cross Nationals Final.
Cuneo maintains a 4.0 GPA. She’s a member of the Key Club and Central’s chapter of the Society of Women in Engineering. And she volunteers locally on behalf of her church youth group.
All play factors in the Gatorade award.
“It’s a great feeling,” said Central Magnet coach Allen Nichols, to see Cuneo honored. “Taylor’s determination and sheer will to compete made her the perfect recipient for this.
“I’m tickled to death to see her recognized.”
Nichols said he taught Cuneo a year ago in a human geography course.
“She took that exam in May and passed it for college credit,” Nichols said. “All of the teachers here talk about her hard work and how she is driven to be successful.
“I think this reward shows Taylor as being a well-rounded person, not just athletically.”
Reach Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Kreager.
The Tennessean Secondary School Athletic Association Board of Control voted on McKenzie High School’s proposal to change the reclassification period from four years back to two at Thursday’s quarterly meeting in Hermitage.
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TSSAA logo
However, the 12-member board did so behind closed doors, preventing the organization from disclosing the vote until after the TSSAA notifies the school.
“That’s just the way the board set their policy,” TSSAA executive director Bernard Childress said.
“They listen to what the individuals or administrators have to say about the issue, and they don’t vote on it right then,” he added. “They just inform the school that we’re going to discuss this further in executive session, and we will notify the school of the decision that’s been made.”
TSSAA assistant executive director Matthew Gillespie expects the results to be made available on Tuesday.
Additionally, the board also approved new media regulations at Thursday’s meeting, which states that media outlets whose primary purpose is to serve as a recruiting/scouting service or college publication/websites that are following recruits will no longer be issued credentials.
“We’re going to give priorities to outlets who cover high school sports on a regular basis,” Gillespie said. “For outlets to come up and cover an event for the first time just because they’re covering individuals for a recruiting service, that’s not what we look for as far as the type of coverage we want to see at our events.”
The Board of Control also denied a proposal from seven Clarksville-area schools to allow golf teams with enough individual qualifiers in the state tournament to have a qualifying score (two girls or four boys) in the team portion of the state tournament even if they did not win the regional team championship.
Hendersonville High senior Storm Sparks rolled a 611 series in the Commandos’ Region 6 Tournament semifinal victory over Upperman.
HENDERSONVILLE The Hendersonville High boys and White House High girls bowling teams have one more step to take to reach the state tournament, but they’ll be attempting that task from different directions.
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White House High senior Anna O’Connor rolled a high game of 226 in the Lady Devils’ Region 6 Tournament semifinal victory over Wilson Central.
The Lady Devils won the school’s first Region 6 championship on Thursday afternoon, while the Commandos settled for a runner-up finish in the finals at Strike and Spare Family Fun Center.
White House (27-1) rolled to a 25-2 win over Wilson Central in the semifinals and a 24-3 rout of Lebanon in the championship match to earn the Lady Devils the right to host a sectional match for the first time.
“It feels great,” White House senior Madison O’Connor said. “It’s definitely something special. We worked very hard to get here as a team, and we can’t wait to finish the road to get to state.”
O’Connor rolled games of 201 and 206 before – along with the rest of the Lady Devil starters – giving way to younger players for the final game with the match having already been clinched. That convincing performance happened in all three of White House’s regional matches.
“They came out this week, and they shot huge numbers,” White House head coach Keith Freemon said. “They put all three teams away after two games.”
The Commandos weren’t as fortunate in their championship match against Lebanon, falling behind 7-1 after the opening game and eventually suffering a 20-7 loss to the Blue Devils.
It was the second time in eight days that Hendersonville lost to Lebanon after winning both regular-season contests between the two teams. Lebanon also defeated the Commandos in the District 12 final last Thursday.
“I’d say the difference was that we were bowling from behind,” Hendersonville head coach Richard Zajac said. “We can’t allow that to get us down.”
Freshman Chandler Griffin rolled the Commandos’ best game in the finals (237) to allow him to defeat Lebanon senior Peyton Bell in the final game.
However, Hendersonville (21-3) squandered a chance to cut Lebanon’s lead late in the second game, losing the two-point, total pinfall bonus by two pins. Lebanon led 12-4 entering the final game, holding a 161-pin lead.
“We had a chance to come back in the third game,” Zajac said. “We just left too much work for ourselves.”
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Hendersonville High senior Wyatt Patterson rolled a three-game series of 713 in the Commandos’ Region 6 Tournament semifinal victory over Upperman.
The Commandos had no trouble with Upperman in the semifinals, winning by a 23.5-3.5 margin. Senior Wyatt Patterson rolled games of 245 and 243 against the Bees.
However, the Commandos’ loss in the final means they have to play on the road for their sectional match, visiting McGavock on Monday at 2 p.m. at Hermitage Lanes.
Zajac hopes the must-win nature of the match gets his bowlers back on track.
“Lebanon is definitely a rival,” Zajac said. “We always enjoy bowling them, but we bowl best under pressure. From this point forward, it’s win or go home. I think that’s going to work to our advantage.”
The White House boys team narrowly missed an opportunity to join Hendersonville in the finals, suffering a 17-10 loss to Lebanon in the semifinals.
Lebanon held an 88-pin advantage and won four individual games by 10 pins or less.
Junior Jonah Anderson rolled a three-game series of 666 (234-222-210) to lead the Blue Devils, who fell to 20-7.
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Jonah Anderson
“They’re young,” Freemon said. “We’ve got one senior. It would have been nice getting (to the state tournament) so they can see what it’s about. We’ll probably take them with us so they can feel it and see it and be ready for next year. I’m excited about starting next year for the boys today.”
However, this year still remains intact for the Lady Devils, who face Hume-Fogg on Saturday at 9 a.m. in their sectional match. At stake is a third-consecutive trip to the state tournament as a team.
“It means everything as a team that we’re finishing what we started,” Lady Devil senior Hannah Dowell said. “We’re completing our story.”
Reach Chris Brooks at cbrooks@tennessean.com or at 615-575-7118. Follow him on Twitter @CB_SumnerSports.
Region 6 semifinals
White House girls 25, Wilson Central 2
Game one
WHITE HOUSE (1,076) – Madison O’Connor 216, Anna O’Connor 169, Hannah Dowell 182, Abby Smith 175, Madeline Cain 187, Madison Beckner 147.
WHITE HOUSE (1,103) – Madison O’Connor 201, Anna O’Connor 214, Hannah Dowell 200, Abby Smith 162, Madeline Cain 211, Madison Beckner/Paige Bolding 115.
Tom Turchetta has resigned as head football coach at Spring Hill High School after three seasons in charge.
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Former Spring Hill High School football coach Tom Turchetta
“It was for personal reasons, purely personal reasons,” Turchetta said. “It was nothing that Spring Hill did or didn’t do, there were just some personal issues that I needed to address so I decided to resign.”
Turchetta, who compiled a 10-22 record, led Spring Hill to a 6-6 record and a Class 4A second-round playoff appearance in 2014. However, the Raiders, led by senior Louisville commitment Tylin Oden, took a step back a season ago, struggling to a 3-7 finish.
“Right now I don’t know, but I’m hoping I can secure a teaching and coaching job in the very near future,” Turchetta added. “That’s what I’m going with for right now.”
Spring Hill, which hasn’t enjoyed a winning season since 2009, joins Ravenwood, Centennial, Father Ryan and West Creek on the list of Midstate programs looking to fill head football coaching vacancies.
“He notified us yesterday afternoon,” Spring Hill athletic director John Farmer said. “We just posted the position, and we are accepting applications.”
HENDERSONVILLE Brooke Long gave Hendersonville a lead just five seconds into Friday evening’s District 9-AAA battle.
