Antioch football great Lester McClain, who went on to play at Tennessee and became the first African American to play in an SEC game, will speak at the third annual Antioch All Athletes/Sports Gathering Saturday.

Antioch graduate Lester McClain, who became the first African American to play in the SEC during his time as a wide receiver at Tennessee, will speak at the Antioch All Athletes/Sports Gathering Saturday.

The event will be at the Antioch Alumni Hall on Blue Hole Road from 2-4 p.m.

Voice of the Vanderbilt Commodores Joe Fisher, a 1977 Antioch graduate, will also speak.

Lester McClain

McClain was an All-Nashville Interscholastic League wide receiver at Antioch in 1967. On Sept. 14, 1968 in a Tennessee game against Georgia, McClain became the first African American to play in an SEC game.

In his three years with the Vols, McClain caught 70 passes for 1,003 yards and 10 touchdowns. He rushed for 123 yards on 10 carries and scored two touchdowns and returned eight kickoffs for 168 yards.

McClain was selected in the ninth round of the 1971 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears.

McClain, who owns a State Farm Insurance agency in Nashville, was inducted into the University of Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in April and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in June.

Admission is free and donations to the Antioch Alumni Association will be accepted. Anyone planning to attend should contact Nancy Pope at 615-361-8029 or nancypope1963@att.net.

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

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Softball

Michael Shepard has been fired as the head softball coach at Wilson Central High School and is also suspended as a teacher at the school.

Shepard is suspended as the Wilson County Schools’ human resources department is conducting an investigation.

“It’s a very difficult situation for the players and the parents,” Wilson Central principal Travis Mayfield said.

Mayfield declined to say why Shepard was fired or why he is under investigation.

The Lady Wildcat program is one year removed from winning its first state championship, defeating defending state champion Dickson County in the 2015 Class AAA final. Wilson Central also reached the AAA State Tournament in 2014.

The Lady Wildcats compiled a 27-13 record this spring, finishing as the District 9-AAA Tournament runner-up to Hendersonville before suffering a season-ending loss at Clarksville in the Region 5-AAA Tournament semifinal round.

Shepard has led the program to a 102-37 record over the last three seasons.

“We have some great assistant coaches, and we have some great players,” Mayfield said. “We are going to try to move past this situation, and I believe we will continue to be one of the better softball programs in the state.”

Shepard has served as the softball coach and a math teacher for the last seven years.

The school plans to meet with the players following the conclusion of the current Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association (TSSAA) two-week dead period, which concludes on Saturday.

“It’s disappointing to have to deal with a situation where everybody is in upheaval,” Mayfield said. “We will meet with the players and parents (after the dead period) and will move forward from there.”

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A Wilson Central High School teacher who has been fired as softball coach and suspended as a teacher is the subject of a criminal investigation involving a student, according to district and police officials.

Michael Shepard was terminated as Wilson Central’s softball coach and suspended as a math teacher by the school district after an investigation by Wilson County Schools, according to Director of Schools Donna Wright.

The district also has called a board meeting for 3 p.m. Wednesday to hear results of the school investigation, and members can vote whether to terminate Shepard for conduct unbecoming of a teacher.

The Wilson County Sheriff’s Office is conducting its own investigation, according to department spokeswoman Sharon Curtis-Flair.

The investigation involves a student, Curtis-Flair said, but further information hasn’t been released because the investigation is ongoing. School Board Chairman Larry Tomlinson and Wright are aware of the police investigation.

The director of schools may suspend a tenured teacher and bring charges to the board to determine whether findings warrant dismissal, Wilson County School Board attorney Mike Jennings said. If the board votes to dismiss, a teacher then has 30 days after receiving written notice of the board’s decision to appeal and have a hearing before an impartial officer, Jennings said.

Shepard is listed as an algebra and geometry teacher at Wilson Central, where he has been since 2009, according to the school website.

Wilson Central won the Class AAA state championship in 2015 under Shepard.

Efforts to reach Shepard were unsuccessful.

A parent of a student contacted the sheriff’s office, which prompted the police investigation, Curtis-Flair said.

When the sheriff’s office completes its investigation, findings are expected to be presented to the district attorney’s office to determine whether the case will be presented to a grand jury, Curtis-Flair said.

Michael Shepard

Reach Andy Humbles at 615-726-5939 and on Twitter @AndyHumbles.

With the 2016 high school football season fast-approaching, here’s a look at some of the top players returning this fall:

Oakland senior JaCoby Stevens

Top 10 Nashville area returning high school quarterbacks
Top 10 returning Nashville area high school RBs
Top 10 returning Nashville area high school receivers
Top 10 returning Nashville-area offensive linemen
Top 10 returning Nashville-area defensive linemen
Top 10 returning Nashville-area linebackers
Top 10 returning Nashville-area defensive backs
Top 10 returning Midstate athletes

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

Football Field

Watertown’s Rusty Staats has committed to play football at Air Force.

