On Tuesday September 15th Smith County hosted Monterey in a District match that would end with a dominant 9-0 win for the Lady Owls.  Senior Goalkeeper Catie Belle McCarter would end the game with a clean sheet.  Smith County had two players put up hat tricks, Senior Aubree Spain scored Goal 5 assisted by Julie Bowker, Goal 6 assist from Courtney Haley and Goal 7 coming from a PK.  Junior Kylee Brooks scored Goal 2 assisted by Spain, Goal 3 and Goal 8 assisted by Matty Walker.  Matty Walker scored the first goal assisted by Aubree Spain, and goal 4 assisted by Julie Bowker. Goal 9 and the one that would end the game early was from Kylie Chiapperini.  This win brought the Lady Owls to a 6-1 record on the season and got them geared up for the next District Match on Thursday.

Catie Belle McCarter making a save off a corner from Monterey

BIG district win for the Tigers tonight (4/7/2026)!

Gordonsville wins against Van Buren with 28-0 shutout! Improving to 8-0 on the season! 🔥

Proud of this team’s effort, energy, and execution from start to finish.

Back to work as we hit the road again—Thursday at Watertown, 6:00 PM

The Smith County Lady Owls hosted the Region semifinals on Tuesday, October 21st vs East Robertson.  The Lady Owls won 6-0, moving on to the Region Championship.  The Lady Owls who scored were Matty Walker with assist from Chloe Gill, Gill would then assist Aubree Spain with her first of three goals.  Spain would also get assists from Addie Cripps and Julie Bowker to complete her hat trick.  Matty Walker would score her second with an assist from Addie Cripps. The final goal of the night was by Kara Brooks on a free kick.  

Thursday, October 23, the Lady Owls hosted Merrol Hyde in the Region Championship.  This was the first time since 2020 that Merrol Hyde played at Smith County’s field.  The Lady Owls would lose to Merrol Hyde 9-0 to collect the Region Runner Up award and move forward to the Sectional game on Saturday October 25th.

Smith County traveled to play Stem Academy in the Sectional game at Ezell Park in Nashville on October 25.  The first half ended tied at 0-0.  The second half ended tied 1-1 with Matty Walker scoring with an assist from Julie Bowker.  The game then went into Overtime with two 10 minute halves.  Smith County scored again from Madi Kemp and assist from Addie Cripps.  The defense held Stem scoreless and the game ended 2-1 Smith County.  Securing the first State Tournament appearance in the program’s 23 year history.  

Head Coach Nicholus Bussell and The Lady Owls will travel to Chattanooga Christian on Tuesday October 28 to play Westview at 6:30 in the quarterfinals.

The Smith County Lady Owls finished the regular season with a record of 11-1-1 (8 of those were clean sheets), District record at the end of the season was 6-0, placing Smith County at the top of the table.   Post season play started with the District Tournament hosted by Cannon County.  The Semifinal matches were Smith County vs York and Cannon County vs Jackson County.  

Smith County would win over York by a score of 4-0.  Goals scored by Matty Walker with an assist from Madi Kemp, Aubree Spain would add three more for a hat trick with the last goal being assisted by Matty Walker. Spain’s hat trick was her third in as many games. This win placed them in the Championship game against Cannon County who won over Jackson County by 3-1.

Thursday October 16th the District 5 A Championship game was held at Cannon County with Smith County being the home team on Cannon’s field.  The Lady Owl Nation showed up big for the girls and was in every moment of the hard-fought battle.  Half time the scoreboard was still 0-0.  With 5 minutes left in regulation play, the Lady Owls were awarded a free kick that was taken by Addie Cripps.  The shot sailed through Cannon’s wall of players and past the head of the keeper straight into the back of the net.  The entire stadium erupted in cheers, releasing the tension that had everyone on the edge of their seat the entire game.  Once the field found composure again Smith County went to work to make sure there would be no answer from Cannon County.  Final whistle and a 1 goal game ushered Smith County into their sixth straight District Champion title.  Head Coach Nicholus Bussell was awarded District Coach of the Year.  First team all-district Lady Owls are Jordyn Brown, Addie Cripps, Julie Bowker, and Catie Belle McCarter.  Second team all-district Lady Owls were Lexie White and Sophie Shoemake.  District Midfielder of the Year is Chloe Gill and the District MVP is Aubree Spain.

Smith County has had a great season bringing home the Championship from the Smoky Mountain Cup and now with the District Championship secured, it is time to keep moving forward.  Regional Semifinals will be played on Tuesday October 21st.  Smith County Lady Owls will host East Robertson at 6 PM at Crump Paris Park High School field.  Cannon County will travel to play at Merrol Hyde Magnet School.  Smith County Lady Owls go into this game with a 13-1-1 record and hopes to secure a win and host the Regional Championship game on Thursday October 23rd.  A loss would end their season, and this team is not ready to be done. Please come out and pack the park to cheer on your Lady Owls.

Each year the High School Lady Owls Soccer team competes in the Smoky Mountain Cup in Gatlinburg.  This year, for the third year in a row, the Lady Owls won their division and brought home the cup. This tournament has teams from multiple states and is a high level of competition.  Smith County played Coffee County (3A), Taylor County (KY) and Loudon County (2A), winning all three games.  This year the tournament was probably the hardest. These young ladies battled in each game. The trip is also a great opportunity for team building and having fun together as a family. The large number of supporters who traveled to cheer them on was greatly appreciated.