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Hendersonville High sophomore guard Brooke Long drives to the basket as Gallatin junior Savannah Link (23) defendsd during second-quarter action. Long scored 19 points.
For visiting Gallatin, things were all downhill from there as the Lady Commandos rolled to a 68-34 victory over the Lady Wave.
Hendersonville jumped out to a 25-6 lead by the end of the first quarter, with Long – a sophomore – scoring 11 of her 19 points in the opening period.
“Brooke’s one of a kind really,” Hendersonville senior point guard Carleigh Short said. “She can get out and run with the best of them. She’s crazy-fast, and it’s always nice to have her streaking up the court so we can hit her with a long pass and get some easy layups.”
Hendersonville head coach Drew Johnson added, “She makes us a lot faster, because she’s just a really quick athlete. She runs the floor really well.”
Short joined the party soon thereafter, scoring 18 points to help push Hendersonville (10-7 overall, 3-3 in District 9-AAA) back to the .500 mark in district play.
Gallatin (5-10, 0-6) showed some life with a 7-0 run midway through the second quarter, but the Lady Commandos weathered the Lady Wave surge to hold a 39-18 lead at halftime.
“I thought we were rolling a little bit, because we had cut (the lead) to 14,” Gallatin first-year head coach Malcolm Montgomery said. “But we made a couple of mistakes, and they stretched it back out.”
Hendersonville went on a 13-0 run early in the second half and extended the lead to 35 points early in the fourth-quarter, activating the running clock as a result of the 35-point, mercy rule.
“We had a determined bunch out there tonight,” Johnson said. “I think (Tuesday’s 50-43 loss to visiting Mt. Juliet) bothered them a bit and wanted to make sure that we got off to a good start.”
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Gallatin High junior guard Tiera McDermott dribbles past Hendersonville senior Carleigh Short during first-quarter action.
Short said that the Lady Commandos had to refocus after the loss to Mt. Juliet.
“Tuesday night, we had a really rough game, and we really just wanted to bounce back from that,” Short said. “We focused on intensity and getting up in defensive pressure, and I think we did a really good job of that tonight.”
Senior point guard Rene’ Hudson led Gallatin with 19 points, hitting four of the Lady Wave’s five 3-pointers.
“I think we played hard and competed,” Montgomery said. “I think it was just the little things that led to some huge baskets for (Hendersonville).”
Hendersonville hosts Beech on Tuesday, while Gallatin plays at Station Camp.
Reach Chris Brooks at cbrooks@tennessean.com or at 615-575-7118. Follow him on Twitter @CB_SumnerSports.
The Gallatin High boys basketball team had to do some extra work on Friday evening.
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Gallatin High sophomore guard Zyun Mason dribbles into the lane as Hendersonville sophomore Dyilin Hoosier defends during third-quarter action. Mason scored 15 points in the Green Wave’s double-overtime win.
The visiting Green Wave outscored Hendersonville by a 24-13 margin in the fourth quarter to force overtime, eventually capturing a 72-69, double-overtime victory over their long-time rivals.
Hendersonville led from the 3:10 mark of the first quarter until Gallatin sophomore guard Zyun Mason hit one of two free throws with 9.6 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game at 57.
“We’re not a great free-throw shooting team,” Gallatin head coach Bobby Luna said. “We’ve had games where we’ve shot it better. I feel like – at least most of the time – that we’ll make one out of two. It would have been nice (for Mason) to make two out of two and possibly put it away in regulation.”
That score stood through Wave junior Marlon Mitchell’s attempted buzzer-beating drive to the basket. Mitchell thought he was fouled, but no foul was called.
“When I shot the ball, I kind of got hit, and I closed my eyes,” Mitchell said. “I’m not going to say it was the (referee’s) fault (for not calling a foul).”
Mitchell eventually hit one of two free throws with 10.9 seconds left in the second overtime, giving the Wave (7-10 overall, 3-3 in District 9-AAA) a three-point lead that held up.
“It was very stressful,” Mitchell said. “We probably could have won the game in the fourth quarter or the first overtime. That’s just something we’ve got to go to work on in practice.”
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Hendersonville High sophomore point guard Cooper Smith drives past Gallatin junior Collin Minor during second-quarter action. Smith scored three points.
Gallatin hit 21 of 38 free-throw attempts but only hit half of its foul shots in the two extra periods (6 of 12). Hendersonville (5-11, 1-5) hit 17 of 28 free throws, but senior forward Preston Brown missed the front end of a one-and-one situation with 31 seconds remaining in regulation that would have given the Commandos a 58-54 lead. Sophomore point guard Cooper Smith missed two free throws with 13.1 seconds left in regulation that would have allowed Hendersonville to have a three-point edge.
“To be up pretty decently in the fourth and give it up … it hurts,” Hendersonville head coach Kerry West said. “The free-throw line continues to haunt us. We could have iced it at the free-throw line … and layups. We missed so many easy putbacks.”
Mason was fouled on the second miss from Smith, setting him up to tie the game.
“I had just told our guys, ‘no fouls on the free-throw-line block-out,’ and we did it,” West said. “It put them on the line, and we’re playing from behind. It’s just a struggle from there.”
Junior guard Nigel Black led Gallatin offensively with 16 points, and Zyun Mason finished with 15. Junior forward Jordan Mason scored 14, while sophomore Collin Minor and Mitchell provided 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Senior guard Austin Kirby led the Commandos with 19 points, while junior center Jordan Amis contributed 18. Sophomore guard Dyilin Hoosier scored 11 of his 13 points in the first half, giving the Commandos a 28-26 lead at halftime.
Hendersonville led by as many as 11 points (44-33) in the third quarter before Gallatin began cutting into the lead to begin the fourth quarter. Minor hit one of Gallatin’s nine 3-pointers to help trim the deficit to four points with 5:42 to play.
The victory moved Gallatin to the .500 mark in district play.
“All of our district games except for the one we won at Portland have been four points or less,” Luna said. “It’s a learning experience.”
Hendersonville hosts Beech on Tuesday, while Gallatin plays at Station Camp.
Reach Chris Brooks at cbrooks@tennessean.com or at 615-575-7118. Follow him on Twitter @CB_SumnerSports.
GALLATIN (72) – Nigel Black 16, Zyun Mason 15, Jordan Mason 14, Collin Minor 13, Marlon Mitchell 12, Mark Brummett 2.
HENDERSONVILLE (69) – Austin Kirby 19, Jordan Amis 18, Dyilin Hoosier 13, Preston Brown 10, Jason Hernando 5, Cooper Smith 3, Ryne Loper 1.
Half: 28-26, Hendersonville. End of regulation: 57-57. End of first overtime: 63-63. Three-point goals: Gallatin 9 (Black 4, Minor 3, Z. Mason 1, Mitchell 1), Hendersonville 4 (Kirby 2, Hernando 1, Hoosier 1). Records: Gallatin 7-10 overall, 3-3 in District 9-AAA; Hendersonville 5-11, 1-5.
Reigning All-Midstate boys bowler of the year Cole Flatt was declared ineligible to compete this season after transferring from Culleoka to Columbia without moving.
Last January, Columbia Central bowler Cole Flatt accomplished something no other bowler in Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association history has — claim back-to-back Division I individual state titles.
The two-time Tennessean Midstate Boys Bowler of the Year might eventually earn an opportunity at championship No. 3, but it won’t be in the 2016 TSSAA Bowling Championships, held at Smyrna Bowling Center later this month, despite now attending the school in which he has bowled since eighth grade.
Flatt, a junior who hasn’t rolled in a single TSSAA-sanctioned event since helping lead the Lions to a third straight Division I team championship a season ago, was declared ineligible to compete this season after transferring from Culleoka Unit School to nearby Columbia Central over the summer.
