Stone Memorial Falls Victim to Dominating Lady Owls Soccer Team
Alyssa Willams works to take control of the ball
Goal Keeper Tori Lankford
Maijala Harrelson attempting to score off a corner kick
Defenders Kristen Shoulders and Samantha Lewis attempt to corral Stone Memorial’s No. 24.
Lady Owls Continue Win Streak Against Wildcats
Thursday night, September 1, the Lady Owls hosted the Wilson Central Wildcats, in pursuit of their 6th straight victory of the season. The game started off well for the Lady Owls, when a goal kick was brought down by Abby Smith, who drove it up the left side to make a pass across the six to sophomore forward Miajala Harrelson. As Maijala was able to put a body on the ball, she pushed it into the net. The next score came when Caitlin Patterson recovered the ball in the upper mid-field and passed off to Smith, who kept the ball low and into the far post. The Lady Owls were up 2-0.
Three minutes later, a ball was won by Katy Wright as she chipped it over the top to Smith. The ball was deflected by a Wilson Central Wildcat, but Smith was able to recover it, and with one touch, she lifted it into the goal. Next came a hand ball in the box off a Lady Owl corner kick. This caused a penalty kick that was taken by Abby Smith. She kept it high and to the left for another goal, adding up a total of 4-0 for the Lady Owls.
An unexpected goal came as Lexi Felts passed the ball up into the six toward the goal. A defender stepped in front to deflect the ball and sent it into the ready leg of Harrelson. The ball hit with such force that it bounced and flew into the net. However, the Wildcats were working on a comeback before the half was up. They caught a break away and sent the ball into the upper right corner of the far post. Halftime score was 5-1.
After about a minute into the second half, a foul in the box against Harrelson, courtesy of Wilson Central, caused another PK. Abby Smith took the penalty kick and scored another goal for the Lady Owls by hitting the upper right corner. The Lady Owls continued their onslaught when Abbi Gregory switched the field, and the ball landed on the foot of Maijala Harrelson. Another goal for her — this time it was in the far post, causing her to have a hat trick.
The last score of the night for the Lady Owls came when Katy Wright lopped the ball up into space on the outside, and as it fell, Lexi Felts was able to one touch and lift it into the upper right corner near post. But with two minutes left in the half, Wilson Central scored again when the Lady Owl defense took a misstep. Final score was 8-2, Lady Owls.
Game recap submitted
Samantha Lewis – defender
Kristen Shoulders – defender
Abby Smith – forward
Alyssa West – defender
A Sole for Every Soul
The Smith County Lady Owls high school soccer team decided to put their summer to good use. There have been multiple fundraisers done throughout the county to raise money for each booster club and sport. The Lady Owls wanted to do something different by giving back in a way that not only impacted the community, but could make an impact worldwide. They chose to run a Soles4Souls shoe drive. A shoe drive gives people the chance to give something they don’t use or wear any longer to someone who desperately needs it.
What is Soles4Souls? How do you help? I have to say, I learned quite a lot about what S4S does in just a short amount of time. Soles4Souls is a not for profit global social enterprise committed to fighting poverty through the collection and distribution of shoes and clothing. They advance their mission in two distinct ways: Short Term Relief and Long Term Solutions. By free shoe distribution they are able to provide new shoes to those in need. They receive shoe and clothing donations from corporate partners, and work with non-profit partners which have included homeless shelters, after school programs, international and disaster relief organizations to get shoes and clothes to the ones that need them most, here in the US and around the world. The Long Term Solution is by Micro-enterprise. Places like Haiti, Honduras and Africa, work is extremely hard to find. Many live in deep poverty. They offer opportunity for thousands to create small businesses selling shoes and clothing, (a micro-enterprise.) This is a powerful and sustainable way for them to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.
Now comes the good part! First things first, we needed a target goal. We chose to attempt to gather 200 pairs of shoes. It seemed like a good even attainable number. Next on the list was a way for people in the community to give us their gently used or new shoes. Then we needed a way to advertise with flyers. Our team reached out to local businesses here in Smith County to ask if they would consider being a donation drop off site for the extent of our shoe drive. I can’t say how amazing it felt to hear the words, “Yes! We would love to help. What can we do?” And most of the time, they said yes before we could finish giving them our reason!