“They blew my mind,” Staats said. “The facilities and everything there was crazy. I loved it. The thing that did it for me was the after-football stuff. Once I do get done with football, it’s setting me up to do what I want to do … that kind of stuff.”

Junior Year

Staats is a 6-foot-4, 270-pound senior offensive lineman who will be a four-year starter for the Purple Tigers, helping the team to an 8-3 record last fall and a second-place finish in Region 4-2A. He was a 4-2A All-Region selection.

RELATED: Top returning high school football players

He also received offers from Tennessee Tech, Morehead State and Kentucky Christian.

Reach Craig Harris at 615-259-8238 and on Twitter @CHTennessean. 

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Footballs

Wilson Central’s Devon High has committed to play football at Navy.

“When I went up there, I wasn’t expecting it to be as great as it was,” said High, a 6-foot, 180-pound senior wide receiver and defensive back. “It blew me away. It got me to where I am (committing) right now.”

Junior Highlights

After playing his first two seasons at Watertown before transferring, High was a two-way starter for the Wildcats last season. He also was a kickoff and punt returner.

He also played basketball at Wilson Central  and competes in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, long jump and high jump.

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High helped the Wildcats to a 6-7 record last season and the Class 6A quarterfinals, the program’s deepest postseason advancement since 2007.

He also had offers from Army and Lindsey Wilson (Ky.).

High is the second Wilson Central player to commit, joining Ray Coggins, a cornerback, who committed to Eastern Kentucky.

Reach Craig Harris at 615-259-8238 and on Twitter @CHTennessean. 

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Last season, five high school football coaches — Eddie Woods, Maurice Fitzgerald, Kurt Page, Tyrus Ward and Thomas McPhail — took over at Metro Nashville Public Schools.

Here’s a look at how they fared in Year 1, as well as what to expect from each team in Year 2:

Stratford football coach Maurice Fitzgerald

Eddie Woods

Cane Ridge coach Eddie Woods

• School:
  Cane Ridge (Region 6-5A)
• Last year’s record: 8-3 (Lost to Independence in Class 5A first round)
• Career record: 24-20
• Previous head coaching jobs: Melrose (2012-14)

2015: Despite finishing fourth in Region 6-5A, the Ravens reached the eight-win mark for just the second time in program history, including  five straight victories to close out the regular season.

2016: Cane Ridge, still looking for its first playoff win, won’t be short on experience as the Ravens welcome back 20 starters, including quarterback D.J. Thorpe, as well as all-region selections Emari Barton (RB/CB) and Noah Bayless (RB/LB).

Quotable: “I’m looking for us to be that breakout team. Why not us? We have experience. We have all the ingredients to be a championship team, and I just want to see how we respond to adverse situations. We’ve put in the work to be a championship-caliber team.” — Eddie Woods.

Straford coach Maurice Fitzgerald

Maurice Fitzgerald

• School:
  Stratford (Region 5-3A)
• Last year’s record: 8-4 (Lost to CPA in Class 3A second round)
• Career record: 113-81
• Previous head coaching jobs: Pearl-Cohn (1989-2005)

2015: Fitzgerald, a two-time state champion at Pearl-Cohn, returned to the high school coaching ranks last fall, leading Stratford to its first playoff win since 2004 — 39-0 over Fairview.

2016: Despite losing several key skill players, the Spartans have a solid corps of talent, including senior quarterback Josh Trueheart and several key defensive players. Hendersonville transfer T.J. Carter is sure to make an impact as well.

Quotable: “It’s day by day really. There are so many intangibles that go on at inner-city schools that don’t go on anywhere else, and you’ve got to juggle things and try to keep the balance — not high, not low. From that standpoint I’m not looking past the first game, or really the first practice.” — Maurice Fitzgerald

Hillwood coach Kurt Page

Kurt Page

• School:
  Hillwood (Region 6-4A)
• Last year’s record: 5-6 (lost to Springfield in Class 4A first round)
• Career record: 118-70
• Previous head coaching jobs: St. Thomas (Texas; 2006-07); Father Ryan (1994-2001), BGA (1989-93)

2015: In addition to dropping down a classification, Page‘s arrival helped steady the ship for Hillwood, which was 16-84 over the previous decade. After starting 2-4, the Hilltoppers won three of their final four regular-season games, securing their first playoff appearance since 2004.

2016: The Hilltoppers graduated six all-region performers, but they won’t exactly be starting over. Junior nose guard and fullback Chris Clark (6-1, 305) returns after missing the majority of 2015 with a shoulder injury, and Page also got several athletes from other sports on the football field.

Quotable: “The No. 1 thing we’ve established at Hillwood with the kids and our community is the 629 brand. That’s what I brought in when I started about this time last year, and our kids have really embraced it. Be a six-second player (average length of a play), and be the first team every Friday night to score 29 points.” — Kurt Page.