“Overall it just hurts the team, not having another 200-plus bowler out there,” said Flatt, who posted a team-leading 214.86 average a season ago. “Taking that kind of average away would hurt any team.”
According to the TSSAA’s transfer rules, a student who has an athletic record (previously participated in a sport) who transfers without a bona fide change of residence by his or her parents, is ruled ineligible for 12 months from the student’s last participation date.
Because Flatt had already established an athletic record at Culleoka in both baseball and bowling, coupled with the fact that his parents did not change their address, he was declared ineligible to compete in either sport for 12 months.
That is the price Flatt paid for picking academics over athletics.
Cooperation?
The fact that Flatt was already bowling for Columbia Central while attending Culleoka — made possible through the TSSAA cooperative program (which allows two or more TSSAA-member schools to form a single team in a sport in which at least one of the schools does not and has not had a team for the last five years) — proved irrelevant in this case.
“I understand that if you play basketball or baseball or football for a school, you shouldn’t be able to play the same sports for a different school without sitting out,” Columbia Central bowling coach Mike Ransom said. “But a co-op program? You’re pulling a kid off a team that he’s already on.”
In other words, when Cole created his bowling record while at Culleoka — the point that ultimately disqualified him from competing this season — he did so while wearing a purple and yellow Columbia Central jersey.
“We never thought anything about bowling because we were already bowling for Columbia Central,” added Gary Flatt, Cole Flatt’s father and an assistant bowling coach at Columbia Central. “It wasn’t like we were hurting the Culleoka bowling team by transferring. There isn’t one.”
That’s true, but by transferring, Cole Flatt did damage the Culleoka baseball program — at least according to the TSSAA.
“When the Legislative Council put the cooperative program rules in place several years ago, one thing that was put in was that your athletic record counts at the school you are enrolled at and in regular attendance (Culleoka) — not the school you participate for (Columbia Central),” TSSAA Executive Director Bernard Childress said. “If we granted (Cole) eligibility, you not only have taken a bowler away from Culleoka, you’ve also taken away one of their best baseball pitchers.”
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Flatt posted a team-leading 214.86 average a season ago, leading the Lions to a third straight Division I state championship.
Long time coming
Gary and Lisa Flatt’s decision to send their children — Cole and his younger brother Luke Flatt — to Columbia Central wasn’t made overnight. It didn’t have anything to do with athletics, either.
“Culleoka is a small unit school — kindergarten through high school — and it’s a school that doesn’t have all the resources that bigger schools do,” said Gary Flatt, who contends that claims of his boys being recruited to play baseball at Columbia Central were “absolutely not true.”
The parents, who also had two older sons graduate from Culleoka, had planned on making the move for academic reasons just as soon as Cole was old enough to drive.
“At Columbia Central they have honors classes, and Culleoka doesn’t offer hardly any of those,” Gary Flatt said. “If you do any type of honors or college courses you have to go all the way into town to (Columbia State Community College) — past Columbia Central.”
It’s not that the TSSAA believed the Flatts were recruited to play baseball at Columbia. In fact, the reason for transferring holds no relevance in this case.
“If it’s for academic reasons that’s fantastic,” Childress said. “You have every right to enroll your children into a school they feel is going to give them the very best opportunity academically. But with that, while we totally respect it, it does not carry with it athletic eligibility.”
According to Culleoka assistant principal Ken Harris, he warned Cole that by transferring he would almost certainly be declared ineligible to bowl or play baseball in 2015-16.
“I asked are you willing to give up bowling for a year?” Harris said. “I said, ‘If you don’t change addresses you’re not going to be eligible. That’s just a fact; that’s their rule.”
“Gary was ready to pack up and go,” Ransom added. “But Cole said, ‘No dad. I really hate to hurt the team, but school’s more important than playing sports,’ so they went ahead and did it.”
Paying off
Despite having to watch from the side as his squad attempts to pull off the four-peat, Cole Flatt said that he would “absolutely” make the same decision again.
“It’s been really hard not being able to bowl,” Cole Flatt said. “Our seniors this year, I’m really close to all of them, and not being able to be out there hurts them. I definitely feel like I’m part of the team and being able to spend time with all the guys has been good. I’m thankful that I can at least do that, being able to enjoy a little bit of it.”
In Cole’s absence, others have needed to step up for the District 8 champion Lions, including his younger brother, Luke Flatt, who boasts a team-leading 221.59 average — good enough for third in the state.
“It’s really been good to see (Luke) step up,” Cole Flatt said. “He’s a freshman averaging over 220 and really holding the team up. He’s pretty much taken my spot from last year, and he’s really helped the team out a lot.”
Luke, who also transferred from Culleoka to Columbia Central, is eligible to bowl and play baseball this year because, unlike Cole, he transferred to Columbia Central prior to his freshman year — his first opportunity to do so (Columbia Central offers grades 9-12).
“This was his first opportunity to move to that school in the same system — it has to be in the same system,” Childress said of the loophole that allows Luke Flatt to compete this season after having bowled for Columbia and attended Culleoka a season ago.”It’s very, very rarely used.
“It has to be in the same system. If someone was at a Davidson County K-12 school and then transferred to a Williamson County 9-12 school without a change of residence by their parents, they would be ineligible because it’s two different school systems.
“We don’t have many situations like this occur on a yearly basis. It’s probably not even double-digits. They just took advantage of the rule and the way it was written in the eligibility guidelines.”
Gary Flatt said he wouldn’t mind looking into a change of the aforementioned rule.
“I know that Cole has been disappointed, but we’re going to try and get Luke through the year,” Gary Flatt said. “It’s over for us, but I would like to help find a way to correct this because everybody we’ve talked to scratches their head.”
Childress — who said scenarios like this occur “all of the time” — doesn’t expect a rule change.
“The Council and the Board members want to protect those schools that don’t offer certain programs from losing an athlete who may be one of their better athletes in another sport,” Childress said. “That was discussed quite a bit in detail.
“It’s very hard for parents to understand, but you can at least see why it is the way it is.”
Here’s a look at the top boys basketball teams in Middle Tennessee, as ranked by The Tennessean:
10. Maplewood (13-3) — The Panthers suffered a surprising loss on Tuesday to upstart Whites Creek — also winners over East Nashville on Jan. 8 — before bouncing back to beat Lipscomb 54-50 on Friday. Last week: No. 8. Streak: Won 1.
9. Lebanon (15-3) — The Blue Devils, just one game back in the 9-AAA standings, squeaked past district foes Gallatin and Beech last week, but only by a combined six-point margin. Last week: No. 9. Streak: Won 2.
8. White County (17-0) — While they haven’t played the most difficult schedule, the Warriors, coming off a 72-69 win over 6-AAA rival Cookeville, are one of just seven remaining unbeaten boys teams in the state. Last week: NR. Streak: Won 17.
7. Oakland (15-2) — The Patriots, coming off a 60-49 non-district loss Friday, have dropped two of their last four. However, the teams they lost to — Blackman and Independence — boast a combined 35-1 record. Last week: No. 7. Streak: Won 1.
6. Ensworth (14-2) — The Tigers, tied for fourth in DII-AA East/Middle, snapped a two-game losing streak by stringing together lopsided wins over Father Ryan and Pearl-Cohn. Last week: No. 6. Streak: Won 2.
5. Cane Ridge (15-1) — The Ravens took a break from beating up on 12-AAA opponents Saturday, instead coasting to a 61-47 win over Mt. Zion Christian (N.C.) at the Music City MLK Roundball Classic. Last week: No. 5. Streak: Won 6.
4. Station Camp (20-0) — The Bison survived a scare Friday but once again came out on top, edging 9-AAA foe Mt. Juliet 59-53 behind Keaton Dotson’s game-high 19 points to remain perfect on the season. Last week: No. 4. Streak: Won 20.
