When Braxton (Blackwell) Key and Tyger Campbell opted to leave Christ Presbyterian Academy last year to play basketball at two national high school basketball powerhouses, some fans couldn’t understand why.

Braxton Key (right) and Tyger Campbell (left) both played basketball for CPA last year.

But any doubters who questioned the two stars’ decision to leave may have a hard time arguing their point Thursday as both prep ballers won nationally-televised games to advance to Friday’s semifinals of the DICK’S Nationals high school basketball tournament.

Key, a senior Alabama signee, had 12 points and seven rebounds to help No. 2 seed Oak Hill Academy (Va.) knock off seventh-seeded Wasatch Academy (Utah) 81-64.

Campbell, now a freshman, scored nine points and tallied three assists to help No. 5 seed La Lumiere (Ind.) avenge its earlier-season defeat to fourth-seeded St. Benedict’s (N.J.), escaping with a 60-59 victory.

If Key and Campbell can each win their games on Friday, they will face each other in Saturday’s noon championship, which will be televised on ESPN.

Campbell will be the first of the two with a chance to advance to the final as La Lumiere will face off with No. 1 seed Montverde Academy (Fla.) in Friday’s 3 p.m. semifinal on ESPN 2.

Key and Oak Hill will play in a 5 p.m. matchup with No. 6 seed Miller Grove (Ga.).

Reach Sam Brown at 615-259-8232 and on Twitter @SamBrownTN.

First-year Father Ryan football coach Brian Rector will have at least a few familiar faces on the Fighting Irish’s sideline next fall.

Former Centennial coaches Brett Taveau (left) and Wade Privett (right) have joined Brian Rector’s coaching staff at Father Ryan.

Rector, who was hired by Father Ryan in February coaching at Centennial High School for the previous five seasons, has brought a pair of former Cougars assistants with him in Wade Privett and Brett Taveau.

“I think when you go somewhere new it’s always important to get some people that are familiar with the system you like as a head coach,” Rector said. “Besides the fact that they are both outstanding teachers and outstanding coaches, the effect that they’ve had on young people makes them a no-brainer.”

“We’re really excited to have them.”

Brian Rector named Father Ryan football coach

Privett, formerly Centennial’s athletic director, has been named the new defensive coordinator at Father Ryan, while Taveau, who has coached with Rector since 2011, will serve as the Fighting Irish’s offensive coordinator in 2016.

“We are still working on finalizing the staff, but the addition of Coach Privett and Coach Taveau are a giant step in that direction,” Rector said. “We’re a few weeks away from spring ball, and we hope to have most everything finalized by then.”

Reach Michael Murphy at 615-259-8262 and on Twitter @Murph_TNsports. 

WHITE HOUSE The White House and Rossview boys prep soccer programs are very familiar with each other.

They’ve played 12 times since Rossview opened prior to the 2001-02 school year.

Lately, they can’t get any separation as they played to a tie for the third consecutive season, a 1-1 deadlock in the opening match of the White House Round-Robin Tournament on Friday evening.

“We’re blessed to be able to get three good teams to come into our tournament every year,” Blue Devil head coach Mark Lamberth said. “Rossview is exceptionally well-coached. We are seeing a team we want to be up there with. It’s always them and Clarksville at the top of their district for region play.”

White House High junior Austin Blansett maintains possession amidst pressure from Rossview senior Jared Stanford during first-half action.

Both goals were scored over the final three minutes on Friday.

It appeared as if the Hawks (2-3-1) might win after senior Kyle Schwartz headed in a rebound with 2:35 remaining. Classmate Jared Stanford took a free kick moments earlier that was headed off the crossbar by freshman Cameron Carroll, and Schwartz converted on the rebound.

However, White House senior Mark Lees received a pass from sophomore defender Corey Curtis and placed a shot into the left side of the net with 1:06 remaining.

“It looked like we were on spring break,” Lamberth said. “We weren’t bad, but we weren’t good. We just found enough at the end to even the score.”

White House High junior Austin Pairs plays a ball up the sideline in front of Rossview sophomore Hunter Torres during first-half action.

After Rossview junior goalkeeper Brennan Pritts batted sophomore Donovan Dixon’s looping shot out of play with less than 30 seconds remaining, the Blue Devils (2-2-1) scrambled to get a corner kick off before time expired. Lees’ corner kick was headed by sophomore Brady Briley toward the right side of the net, but an opportunistic defender – senior Alain Brown – cleared the ball away as time expired.

Briley had a pair of near-misses earlier in the second half, with his free kick from approximately 30 yards out hitting off of the left post and Pritts sprawling to bat away Briley’s unmarked shot from 15 yards away in the 68th minute.

White House High sophomore defender Seth Bumbalough dribbles upfield during first-half action.

The Blue Devils are just 1-7-4 against the Hawks.

Reach Craig Harris at charris@mtcngroup.com or at 615-575-7138. Follow him on Twitter @HarrisGNESports.

Dalton Heath

HENDERSONVILLE Pope John Paul II High senior pitcher Dalton Heath worked quickly through the second game of Friday evening’s doubleheader against visiting Montgomery Bell Academy.

Pope John Paul II High senior Ryan Hatten (left) is greeted by teammates after his first-inning home run during game one of Friday evening’s doubleheader. Hatten had two hits and drove in three runs.

It helped him carry a no-hitter into the seventh inning of the Knights’ 3-0 victory over the Big Red in the nightcap at ServPro Field.

There was a reason he worked quickly. He had to go to the bathroom, but he didn’t want to do it during the game.

“Not during that game,” Heath said. “I needed to go since the second inning.”

Heath’s no-hit bid was broken up with two outs by Jake Evans, who singled on a ground ball up the middle and into centerfield.

“It was my two-seam fastball, and it ran right over the middle of the plate,” Heath said. “He hit it where he was supposed to, and that was my mistake.”