Our local businesses that agreed to be donation drop off sites have been phenomenal. Every week the girls would give up their early Saturday mornings to meet up with the coaches’ wives and travel to each site to make a pick up. We can’t thank our sites enough for holding loads of stinky shoes for us! The donation drop-off sites were strategically placed so that everyone across the county could participate. A super huge thank you goes out to Wilson Bank & Trust of Carthage, Todd and Angela Scurlock of SavWay, Citizen’s Bank of Gordonsville, Gordonsville Public Library and Smith County Library. We appreciate your cooperation so very much. The Lady Owls also walked to several other businesses in the county to ask if they could leave flyers for their customers to see, just to help begin spreading the word.
The collection of shoes came pouring in week after week. This community has been unbelievable. Some folks were even buying new pairs of shoes just to donate, which shows you how amazing Smith County truly is. Each of the Lady Owls also brought in donations. From the flyers we got calls from a couple of businesses that had their own collection of shoes they wanted to donate. And of course we gladly accepted. Dollar General Store of Gordonsville donated a whopping 91 pairs of shoes! With just that donation we were already halfway to our goal! The Smith County Help Center sent 4 huge bags of shoes to the donation pile as well.
As the shoe drive came to an end, the girls gathered up the boxes and the shoes were sent to the Soles4Souls warehouse in Old Hickory. We didn’t really know how many we had at the time, although with a rough estimate of 300 pairs of shoes we not only met our goal but exceeded it. That’s a lot of shoes and we were feeling pretty proud. But when we got a call from the warehouse with a final total, we were speechless. The Lady Owls had accumulated 585 pairs of shoes! A total we never dreamed of. Even though our Lady Owls put in the extra time and work for the shoe drive, the real heroes are the people of this county. Without them or their support, we could have never succeeded. Well done Smith County, well done.
Submitted by Renee Smith
Lady Owls Soccer Team Shuts Out Visiting White County
The Smith County Lady Owls were victorious in their match up against the visiting White County Lady Warriors in a 4-0 shut out at the Smith County Soccer Complex last Tuesday, August 30.
Due to a high heat index, the game was played in 20 minute increments. The Lady Owls were up 1-0 within the first seven minutes after a score by Abby Smith. The next score would come from a combination of passes between mid-fielders Katy Wright and Abbi Gregory, who was able to send it up the middle to Smith and into the net. This put the Lady Owls up 2-0 before the twenty minute mark for break.
After taking the field again, there was great ball movement between Gregory and Wright as they took control of the mid-field and sent the pass up the right side for Lexi Felts to run onto. Felts drove the ball down and delivered a pass across the six to Smith. She was able to turn and shoot, but with a tip from the goalie’s fingers, the ball came back out to Maijala Harrelson, who was able to follow the ball into the goal. The Lady Owls were ahead 3-0 and didn’t seem to let up.
The game became extremely physical, resulting in one yellow card pulled, given to Abbi Gregory for a foul in the mid-field. This gave White County a free kick, but they were unable to capitalize on it. The last score of the evening would come with a pass from senior outside mid-fielder to Abbi Gregory, who then passed off to Smith. With a couple of touches, she put the ball into the left, upper corner, bringing the score to 4-0.
The Lady Owls defense, consisting of junior Caitlin Griffin; and sophomores Alyssa West, Kristen Shoulders and Samantha Lewis, held strong in both halves. With some good saves from sophomore goalie Chloe Kitchen, who was stepping in for senior goalie Tori Lankford due to an injury, the Lady Owls were able to keep the shut out.
Story submitted, edited by Smith County Insider staff
Lady Owls Senior Breanna Clayborne trying to take the ball from a White County Lady Warrior
Lady Owls Soccer Scores 4th Win of Season Against Visiting DeKalb County
The Lady Owls sought to expand upon their three game winning streak with district rival DeKalb County coming to town Thursday, August 25.
The match up between Smith and DeKalb Counties always proves to be nothing short of a nail-biter. Both teams came out to play and were tied at 0-0 for the first 16 minutes. The Lady Owls pulled ahead when a free kick was awarded, taken by Abby Smith on the corner of the 18. The ball soared high and to the right, over the goalie’s head. The game would remain 1-0 through halftime.
At the beginning of the second half, the Lady Owls would add another goal from Lexi Felts. With the game 2-0, Dekalb found new life as they finally scored within the 28th minute. But once again, the Lady Owls had an answer as freshman Caitlin Patterson sent a pass off to Abby Smith, who placed it in the back of the net, bringing the score 3-1.
The DeKalb County Tigers would prove frustrated as Smith was fouled in the box with a push from the back. Taking the penalty kick, she brought the score up to 4-1. However, DeKalb would answer within a minute after kick off, when the ball was driven down the field and into the net, as the Lady Owl keeper rushed out to attack the ball. That brought the score 4-2.