3. Independence (17-1) — Grayson Murphy, Pierre Watkins and Patrick Murphy each scored in double-figures Friday as the Eagles captured an impressive 60-49 non-district win over fellow one-loss foe Oakland. Last week: No. 3. Streak: Won 9.
2. Brentwood Academy (16-1) — The Eagles narrowly escaped with a two-point region win over rival Ensworth on Tuesday before tallying a 63-54 triumph over Pace (Ga.) Saturday at the Music City MLK Roundball Classic. Last week: No. 2. Streak: Won 4.
1. Blackman (18-0) — The unbeaten Blaze, coming off a 63-55 win over Smryna on Friday, hold a 1½-game lead over rival Oakland in the District 7-AAA standings. Last week: No. 1. Streak: Won 18.
Here’s a look at the top girls basketball teams in Middle Tennessee, as ranked by The Tennessean:
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East Nashville’s Le’Jzae Davidson
10. FRA (14-2) — The Lady Panthers, who’ve won three straight since suffering a 39-32 loss to Ensworth, will face off with fellow district unbeaten Ezell-Harding on Tuesday. Last week: No. 10. Streak: Won 3.
9. East Nashville (16-2) — Junior Erica Haynes-Overton (20.2 points per game), senior Le’jzae Davidson (16.8) and sophomore Kaia Upton (13.0) have handled most of the scoring load for the Lady Eagles, who lead 10-AA. Last week: NR. Streak: Won 10.
8. Dickson County (16-3) — The Lady Cougars suffered a surprising 45-42 loss to Brentwood on Friday, but still hold a half-game lead over Ravenwood in the District 11-AAA standings. Last week: No. 7. Streak: Lost 1.
7. Rossview (17-1) — The Lady Hawks, led by the trio of Haylee Croom (10.6 points per game), Karle Pace (10.3) and Mickey Head (10.3), have won seven in a row since suffering their lone loss to Dickson County on Dec. 17. Last week: No. 9. Streak: Won 7.
6. Oakland (13-3) — After dropping a district games to top-ranked Blackman and No. 2 Riverdale, the Lady Patriots bounced back to beat both Stewarts Creek and Independence, helping to solidify a third-place standing in 7-AAA. Last week: No. 6. Streak: Won 2.
5. Wilson Central (18-0) — Lady Wildcats senior Kendall Spray has eclipsed the 29-point mark in each of her last four outings, including a 41-point effort in Wilson Central’s 77-53 win over 9-AAA foe Station Camp. Last week: No. 5. Streak: Won 18.
4. Father Ryan (17-0) — The unbeaten Lady Irish added a pair of impressive East/Middle Region wins last week, knocking off Ensworth and Girls Preparatory Schools to remain perfect on the season. Last week: No. 4. Streak: Won 17.
3. Brentwood Academy (14-4) — The two-time defending champion Lady Eagles suffered their third loss to out-of-state competition on Saturday — 48-39 to Norcross (Ga.) at the Krossover Classic — with the squad’s other defeat coming in their season-opener against top-ranked Blackman. Last week: No. 3. Streak: Lost 1.
2. Riverdale (19-1) — The Lady Warriors, who have strung together 12 straight wins since suffering a 51-48 defeat to Blackman on Dec. 8, will look to avenge that loss when they play the top-ranked Lady Blaze on Friday. Last week: No. 2. Streak: Won 12.
1. Blackman (17-2) — Senior UConn commitment Crystal Dangerfield is averaging close to 25 points per game for the Lady Blaze, who are No. 9 in the USA Today Super 25 national rankings. Last week: No. 1. Streak: Won 5.
The Associated Press’ Top 10 teams in each of Tennessee’s three Division I non-financial aid classifications and in the combined Division II financial aid classification as selected by Tennessee AP-member sportswriters and broadcasters. With first-place votes in parentheses, records through January 18, total points based on 10 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 10th-place vote:
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Associated Press high school basketball rankings for Jan. 18.
Boys
CLASS AAA School Record Pts Prv
1. Blackman (1) 18-0 134 1
2. Memphis East (13) 15-1 130 2
3. Germantown 19-1 115 3
4. Station Camp (1) 20-0 100 4
5. David Crockett 17-4 77 5
6. White County 17-0 76 6
7. Oak Ridge 21-2 63 7
8. Cordova 16-3 50 8
9. Independence 17-1 37 9
10. Cane Ridge 15-1 14 NR Others receiving 12 or more points: None.
CLASS AA School Record Pts Prv
1. Fulton (14) 17-0 149 1
2. Jackson South Side (1) 14-0 136 2
3. Ripley 17-5 82 6
4. Upperman 16-3 81 3
5. Chattanooga Central 12-1 76 7
6. Cascade 13-2 69 4
7. East Nashville 16-4 61 8
8. Maplewood 13-3 57 5
9. Westview 13-3 46 9
10. Obion County 14-4 19 10 Others receiving 12 or more points: None.
CLASS A School Record Pts Prv
1. Halls (11) 18-0 145 1
2. Mitchell (3) 16-5 125 2
3. Clay County (1) 18-1 117 T3
4. Union City 17-4 97 5
5. Huntland 15-2 93 T4
6. Meigs County 17-3 75 6
7. MAHS 10-2 47 9
8. Van Buren County 15-3 35 10
9. Middleton 12-4 34 7
10. Clarkrange 14-6 15 8 Others receiving 12 or more points: Hampton 13.
DIVISION II School Record Pts Prv
1. Christian Brothers (15) 19-0 150 1
2. Brentwood Acad. 16-1 135 2
3. McCallie 18-2 119 3
4. Ensworth 14-2 104 5
5. Briarcrest 18-4 80 4
6. USJ 15-5 64 8
7. Pope John Paul II 14-3 64 6
8. Knoxville Webb 13-6 45 10
9. St. George’s 8-6 30 7
10. Father Ryan 10-7 14 9 Others receiving 12 or more points: None.
All Associated Press members in Tennessee are eligible to participate in the high school basketball poll. Those who voted for this week’s poll are: The Daily Post-Athenian, Athens; Cleveland Daily Banner, Cleveland; Cookeville Herald-Citizen, Cookeville; State Gazette, Dyersburg; The Jackson Sun, Jackson; Johnson City Press, Johnson City; The Knoxville News Sentinel, Knoxville; Marshall County Tribune (Lewisburg); The Tomahawk (Mountain City); The Commercial Appeal, Memphis; Citizen Tribune, Morristown; The Daily News Journal, Murfreesboro; The Tennessean (Nashville); Union City Daily Messenger, Union City; WCMT, Martin.
NASHVILLE Hendersonville High’s boys bowling team punched its ticket to the state tournament on Monday with a 20-7 victory over McGavock in a sectional match held at Hermitage Lanes.
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Hendersonville High sophomore Brandon Paul rolled a 537 series in Monday’s sectional victory at McGavock. The Commandos qualified for the state team tournament with their 20-7 victory.
The Commandos (22-3) won at least four individual pairings in each game and had the higher pinfall total in the first two games, finishing with a 339-pin edge.
Senior Timothy Smith (225-213-197) finished with the Commandos’ top three-game total, a 635 series.
Freshman Chandler Griffin (208-201-203) rolled a 612 series and won all three of his individual games. Junior Braydon Satterfield (196-201-153) also went 3-0 while rolling a 550 series.
Senior Storm Sparks rolled the Commandos’ top game with a 233, and classmate Wyatt Patterson chipped in with games of 211 and 219. Sparks and Patterson had already qualified for the individual state tournament, which begins on Thursday at Smyrna Bowling Center.
The Commandos return to the state tournament for the first time since suffering an 18-9 loss to Walker Valley in the quarterfinals of the 2014 state tournament.