The Big Red (1-9 overall, 0-5 in the Division II-Class AA East/Middle Region) eventually had the tying run at the plate before Heath pitched out of the jam to end the game with a two-hit shutout for the Knights (6-7, 4-1).

“I was just going up there and locating as best I could,” Heath said. “My changeup was a little off tonight, but my slider was on. That’s where it really fooled them I think.”

Pope John Paul II High sophomore Grayson Lang runs down the first-base line during game one of Friday evening’s doubleheader sweep of visiting Montgomery Bell Academy.

A balk allowed junior Ben Brooks to score in the first inning, while senior Ryan Hatten scored on junior Jack Shuttleworth’s bases-loaded walk in the third. Sophomore Jake Rucker’s sacrifice fly plated Hatten in the sixth.

Hatten helped lead the PJP II offense to an 11-5 victory in game one.

Hatten, a Virginia Military Institute signee, went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer in the first inning and finished with three runs batted in as PJP II collected 10 hits.

“I think we had better approaches at the plate,” Hatten said. “We knew we weren’t going to see the hardest pitching out there, and we knew that we needed to sit back and drive the ball the other way. We did that, and we ended up scoring a lot of runs.”

MBA scored three runs in the top of the first inning against junior starting pitcher Mason Hickman, a Vanderbilt University commitment. Hickman pitched six innings, allowing five runs on seven hits with no walks and five strikeouts.

Pope John Paul II High senior Garrett Taylor rounds third base as head coach Michael Brown gives directions during game one of Friday evening’s doubleheader.

Junior teammate Nate Pianto pitched a scoreless seventh inning.

Reach Chris Brooks at cbrooks@tennessean.com or at 615-575-7118. Follow him on Twitter @CB_SumnerSports.

Pope John Paul II High 11-3, Montgomery Bell Academy 5-0

MBA 302 000 0 – 5 7 7

PJP II 230 240 x – 11 10 1

Will Hansen, Drew Davis (4) and Cole Cross; Mason Hickman, Nate Pianto (7) and Jack Shuttleworth. WP – Hickman. LP – Hansen. Home runs: PJP II – Ryan Hatten.

MBA 000 000 0 – 0 2 0

PJP II 101 001 x – 3 4 1

Wilson Flack, Will Hanson (6) and Sam Morris; Dalton Heath and Jack Shuttlworth. WP – Heath. LP – Flack. Records: MBA 1-9 overall, 0-5 in the Division II-Class AA East/Middle Region; PJP II 6-7, 4-1.

Sports talk show host George Plaster became emotional while talking on air with former Vanderbilt basketball coach Kevin Stallings.

Longtime local sports talk radio show host George Plaster broke down on the air while talking with former Vanderbilt basketball coach Kevin Stallings this past week.

It wasn’t that Plaster, a Vanderbilt graduate, was all that torn up about Stallings leaving for Pitt after 17 years with the Commodores. It was more poignant than that.

Plaster and Stallings had connected on an emotional level a few years back when Plaster’s mom was dealing with an illness that eventually led to her death, and saying goodbye conjured up those agonizing feelings.

“It was a tough deal because Kevin had helped me through a difficult time, and when we started saying our farewells on the air, it brought back some pretty painful memories,” said Plaster, who could not hold back his tears during 102.5-FM’s “Sports Night.”

“I felt like a fool when it was over. But I tried to at least acknowledge that I’m a wimp. I’ve just come to the understanding that God made some people very stoic, and God made some other people emotional. Unfortunately, I fit into the latter.”

Listeners benefited by hearing about a side of Stallings they might have missed during his time in Nashville.

“Kevin is not perfect, but he’s not the monster a lot of people in Nashville think he is,” Plaster said.

Kevin Stallings: Leaving Vanderbilt chance to ‘start over’

Plaster’s mother, Sophie, was recovering from a small stroke when he got word while doing his show at a David Price charity event one afternoon that she had relapsed and suffered a massive stroke. Plaster jumped in his car and headed to the hospital.

“I was breaking every speed law known to man when Kevin just happened to call,” Plaster said. “It was just kind of a ‘Hey, what’s going on?’ call. I told him what had happened to Mom and he said, ‘You’re not ready for this.’ He had had a family member who had passed away of a stroke and said, “You just need to be prepared that there’s a real chance that this is it.'”

That was the first time Plaster realized how potentially dire the situation could be.

“When I got there they didn’t let me see my mom for about four hours, so I knew Kevin was right,” Plaster said.

Kevin Stallings

Sophie Plaster died four days later.

Not long after that, Plaster’s father, Tom, started experiencing symptoms from the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Plaster tried to get his dad out of the funk by taking him to see some of his old friends at his favorite restaurant, then to the Kiwanis Club and then to where the “Sports Night” crew was doing the show that afternoon.

It didn’t help. Tom seemed disoriented, and that bothered Plaster.

Plaster shared his concerns with Stallings, who again pulled no punches when trying to console him.

“Kevin asked me to repeat everything I had Dad do that day,” Plaster said. “Then, as only Kevin could do it, said, ‘So you had him from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. going around, around and around, and how old is he?’ I said he’ll be 90 in a couple of months, and Kevin was like, ‘What in the hell are you thinking?’ He said, ‘George, you’ve got to get real about this. You’re trying to turn the clock back on him like he’s in his 50s and he’s not.’ In that respect, Kevin was a really good friend to me. I wish more people would have gotten to know him like I did.”

Later in the week, the tables were turned when Stallings choked up while being interviewed by Greg Pogue and Joe Dubin on WNSR.

“When he was talking about leaving Nashville, he had to stop and collect himself,” Pogue said. “You hate to have dead air, but he wasn’t saying anything and we weren’t saying anything. We knew he needed a moment.”

Fairvue pro to work Masters as rules officiator 

Fairvue Plantation pro Cary Collins.

Fairvue Plantation head pro Cary Collins will be a rules officiator at The Masters, which begins Thursday.