As intense as the game already was, within 30 seconds to go at the end of the game, there was a hand ball in the box causing another penalty kick. The PK was taken by Smith, bringing the final score to 5-2 and propelling the Lady Owls to 4-0 on the season.
Story submitted, edited by Smith County Insider staff
Abby Smith – senior captain forward
Shyenne Newton – sophomore mid-fielder
Abbi Gregory – senior captain mid-fielder
Tori Lankford – senior keeper
Lady Owls Soccer Defeats Upperman 8-0
The Lady Owls hosted their first district game against Upperman on Tuesday, August 23. Two minutes into the game, the Lady Owls were awarded a free kick, which was sailed across the six and had Katy Wright walking the ball into the goal. In the 11th minute of the game, Upperman had a hand ball in the box that caused a penalty kick. Taking the PK, senior forward Abby Smith placed the ball into the left upper corner. After a sweet combination of ball movement between Katy Wright, Abbi Gregory, and Lexi Felts, another goal was put into the net courtesy of Felts.
31 minutes into the game, a goal kick was chested down by an Upperman player, giving Abby Smith enough room to take a shot. The shot was fumbled by Upperman’s goal keeper. Mallory Dillon was in the right place on back post, as she was able to follow the ball into the net, giving the freshman forward her first goal of the season.
Five minutes before the half, a header came sailing off an Upperman defender in front of Abby Smith. She jumped and faked ball movement, causing the goalie to dive in the opposite direction as the ball went into the net. This put the Lady Owls up 5-0 at the half.
Smith scored three more times in the second half, giving the Lady Owls their first district win of the season with an 8-0 victory.
Story submitted, edited by Smith County Insider staff
Miajala Harrelson – sophomore
Mallory Dillon – freshman
Breanna Clayborne – senior
Cora Bennett – sophomore
Lady Owls Begin Season with Back-to-Back Wins
The Smith County Lady Owls opened up the first game of the high school soccer season by hosting the Cumberland County Lady Jets Tuesday, August 16. Both teams fought for control, but the Lady Owls set the pace when Lexi Felts sent an easy pass off to Abby Smith, who touched it into the net. Within minutes, the duo of Felts and Smith struck again, this time hooking the ball into the left upper corner. Before the end of the first half, the Lady Owls scored again with a pass from Maijala Harrelson to Abby Smith, giving her a hat trick.
The Lady Owls continued to dominate in the second half. The outside back defender, sophomore Alyssa West, surprised even herself by being in the right place at the right time as she launched a deflected corner kick into the right upper corner, giving the Lady Owls a score of 4-0. The Lady Owls did not let up, as senior mid-fielder Abbi Gregory laced the ball into the back of the net as it came off a Lady Jet defender. During the last two minutes of the game, the Lady Jets finally scored, putting them on the board. Final score for first season game was 5-1.
Two days later, the Lady Owls traveled to their first away game against Friendship Christian. Within the first two minutes, a goal was scored by junior forward Katy Wright, as the goalie came out to attack the ball. Friendship worked hard to try and answer with a goal of their own, but they were unable to in the first half. Within the 30th minute, Abbi Gregory sent a pass up the middle to Abby Smith, allowing her to drive forward, beating out two defenders and a goalie. Even in the second half, Friendship did not give up. They kept trying to drive the ball down but were unsuccessful. With one final score from Lexi Felts, the Lady Owls came home with a shut out win of 3-0.
Story submitted, edited by Smith County Insider staff
Smith County Special Needs Flag Football & Cheerleading
We will be playing flag football at the SCHS OWL Baseball Complex. Access to the field and restrooms were the deciding factors on location.
| DATE | TIME |
| Saturday, October 1 | TBD |
| Saturday, October 8 | TBD |
| Saturday, October 29 | TBD |
| Saturday, November 5 | TBD |
Registration must be turned in by September 9.
Make sure you check the right sport: Cheerleading or Flag Football on the registration form.
Click HERE to download the PDF Version of the registration form. Please complete the attached form and return it and the fee to Lisa Hembree at: hembreel@smithcoedu.net
You may also return it to your athlete’s teacher.
Completed registration must be received by September 9, 2016
“Football Game Night” kicks off Friday, August 19 on DTC3 – GHS vs Watertown
Season 8 of high school football coverage on DTC Sports begins Friday night, August 19, with the return of Football Game Night. The DTC Sports crew will be live on location at Turney Ford Field in Gordonsville, as the Gordonsville Tigers host their long-time area rival, the Watertown Purple Tigers.