Whites Creek coach Tyrus Ward

Tyrus Ward

• School:
  Whites Creek (Region 5-3A)
• Last year’s record: 3-7
• Career record: 3-7
• Previous head coaching jobs: First head coaching job

2015: Ward inherited a program in rather poor shape. And while Whites Creek didn’t turn things around overnight, he definitely got things rolling in the right direction. The Cobras tripled the school’s win total from the previous three seasons, and five of the seven losses were by single digits.

2016: While last year’s senior class was instrumental to the team’s success in 2015, the Cobras have a solid corps of talent returning, including standout running back and linebacker Jacob Frazier.

Quotable: “We kind of exceeded expectations last year — not that they were very high. We were 3-7, but five of those games were decided by a touchdown against teams that blew us out by 40 or 50 points the year before. Hopefully in Year 2 we’ll get a chance to upset some of those guys.” — Tyrus Ward

Hunters Lane coach Thomas McPhail

Thomas McPhail

• School:
  Hunters Lane (Region 6-5A)
• Last year’s record: 1-9
• Career record: 29-34 
• Previous head coaching jobs: Antioch (2001-05)

2015: Other than a 12-0 victory over winless Glencliff, there wasn’t a whole lot to get excited about at Hunters Lane, which was outscored 359-58. Considering the state of the program McPhail inherited and that he didn’t take over until late May, last season went about as well as anyone could have expected.

2016: Two-way linemen Devione Waller and Zyshaun Simmons are two the top returning players, but with the program’s dwindling numbers, McPhail said that he will rely heavily on his freshman class.

Quotable: “We did make some progress, but we’re continuing to fight the numbers battle. It’s not where I want it, but it is better. Will that mean more wins? Who knows in our league, but what we’re looking at now is are we losing 28-14 or 48-14?” — Thomas McPhail.

Top returning high school football players

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

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Ensworth rising junior Rudy Maxwell has committed to play college baseball at Duke University.

Ensworth School

Maxwell, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound catcher, announced his decision via Twitter on Wednesday morning, posting from his account, “I’m blessed to say that I have committed to Duke University. All the glory to the man upstairs.”

As a sophomore last season, Maxwell, who also spent time at third base, hit .329 with six doubles, four triples, one home run and 18 RBIs.

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Other Midstate commitments in the Class of 2018 include Siegel infielder Drew Benefield (Louisville), Mt. Juliet pitcher Ethan Smith (Vanderbilt), Loretto pitcher Ryan Weathers (Vanderbilt), East Robertson’s Luke Murphy (Vanderbilt) and Siegel’s John Langworthy (Louisville).

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

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Former Brentwood Academy Lady Eagle Jailen Murphy signed to play basketball for Cumberland University this week.

Former Brentwood Academy girls basketball product Jailen Murphy plans to play for Cumberland University next season after signing scholarship papers with the Phoenix this week.

Murphy signed with Kansas State out of high school, but never played a game for the Wildcats.

She played two seasons at Pennsylvania-based Lincoln University averaging 3.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in 9.2 minutes as a sophomore for the Lions.

Murphy averaged 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.0 blocks as a senior at Brentwood Academy, helping lead the Lady Eagles to a state runner-up finish in 2013, earning All-Region honors in the process.

She also played volleyball and softball for the Lady Eagles.

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

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With the TSSAA’s mandatory two-week dead period coming to a close, the majority of Midstate high school football teams will spend a portion of the next two weeks competing in various 7-on-7 passing tournaments.

Ravenwood’s Tahj Williams (right) celebrates with teammates at last year’s Ravenwood 7-on-7 Invitational.

Here’s a look at the various 7-on-7 events involving teams from Middle Tennessee:

Cookeville High School 7-on-7 

• When: July 11-12
• Teams attending: Clay County, Cookeville, DeKalb County, Jackson County, Livingston Academy, Rockwood, Scott County, Smith County Stone Memorial, Upperman, Watertown, York Institute

Smyrna High School 7-on-7 

• When: July 12
• Teams attending: Gallatin, Franklin, Smyrna, Shelbyville

Brentwood Academy 7-on-7 

• When: July 12
• Teams attending: Brentwood Academy, Hillsboro, Independence, Nolensville, Ravenwood

Fellowship of Christian Athletes 7-on-7 at Tennessee Tech

• When: July 12-14
• Teams attending: Cedar Bluff (Ala.), Mt. Pleasant, Knoxville Central, Maplewood, Hillwood, Lawrence County, Community, Grace Christian, Columbia, Patrick Henry (Va.), Marion Senior (Va.)

