GHS XC competed in the Siegel XC invite at Cedars of Lebanon on 09/14/2023. The next race is the Station Camp HS/Welch College MSCCA. Results as follows:

Girls 500 Meters

Lucy Manor 23:39.71

Boys – 5000 meters

Derek Rivera 24:52.69

Aiden Austin 25:47.04

Layn Parchman 26:39.97

Caden Smith 27:14.76

Edward Rivera 28:43.38

The GJHS competed in the Milton Invitational on 09/16/2023 in wet and rainy conditions on a technical course running over rocks and roots at a beautiful farm in Milton, TN. See results below.

2 Mile Run

Elise Smith 15:42.40
Kylie Chiapperini 17:36.94
Sydney Yancy 20:83.56

Gordonsville HIgh School star junior pitcher Kailey Plumlee confirmed her commitment to Tennessee softball this week.

Plumlee recently posted on social media “I am so excited to announce that I am going to further my academic and softball career at The University of Tennessee. Thank you to my parents, coaches, and brothers for helping me get to this point. GBO!”

Plumlee led Gordonsville to the 1A state championship and struck out 15 batters in the state title game win over Eagleville. She earned a 28-2 record with a 0.95 ERA and struck out 358 batters while giving up just 53 hits in 155 innings. Plumlee also hit .562 with eight home runs and 49 RBIs and played primarily at first base when not pitching.

She made The Tennessean’s 2023 All-Midstate Small Class softball First Team as a pitcher.

Plumlee will have two more high school seasons to play before her college career begins in Knoxville. She will be a part of the 2025 recruiting class.

The Lady Owls Soccer team traveled to Gatlinburg for the annual Smoky Mountain Cup. This tournament hosts teams from many states and is played out over three days.  Always a great weekend for the team to be tested, bond as a group, and have some fun.  Smith County played three games over the weekend, the first being against Perry County, Kentucky.  The Lady Owls won 7-0, with Aubrey Felice collecting five of those goals. Senior Captain Brooklyn Sensabaugh scored as well as her Co-Captain, Senior Abbi Williams.  Williams leads the defense but was allowed to move to offense in this game and found her first high school goal.

The second game was a 3A team, Knoxville Halls.  A hard fought game that ended in a 0-0 draw.

The third and final game for the Lady Owls weekend was Cosby, Tn.  Once again Aubrey Felice would bring 5 goals to the scoreboard, Brooklyn Sensabaugh would add two of her own, Addie Cripps and Briley Morgan also would add one each. Smith County came away with the win, also the Championship!  This is the Lady Owls second time to win the Championship at this tournament.  They came home still undefeated and with three more clean sheets.

On Thursday August 31 the Lady Owls traveled to Jackson County for a District Match. Aubrey Felice scored first, while being double and triple teamed the entirety of the game, with an assist from Addie Cripps. Shortly before the half SC was awarded a free kick and Brooklyn Sensabaugh stepped up to take it, and scored! The half buzzed with Smith County up 2-0.

Halfway through the second half Aubree Spain connected with a pass from Brooklyn Sensabaugh and sent it flying into the net for goal number 3.  

Tuesday September 5th Smith County will host 2A Macon County for a non conference game. We hope everyone will come out and watch these hard working ladies as they continue to make Smith County proud. (Photos and article submitted by Vivian Schaffers)

Gordonsville High School and Middle School Cross Country Competed in the MSCCA members meet in Cookeville TN on 08/31. Three team members medaled, Lucy Manor, Aiden Austin, and Elise Smith.

Middle School Girls
Elise Smith 4th 15:59
Kylie Chiapperini 15th 18:02
Sydney Yancy 23rd 22:00
MS Boys
Kaleb Kincaid 26th 17:37
High School Girls
Lucy Manor 3rd 23:56
High School Boys
Aiden Austin 15th 25:00
Derek Rivera 19th 25:12
Layn Parchman 20th 27:10
Caden Smith 21st 29:07
Edward Rivera 23rd 29:35

On August 22 Smith County Lady Owls opened District play by hosting Cannon County.  These two teams have not been in the same district since the 2020 season.  Due to the recent hot weather the game kickoff was delayed by half an hour and the game included water stoppages.  The first break was at 24 minutes with the game still being scoreless. After the break the Lady Owls decided to make playing in the heat worth it.  Aubrey Felice took the lead by scoring off a corner from Senior Captain Brooklyn Sensabaugh.  It only took 30 seconds for Sensabaugh to follow suit by adding her own score with an assist from Addie Cripps.  With 10 minutes left in the half Felice would set up a play only to be fouled by Cannon County that led to a free kick by Chloe Gill.  This kick would give Gill her first high school goal, to put the Lady Owls up 3-0.  Four minutes later Felice would assist Aubree Spain for goal number 4.  Then with a minute and a half left in the first, Spain would assist Aubrey Felice for her second goal of the game and taking the half with a score of 5-0.