Collins has been a member of the PGA of America Rules Committee since 2002, and this will be his ninth major championship to work. He also worked The Masters in 2009.

Former Vandy golfer plays round with Jenner, Wambach

Former Vanderbilt golfer Marina Alex, now on the LPGA Tour, played in a pro-am tournament this past week with Caitlyn Jenner and Abby Wambach.

The 2011-12 SEC Golfer of the Year played the first nine holes with Jenner, a former Olympian, and Wambach, a retired American soccer player, at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif., on Wednesday.

Jenner, in her first appearance at a tournament pro-am since transitioning to a female, holed out for an eagle on the first hole.

Memphis football team to practice at Father Ryan

The Memphis football team will have one of its spring practices at Father Ryan High School next Saturday. It will be open to the public.

The Tigers will scrimmage at 3:30 p.m. The intent is to give Memphis fans in the Midstate the opportunity to catch a practice.

Local basketball players coming and going

Lipscomb basketball players Talbott Denny and J.J. Butler, who are set to graduate but still have a year of eligibility, are transferring.

Neither has said where he plans to go. Both missed this past season with injuries.

Denny, a 6-foot-6 guard, started in 17 games in 2014-15 and averaged 5.9 points per game. Butler, a 6-2 guard, started four games in 2013-14 and averaged 2.2 points and 1.3 assists.

Tennessee Tech, meanwhile, picked up Curtis Phillips, a transfer from Campbell who is originally from Memphis (White Station).

Phillips, a 6-5 sophomore guard, started in seven of Campbell’s first eight games this past season and averaged 8.1 points and 4.1 rebounds. In 2014-15, he made the Big South Conference all-freshman team.

Phillips sat out the second half of the season so he will become eligible at Tech after the fall semester.

Many in Midstate tune in to watch MTSU basketball

Local television ratings for Middle Tennessee State’s two NCAA Tournament men’s basketball games were very good.

The Blue Raiders’ first-round upset win over Michigan State on CBS (WTVF-5 locally) posted a 5.7 local rating, meaning 56,441 Nashville households tuned it.

The second-round loss to Syracuse on TNT earned an even more impressive 7.9, which equaled 78,226 households.

That was the highest-rated local game on cable (TNT, TBS and truTV) in the first four days of the tournament. The second-highest was North Carolina-Providence at 3.5.

The Vanderbilt-Wichita State play-in game earned a 4.0.

Former Ensworth star Swett is Navy’s top defender 

Justice Swett

Justice Swett, a junior on the Navy women’s basketball team from Ensworth, was named the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year.

Swett helped Navy rank 20th nationally (54.9 ppg.) in scoring defense. She is tied for 69th nationally in steals per game (2.27)

Her career average (2.05 steals) is fifth in Navy history and her 68 steals this season tied for ninth.

She is the granddaughter of DavidSwett Sr., who owns Swett’s Restaurant.

Former Belmont star helping Warriors’ historic run

Former Belmont star Ian Clark is part of the historic season the Golden State Warriors are having in the NBA.

Clark, in his first season at Golden State, came off the bench Wednesday and helped the Warriors beat Utah 103-96 in overtime.

He played nine minutes in the fourth quarter and scored five points, helping Golden State come from behind and tie the score at the end of regulation.

Clark is averaging 3.9 point per game.

The Warriors (68-8) are within striking distance of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ record of 72-10, which is the all-time best.

Hendersonville golfer wins AJGA in Florida

Hendersonville’s Bryce Lewis won the boys 12-15 age division of the American Junior Golf Association Preview at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Palm Harbor, Fla., last weekend.

Lewis posted a two-round total of 141 (71 and 70). He made three birdies in each round.

Lewis’ father, Trey, is one of the area’s top amateur golfers.

Titans cheerleading tryouts coming up

Preliminary auditions for Titans cheerleaders are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. next Saturday at Nissan Stadium.

You must be at least 18, a high school graduate, available for all Titans home games and OK with spending a week this summer in Florida for the swimsuit calendar photo shoot.

It costs $25 to try out. For more information, call 615-565-4172 or visit titansonline.com.

Former  Titans line coach lands at Northern Illinois

Former Titans offensive line coach Bob Bostad has been hired as tight ends coach at Northern Illinois, according to Sports Illustrated.

Bostad spent two seasons with the Titans but was not retained by new coach Mike Mularkey.

Before joining the Titans, Bostad spent 2012-13 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the 22 years before that on the college level.

If you have an item for Midstate Chatter, reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.

SPORTS ON NASHVILLE TV

The top five local ratings for sporting events on television for March 21-27:
T1. NCAA Elite 8: North Carolina-Notre Dame, 9.9 rating
T1. NCAA Elite 8: Villanova-Kansas, 9.9 rating
3. NCAA Sweet 16: Syracuse-Gonzaga, 7.2 rating
4. NCAA Sweet 16: Kansas-Maryland, 6.5 rating
5. NCAA Sweet 16: Virginia-Iowa State, 6.3 rating
SEC Network ratings not available. Each rating point is equal to 9,902 Nashville homes.
Source: Mark Binda, WTVF-5 programming & research director

Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association.

Former Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association executive director Gill Gideon died Saturday. He was 91.

Gideon was the second executive director of the TSSAA.

He held the position from 1972-86 when he retired and was replaced by Ronnie Carter.

Gideon served as assistant director from 1966-72.

He was inducted into the TSSAA Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.

Gideon’s wife, Sara, a 1946 graduate of old West End High School, had died on Friday. She was 87 and had taught at Lebanon High School before retiring in 1984.

The couple were married for 68 years.

Visitation for both is scheduled for 6:30-8 p.m. Monday at Family Heritage Funeral Home in Gallatin. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. John Vianney Church in Gallatin.

Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 and on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter. 

Hannah Allison has been named volleyball coach at Ensworth.

Former collegiate and professional volleyball standout Hannah Allison has been named volleyball coach at Ensworth School.