Fellowship of Christian Athletes 7-on-7 at Austin Peay

• When: July 13-15
• Teams attending: Davidson Academy, Fairview, Goodpasture, Hendersonville, Watertown, White House, Whites Creek

Tennessee Titans 7-on-7 at Ted Rhodes Park

• When: July 13
• Teams attending: TBA

Riverdale High School 7-on-7 

• When: July 14
• Teams attending: Shelbyville, Stewarts Creek, Summit, Wilson Central, Overton, Page, Forrest, Franklin County, Blackman, Beech, Lincoln County, Centennial, Waverly Central, Marshall County, Antioch, Smyrna, Riverdale, La Vergne, Franklin, Hillsboro

Mt. Juliet Christian Academy 7-on-7

• When: July 14
• Teams attending: Mt. Juliet Christian, Ft. Campbell (Ky.), Lipscomb Academy, Station Camp, Gallatin, Glencliff, Clarksville Academy

Jackson County High School 7-on-7 

• When: July 14
• Teams attending: Cannon County, Clinton County (Ky.), Gordonsville, Jackson County, Livingston Academy, Macon County, Smith County, Upperman, York Institute

Gallatin High School 7-on-7 

• When: July 16
• Teams attending: Blackman, Gallatin, Macon County, Mt. Juliet, Smyrna, White County, York Institute

UT Martin 7-on-7 

• When: July 16
• Teams attending: TBA

Maryville College 7-on-7 

• When: July 17
• Teams attending: TBA

Monterey High School 7-on-7 

• When: July 19
• Teams attending: Clay County, DeKalb County, Franklin County, Goodpasture, Gordonsville, Jackson County, Lebanon, Monterey, Pickett County, Pope John Paul II, Smith County, Sunbright, York Institute

Trousdale County 7-on-7 

• When: July 19
• Teams attending: Cannon County, Beech, Portland, Red Boiling Spring, Station Camp, Trousdale County, Cannon County, Macon County

Gordonsville High School 7-on-7 

• When: July 21
• Teams attending: Gordonsville, Macon County, Friendship Christian, Cannon County. 

Oakland High School 7-on-7 

• When: July 23
• Teams attending: Coffee County, Goodpasture, Gordonsville Lebanon, Marshall County, Mt. Juliet Christian, Oakland, Pearl-Cohn, Stratford, Upperman

Top returning high school football players

Justin Palmer will be leaving the Red Hawks to take the head coaching job at Shelbyville.

Former Creek Wood coach Justin Palmer is leaving the Red Hawks and taking the head coaching job at Shelbyville Central, returning to Shelbyville after spending four years there as an assistant and offensive coordinator. Palmer tendered his resignation Wednesday and told his team Thursday he was leaving.

Palmer replaces former Golden Eagles coach Jason Hardy, who spent a decade as the head coach there before announcing his resignation in June. The move comes almost a month before Creek Wood opens it’s season against Dickson County.

Shelbyville pursued Palmer after it had learned that Hardy was leaving. At first, he was not interested in leaving so soon from the season starting.

“I actually did not contact them,” Palmer said.

“I was there for four years and had been in contact with them. I knew it was a possibility that coach Hardy could be stepping down to take a job back home. When he did, they called me and offered me the job. I said ‘no, it’s too late.’”

However, as time passed, Palmer’s began to change a bit.

“I told them a few things would have to happen in order for me to consider it. I gave them a list of things I wanted to see get done before I considered it. Little by little, they chipped away at that list and ended up giving me everything I wanted,” said Palmer.

“The ability to move back to Shelbyville where my dad can have a job there as a teacher and a coach. He can move in with us and help out with the family. My son’s godparents live there, so it’s just one of those things where it makes perfect sense for my family.”

Of course, since Palmer’s offense left a positive mark on the Golden Eagles success, it also made sense for him to go back to a system he was familiar with.

“We had a lot of success while I was there,” said Palmer.

“We won the region and made it to the third round of the 5A playoffs my last year there, which is something that hadn’t been done in a really long time there. A big reason was because I was part of coach Hardy’s staff that had a lot of success. They’ve continued to run the offense I brought in there, so it made sense to look at me to keep continuity there.”

Palmer was hired back in February of 2015 to replace Chuck Daniel after Daniel coached the Red Hawks for 11 years as the head man. He went 3-7 during his lone year at Creek Wood. The memories he ahd and experience he learned from his time with the Red Hawks will be imprinted in his life forever, Palmer claims.

“It was a good experience to come in and a run a program,” said Palmer.

“These kids were awesome. They’re some of the best kids that I’ve been around. They’re real easy to coach and do everything you ask them to do. You don’t have to beg them to work hard. They’re what made the decision tough, especially the senior group. They’re such hard-working group full of fine young men.”

A native of Hamilton, Al. and graduate of Troy University, Palmer was a high school standout quarterback and an All-State selection. He joined the staff at West Creek in Clarksville in 2010 before being hired by Shelbyville for his first stint there.