This season has been a rebuilding year of sorts, with graduating leading scorers and the influx of new players to the team.  However, this team has come together quickly.  We are seeing goals come from multiple players, which is great for depth.  The leading scorers at this time are Aubree Spain with 10 goals, Addie Cripps and Madi Kemp each have 4 goals. Goalkeeper Catie Belle McCarter has five shutouts in nine games. The back line is doing a great job which always helps the keeper.  Currently halfway through the season with a record of 7-1-1, 3-0 in District play and improving with each game.  According to MaxPreps, Smith County is #9 in Tennessee 1A Rankings.  This team is exciting to watch, and everyone should come out to support them.

September 16, they travel to White County, then on the 23rd and 25th are at home vs Greenbrier and Cannon County.

The 2025 Soccer season officially started.  Head Coach Nicholus Bussell has 24 players, eight are new to the team.  After losing last year’s Senior class, which included our top scorers, there was some rebuilding to do.  Also new to the Lady Owls this year is Assistant Coach Delani Harrelson. She is an alumnus to the team, and she brings great determination and love of the game to the mix.  

The Lady Owls played a couple of preseason scrimmages against Macon County and Cumberland County.  Playing against 2A teams can be a good challenge and strengthening exercise and both games were filled with learning opportunities as well as confidence builders.  The season started August 19 when the Lady Owls traveled to play Upperman in a non-district match.  The first half Senior Addie Cripps took a PK to get Smith County on the board.  Cripps would come back to net a second goal with an assist to Chloe Gill.  In the second half Freshman Kara Brooks and Junior Aubree Spain scored, and Chloe Gill would add another assist.  The Lady Owl defense looks solid and held Upperman scoreless.  Junior Goalie Catie Belle McCarter walked away with her first clean sheet of the season with a win of 4-0.

On Thursday August 21st Smith County traveled to play yet another 2A team, Springfield High School who last year played in 3A.  This was a first meeting for these two teams, and it was a physical match that would end in a 0-0 draw.

The Lady Owls have their home opener/district opener on Tuesday August 26, against Monterey High School followed by a Thursday match at Jackson County. 

submitted by Vivian Schaffers

The excitement is building as the Tennessee Boys Volleyball Association (TBVA) continues to work to grow boys’ high school volleyball across the state. The association, founded in 2023, recently held its second annual state tournament, bringing together the best high school boys’ volleyball teams from across the state. The event took place on Saturday, May 10, at TOA in Franklin, Tennessee, just south of Nashville.

This much-anticipated tournament featured a showcase of athleticism, skill, and sportsmanship, as teams battled it out for the coveted title of state champions. With the growing popularity of boys’ volleyball in Tennessee, the competition was fierce, with participating teams delivering thrilling matches. There is exceptional athletic talent within the state that has been untapped until recently in this sport.

“Boys volleyball participation has increased significantly, doubling since 2005! In 2025, high school boys volleyball participation in the US continues a strong upward trend, particularly in states like Pennsylvania and Oklahoma.” said TBVA Board Member and JECA Coach Tim Eidson, “The sport has become one of the fastest-growing team sports, with substantial increases in participation numbers compared to previous years.Specifically, in 2023-24, participation reached 85,255, an increase of nearly 8,000 over the previous year!”

According to recent statistics on the growth of high school volleyball across the country, there has been a significant increase in participation rates over the past decade. The number of high school boys’ volleyball teams has risen by X% nationally, reflecting a growing interest in the sport among young athletes.

“We are thrilled to have hosted the second annual TBVA state tournament and love that we are able to provide a platform for these incredibly talented young athletes to showcase their skills,” said Tracy Stevens, President of TBVA and Green Hill High School Coach. “This tournament is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the players, coaches, and supporters who have helped to elevate boys’ high school volleyball in Tennessee.”

Boys high school volleyball in Tennessee is experiencing substantial growth, with a significant increase in participation and a growing number of teams.The Tennessee Boys Volleyball Association and organizations like First Point Volleyball and the Southern Region Volleyball Association are actively promoting the sport and working towards official sanctioning by the TSSAA. This growth is fueled by increasing awareness, dedicated coaches, and the passionate support of volunteers. The number of teams participating has more than tripled in just two years.

The tournament not only offers an opportunity for teams to compete at the highest level, but also serves as a celebration of the growth and success of boys’ volleyball in the state. 250-300 spectators enjoyed a day filled with electrifying matches, cheering fans, and a vibrant display of sportsmanship.

”Something we started doing right off the bat when teams started competing in matches is taking a photo all together after every match. Winning is fun, but showing these boys how important it is to work together and to foster great relationships across the net is the best part of what we are doing,” said Siegel Coach, Trish Flowers, who was voted by her peers as TBVA’s Coach of the Year.

The TBVA encourages volleyball enthusiasts, supporters, and the community at large to get involved in what they are doing to support high school boys volleyball. “There’s so much that needs to be done to help us get to the point that TSSAA will sanction this sport,” said tournament director Aubrey Ficek. “We need 67 TSSAA-participating high schools to either have a current boys’ team or commit to supporting a team once the sport is sanctioned. There is a grassroots effort building and there’s something for everyone to do!”

 For more information about the TBVA and the second annual state tournament, visit www.tennesseeboysvolleyballassociation.com or follow TBVA on social media.instagram.com/tnboysvolleyball.