Allison, who coached the Lady Tigers’ freshman team last season, replaces Ann Mullins, who stepped down last week.

“We are so thrilled to have Hannah Allison lead our volleyball program,” Ensworth athletic director Ricky Bowers said. “Hannah’s extensive experience as a player and, more important, her passion for coaching and teaching makes her a perfect leader for our girls.”

Allison, a Fayetteville, Ark., native, played four seasons at the University of Texas, helping lead the Longhorns the 2012 NCAA national championship, before going on to play professionally in Sweden.

“She’s played for Texas’s team, she played in the pros, she’s sweet, she’s awesome and we love her,” Bowers added.

Mullins, who coached at Siegel High School and arrived at Ensworth in 2012, is expected to be named volleyball coach at Father Ryan on Monday, replacing her former high school coach, Jinx Cockerham.

Cockerham, a 46-year coaching veteran and five-time Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association state champion, announced her retirement last November, a little over a month removed from leading her Lady Irish to a Division II-AA title.

Ensworth, which advanced to the Division II-AA quarterfinals two years ago, suffered a 3-0 defeat to St. Agnes in the opening round of the 2015 state tournament.

Reach Michael Murphy at 615-259-8262 and on Twitter @Murph_TNsports. 

Former Christ Presbyterian Academy basketball standouts Braxton (Blackwell) Key and Tyger Campbell parted ways last summer, but destiny seemed committed to bringing the two back together.

Braxton Key (right) and Tyger Campbell (left) both played basketball for CPA last year.

Both Key’s Oak Hill (Va.) Academy team and Campbell’s La Lumiere squad, located in La Porte, Ind., won their quarterfinal and semifinal matchups in the DICK’S Nationals high school basketball tournament, earning the two a chance to face-off in the championship game.

Not only did the two meet in Saturday’s ESPN-televised championship, but they were both involved in the last play of the game.

La Lumiere had a chance to take the lead with the game tied at 60-60, but the shot bounced off the rim.

Key, a senior and Alabama commitment, secured the rebound and advanced the ball downcourt before passing to teammate Matt Coleman, who missed a shot off the rim.

With the game on the line, both Key and Campbell jumped for the rebound, but Key tipped the ball just out of Campbell’s reach, allowing teammate Khadim Sy to tip in the game-winner as time expired to give Oak Hill a 62-60 victory.

Key finished with a game-high 20 points, adding nine rebounds, two steals, two blocks and an assist to give Oak Hill its first DICK’S championship in five tries, picking up tournament MVP honors in the process.

Campbell, a freshman, tallied 12 points, seven rebounds, four rebounds and two steals

Oakland’s JaCoby Stevens (7) has listed his top-seven college choices.

Oakland High junior JaCoby Stevens announced his top seven college football choices on Twitter on Sunday evening, narrowing things down from his 32 offers.

The list includes four programs from the SEC, one from the ACC, one from the Pac-12 and one from the Big-12.

Stevens, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound athlete, is the No. 20 rated college prospect by 247Sports for the Class of 2017 with a composite rating of 20. The only in-state prospect rated higher is Oak Ridge wide receiver Tee Higgins (No. 16). Stevens is the No. 1 rated athlete for next year’s signing class.

Stevens listed Georgia, LSU, Florida State, Florida, Tennessee, Southern California and Oklahoma.

🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨 https://t.co/54OSfpLse5

—
JaCoby Stevens (@jacobystevens7) April 04, 2016

Stevens originally committed to LSU in September before decommitting from the SEC program in November after coach Les Miles’ future at the school became uncertain. However, Miles remained the coach and LSU has remained in consideration.

Stevens’ family is from Louisiana.

Stevens has told The Daily News Journal previously that he likely won’t announce his college decision until national signing day on Feb. 1, 2017.

He is being recruited mainly as a defensive back, but some schools have shown interest in him as a receiver.

Stevens, who was a Tennessee Titans Class 6A Mr. Football Back finalist in 2015, was The Daily News Journal’s 2015 Defensive Player of the Year.

Stevens caught 32 passes for 806 yards with 11 touchdowns and 16 carries for 123 yards with three TDs in 2015.

Stevens tallied 84 tackles with 8.5 for loss on defense. He had six interceptions, recovered two fumbles and had two defensive scores.

Reach Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Kreager.

Father Ryan volleyball coach Ann Mullins

Ann Mullins has been named the new volleyball coach at Father Ryan High School.

Mullins, who resigned last week as volleyball coach at fellow Division II-AA East/Middle Region school Ensworth, replaces her former high school coach Jinx Cockerham, a 46-year coaching veteran and five-time Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association state champion who announced her retirement last November.

“It’s very humbling”  Mullins said. “I am completely excited and also humbled at the same time. I’m over-the-moon that they felt I was ready to take on this position and I’m excited to follow up coach Cockerham. I think that she has paved the way, not only for volleyball, but for female sports.I just hope to do just as many things in the next several years that she has done.”

Hannah Allison named Ensworth volleyball coach

During her high school playing career, Mullins, who graduated from Father Ryan in 2003, helped lead the Lady Irish to three consecutive state semifinal berths and finished as the school’s all-time leader in digs before going on to play college volleyball at Lipscomb University.

Mullins, who serves as assistant director for Alliance Volleyball Club, also spent three seasons as volleyball coach at Siegel High School, leading the Lady Stars to consecutive Class AAA semifinal appearances in 2010 and 2011.

“I was just telling someone the other day that when I took the job at Siegel I was right out of college and I always thought that Father Ryan would be something eventually for me, but I do feel that this is the right timing,” Mullins said. “It’s always been a dream of mine to coach at my alma mater.”

Reach Michael Murphy at 615-259-8262 and on Twitter @Murph_TNsports. 

WESTMORELAND – Pressure doesn’t bother White House High senior softball player Madisen Adkins.

“I love it,” Adkins said. “I really like it. It’s a challenge. I like to challenge myself and see what I can do.”