Creek Wood is expected to make an announcement on who will step in as interim coach this afternoon. Palmer believes that whoever steps in will have a good group to work with for the upcoming season.

“They’re in good hands. We’ve built a great staff over this past year, and that’s one of the things I’m proud of. It’s a staff full of guys who are dedicated and are here to give their effort to the kids and program,” said Palmer.

Reach Andy Simmons on Twitter @AndyDHTN

Chuck Daniel will return to the sidelines and serve as Creek Wood’s interim coach

Creek Wood didn’t have to wait long to find out who it’s new head football coach would be.

Well, at least for the upcoming season.

Red Hawks Athletic Director Chuck Daniel was announced as the interim coach Thursday afternoon after the departure of Justin Palmer was made official a couple of hours prior. Daniel decided to throw his name out there as the short-term replacement for Palmer due to dead period almost being over and the Red Hawks beginning practice Monday.

“I met with our administration at Creek Wood, and because of the timing, they thought that would be the best direction to go in. I’ve done it a long time, and they felt comfortable with me just being there for the kids. I’ve never lost my passion to coach. I’m just excited for the opportunity to do it again and be with the kids,” said Daniel.

Daniel served as the Red Hawks head coach for 11 years prior to the hiring of Palmer. He has an overall record of 57-72. He’s reached the playoffs six times during his coaching stint, only making it past the first round once. He stepped down after 11 seasons as the head coach to concentrate solely on his athletic director duties while wanting to spend more time with his family.

However, with the season just weeks away, Daniel has been called back into action to help lead the Red Hawks in the fall. The familiarity he has with the program and the athletes he has been around for so long should be helpful in making the transition.

“Most of these kids I’ve coached before, and most of them know me,” said Daniel.

“The incoming freshman, obviously I haven’t had a chance to work with them, but I’ve seen them play and kept up with them. I want to bring a familiar face and let them know everything’s going to be ok. The game and the kids are a lot more important than whatever coach is standing up in front of them. I just want to be there and try to give them every chance in the world to be successful.”

Daniel believes that the best way to forget all of the off-the-field action that has been going on lately is to just get back to work, as he says he wants to make sure that it’s business as usual when the Red Hawks take the practice field next week.

“If you keep everyone active, they’ll forget and coaches will forget. They’re going to be so busy trying to improve themselves,” said Daniel

They’ve got a comfort level right now, and I’m capable of learning what they’ve been doing. I just want to make this as smooth as possible for the kids. They know how much I care about them, and that’s not going to change. We’re going to roll on Monday.”

Reach Andy Simmons on Twitter @AndyDHTN

The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association announced the date and agenda for a special called Board of Control meeting to decide which system to use for the next four-year classification cycle.

TSSAA logo

The meeting, which will be held at TSSAA headquarters in Hermitage, is scheduled for July 27 at 9 a.m.

During last month’s study session, the TSSAA presented the board with as many as 45 potential classification systems.

“They don’t need to be meeting (July 27) and trying to decide on 45 things,” TSSAA executive director Matthew Gillespie said. “The study session that we had in conjunction with the June (board of control) meeting was to help narrow that down, which I think they have done, but there are still a lot of possibilities.”

Other items on the July 27 agenda include:

• The board will decide whether to use a multiplier for private schools that choose to participate in Division I.
• The board will decide whether it wants the TSSAA staff to set district/region alignments. If so, this process will be done at the board meeting in November.
• The board will decide whether it will require the TSSAA staff to continue re-evaluating each member school’s enrollment figures after the first two years of the four-year classification cycle.

TSWA renames award for Pat Summit: The Tennessee Sports Writers Association voted unanimously to rename its annual women’s basketball coach of the year award the Pat Summitt Coach of the Year award.

Summit, the winningest coach in Division I college basketball history, won TSWA coach of the year honors in 2007 and 2008 when she led the Lady Vols to back-to-back national championships.

Summit, who died June 28 in Knoxville, was diagnosed in with early onset Alzheimer’s disease in 2011. She retired in April 2012 with a record of 1,098-208 in her 38-year career, which included eight national titles and 18 NCAA Final Four appearances.

Shelbyville hires coach: After one season as football coach at Creek Wood, Justin Palmer has accepted the head coaching position at Shelbyville.

Palmer, who spent four years as an assistant at Shelbyville, replaces Jason Hardy, who resigned last month after coaching the Golden Eagles for the last 10 seasons.

“I was there for four years and had been in contact with them,” Palmer said. “I knew it was a possibility that coach Hardy could be stepping down to take a job back home. When he did, they called me and offered the job.”

Creek Wood athletic director Chuck Daniel was announced as the school’s interim coach.

Daniel served as Creek Wood’s coach for 11 years prior to the hiring of Palmer and went 57-72.

Gannett Tennessee’s Andy Simmons contributed to this report.

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After one season, Al Pellegrino has stepped down as the head football coach at Sycamore High School.