While there were opportunities in the second half, the goalkeepers kept the net clear on both ends. Catie Belle Mccarter, the freshman Lady Owl Keeper, showed up big with some great saves and kept a clean sheet for Smith County. The defenders, led by Senior Captain Abbi Williams, and the midfield worked hard in the suppressive heat, playing a physical game and getting the job done for the first district win of the season.

Next the Lady Owls travel to Gatlinburg this weekend for the annual Smoky Mountain Cup tournament and then return to regular season play on Thursday August 31 on the road for District match against Jackson County. (Photos and article submitted by Vivian Schaffers)

The Gordonsville Middle School and High School Cross Country teams competed in the Green Hills Invitational on August 26th 2023.

Three girls competed in the two mile run with the following finishes – Elise Smith, 21st with a time of 15:53.22, Kylie Chiapperini, 67th with a time of 18:56.18 and Sydney Yancy, 113th with a time of 24:11.71. Lucy Manor competed in the 5000 meter. She finished 48th with a time of 24:03.86

Kaleb Kincaid competed in the two mile run. He finished 114th with a time of 16:41.08. Four boys competed in the 5000 meter with the results as follows – Aiden Austin finished 213th with a time of 25:22.61, Derek Rivera finished 216th with a time of 26:27.29, Caden Smith finished 224th with a time of 28:41.70 and Layne Parchman finished 226th with a time of 29:16.88.

The Lady Owls soccer team played the season opener on the road at Upperman on Tuesday August 15, 2023.  The game got off to a slow start as everyone was finding their space and rhythm.  Nine minutes into the match Briley Grisham passed to Aubrey Felice who quickly took it to the net for the first of her three goals for a natural hat trick, she would get assists from Chloe Gill and another from Grisham.

The Lady Owls defense played well and the middle was strong and kept the ball at the feet of the forwards.  The fourth goal came from an attempt from Grisham that was finished by Kacie Chiapperini for her first high school goal.  Briley Grisham however would be score from a pass by Addie Cripps a few minutes later. Two minutes later Brooklyn Sensabaugh would set up Aubree Spain for Spain’s first high school goal.As the seconds ticked off the first half Grisham would pass to Addie Cripps who scored to finish the half.  Smith County 7, Upperman 0.  

The second half saw Senior Brooklyn Sensabaugh score and then within three minutes. Kacie Chiapperini would finish it with the ninth goal, which invoked the mercy rule with 27 minutes left on the half.

On Friday August 18 the Lady Owls hosted Greenbrier for the home opener.  The game has a late start due to traffic for Greenbrier.  It was a very physical game that tested every position but the Lady Owls showed up and continued to get better.  It only took six minutes for Aubrey Felice to kick off the scoring with an assist from Aubree Spain, another six minutes and Felice would score again, this time with the assist going to to Freshman Goalkeeper Catie Belle McCarter.  With 11 minutes left in the half Greenbrier did manage to slip a goal through making it 2-1 Lady Owls.

With less than 5 minutes left on the clock Felice would meet with a pass from Addie Cripps to score her second hat trick on the season.  Halftime score was Smith County 3, Greenbrier 1.

The second half saw a goal from Briley Grisham with assist from Aubree Spain who would also assist Brooklyn Sensabaugh with the last goal of the game.  Smith County won 5-1 and stayed undefeated.

The next game will be the District opener at home vs Cannon County.  Then the weekend will be the Smokey Mountain Cup in Gatlinburg. (photos and article submitted by Vivian Schaffers)

Head Coach: Matt Dyer (3rd Season, 17-8 Overall, 7-1 Region, 3-2 Postseason)

2022 Overall: 11-2 (1st in Region 5-3A)
Playoffs: Beat Sycamore 41-0 in the first round. Defeated Fairview 28-6 in the second round. Lost to East Nashville 27-40 in quarterfinals.
Season Notes: The Owls captured their first region championship in five years last season. Smith County will turn to freshman Riley Martin under center with all-around leader Peyton Hix anchoring both sides of the ball as the competition will be tough in a loaded Region 3-2A.