White House High senior pitcher Madisen Adkins throws to first base for a sixth-inning putout.

Lady Devil head coach Cindy Towers has been challenging her entire team recently.

“We’ve been struggling lately,” Towers said. “One of the reasons why we struggle is because we do not handle adversity very well. I told them that I was sick and tired of them acting like girls and (that) they need to step up and be ball players. Ball players handle it when they fail and when they do well. I’m not trying to demean anyone, but ball players need to act like ball players.”

Akins owned the seventh inning on Monday evening, helping her squad rally for a 4-2 victory at Westmoreland.

Trailing 2-1 and with White House down to its final two outs, Adkins – a Bethel University signee – doubled to left-centerfield, driving in senior Brooklyn Swann and sophomore Erica Moore.

White House High senior rightfielder Brooklyn Swann fields a fourth-inning single.

One out later, junior Katy Gut doubled to drive in Adkins.

Junior Kiersten Powell singled to lead off the bottom of the inning, and sophomore teammate Kailan Woodard reached on an error. However, Adkins ended the game with two strikeouts and a groundout.

Westmoreland High junior second baseman Kimi Richardson throws to first base for a fourth-inning putout.

In the complete-game effort, Adkins (7-3) allowed five hits and struck out 11 hitters.

“When we get into a situation like that, I have to lean on Madisen Adkins,” Towers said. “Right now, she’s our go-to player. If she does well, nine times out of 10, we do well. Give her props. She stepped up and put the team on her back.”

Lady Devil junior Stephanie Palmer singled in Gut in the first inning, but Lady Eagle junior Lizzie Johnson singled in senior Addie Morris – a Martin Methodist College commit – in the bottom of the fourth.

Westmoreland High senior pitcher Tiffany Wheeley flips to first base for a fifth-inning putout.

Then, Westmoreland junior Savannah Whiticker tripled and scored the go-ahead run thanks to an illegal pitch in the sixth.

“They played a good game,” Lady Eagle head coach Kyla White said. “We are struggling to get out bats going early. In the past, they wait to the end. They can’t do that. We have to start hitting early, but they played a great game.”

Reach Craig Harris at charris@mtcngroup.com or at 615-575-7138. Follow him on Twitter @HarrisGNESports.

White House      100 000 3 – 4 8 1

Westmoreland  000 101 0 – 2 5 0

Madisen Adkins and Copelynne Whitaker; Tiffany Wheeley and Addie Morris. WP – Akins (7-3). LP – Wheeley. Records: White House 19-10 overall, 2-1 in District 9-AA; Westmoreland 5-6, 1-1.

Hendersonville High senior pitcher Carley Carlisle struck out 13 hitters in the Lady Commandos’ 14-2 victory at Station Camp on Monday evening. Carlisle allowed just one hit and also drove in two runs.

Most pitchers don’t get to throw their first pitch with a seven-run lead.

However, Hendersonville High senior Carley Carlisle had that luxury on Monday evening, flirting with a no-hitter for five innings in the Lady Commandos’ 14-2 victory at Station Camp.

Station Camp High senior catcher Chasity Wheeley receives a throw at home plate as Hendersonville junior M.J. Mattei scores during first-inning action.

Carlisle retired the first 11 hitters she faced before issuing three consecutive bases on balls in the fourth inning. She maintained her no-hit bid into the fifth before Lady Bison freshman Addie Lange singled up the middle to record Station Camp’s first hit.

“Mainly, my screwball and my curveball were working,” Carlisle said. “I had just really good movement on my ball tonight.”

Hendersonville High junior Ace Hanson steals second base as Station Camp sophomore shortstop Jordan Hodge receives a throw during first-inning action. Hanson scored two runs in the Lady Commandos’ 14-2 victory.

Hendersonville (15-6-1 overall, 2-1 in District 9-AAA) sent 13 hitters to the plate in the first inning, scoring seven times on three hits and six base on balls. Senior starting pitcher Taylor Gaines lasted 2/3 of an inning for Station Camp (3-15, 1-2) before sophomore Jordan Hodge came on in relief. Hodge – who collected six strikeouts – finished the game, allowing just two runs until the seventh inning, when the Lady Commandos piled on five more.

“Jordan has only pitched one inning (in any game) all year long,” Station Camp head coach Ken Crook said. “That’s the longest she’s been. So to be in as long as she pitched, she did well.”

Hendersonville senior outfielder Kendyll Rockom led the Lady Commando attack, driving in four runs while scoring three more. Rockom had two hits and drew three walks, while junior shortstop Lexi Revis produced four hits.

Reach Chris Brooks at cbrooks@tennessean.com or at 615-575-7118. Follow him on Twitter @CB_SumnerSports.

Hendersonville  702 000 5 – 14 15 0

Station Camp     000 020 0 – 2 1 3

Carley Carlisle and Annsley Kalamon; Taylor Gaines, Jordan Hodge (1) and Chasity Wheeley. WP – Carlisle (10-4). LP – Gaines (1-8). Records: Hendersonville 15-6-1 overall, 2-1 in District 9-AAA; Station Camp 3-15, 1-2.

JaCoby Stevens

Oakland’s JaCoby Stevens (7) catches a pass and runs the ball in for a touchdown as William Blount’s Trent Collins (14) tries to catch Stevens during the first round of playoffs at Oakland on Friday, Nov. 6, 2015.

Oakland junior JaCoby Stevens was bumped up to 5-star status by 247Sports recently.

Oakland’s JaCoby Stevens, on Wednesday, August 5, 2015.

Oakland junior JaCoby Stevens (7) has decommitted from LSU.

MURFREESBORO — The biggest high school football prospect from Middle Tennessee for the Class of 2017 has narrowed down his search.

Oakland junior JaCoby Stevens announced via Twitter that he’s trimmed his list of college football suitors from 32 to seven.

Stevens, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound athlete, listed in order Georgia, LSU, Florida State, Florida, Tennessee, USC and Oklahoma as his top seven.