“It was tough to say goodbye,” Pellegrino said. “With such a heavy heart I talked to the kids this morning (Monday).”

He will be coaching football and serving as the athletic director at Shaw High School in Columbus, Ga.

“It’s a great opportunity to go home,” he said. “It’s only seven miles from my mom, who has been ill.”

Pellegrino said he had attended high school at Shaw for a few years.

Sycanore assistant football coach Justin Robison has been named the interim coach, according to school officials.

Pellegrino said that saying goodbye to the Sycamore players was especially tough because the team was starting to establish itself.

“I know they will make a run for it this season,” he said. “I purposely waited for the dead period to be over so that the kids could be addressed directly.”

Under Pellegrino’s tenure in 2015, the War Eagles went 6-5 and advanced to the state playoffs.

Pellegrino said many coaches in the region had contacted him to wish him well and offer compliments on Sycamore’s improvement and reputation for toughness with great potential to be a powerhouse in the region.

Pellegrino

“I want to thank the Sycamore family for welcoming me,” he said. “The players and their parents and my colleagues are all phenomenal people and made the transition easy that has helped us build this program at Sycamore. The kids bought into the program really fast, and when you get buy in from the kids, that makes it so much easier. I look forward to their continued growth as a powerhouse in the state.”

Pellegrino said he will keep in touch and will be staying up to speed on the War Eagles progress, adding that he did not think that his departure would come so quickly.

But the opportunity to be closer to home, especially with his mother’s health issues, could not be passed up.

“Should something happen, and I’m needed, I’m just minutes away,” he said.

Pellegrino said he officially starts his new position at Shaw on Aug. 1, even though football practice starts on July 12.

Pellegrino shared a parting comment on a promise he has hopefully delivered.

“The hospitable community at Sycamore has made this a great experience,” he said. “One thing I believe you must do in life is strive to leave things better than you found them,” he said. “I look around at the program and facilities and the players, and I believe this has been accomplished and will continue to improve and grow stronger.”

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Former Wilson Central student Lane Dickeson was killed in a car crash Sunday, July 10, 2016, on Beckwith Road in Mt. Juliet.

A 2015 Wilson Central High School graduate and wrestling standout was killed Sunday in a single-vehicle crash on Beckwith Road in Mt. Juliet.

Lane Dickeson of Mt. Juliet was traveling southbound on Beckwith Road when the 2006 Subaru Baja he was driving apparently exited the roadway and hit a tree, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol report on the accident.

The crash was reported just after 4:30 p.m., according to the report.

The report states Dickeson lost control of the vehicle. The speed limit at the section of Beckwith Road where the crash occurred is 35 mph, according to the report.

There was no evidence of drug or alcohol use at the scene, though it’s standard on most fatal wrecks to request tests on both, said Tennessee Highway Patrol Sgt. Travis Plotzer.

Dickeson was a standout wrestler at Wilson Central, finishing as a medalist in both his junior (second place in the 126-pound division) and senior (sixth place in the 138-pound division) seasons. He reached the state tournament four consecutive seasons.

He spent last season as a redshirt freshman on the wrestling team at Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio.

Dickeson also was an avid fisherman and a member of Cook’s United Methodist Church, where he was active in the youth ministry, according to his obituary.

Funeral services will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at Cook’s United Methodist, 7919 Lebanon Road, Mt. Juliet.

Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Wednesday at Bond Memorial Chapel, 1098 Weston Drive, Mt. Juliet, and 4-6 p.m. Thursday at Cook’s United Methodist.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the Wilson Central wrestling program. Members of the Wilson Central wrestling team will be pallbearers.

Reach Andy Humbles at 615-726-5939 and on Twitter @AndyHumbles.

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Red Boiling Springs football coach Kyle Shoulders, left, has resigned to be an assistant at Oakland.

MURFREESBORO — Oakland High has added a former head coach to his football coaching staff.

Red Boiling Springs coach Kyle Shoulders has resigned to take an assistant coaching position for Kevin Creasy’s staff.

“We’ve got a staff that gets along together,” Creasy said. “He’s not going to mess that up one bit. It should be a smooth transition.

“He’s sharp. He’s been an offensive coordinator at two different schools. He’ll help out the program. He’s a good teacher as well.”

Shoulders will coach running backs and oversee the Patriots’ special teams, Creasy said.

Shoulders went 19-53 in seven seasons at Red Boiling Springs. He broke a 61-game losing streak in 2009 during his first season at the Bulldogs coach. Red Boiling Springs went 4-6 in 2015.

His best season came in 2014 when the Bulldogs went 6-5, losing to Midway in the first round of the Class 1A playoffs.

A message left for Shoulders was not immediately returned to The Daily News Journal.

Creasy, who previously was the head coach at Trousdale County, coached against Shoulders when Shoulders was the offensive coordinator at Macon County as well as at Red Boiling Springs.