Hendersonville joins Dobyns-Bennett, Cherokee, Smyrna, Lebanon, Hardin County, Bartlett and three-time defending champion Columbia Central in the field. Baker-format games determine the bracket on Friday morning before the quarterfinals begin at 4 p.m. at Smyrna Bowling Center.
The semifinals and finals are slated for Saturday.
Mt. Juliet’s Karly Dyer (middle) elevates for a shot over two Wilson Central defenders during the first half of Tuesday’s battle of District 9-AAA unbeatens at Mt. Juliet High School.
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Mt. Juliet’s Tavie Bell elevates for a first-half layup over the outstretched arms of Wilson Central’s Taylor Tucker during Tuesday’s matchup of District 9-AAA unbeatens at Mt. Juliet High School.
MT. JULIET — The unbeaten Wilson Central girls basketball team notched its 19th win of the season Tuesday night.
The Lady Wildcats’ 46-31 triumph at District 9-AAA rival Mt. Juliet held a little more significance than their previous 18, though.
“I think this is the first time we’ve won here in five or six years, so it’s big for us,” Wilson Central junior Addison Byrd said. It was the Region 5-AAA final in 2011 since the Lady Wildcats had defeated their rivals.
“It’s a special win,” Lady Wildcats coach John Wild added. “I think any time you beat a program like (Mt. Juliet coach Chris Fryer’s) it means something. The job he’s done over here, year after year, I think he’s one of the best in the business.”
Senior guard Kendall Spray scored the first 14 points for visiting Wilson Central (19-0, 7-0 9-AAA), helping her team out to a five-point lead early in the second quarter.
And while Mt. Juliet rallied late in the first half, eventually taking a 17-16 advantage on Tavie Bell’s second-quarter layup — the Lady Bears’ only lead of the game — it was all undone by a dominant second-quarter effort from the visiting Lady Wildcats.
“We started boxing out and playing better defense on their posts,” added Byrd, one of two Lady Wildcats to score in double figures. “That definitely got it going for us. (At halftime we talked about) just keep going hard, play a little smarter, make good passes and then keep it out of the high post. That’s what they were trying to go on offense.”
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Wilson Central’s Kendall Spray (21) cuts around teammate Nathalie Ventura’s screen on Mt. Juliet’s Julia Maki (20) during the first half of Tuesday’s battle of District 9-AAA unbeatens at Mt. Juliet High School.
Those changes made a quick difference in the second half as Wilson Central got things under way by stringing together eight unanswered and eventually outscored host Mt. Juliet 17-4 in the lopsided third quarter.
Bell, a 5-foot-10 post, finished with a team-leading 14 points for Mt. Juliet (11-5, 6-1). However, she managed just two baskets through the final 16 minutes.
“When they get the ball in the middle of the floor in the elbow area, they’re really, really good,” Wild said. “I thought even though it went there some in the third quarter, we had an extra defender in the lane coming off to help.”
Spray, one of the Midstate’s leading scorer (27.2 points per game), finished with a game-high 26 points, including four makes from beyond the arc to increase her season total to 107 — 32 shy of last season’s mark in which she set the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association record for 3-pointers in a season.
“Kendall Spray shooting the ball seemed to be the difference to me,” Fryer said. “The first half was a pretty good basketball game, but they just had too much firepower in the second half and we just couldn’t sustain our play from the first half.
“That’s the way it goes and you’ve got to tip your hat to them; they’ve got a good basketball team.”
Reach Michael Murphy at 615-259-8262 and on Twitter @Murph_TNsports.
GALLATIN Station Camp High and Gallatin High’s girls basketball teams were on track to have a tight finish before the visiting Lady Wave suddenly went as cold as the temperature outside.
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Station Camp High sophomore Cassidy Fry dribbles as Gallatin senior Keile Hale defends during third-quarter action. Fry scored five points.
Gallatin went scoreless for 7:55 in the second half, and the Lady Bison took advantage, pulling away for a 59-44 victory on Tuesday evening.
Station Camp led 43-38 after Gallatin senior forward Grayson Pryor made one of two free throws with 4:14 remaining in the third quarter. However, the Lady Wave did not score again until junior Katie Whitefield made two free throws with 4:19 left in the contest. At that point, a five-point deficit had swelled to 14 (54-40).
“At halftime, I told them that we needed to play Station Camp basketball,” Lady Bison interim head coach Jill Gregory said. “We were out of control in the first half, up and down, up and down. We like to play up and down, but a controlled up and down.”
The Lady Wave’s field-goal drought was even longer. Pryor hit a 3-pointer with 4:45 left in the third quarter, and Gallatin failed to convert on another field-goal attempt until junior Tiera McDermott connected with 1:07 remaining in the game, covering a span of 11:38.
“We were right in the game, but we just couldn’t put together four quarters again,” Gallatin first-year head coach Malcolm Montgomery said. “There was a six to eight-minute stretch where we just didn’t play real well on offense, and (Station Camp) shot the ball really well.”
Gallatin (5-11 overall, 0-7 in District 9-AAA) never led, but the Lady Wave kept the deficit within eight points for the entire first half, trimming the Lady Bison lead to three (31-28) when junior point guard Rene’ Hudson completed a three-point play with 19.6 seconds left in the second quarter.
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Gallatin High senior point guard Rene’ Hudson drives into the lane as Station Camp sophomore Olivia Delk defends during second-quarter action. Hudson scored 12 points.
“We just talked about how it was Gallatin and how we just needed to come out and work our hardest – rebound, play defense and pass the ball,” Lady Bison sophomore point guard Jane Deason said. “Those were really big things.”
Deason led the Lady Bison (8-12, 3-4) with 14 points, including a pair of 3-pointers.
“We really, in the second half, just started to pass the ball,” Deason said. “A lot of times this season, we just do what we want to do, and it doesn’t work out unless we pass the ball and run our plays.”
Station Camp shot 75 percent (21 of 28) from the free-throw line.
“We’ve been stressing that – the free throws – in practice and making sure that we understand that it’s crucial in a game,” Gregory said. “Free throws are freebies. You’ve got to hit them. Tonight was probably our best night with free throws.”
Montgomery added, “It came down to (Station Camp) hitting free throws and making some big threes. That kind of stretched the lead out. At the end we were kind of scrambling, trying to come back, and we gave up some easy baskets.”
Pryor and Hudson finished with 12 points each, despite Hudson being held scoreless in the first quarter. Pryor hit two of Gallatin’s four 3-pointers.
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Station Camp High junior Emiline Payne collects a rebound in front of Gallatin junior Grace Pincock during first-quarter action.
“I think we’re really playing a lot better,” Montgomery said. “But the reality of it is we’ve got to get out of that eighth spot (in the district standings), because the eighth spot probably has to play Wilson Central … and maybe seven might have to play Mt. Juliet, so we’ve got to try to get to down to the sixth spot.
“But this year, we just want to build, see them play hard and see improvement … and I am seeing improvement.”
The two teams meet again at Gallatin on Feb. 12.
Gallatin hosts Portland on Friday, while Station Camp hosts Beech.
Reach Chris Brooks at cbrooks@tennessean.com or at 615-575-7118. Follow him on Twitter @CB_SumnerSports.
GALLATIN (44) – Rene Hudson 12, Grayson Pryor 12, Katie Whitefield 6, Savannah Link 5, Tiera McDermott 4, Keile Hale 2, Sha’Mari Johnson 2, Anastasia Blakemore 1.
STATION CAMP (59) – Jane Deason 14, Laprasia Ward 9, Jessica Hopson 8, Emiline Payne 8, Olivia Delk 7, Carolyn Fitch 5, Cassidy Fry 5, Sydney Creager 3.