“Georgia is my No. 1,” Stevens said. “We are both interested in each other. I just love Kirby Smart coming over. I love his vision.

“I love what they are doing in Athens. Everything people say about Athens and the University of Georgia are positive things. I haven’t heard any negative things.”

🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨 https://t.co/54OSfpLse5

—
JaCoby Stevens (@jacobystevens7) April 04, 2016

Stevens said he chose a list of seven to coincide with his jersey number he wears at Oakland. However, he said there isn’t much difference throughout his set of schools in regard to his ranking.

Stevens, a five-star prospect, is the No.22 rated college prospect by 247Sports for next year with a composite rating of 20. The composite ranking is the average of all major recruiting services.

The only in-state prospect rated higher is Oak Ridge wide receiver Tee Higgins (No. 16). Stevens is the No. 1 rated athlete for next year’s signing class.

He is being recruited mainly as a defensive back, but some schools have shown interest in him as a receiver.

Stevens originally committed to LSU in September before decommitting from the SEC program in November after coach Les Miles’ future at the school became uncertain. However, Miles remained the coach and LSU has remained in consideration and is currently second on his list.

Stevens’ family is from Louisiana.

Stevens told The Daily News Journal originally he would wait until national signing day on Feb. 1, 2017 to make his college decision. However, he said on Monday that he may make an official announcement prior to signing day at school or during an all-star football game.

Oakland’s JaCoby Stevens lists his top 7 schools

He said he’s pretty much closed the door on schools outside of his trimmed down list.

“Outside of those seven, I’ve kind of closed up shop,” Stevens said. “If a school is really interested in me and can tell me why they should be in my top seven, I’m all ears. But those seven schools I’m going to take very serious.”

Stevens, who was a Tennessee Titans Class 6A Mr. Football Back finalist in 2015, was The Daily News Journal’s 2015 Defensive Player of the Year.

Stevens caught 32 passes for 806 yards with 11 touchdowns and 16 carries for 123 yards with three TDs in 2015.

Stevens tallied 84 tackles with 8.5 for loss on defense. He had six interceptions, recovered two fumbles and had two defensive scores.

Reach Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Kreager.

GALLATIN – The Station Camp High boys soccer team recorded its fourth shutout in eight matches to begin the season, claiming a 3-0 victory over visiting Cookeville on Monday evening.

Station Camp High freshman Riley Indermuehle dribbles away from Cookeville’s Eddie Gaspar during second-half action. Indermuehle scored a goal in the Bison’s 3-0 victory.

The Bison (7-1) held a 2-0 halftime lead thanks to goals from sophomore Atakelti Gebregzabher and freshman Riley Indermuehle. Sophomore Caden McGranaghan assisted on Gebregzabher’s tally, and senior Bailey Grissom provided the assist on Indermuehle’s goal, which came via a header.

Freshman Tyler Jessen scored an unassisted goal in the second half, intercepting an errant goal kick and finding the net in the 55th minute.

The Bison have scored at least three goals in six of their first eight matches this season, and they have allowed only seven goals over that span.

Cookeville, which handed Station Camp its only loss of the regular season last year, fell to 3-2 with the loss.

Of Station Camp’s nine remaining regular-season matches, six come against District 9-AAA foes.

Station Camp was playing without seniors Tanner Carter and Elmer Cardoza on Monday, as both were nursing minor injuries. Both are expected to play in the Bison’s next match at Wilson Central on Thursday evening.

Former Vanderbilt standout and professional basketball player Frank Kornet has been promoted to head basketball coach at Harpeth Hall School.

Harpeth Hall

Kornet, who has served as an assistant under former coach Anne Johnston for the past two seasons, was All-Southeastern Conference during his senior season at Vanderbilt before being selected by the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the 1989 NBA Draft.

“I would like to thank (athletic director) Karen Sutton and Stephanie Balmer for this opportunity to work with young women and teach them discipline and hard work through a game I love,” said Kornet, who played two seasons with the Bucks. “Basketball has brought great joy and created wonderful memories for my entire family.”

“Frank is great, and hiring him as an assistant coach was a huge asset to our program,” Sutton added. “It was an easy promotion.”

Ann Mullins named Father Ryan volleyball coach
Hannah Allison named Ensworth volleyball coach

Johnston, who led the Lady Bears to a 55-29 record and a trio of Division II-AA state semifinal appearances in her three seasons in charge, will take over the middle school basketball program while also remaining as a physical education teacher at Harpeth Hall.

Kornet, who was previously a head coach at Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas, is married to WSMV-4 anchor Tracy Kornet, and two of the couple’s three children — Luke and Nicole Kornet — play college basketball.

Luke, who recently concluded his junior season at Vanderbilt, averaged 8.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game for the Commodores in 2015-16, garnering All-SEC Defensive Team honors, while Nicole, a senior at UCLA, sat out last season after transferring from Oklahoma.

Reach Michael Murphy at 615-259-8262 and on Twitter @Murph_TNsports. 

Ian McWilliams mostly frustrated visiting Wilson Central High hitters on Tuesday evening, but the Beech baseball team simply couldn’t take advantage of the junior’s effort.

Beech High junior pitcher Ian McWilliams throws a first-inning pitch during Tuesday evening’s contest against Wilson Central. McWilliams struck out 12 batters but received a no-decision.

McWilliams struck out 12 Wildcats over seven innings, but Wilson Central scored twice in the eighth to hand the Buccaneers a 4-2 loss at Buccaneer Field.

Beech (6-7 overall, 1-1 in District 9-AAA) led 2-1 until the sixth inning, when Andrew Franklin’s groundout scored Cole Ferguson to tie the game. Franklin drove in all four of Wilson Central’s runs, including the go-ahead tallies on his eighth-inning single.

“We got a couple of timely hits early to get our runs,” Buccaneer head coach Jimmy Neal said. “But we needed them late, and we didn’t get it done late.”