“Both times they did a lot of good things,” Creasy said. “You could tell they had players that had been coached up. They may not have the most talented players, but they were coached up. That’s a testament to his coaching abilities.

“You can see what he does with athletes that aren’t the most talented, now we get to see what he can do with a guy like Lazarius Patterson.”

Patterson rushed for 1,441 yards this past season.

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

Red Boiling Springs football coach Kyle Shoulders has left the program to be an assistant at Oakland.

Red Boiling Springs High School’s football team broke a 61-game losing streak (2009) and also reached the playoffs for the first time in school history (2014) during Kyle Shoulders’ term as head coach.

On Monday Shoulders left the Bulldog program to become an assistant coach at Oakland, and that might not be the worst news for RBS fans.

The team is battling numbers problems and may be forced to forfeit the 2016 season.

“We are concerned,” said Red Boiling Springs principal and athletic director Don Jones. “To field a team on Friday nights, you need at least 18 to 20.”

When asked how many players the team currently had, Jones said 14 to 15.

“We’ll (make a decision) within the next two weeks.”

RELATED: Former Wilson Central wrestling standout dies

Former assistant Michael Brown has been named interim head coach, Jones said.

Red Boiling Springs currently co-ops with neighboring Macon County in boys and girls soccer and track and field.

However, TSSAA rules state that a school must have gone without a particular athletic program for five years before being eligible to co-op with another school in that sport, so unless an exception was made there would be no football for the few remaining RBS players, should a team not be fielded this season.

Shoulders went 19-53 in seven seasons at Red Boiling Springs. The Bulldogs were 4-6 in 2015.

“He’s sharp,” Oakland coach Kevin Creasy said. “He’s been an offensive coordinator at two different schools. He’ll help out the program. He’s a good teacher as well.”

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Shoulders will coach running backs and oversee the Patriots’ special teams,

Gannett Tennessee’s Tom Kreager contributed to this report.

TSSAA executive director Bernard Childress.

The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association must develop a pitch count rule for baseball following a National Federation of State High School Associations decision released to schools this week.

Currently the TSSAA has an innings rule. Pitchers are not allowed to throw more than 10 innings over a two-day span. The exception is if a pitcher started a game and hadn’t thrown the previous day (and hadn’t thrown in another game that same day). In that situation, which would be extra innings, pitchers are allowed to throw as many innings as they want without penalty.

That rule will be obsolete with the NFHS’ recent decision.

“I think it’s something long overdue,” Riverdale coach Barry Messer said. “The innings never made sense to me. I think you have to have some policy in place. I think with pitch counts you should implement it all the way down to the middle school level.

TSSAA executive director Bernard Childress said he wasn’t surprised by the NFHS’ decision as it had been in discussion. He said the NFHS informed the TSSAA staff Tuesday that the rule must be in place for next season.

Childress said he hopes to meet with the state’s baseball coaches association prior to the Aug. 15 Board of Control meeting in Hermitage. Childress said a pitch count policy will be on the board’s agenda.

“Since I’ve been coaching we’ve changed what we do,” said veteran Overton coach Mike Morrison. “Seven, eight or 10 years ago you would see some pitchers go on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. (Now) we have four starters. We play four games a week, so each starter pitches one game a week.

“We know they’re going to get recovery time. Previous to that, pitchers would throw three games in 10 days. I don’t see this necessarily affecting a lot of people.”

Siegel coach Craig Reavis said he’d like the TSSAA to take a look at Alabama’s policy, which goes into effect in 2017.

Alabama’s rule sets the maximum amount at 120 pitches in one day. Pitchers must be given three calendar days rest after throwing 76-120 pitches in one day. The maximum amount for a junior varsity pitcher is 100 in a day and the maximum for middle school pitchers is 85.

“I hope they will look at Alabama and follow that,” Reavis said. “I don’t know why they would not implement now.”

RELATED:  Shoulders leaves Red Boiling Springs; Bulldogs’ season could be in doubt

Childress said the TSSAA staff is looking at every state’s pitch count policy, including Alabama’s.

TSSAA logo

Reavis, whose Siegel team won the Class AAA state title in May, said there would be questions needing answers, including who keeps track of pitch counts and how it will be monitored.

“Regulation will be the hardest part,” Reavis said.

The pitch count rule would affect postseason, especially the state tournament, where pitchers often throw on short rest.

“Zac Pearson had 78 pitches on Day 1,” Reavis said. “Then he got just two days rest. We would have to have pulled him three pitches earlier (applying the Alabama rule).

“We were down in that game, so we could have done that.”

It could also affect smaller schools more than larger ones with more depth.

“It might put a little more pressure (on smaller schools),” said longtime Lipscomb Academy coach Ernie Smith, who is in the TSSAA Hall of Fame. “It depends on the schedule you play, if you’re not playing four or five times a week.