Gordonsville graduated only six seniors from a very young squad in 2015, which ended the season with a 3-7 record, and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008. The Tigers, with roughly 20 seniors on board, seek to bounce back in 2016, and will look to get the new season off to a good start in front of the home crowd. Watertown, meanwhile, returns a strong, experienced core from a team that finished 8-3 in 2015. Senior QB Seth Price is back to lead the Purple Tiger offense, and has an experienced offensive line to work behind, and several veteran skill players which should make for a dangerous offense this season. Last year, Watertown topped Gordonsville, 28-12, at Robinson Stadium in Watertown. Gordonsville, however, is 31-8 vs. Watertown in football, dating back to the 1976 season, and had won five straight in the series prior to Watertown’s victory in 2015.
Join the team of Tom Duggin, Chris Vance, and J.R. Smith as they provide live play-by-play coverage of the area’s top high school football games each week, during the 2016 season. All games air LIVE on DTC channel 3 (channel 303 in HD), as well as via web stream at www.dtc3.tv.
Here are the remaining games to be televised on Football Game Night, with a brief synopsis of each game:
Week 2 – August 26 – Gordonsville at Smith Co.
One of the state’s best high school football rivalries, the Owls and Tigers have played a total of 82 times in football, dating back to 1930, including every season since 1960.Smith County has the upper hand in this inter-county rivalry, having won 62 of the 82 meetings. Gordonsville has won 18 games against their rival, while two games ended in ties. The Owls have won 16 of the last 17 meetings, including a 17-0 shutout at Turney Ford Field last season. Gordonsville’s last win in Carthage came back in the 1998 season (34-32).
Week 3 – September 2 – Grundy Co. at Cannon Co.
The Lions and Yellow Jackets became Region rivals for the first time in the 2015 season, but each young program struggled in their respective first seasons in Region 4-3A. In fact, Grundy County’s lone win of the campaign was a 37-14 victory over the Lions in Week 3 in Coalmont. Cannon County, meanwhile, suffered through their third winless season in the past five years. Both programs appear on the upswing entering 2016, as Casey Tate begins his second year with a more experienced Yellow Jacket squad, while Lion alum T.J. Daniel begins his fourth year on the job in Woodbury.
Week 4 – September 9 – Red Boiling Springs at Cannon Co.
A long-time struggling high school program, Red Boiling Springs appeared on the uptick in recent seasons under head coach Kyle Shoulders. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Coach Shoulders left to become an assistant at Murfreesboro Oakland during the offseason, curbing some of the enthusiasm for the upcoming 2016 season. Red Boiling eked out a 21-14 win over the Lions in 2015, following a 14-13 squeaker over Cannon County in Woodbury in 2014. Overall, however, Cannon County leads the series, 9-3, with the last Lion win coming in 2013 (28-25).
Week 5 – September 16 – DeKalb Co. at Smith Co.
The Tigers could be in play for their first-ever Region/District title in high school football in 2016, led by pre-season All-State QB Steven Jennings and a veteran offensive line. DeKalb’s journey to the championship, however, must go through Carthage, and the Owls look to build on a 6-5 playoff season in 2015. The Tigers have won three of the last four meetings in this long-standing series, which dates all the way back to 1927, but the Owls are 23-10 against the Tigers since school consolidation in DeKalb County in 1963.
Week 6 – September 23 – Eagleville at Watertown
2016 will mark the fourth season in a row the Purple Tigers and Eagles have met on the football field, with Eagleville having won two of the three previous meetings. Much like last year, the 2016 meeting between Watertown and Eagleville will likely have playoff implications in ultra competitive Region 4-2A. Both teams earned playoff berths in 2015, with Watertown finishing second in the region behind regular season champ, Forrest, while Eagleville placed fourth.
Week 7 – September 30 – Sequatchie Co. at DeKalb Co.
The Indians stunned many in 2015, when they finished third in their inaugural season in Region 4-3A, but the task could be much tougher in 2016. Sequatchie County must replace 18 key seniors, including QB Houston Mainord, top tailback Branden Rudd and top receivers Daniel Marshall and Colby Reed. The Tigers won a 35-25 decision in Dunlap last season, and won’t take a re-tooling Sequatchie squad for granted in their quest for the Region 4-3A championship.
Week 8 – October 7 – Gordonsville at Monterey
In what could be a pivotal game in the playoff race in jam-packed Region 5-1A, the Tigers will play their very first game in the brand new Monterey High School stadium. Coach Scott Hughes’ Wildcats garnered the fourth and final playoff berth in the Region in 2015, while Gordonsville missed the post-season for the first time since 2008. Since 2001, Gordonsville has won 12 of 15 meetings vs. Monterey, but the Wildcats have scored wins the last two seasons of this long-standing series.