Beech scored twice in the third inning as seniors Jacob Jenkins and Isaac Robertson provided run-scoring singles to plate junior Ty Sutley and Jenkins, respectively.

Beech High junior second baseman Ty Sutley throws to first base during first-inning action. Sutley stole a base and scored a run in Beech’s 4-2 loss.

McWilliams allowed two runs on nine hits and no walks, leaving the game after throwing 102 pitches (76 for strikes).

“We didn’t do a very good job for (McWilliams), getting him some run support,” Neal said. “He pitched a great game.”

Junior Dalton Hall pitched the eighth and ran into trouble immediately as Wilson Central (8-8, 3-0) had hitters reach base on a walk, single and an error to begin the extra frame before Franklin gave the Wildcats the lead.

Robertson and senior Jesse McCoy led the Buccaneers with two hits each, and both Sutley and Jenkins had stolen bases.

Beech High senior first baseman Jacob Jenkins receives a throw during first-inning action. Jenkins scored a run and had a stolen base in the Buccaneers’ 4-2 loss.

Reach Chris Brooks at cbrooks@tennessean.com or at 615-575-7118. Follow him on Twitter @CB_SumnerSports.

Wilson Central   010 001 02 – 4 11 1

Beech    002 000 00 – 2 8 1

Ryan Hill and Chase Ford; Ian McWilliams, Dalton Hall (8) and Ryan Mortensen. WP – Hill. LP – Hall. Records: Wilson Central 8-8 overall, 3-0 in District 9-AAA; Beech 6-7, 1-1.

GALLATIN Gallatin High senior James Rockwell has been the starting pitcher against Station Camp at least once in all four seasons of his prep career.

“I know a good handful of them,” Rockwell said of the Bison. “I’ve grown up with them. I’ve played with them my whole life.”

Rockwell was hoping for a different result on Tuesday evening.

“Every start, when I came out, we were winning,” Rockwell said. “I begged my coach (Mark Wilson) to stay in (on Tuesday).”

Rockwell did just that, picking up the complete-game victory as the Green Wave captured a 7-3 victory at Station Camp.

Gallatin High senior pitcher James Rockwell flips to first base for a second-inning putout.

“We get more intense (against Station Camp),” Rockwell said. “The whole day is intense. Everybody is more excited. It’s been three years I’ve pitched against them. Finally, we got it done.”

Rockwell tossed a five-hitter, allowing three earned runs on five hits. The right-hander walked six hitters and struck out seven, throwing 126 pitches.

“James is a competitor,” Wilson said. “He’s my Tuesday starting pitcher. He’s going to face district competition every Tuesday. He’s going to see the best teams and the best bats, so he’s going to get hit some.

“His competitiveness got him through the game tonight. He did have some shaky instances (early on), but his competitiveness got him through it.”

Bison junior Thomas Zazzaro scored on a first-inning wild pitch, and senior A.J. Weed and junior Dylan Pottorff had run-scoring hits in the third to build a 3-1 lead.

Station Camp High junior Thomas Zazzaro slides safely back into first base as Gallatin senior first baseman Carlos Hernandez receives a first-inning pickoff throw.

Gallatin (9-3 overall, 1-2 in District 9-AAA) tied the contest thanks to fourth-inning sacrifice flies by juniors Austin McWhirter and Noah Huddleston.

Then, the Wave took the lead with a four-run fifth. Rockwell’s two-run single drove in freshman Brady Harris and junior Andy Denning, and junior Bailey Russell also had a run-scoring single.

Gallatin High junior Andy Denning follows through after making contact with a first-inning pitch.

Station Camp (10-4, 1-2) finished with five hits.

Station Camp High senior Lucas Gross delivers a first-inning pitch.

“I don’t think we made adjustments at the plate,” Bison head coach Korey Heppeard said.

Reach Craig Harris at charris@mtcngroup.com or at 615-575-7138. Follow him on Twitter @HarrisGNESports.

Gallatin 100 240 0 – 7 7 0

Station Camp     102 000 0 – 3 5 2

James Rockwell and Bailey Russell; Lucas Gross, Blake Gay (5) and Dylan Pottorff, Camden Tammen (6). WP – Rockwell. LP – Gross. Records: Gallatin 9-3 overall, 1-2 in District 9-AAA; Station Camp 10-4, 1-2.

The FRA baseball team lines up prior to Monday’s home game against Ezell-Harding. The squad has battled through a tough situation after losing longtime coach George Weicker, who died prior to the season.

The last few months haven’t been easy for the Franklin Road Academy baseball team, but the squad is making the best of a difficult situation.

In addition to having virtually their entire starting lineup graduate after last season’s Division II-A runner-up finish, FRA also lost its longtime leader in former coach George Weicker, who died from pancreatic cancer in February, just weeks prior to the Panthers’ home opener.

“In a lot of ways it has been pretty tough,” said FRA senior Woody Weicker, who, in addition to serving as the Panthers’ catcher and cleanup hitter, is also the hall of fame coach’s son.

Former FRA baseball coach George Weicker

“It’s still the same game, of course, but it is different,” added senior center fielder and leadoff man Kenny Cooper. “(George Weicker) was always a great mentor to me and taught me a lot about the game. You know he played me as a freshman, and that meant a lot for me.

“It’s heartbreaking, but that’s why we come out here every day.”

In 30 years as FRA’s baseball coach (1986-2015), Weicker, a 2016 Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee, piled up more than 600 wins while leading the Panthers to seven state tournament appearances, three runner-up finishes and a pair of Class A titles (1988, 2000).

Big shoes to fill

As one might expect, it’s never easy to replace a beloved coach, especially one who, in his three decades at the school, had reached legendary status.

First-year FRA baseball coach Jon Wilson

“Obviously losing Coach Weicker before the season started was a huge blow to our program, our team and really just the whole FRA community,” said first-year FRA coach Jon Wilson, who served as the school’s middle school baseball coach for three seasons prior to taking over the varsity helm this season.

