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Sports

A Bear’s kick to the gut

Despite Corum’s huge touchdown trifecta, Ads fall to unbeaten Bradley on last play, a 41-yard field goal

October 21, 2021 by Alan Sloan

Two huge and dramatic offensive plays in the second half weren’t quite enough for Farragut at Bill Clabo Field Friday evening, Oct. 15.

Unbeaten Bradley Central (8-0, 4-0) overcame giving up a tying score following a fumble deep in FHS territory with less than seven minutes to play, then overcome giving up a 69-yard touchdown pass with two minutes left — both late scores from senior receiver Trace Corum.

Tied 28-28, the Bears drove to the FHS 24 — aided by a pass interference call in the closing seconds, and nailed a 41-yard field goal as tim expired to win 31-28.

A rushing attack featuring the power and speed of Bears running back Jackson Wilson and the elusiveness of quarterback Aiden McClary — plus the Admirals offense going three-and-out on three straight second-half possessions, helping to tire an otherwise determined Farragut defense.

Admirlas skipper Eddie Courtney Courtney pointed to “a couple of missed blocking assignments” to explain the stagnation.

As a result, Courtney said his defense “was out their for a bunch of plays.”

Turning back Blue Raiders attack, BHS, Young grab victory

October 21, 2021 by Alan Sloan

KNOXVILLE — While holding a potent Cleveland offense to just 10 points, Bearden’s defense — praised by its head coach for “playing really well all year” despite a losing record — won a lot of third-down battles against the Blue Raiders.

And that led to the Bulldogs winning their third game of the season, the first at BHS’s Bill Clabo Field, and second in District 2-6A.

“We never got any sacks, and we only had one tackle for loss, but we were able to keep them in situations where we could get them in third-and-medium, third-and-long, and we were able to get off the field after third downs,” Bulldogs head coach Morgan Shinlever said about the 14-10 win Friday night, Oct. 15, “The key was just playing good, overall sound defense.”

Ethan Ford’s interception in the closing seconds, with the Blue Raiders driving, sealed Bearden’s victory. While BHS improved to 3-5 overall, 2-2 in region, Cleveland fell to 5-3, 1-3.

Overall, Nicco Young “obviously had a good overall game,” Shinlever said about the senior, who in addition to his stellar play at linebacker rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns, while catching two passes for 40 yards.

Make it 14 shutouts for unbeaten Lady Dawgs

October 21, 2021 by Alan Sloan

KNOXVILLE — Perhaps some area playoff teams are, in their heart of hearts, down to accepting a moral victory if they just score on the Bearden Lady SoccerDawgs.

Ryan Radcliffe’s unbeaten girls earned their 14th shutout in 18 games, as Bearden added to its District 4-AAA league crown with the 4-AAA tourney championship Thursday evening, Oct. 14, at BHS’s Turner-Allender Field.

Maryville (12-6-2) was a 4-0 victim, as the Lady SoccerDawgs improved to 17-0-1.

“I thought our defense played well,” coach Radcliffe said. “I think our defense has played well all season with the amount of shutouts that we’ve had.

“... The message in this game was ‘take care of business’ so that we could have home-field advantage on Tuesday,” he added about the Oct. 19 Region 2-AAA must-win semifinal game, after deadline, as Bearden hosted District 3-AAA runner-up Knoxville West.

If Maryville won at Powell in the other Oct. 19 semifinal, the Lady Red Rebels would again travel to Turner-Allender Field for in the region title match beginning at 7 p.m. this evening, Thursday, Oct. 21.

Irish back to state

October 21, 2021 by Alan Sloan

KNOXVILLE — They’re back — so what’s new?

Knoxville Catholic’s No. 1 East Region-seeded volleyball team again has reached the TSSAA state tournament in Murfreesboro, a feat head coach Brent Carter has accomplished each of his first seven seasons leading the Lady Irish — with one state title and three runner-up finishes.

St. Agnes of Memphis pushed Carter’s girls in the first and third sets of this Division II-AA sectional win-or-end-season match, but Catholic won 25-22, 25-14, 25-22 Saturday, Oct. 16, in the KCHS gym. The Lady Irish record improved to 31-9.

First pointing out “really great chemistry” among her teammates, Lady Irish senior defensive specialist Emma Meyer also said, “We’re a really hard-working team.”

In beating St. Agnes, the No. 3 Western seed, “It was definitely stat-wise the cleanest we’ve played against a good team,” said Grainne McGrath, a senior middle blocker. “We were really low error.”