“Most coaches coming up are well prepared and have been through college (and professional) systems, and they know the dangers. You don’t see too many putting kids in a tough spot. It’s not a bad move. You’re dealing with young kids whose arms are still developing.”

Contributing: Cecil Joyce.

Portland

Portland High didn’t waste much time finding a new head boys basketball coach.

Having ties to the community didn’t hurt Josh Epperson’s cause, as the 35-year-old has been hired to be the Panthers’ new coach.

“This is a move that is entirely family oriented,” Epperson said. “We have a 3-year-old and 1-year-old. When we took the job in Lenoir City, my parents were an hour and a half away. They now live in Kansas. My wife’s family is from Portland, parents and cousins and everybody. It’s about the support structure you need as a coach when you have a family.”

Epperson replaces Chris Carney, who left to take the opening at Wilson Central two weeks ago.

“I got on the horn pretty quick,” Portland High principal David Woods said. “I’ve got a lot of basketball contacts, so I had several people searching. But we had a pretty good short list for this time of year.”

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Epperson spent the last four seasons at Lenoir City – the first two with the girls program and the past two years with the boys team. Lenoir City’s boys went 27-32 under Epperson, including a Region 2-AAA Tournament appearance in 2014-15.

Woods said Epperson has a long-term plan for bringing the Panther program forward.

“He knows District 9-AAA is a tough district for us and we’re having a hard time,” Woods said. “He’s talking about getting out and maybe start having some fourth- and fifth-grade teams in our elementary schools and let some of our guys coach them … Portland City Parks really doesn’t have much of a league, because it was taken over by Upward and there’s not a lot going on.”

Epperson is in the process of relocating to Portland. He is expected to meet with the team for the first time on Saturday at Corey Brewer’s annual basketball camp.

“He understands that it needs to be built from the ground up,” Woods said. “I just like the fact that he knows what he’s faced with. And he’s going to be here. He’s going to be vested in the community. He’s bringing his girls back and his wife’s coming back.”

RELATED:TSSAA to develop pitch count rule

Portland finished 6-23 last season and lost three seniors to graduation – leading scorer Caelum Utley, small forward Jay Crutchfield and shooting guard Eric Kirk. The Panthers return three junior guards – Luke Jones, Bryce Keith and Dawson Simmons – who gained considerable experience, along with sophomore guard Austin Hicks and junior forward Grant Cook.

“This was not a basketball move first, but make no mistake, we’ll rebuild it from the ground up,” Epperson said. “This is going to be a long process, but that’s okay.”

The Knoxville News Sentinel’s Chris Thomas contributed to this report. Reach Chris Brooks at cbrooks@tennessean.com or at 615-575-7118. Follow him on Twitter @CB_SumnerSports.

Former Father Ryan coach Bruce Lussier has taken an assistant coaching job at Brentwood Academy.

Former Father Ryan coach Bruce Lussier announced his retirement last December, seemingly bringing an end to a coaching career that spanned more than four decades.

As it turns out, Lussier wasn’t quite ready to hang up his whistle.

“All the things that a head-coaching position requires in this day and age started to grind on me,” Lussier said. “But I wasn’t ready to get off the field.”

Lussier, who compiled a 48-52 record in 11 seasons with the Irish, recently accepted an assistant coaching position at former Division II-AA rival Brentwood Academy, where he will coach the defending state champion Eagles’ inside linebackers.

“(Brentwood Academy head coach) Cody (White) and I hooked up and he was looking for some help so here we are,” said Lussier, who also spent six years at Oak Ridge High School (1999-2004), where he guided the Wildcats to a 62-14 record with two state semifinal appearances. “They’re a great bunch of kids, and they’ve made me feel at home at Brentwood Academy.”

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“I’ve always admired the way that (Father Ryan) played defense — they’ve always played us tough,” White. “He’s a defensive guy, he’s still got a lot of fire in him and he loves the game. I think the kids have responded well. He’s a student of the game and an old-school guy. He fits in really well with our staff.”

Father Ryan AD steps down: Pat Lawson, who has served as Father Ryan’s athletic director since 2008, will be stepping down from the position, effective July 22.

John Sneed has been named Father Ryan’s interim athletic director

“These last eight years have provided fantastic opportunities for me, and as an alumnus and legacy of the school I am humbled and grateful to have played a role in such an amazing period at Father Ryan,” Lawson said in a statement.

Assistant athletic director and longtime Father Ryan coach John Sneed will serve as the school’s interim athletic director.

“I am confident that the program is in a very good place in terms of its coaches and its plans, and that John will do an excellent job for our school,” Lawson added. “That makes this a good time for me to step down and explore other opportunities.”

Father Ryan hired former Centennial coach Brian Rector to lead its football program in February, and, a little less than three months later, alumnus and former Ensworth coach Ann Mullins was named the school’s head volleyball coach.

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