Weicker also played for the inaugural Nashville Sounds team in 1978 before serving as Vanderbilt’s hitting instructor from 1980-84. In football, he coached FRA to 150 wins, 17 playoff appearances and the 1991 Class A title.

“I would be lying if I said there’s not an expectation of success,” added Wilson, who was a 27th-round selection by the Texas Rangers in the 2005 draft. “There is an expectation of success here that Coach Weicker established, and I’m just trying to do my best.”

Remembering a legend

The day after Weicker’s funeral, the school hosted an on-campus gathering to celebrate his life.

“We invited all the baseball alumni, coaches and faculty and staff, and we literally had an open mic which went on for about three hours,” FRA athletic director Kris Palmerton said. “There were times where there wasn’t a dry eye in the room, and there were times where there was lots of laughter. It was everything you’d expect for a man like Coach Weicker.”

FRA catcher Woody Weicker is the son of longtime coach George Weicker, who died prior to the season.

“It was really cool just to see how many people my dad had impacted,” Woody Weicker added.

Between his picture being displayed in the team’s locker room, the No. 24 patches sewn onto the players’ uniforms or the No. 24 jersey that hangs in the Panthers’ dugout, George Weicker still has a place at W.T. Crockett Jr. Baseball Stadium.

If all goes according to plan, he always will.

“We have a fund for George which people have donated to, and we’re basically just holding on to those in hopes of renovating the baseball field in some areas,” Palmerton said. “That includes creating a ‘Weicker Wall’ in left field as sort of a green monster if you will.”

For now, though, playing the game is all the Panthers (6-5, 2-3 in DII-A District 2) can do.

“We’re trying our best to honor his memory, and I think the best way to do that is to continue to play hard,” Wilson said. “I’m proud of what the guys have accomplished so far, and I’m excited to see what they’ll accomplish in the future.”

Weicker, who died in February, was a member of the inaugural Nashville Sounds team in 1978.

Reach Michael Murphy at 615-269-8262 and on Twitter @Murph_TNsports . 

The Nashville City Civitan Club handed out its annual Hancock/Nipper basketball sportsmanship awards to 22 high school and collegiate athletes during a luncheon at Swett’s restaurant Wednesday.

The awards, presented annually at the end of basketball season, are given to the players who best exemplify sportsmanship and leadership in honor of former Metro Nashville Public Schools principal A.D. Hancock and Nashville Sporting Goods owner Walter Nipper.

The boys’ high school recipients were Evan Ragsdale (CPA), Jaret Greer (Goodpasture), Edwin Brodnax (Hillsboro), Zell Walker (Nashville Christian), and Keshon Moore (Whites Creek), while the girls’ recipients were Brooke Smith (Cane Ridge), Chelsea Burt (CPA), Le’Jzae Davidson (East Nashville), Marci Sneed (Ezell-Harding) and Paige Randolph (Goodpasture).

Brodnax was just one of three high school players to be honored Wednesday who was not a senior.

Hillsboro coach Rodney Thweatt said some nice things about his sophomore guard, but he also said that Brodnax being an underclassman made it difficult to give him high praise during the luncheon.

East Nashville girls basketball coach Lois Donaldson (left) and Whites Creek boys basketball coach Carlton Battle (right) were chosen as the Hancock/Nipper coaches of the year.

“I’m going to leave it at that, because I’m going to start yelling at him in about two hours,” Thweatt said.

The collegiate winners were Jeff Laidig and Sierra Jones (Belmont), Nathan Mungo and Nailah Whitlock (Fisk), Charles Smith and Alex Banks (Lipscomb), Demontez Loman and Imani Davis (TSU), Percy Blade and Sarah Raby (Trevecca) and Luke Kornet and Minta Spears (Vanderbilt).

District 10-AA swept the coach of the year awards with Whites Creek’s Carlton Battle taking the boys award and East Nashville’s Lois Donaldson the girls.

It was a special year for both squads.

Battle helped lead Whites Creek to the state semifinals after finishing the season winless just two years ago.

“It means everything to me,” Battle said. “This is a story that I’m going to share with my son. What it means to be a good person, always doing the right thing, having good character and treating people the right way. That’s what I would like my kids to grow up to be.”

Donaldson led the Lady Eagles to the school’s first state championship for any sport. It was her second state title, also winning in 1993 at Coffee County.

“Every day we came in was a joy,” she said. “They could sense something special was going to happen so they wanted to stay and be a part of it as long as they possibly could.”

Reach Sam Brown at 615-259-8232 and on Twitter @SamBrownTN.

Here’s a look at the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association state rankings as of Wednesday, April 6, 2016:

TBCA baseball rankings

FRA baseball team battling through loss of coach

Class AAA

1. Siegel
2. Farragut
3. Arlington
4. Houston
5. Hendersonville
6. Dobyns-Bennett
7. Knoxville West
8. Mt. Juliet
9. Summit
10. Centennial

Athletes, coaches honored at Hancock/Nipper Awards

Class AA

1. Spring Hill
2. Christ Presbyterian Academy
3. Milan
4. Christian Academy of Knoxville
5. Sycamore
6. Greenbrier
7. Covington
8. Central Magnet
9. Sullivan South
10. Hixson

Frank Kornet takes over Harpeth Hall basketball program

Class A

1. Peabody
2. Loretto
3. Jackson Christian
4. McKenzie
5. Columbia Academy
6. Dresden
7. Knoxville Grace
8. Clarksville Academy
9. Summertown
10. Forrest

Key wins battle of former CPA stars in national tournament

Division II-AA

1. McCallie
2. Brentwood Academy
3. Christian Brothers
4. Memphis University School
5. Briarcrest

Division II-A

1. Harding Academy
2. University School of Jackson
3. St. George’s
4. Ezell-Harding
5. Evangelical Christian School

Reach Michael Murphy at 615-269-8262 and on Twitter @Murph_TNsports .