2023 SCHEDULE
Thu Aug. 17 – at Gordonsville (on DTC3)
Fri Aug. 25 – at DeKalb County
Fri Sep. 1 – Liberty Creek
Fri Sep. 8 – at Macon Co.
Fri Sep. 15 – Trousdale Co*
Fri Sep. 22 – at East Robertson*
Fri Sep. 29 – Upperman
Fri Oct. 6 – at Jackson County*
Fri Oct. 13 – Westmoreland* (on DTC3)
Fri Oct. 27 – Monterey* (on DTC3)

Luke Dycus of DTC Sports goes one-on-one with Owls’ head football coach Matt Dyer about the upcoming 2023 high school football season.

Head Coach: Stephen Jackson (2nd Season)

2022 Overall: 11-2 (7-0 Home, 4-2 Away)
Region 4-1A: 9-4 (2nd in Region 4-1A)
Playoffs: Defeated Lookout Valley 49-8 in the first round. Beat South Pittsburg 14-7 in the second round. Lost to Clay County 6-41 in the quarterfinals.
Season Notes: With the departure of 20 seniors, the upcoming season will present an opportunity for new talent to emerge and step into leadership roles for the Tigers. Gordonsville is poised to break the cycle and get back on top of Region 4-1A this season.

2023 SCHEDULE
Thu Aug. 17 – Smith County (on DTC3)
Fri Aug. 25 – Watertown (on DTC3)
Fri Sep. 1 – at Trousdale Co.
Fri Sep. 8 – at Jo Byrns*
Fri Sep. 15 – at DeKalb Co.
Fri Sep. 22 – at Monterey
Fri Sep. 29 – Forrest
Fri Oct. 6 – at Red Boiling Springs*
Fri Oct. 20 – Bledsoe Co.
Fri Oct. 26 – Clay County*

Coach Stephen Jackson speaks with Luke Dycus of DTC Sports about the excitement and expectations for the 2023 Tigers season.

The 2023 Lady Owls Soccer team is preparing to kickoff their season this week. There have been many changes since last season. The region was reconfigured and our district saw Watertown move on and Cannon County return. The Lady Owls are no longer District 7A but instead are now 5A and Region 3. District 5A is made up of Smith County, York, Jackson County, and Cannon County.

Head Coach Nicholus Bussell has had some staff changes for the Lady Owls over the off season.  Assistant Coach Kit Jenkins, who was also the head coach for the boys side, has left the squad to take the position of vice principal at Smith County High School.  The pair had been one another’s assistant coaches for the past seven years.  Coach Kit’s presence on the player sideline will be greatly missed.  Coach Bussell and assistant coach Lisa Reece have welcomed two familiar faces to the staff, Shyenne Newton and Mallory Dillon.  Shyenne played for the Lady Owls from 2016-2018, she was 7A all district first team in 2018. This is her second year working as a paraprofessional at Smith County High School.  Mallory Dillon played for the Lady Owls from 2016-2019, she was co-captain her senior year, 7A all district second team in 2018 and first team in 2019.  This will be her first year of teaching English at Smith County High School.  Both of these ladies were part of the first back to back district championship teams in 2017 and 2018.

Heading into the 2023 season the Lady Owls have a much smaller squad than we are used to seeing, with 20 on the roster.  For the first time we see this squad be equal parts of each end of the County with 10 players from each school. Another level of the motto this team holds dear, One Team.

On August 1st Smith County hosted Livingston for a scrimmage. It was a great opportunity for both teams to work through and find areas to strengthen.  The Lady Owls were preparing for the annual playday at Portland on the fifth.  However, the playday was abruptly canceled the night before. Being too late to to find a spot in another tournament, we saw the creation of a Black and Gold game.

On August 10th the Lady Owls held the first Black and Gold game, which is sure to become an annual tradition. With the help of the boys side including player positions as well as officiating, two sides played 30 minute halves.  It was educational for the team and fun for everyone on and off the pitch.

August 15 the Lady Owls will travel to Upperman for the season opener.  August 18th Smith County will host Greenbrier for the home opener and then kickoff district play hosting Cannon County on the 22nd.

For updates and times plus other content follow the team on the facebook page Smith County High School Lady Owls Soccer, and of course watch for news about the team and season here as well.