Week 9 – October 14 – Upperman at Smith Co.
Two teams that should very well be battling for playoff positioning in Region 4-3A when Week 9 rolls around. Upperman has been one of the premier teams in the Upper Cumberland in recent years, including a 9-3 record and second round playoff appearance in 2015. Both the Bees and the Owls will have a number of key seniors to replace from their respective 2015 squads, but by Week 9, their youth from the beginning of the season should have each team primed for a playoff run. Smith Co. is 21-4 all-time against Upperman (Baxter), but the Bees have won two of the last three meetings.
Week 10 – October 21 – Upperman at DeKalb Co.
Defending Region champ Upperman will have tough, back-to-back tests in their quest to repeat as 4-3A champions, as a trip to Smithville follows their visit to Carthage. The Bees have been a thorn in the side of the Tigers in DeKalb’s quest to claim their first-ever Region/District championship in football, and a Week 10 win over Upperman might very well be necessary for the Tigers’ chances in 2016. Upperman has won two of the last three meetings in the series, but DeKalb has a 21-15-2 edge all-time, dating back to 1963.
Week 11 – October 28 – DeKalb Co. at Cannon Co.
In what could be the deciding game in DeKalb County’s quest for the Region Championship, Cannon County might very well be looking to play the role of spoiler for their long-time arch-rival. The Tigers and Lions have met every year since 2001, and 32 times overall. DeKalb County is 26-5-1 all-time against Cannon County in football and have won the last eight in the series. The Lions last tamed the Tigers in 2007, winning 26-23 in Smithville. DeKalb County’s 26 wins against Cannon County are the Tigers’ most all-time against any other program.
(**Schedule is subject to change)
Be sure to catch Football Game Night each week on DTC3 and DTC3 HD (ch. 303), or online at www.dtc3.tv. Call (615) 529-2955 today to get DTC TV in your home in time for high school football season!
Smith County Special Needs Baseball 2016 Season
Planning for Smith County Special Needs Sports started in March of 2016. Lisa Hembree researched various baseball leagues for special needs players, visiting the closest one in Murfreesboro. This research encouraged her to pursue sponsorships and athletes to participate. A call to Coach Scott Pope asking to use the SCHS Baseball complex was met with an “absolutely”. A field, four sponsors and 25 athletes later, SCSNS was born.
Mrs. Hembree asked for a couple of people to serve as co-directors of the league. Christy Smith and Steve Bray answered the request to help. From getting water and ice to mowing the fields and marking the baselines, these two did whatever it took to have the field in perfect condition for our athletes.
Several individuals and businesses donated funds and equipment to the league. Shirts were ordered and play began on Saturday, June 4, 2016. The athletes looked good in their uniforms as did their coaches. Volunteers showed up each week to act as buddies, helping the athletes hit, field and run the bases.
While the athletes were displaying their abilities on the playing field, many unseen things were happening. Parents were forming friendships with other parents. Teachers were seeing their students in a brand new way. Former students and Peer Partners were rekindling friendships while playing.
Many firsts also occurred because of this new league. Parents that had never bought sports equipment for their child were excited to buy cleats and gloves and helmets. Children that had never been on a team were now on a team. People in the community that had never seen special needs children and adults participating in a sporting event saw that sports can be an avenue of success for anyone. Children that weren’t supposed to be able to play ball did, and did it well.
Smith County Owl Baseball played a significant role in the creation and the success of this program. Coach Bray and Coach Pope were there at every game, the field in beautiful condition. The Owl Baseball Boosters ran a concession stand for the families and fans. The Owl Baseball players acted as buddies for the games. Former Owl Baseball players, Seth Hackett and Payton Azbell came to pitch for the ball players. A huge thank you to all involved in this organization.
What started as a baseball league, is now expanding to include bowling, flag football, soccer, basketball and baseball. Cheerleading will also be a featured activity.
The four original sponsors: Citizen’s Bank, Dynamic Therapy Center, Smith County Animal Clinic and an anonymous sponsor have all committed to continuing their sponsorships for the additional sports. Based on registrations, additional sponsors may be needed.
When schedules are posted, it is hoped that everyone will come see at least one event. These athletes, coaches and parents will appreciate your cheers.
If you have any questions, please contact one of the co-directors.
Smith County Special Needs Sports Co-Directors: Lisa Hembree – Steve Bray – Christy Smith