Half: 34-31, Station Camp. Three-point goals: Gallatin 4 (Pryor 2, Hudson 1, Link 1), Station Camp 6 (Deason 2, Creager 1, Fitch 1, Fry 1, Hopson 1). Records: Gallatin 5-11 overall, 0-7 in District 9-AAA; Station Camp 8-12, 3-4.
GALLATIN The cards were in place for the Station Camp High boys basketball team to hit blackjack on Tuesday evening.
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Station Camp High junior point guard Chase Freeman elevates for a layin during fourth-quarter action. Freeman scored a career-high 29 points in the Bison’s 75-68 victory over Gallatin on Tuesday evening.
Although visiting Gallatin made it difficult for the Bison throughout the game, Station Camp emerged with the winning hand, claiming a 75-68 victory for its 21st consecutive victory to begin the season.
The Green Wave led 16-14 after one quarter and was in front for most of the second quarter before the Bison rallied to take a 36-32 lead into halftime. Station Camp junior point guard Chase Freeman scored 11 points in the second period.
“These past two weeks, I’ve been playing really well and getting extra shots,” Freeman said. “It’s really paying off in the game.”
Freeman hit all seven of his field-goal attempts, including two 3-pointers, and connected on 13 of 16 free throws to finish with a career-high 29 points.
Station Camp (21-0 overall, 7-0 in District 9-AAA) didn’t have a particularly successful shooting performance from its main shooting threats – with seniors Keaton Dotson and Sawyer Taylor combining to hit 2 of 11 3-pointers – but the Bison still managed to connect on 51 percent of their field-goal efforts (24 of 47). The Bison also hit 73 percent of their free-throw attempts (22 of 30).
Gallatin (7-11, 3-4) went on a 12-2 run in the first quarter after the Bison jumped out to a 10-4 lead following Freeman’s 3-pointer.
“They had to see that they could do the things that we had talked about,” Gallatin head coach Bobby Luna said. “Now, I believe that when the ball goes in the basket, they start to play a little harder, and that’s when you start to execute a little bit more.”
The Bison took a 32-27 lead after an 8-0 run late in the second quarter.
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Gallatin High sophomore guard Collin Minor scrambles for a loose ball as Station Camp senior Sawyer Taylor pursues during fourth-quarter action. Minor scored a team-high 15 points.
“We’re all experienced,” Freeman said. “We’ve all played (together) for two or three years. We know that we’ve just got to calm down, and we’ll be fine.”
Gallatin tied the game at 59 with 4:09 remaining when junior Dezmond Chambers hit a 3-pointer, but Station Camp answered with a 9-1 run to take a 68-59 lead on Taylor’s second 3-pointer of the game.
“I’m not going to sit here and say that we played over our heads,” Luna said. “We played well. Station Camp came to play too. If anybody says that Station Camp played down to us, that’s bull. They played as good as they can play, and we played well. It was a good high-school basketball game with two teams that were executing.”
Freeman hit 5 of 6 free throws over the final 25 seconds to help the Bison seal the victory.
“Everybody’s really coming to play because we’re undefeated, and they want to beat us,” Freeman said.
Sophomore guard Collin Minor hit five of Gallatin’s 10 3-pointers and finished as the team’s leading scorer with 15 points.
“Our guys did not come in here thinking they were going to get beat,” Luna said. “Now, we might be crazy, when you look at one team on one end that might look like a middle-school team and one that looks like JUCO (junior college), I see the difference physically. But there’s a lot of things that go into it.”
Station Camp head coach Seth Massey added, “I know that Gallatin played a good game. Hats off to them. Bobby’s got them playing hard, and they’re competing. It was an exciting game for a fan to watch.”
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Station Camp High senior guard Keaton Dotson elevates for a reverse layin during fourth-quarter action. Dotson scored 12 points.
The Bison won their fourth consecutive district contest by nine points or less.
“We know that for us to win in this league, you have to bring it every night,” Massey said. “Whatever mistakes we made tonight, Gallatin had a lot to do with that.”
In addition to 21 consecutive victories this season, Station Camp has won 29 consecutive regular-season games dating back to last season. Gallatin was the last team to defeat Station Camp in regular-season play, handing the Bison a 45-44 loss on Jan. 13, 2015.
The two teams meet again at Gallatin on Feb. 12.
Gallatin hosts Portland on Friday, while Station Camp hosts Beech.
Reach Chris Brooks at cbrooks@tennessean.com or at 615-575-7118. Follow him on Twitter @CB_SumnerSports.
GALLATIN (68) – Collin Minor 15, Mark Brummett 11, Zyun Mason 11, Jordan Mason 10, Nigel Black 8, Marlon Mitchell 6, Dezmond Chambers 5, Zool Kueth 2.
STATION CAMP (75) – Chase Freeman 29, Keaton Dotson 12, Yalen Reed 9, Kody Eden 8, Sawyer Taylor 6, Hayden Baldwin 4, Thomas Zazzaro 4, Peyton Anderson 3.
Half: 36-32, Station Camp. Three-point goals: Gallatin 10 (Minor 5, Black 2, Brummett 1, Chambers 1, Z. Mason 1), Station Camp 5 (Freeman 2, Taylor 2, Anderson 1). Records: Gallatin 7-11 overall, 3-4 in District 9-AAA, Station Camp 21-0, 7-0.
Eighty-six Midstate individual bowlers along with 15 area high school teams will be vying for championship hardware at this week’s Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association state bowling tournament.
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TSSAA state bowling tournament
There will be one notable absence, though.
Reigning two-time Tennessean Midstate Boys Bowler of the Year Cole Flatt, who was declared ineligible to participate this season after transferring from Culleoka Unit School to nearby Columbia Central over the summer, has already lost out on his bid for a third straight Division I individual championship. And while his absence from the three-day tournament at Smyrna Bowling Center puts the Lions’ quest for a four-peat in jeopardy, they’re not ready to concede title No. 4 just yet.
“If (Flatt) was in the singles individual tournament again, I’d think he’d be the favorite again,” Columbia Central coach Mike Ransom said. “We’re still pretty strong. Of course usually you’ve got a kid who averages about 180 filling in for Cole, who averages about 220. You’re giving up about 120 pins per match by not having him in there.”
In addition to the Region 4 runner-up Lions, Region 1 champion Dobyns-Bennett, Region 1 runner-up Cherokee, Region 4 champion Smyrna, Region 6 runner-up Hendersonville, Region 6 champion Lebanon, Region 7 champion Hardin County and Region 8 champion Bartlett will also be among the eight-team tournament field.
“We’ve got a lot of guys who are good bowlers, and they’ve stepped up and done a lot better this year,” said Columbia assistant coach Gary Flatt, who is Cole’s father. “We’re in pretty good shape and we’re going to make a hard run at it.”
Individual qualifiers in boys Division I include Columbia Central’s Luke Flatt (224.00), who is Cole’s brother and Gary’s son, Smryna’s Josh Meeke (217.23), Smryna’s Brandon Campbell (217.03), Lebanon’s Peyton Bell (214.72), Columbia Central’s Jon Colbaugh (213.00), Tullahoma’s Kyle Dotson (211.65), Siegel’s Hunter Whitaker (210.62), White House’s Jonah Anderson (210.00), Tullahoma’s David Farmer (209.70), Hendersonville’s Storm Sparks (208.26) and Wyatt Patterson (207.16), McGavock’s Kaike Martin (206.90), Lebanon’s Jarred Bradshaw (204.93), Lebanon’s Tyler Moore (203.62), Smyrna’s Lane Dawson (203.13), Mt. Juliet’s Ben Giacobbi (202.89), Creek Wood’s Logan Peeler (202.00), Stewarts Creek’s Aaron Hall (200.95), Upperman’s Ryan Ransom (200.71), Lipscomb Academy’s Chase Ford (199.00), Stewarts Creek’s Braydon Paul (198.08), Beech’s Michael LaRue (196.67), McGavock’s Andrew Maki (195.90), White House-Heritage’s Kody Fry (195.00), Ravenwood’s Clayton Mayfield (194.48), McGavock’s Kynaston Matheney (194.00), White House’s Nick Meecha (192.00), Brentwood’s Patrick Wolff (183.48), Cane Ridge’s Julian Page (180.00), Summit’s Alex Parker (179.00), Brentwood’s Nathan Benbow (177.79), Overton’s Baytley Cardwell (175.00), East Nashville’s Jordan Powell (174.80) and Overton’s Jacob Blackwell (171.00).
Region 4 champion Siegel, Region 5 champion Franklin and Region 6 champion White House will be representing the Midstate in Division I girls action, joining Region 1 champion Dobyns-Bennett, Region 2 champion Hardin Valley, Region 3 champion Rhea County, Region 7 champion Hardin County and Region 9 champion Dyer County.
Individual qualifiers in girls Division I include Blackman’s Sarah Sanes (198.82), Siegel’s Danielle Jedlicki (197.74), Lebanon’s Lindsay Manning (196.97), Mt. Juliet’s Jessica Giacobbi (195.14), Siegel’s Sydney Jahns (193.41), Brentwood’s Camy Barber (193.25), White House’s Hannah Dowell (189.00), White House’s Madison Beckner (188.00), McGavock’s Shamika White (186.90), Beech’s Shea McPherson (185.02), Franklin’s Maddy Sherwood (183.46), Stewarts Creek’s Ashlynn Barkdull (183.20), White House’s Madeline Cain (183.00), Blackman’s Kayla Berry (182.66), Columbia Central’s Ashlynn Moyer (181.60), Siegel’s Madeline Woods (181.26), White House’s Madison O’Connor (181.00), White House’s Anna O’Connor (180.00), White House’s Abby Smith (179.00), Siegel’s Emily Whitaker (178.33), Blackman’s Erika Sisk (178.07), Wilson Central’s Rickie Denson (177.37), Franklin’s Jennifer Guenst (177.31), Station Camp’s Katelyn Gallagher (177.08), Columbia Central’s Chelsea Hinton (176.30), Beech’s Jessica Ezell (170.56), Portland’s Kaleigh Verran (170.15), Tullahoma’s Taylor Noyce (163.30), Franklin’s Alli Koehler (157.10), Columbia Central’s Alexis Lovett (155.10), McGavock’s Kelsie Holland (139.90), Antioch’s Jessica Vetter (132.00), Cane Ridge’s Nhadia Stuart (127.00), Hillsboro’s Angela Teague (126.00) and Antioch’s Angkear Khorn (121.00).
On the Division II boys side, two-time defending champion Friendship Christian will be joined by McCallie, Father Ryan, Donelson Christian, Montgomery Bell Academy, St. Benedict, Christian Brothers and Memphis University School.
Individual qualifiers in boys Division II include Friendship’s Donny Turner (212.00) and Nick Norton (204.00), DCA’s Ross Dewey (200.00), Ensworth’s Sam Alcott (186.10), MBA’s Jackson Wooten (183.90), Father Ryan’s John Dirugeris (182.20), DCA’s Bryce McDonald (180.00) and David Miley (179.00), MBA’s Ben Coulthard (177.50) and Friendship’s Luke Shoulders (177.00).
Harpeth Hall, Friendship Christian, Father Ryan and Pope John Paul II each advanced to the girls Division II tournament, while Father Ryan’s Jennifer Holt (165.30), Pope John Paul’s Carlee Campbell (150.40), DCA’s Kaelyn Thomas (150.00), Friendship’s Holly Abrams (147.00), DCA’s Lexie Nickens (146.00), Friendship’s Brice Dabbs (130.00), Father Ryan’s Alexis Flores (125.10) and Pope John Paul ‘s Sarah Gould (121.85) will be among those vying for a DII girls individual title.
With the possibility of several inches of snow Friday some Midstate high schools have opted to move basketball games from Friday to Thursday this week.
Following are games that have been rescheduled for Thursday. (Starting time is for girls game):
Dickson County at Summit, 4:30 p.m.
Pope John Paul II at Ensworth, 6 p.m.
McGavock at Overton, 6 p.m.
Beech at Station Camp, 6 p.m.
Fayetteville at Huntland, 6 p.m.
Giles County at Cascade, 6 p.m.
Antioch at Glencliff, 6 p.m.
Wayne County at Loretto, 6 p.m.
Moore County at Eagleville, 6 p.m.
Cornersville at Columbia Academy, 6 p.m.
Santa Fe at Culleoka, 6 p.m.
Portland at Gallatin, 6 p.m.
Friday’s game between host Hickman County and East Hickman has been moved to Jan. 28 at 6 p.m.
Go to tennessean.com for up-to-the-minute cancellations and schedule changes.
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Associated Press high school basketball rankings for Jan. 18.
X-ray of what a brain concussion can look like. A concussion is the most common type of traumatic brain injury.
State Rep. G.A. Hardaway, D-Memphis, filed a bill Thursday morning to create a task force to study concussions and other injuries received from long-term participation in high school and college sports.
The purpose of the task force would be to study and evaluate concussions and other injuries from long-term, continued participation in sports at those levels. It also would examine the academic growth and behavior of students who participate, as well as determine the best remedy for athletes who enroll and receive a collegiate scholarship, but have it withdrawn if they are unable to remain on the team due to a concussion or other sports-related injury.
The task force would include two representatives each appointed by Memphis City schools, Metro Nashville schools, Hamilton County schools, the Board of Regents, the University of Tennessee, the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association and the NCAA. There would be one representative each from the departments of health and education and the state board of education.
Bowl bound: Most Midstate high school football fans are familiar with junior MBA standout running back Ty Chandler.
The rest of the nation may have a chance to become familiar with him as well next season after Chandler received an invitation to play in the 2017 Army All-American Bowl.
“I’m blessed to say I’ve been invited to play in the 2017 Army All-American Bowl,” Chandler said via Twitter.
The Division II-AA Mr. Football Back of the year rushed 347 times for 2,585 yards and 34 touchdowns in 2015 to help lead MBA to a one-point loss in the DII-AA state title game, picking up All-Midstate football player of the year honors in the process.
Moving on: Brentwood Academy senior wide receiver and cornerback Coutrell Plair announced his commitment to Samford on Wednesday.
“For the next four years, I will be attending Samford University,” Plair said on Twitter. “I can’t wait to be a part of a Christian environment, receive a great education and play Division I football!”
Plair caught 19 passes in 2015 for 298 yards and two scores as a receiver, returned two punts, both for touchdowns, had two interceptions with one being returned for a score and also returned two fumbles for TDs.
He chose Samford over offers from Navy and Coastal Carolina.
Senior Pearl-Cohn quarterback Jimmy Ferrell committed to play football at Alabama State on Wednesday.
“After long consideration with close family and friends,” Ferrell said on Twitter, “I’ve decided to further my education and football career at Alabama State University.”
The 2015 All-Midstate third-team offensive selection had just less than 3,000 yards passing with 28 touchdowns and six interceptions, while adding another eight scores and 443 yards on 118 carries, helping the Firebirds make it to the Class 4A state title game.
Ferrell had also received offers from Eastern Kentucky and New Mexico State.
Revamped awards: This year marks the 32nd time that the Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards will be presented to Tennessee’s best high school basketball players, but the awards will have a different look.
The awards will be presented to the top girls and boys in five classifications on the main floor of Murphy Center on the campus of MTSU on Tuesday, March 8 at 7 p.m.
From 2005-15 the Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards were presented at the conclusion of each respective championship game as part of the post-game trophy ceremony.
“Having the awards presented on the floor of the site of the Division I state basketball tournament will be special,” TSSAA Executive Director Bernard Childress said in a statement. “It will be exciting to have all 30 outstanding student athletes recognized together at what we feel will be a great event.”
A reception for the finalists and their families will be held prior to the awards presentation.
Reach Sam Brown at 615-259-8232 and on Twitter @SamBrownTN.
SMYRNA — While the Pope John Paul II girls bowling team’s quest for a Division II state bowling championship was a short one, Lady Knight junior Sarah Gould’s quest for a title lives on.
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Pope John Paul II junior Sarah Gould.
The Lady Knights, who on Tuesday self-reported their use of two ineligible bowlers, were disqualified from the team portion of the three-day tournament before it even began.
Gould reached the finals of the Division II individual tournament Thursday.
“I think it put a lot of importance on (the individual tournament), especially because all of the girls came out here to support us,” said Gould. “I just think it was that I was that much more motivated to do even better today.”
Gould, who entered Thursday’s semifinals as the 23rd seed, rolled a four-game total of 607 (167, 138, 131, 171), qualifying as the No. 4 seed in Friday’s finals at Smyrna Bowling Center, which will be decided by ladder match format.
“My second two games weren’t very good — they were in the 130s — but that last game I just really turned it on and really came through,” Gould said. “I’m just so ecstatic right now; just so excited.”
St. Agnes freshman Grace Becker secured the No. 1 seed after rolling a 644, followed by St. Benedict’s Kerri King (637) and St. Agnes’ Caroline Conrad (627). St. Benedict’s Violet Durden locked up the No. 5 seed with a 600, and Friendship Christian’s Brice Dabbs (595) secured the final spot.
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Friendship Christian senior Donny Turner
Division II boys: Defending champion Donny Turner of Friendship Christian claimed the top seed, posting a four-match pinfall of 751 — 12 better than second-place Jay Moorefield of McCallie.
“It’s just kind of stressful because this is my senior year and I’ve already won it,” Turner said. “Everybody has expectations for you and you’re always worried about meeting them. And you have expectations for yourself. I hold myself to a standard, and if I don’t get there I’m disappointed.”
Christian Brothers’ Bradley Pounds (696), St. Benedict’s Ben Murphy (686), Friendship Christian’s Luke Shoulders (666) and Ensworth’s Sam Alcott (662) also advanced to Friday’s championship round.
Division I boys: Columbia Central’s Jon Colbaugh and Luke Flatt secured the top two seeds, while Smyrna’s Josh Meeke and Lipscomb’s Chase Ford also advanced to Friday’s finals.
Colbaugh, a senior, posted a total of 1,589, edging Flatt, a freshman, who had 1,587. Hardin County’s Sayvon Pipes (1,580), Meeke (1,575), Ford (1,541) and McMinn County’s Logan Teague (1,538) rounded out the top six.
Division I girls: A pair of Siegel standouts, Danielle Jedlicki and Sydney Jahns, will be representing the Midstate in the finals.
Jedlicki, a freshman, posted a 1,487 — good enough for third place — while Jahns, a senior, landed in fourth with a 1,453.
Both face an uphill battle in the finals, however, as the Rutherford County duo will be looking knock off two-time defending champion Ashley Channell of Hardin County, who secured the No. 1 seed.
Gallatin High junior guard Marlon Mitchell dribbles to the basket as Portland senior Eric Kirk defends. Mitchell scored a game-high 21 points in the Green Wave’s 54-37 victory on Thursday evening.
GALLATIN The Gallatin High School boys basketball team has recently been in the midst of a host of close games.
The Green Wave defense didn’t allow that to recur on Thursday evening though, limiting visiting Portland to 10 points in the first half of a 54-37 victory at Jerry Vradenburg Gymnasium.
“It’s different,” Gallatin junior forward Mark Brummett said. “In all the close games we’ve had, we had a lot of pressure.
“Some nights, Portland can come out and play with anybody.”
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Gallatin High sophomore guard Collin Minor glides to the basket for a third-quarter layin.
The Green Wave swept the season series with Thursday victory, having claimed a 44-37 win at Portland on Dec. 4.
“We did play pretty well defensively in the first half,” Gallatin head coach Bobby Luna said. “We rebounded the ball well defensively all night.”
The Panthers (5-16 overall, 0-8 in District 9-AAA) failed to produce a field goal for more than seven minutes in the first half as they struggled against the Wave’s full-court press, watching a four-point deficit swell to 18.
“Bobby has done a great job with them,” Portland head coach Chris Carney said. “They are playing so hard. In the first half, they outgrinded us and outhustled us. They are playing really well.”
Gallatin junior guard Marlon Mitchell scored the Wave’s first seven points, and sophomore teammate Zyun Mason scored seven consecutive points later in the half, starting a 13-0 run. Brummett and Mitchell provided baskets during that surge.
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Gallatin High sophomore guard Collin Minor glides to the basket for a third-quarter layin.
The Panthers responded in the third quarter, scoring eight consecutive points. Senior forward Caelum Utley’s two-hand dunk was followed by back-to-back 3-pointers from senior Eric Kirk and sophomore Bryce Keith, pulling Portland back to within 12 points.
“We have to have some carryover from the second half,” Carney said. “We were so much tougher. We made good decisions on the press. It can’t be so inconsistent. That’s what it’s been.
“We just dug too big of a hole. It was a tough test on the road.”
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Portland High sophomore guard Bryce Keith passes during third-quarter action as Gallatin junior Nigel Black defends.
However, that’s as close as the Panthers were able to get.
“We’re probably just not mature enough to handle a 20-point lead at the half,” Luna said. “We’re not good enough to blow people out. Portland was a lot more active in the second half.
“It was a good win for us.”
Mitchell scored a career-high 21 points, and Mason provided 15.
Utley finished with a team-high 16 points, 12 of which came in the second half.
“He’s supposed to be their best all-around shooter,” Brummett said of Utley. “If you take away him, the rest falls into place.”
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Portland High senior guard Jay Crutchfield dribbles into the frontcourt during second-quarter action amidst pressure from a Gallatin defender.
The senior-less Wave evened their district record at 4-4 and improved to 8-11 overall. Gallatin, Beech, Wilson Central and Mt. Juliet are all within a game of each other in the third through sixth positions in the 9-AAA standings.
The Green Wave have won seven of their last 10 games.
“Right now, we’re not worried about where we want to be as far as district positioning,” Brummett said. “We just want to come in and play hard and come out with a win.”
Luna added, “We talked about it. We told the kids before the season that everybody would probably pick us seventh or eighth. We told them we felt like we could be middle of the pack. We’re progressing pretty good. We could have beaten Station Camp and Lebanon, but we also could have lost to Hendersonville. We could be 2-6 (in district play) right now. We just have to be more consistent offensively.”
Gallatin plays at Mt. Juliet on Tuesday, while the Panthers host Station Camp.
Reach Craig Harris at charris@mtcngroup.com or at 615-575-7138. Follow him on Twitter @HarrisGNESports.
PORTLAND (37) – Caelum Utley 16, Eric Kirk 7, Austin Hicks 5, Bryce Keith 5, Luke Jones 3, Jay Crutchfield 1.
GALLATIN (54) – Marlon Mitchell 21, Zyun Mason 15, Mark Brummett 4, Dezmond Chambers 4, Anthony Woods 4, Dakota Bailey 2, Parish Cloud 2, Collin Minor 2.
Half: 30-10, Gallatin. Three-point goals: Portland 3 (Hicks 1, Keith 1, Kirk 1), Gallatin 2 (Mason 1, Mitchell 1). Records: Portland 5-16 overall, 0-8 in District 9-AAA; Gallatin 8-11, 4-4.
