State or Nothing Else: 2016 Gordonsville Tigerettes Softball
- #17 Shelby West – “Shelby had a great year in the circle for us last season, and earned the District MVP going 8-0 in District play. Again this year, I feel our strong point will be that we have a veteran in the circle. Shelby was also huge for us on the offensive side with her bat and base running abilities.”
- #10 Robin Anne Hord – “Robin Anne will be returning for us at 3rd base where she had a great defensive year. She was one of our leading hitters and became a hard our as the season progressed. I expect Robin Anne to be the leader in the infield for us this year.”
- #30 Shelby Prichard – “Shelby is a returning outfielder for us. She is a very consistent player and knows the game well. She swings the bat extremely well and has worked at it to improve daily. Shelby has smart base running skills that will really be important to our team.”
- #11 Katlyn Ray – “Katlyn will be returning for us at 1st base which with her height gives the infield a great target to throw to. Katlyn has been hitting the ball well in preseason and is another player who I will need to be a vocal leader for us in the infield.”
- #21 Alexa Underwood – “Alexa will be a returning outfielder for us and with her speed should be a big advantage for us. She has unbelievable strength at the plate and is working hard to improve every day. She also gives us speed on the bases which is a huge advantage to our offense.”
- #9 Hannah Jennings – “Hannah has a really worked hard in the outfield at improving her skills. She has good speed, and has really been improving each practice. I feel Hannah will have a good season this year.”
- #7 Allyson West – “Allyson will be returning behind the plate this year. Allyson has a very strong arm, which is a huge advantage because teams do not try to steal much on her. On the offensive side, she has the ability to hit the ball deep. I feel she will hit a few homeruns for us this year.”
- #13 Madison Gentry – “Madison will be seeing action in the outfield and do some pitching for us also. She had developed a hard swing over the offseason and is working hard in practice to get better daily.”
- #16 Caitlyn Griffin – “Caitlyn had a great freshman year at second base and was our leadoff hitter last year. She has a great mind of the game, but unfortunately will miss this season due to a knee injury. She is working hard in rehab and is a strong competitor, so I know she will bounce back greatly and be ready for next year.”
- #18 Hallie Dillard – “Hallie will be playing in the infield this year. She is quick and has a good glove. She runs the bases well, and I see that as being a plus for our team.”
- #34 Grace Leslie – “Grace will be seeing action in the circle and in the outfield this year. She got a lot of action in the circle last year, but should see even more this year in bigger games. She has a solid frame and the range to be a pitcher. As she continues to improve, she will be an asset to our team.”
- #20 Shelby Williams – “Shelby will be playing in the infield this year. She has worked hard and has developed a good swing at the plate. Shelby also has speed that could help us.”
- #12 Lauren Montgomery – “Lauren will be seeing action in the outfield this year. She had unbelievable strength at the plate and is working hard to develop that swing. She is another player that runs the bases well.”
- #23 Emma Wood – “Emma will be seeing action in the infield this year. She is working hard and improving daily. She has quickness that we should be able to use during base running.”
- #32 Jera Gibbs – “Jera will see action in the outfield and infield this year. She swings the bat hard at the plate and is working hard in practice to develop that swing.”
- #00 Ashley Griese – “Ashley will be in the infield this year. She working hard and developing a good swing. She also runs well and could help us on the bases this season.”
- #6 Piper Conditt – “Piper will be seeing action in the infield. She has great quickness and has a good arm. With her speed, she will also give us a great advantage on the bases.”
- #44 Maggie Mason – “Maggie will be in the outfield and in the circle this year. She is working hard on her pitching and is improving daily on it. She is throwing harder each week.”
- #3 Erin Wagner – “Erin will be in the infield this year and also in the circle. She is also working hard on her pitching and gaining more and more speed each day.”
- #33 Sheyenne Newton – “Sheyenne will be in the outfield and behind the plate catching this year. She is quick and could help us out on the bases.”
- #2 Mia Harrelson – “Mia will be in the outfield this year. She has great quickness, which we should be able to use on the bases as a runner.”
New Faces, New Year: 2016 Smith County Owls Baseball
The 2016 Owls start off with the same goal as many other teams in the state do come first practice in February, ending in Murfreesboro. But first, they will have to get through a tough District in 8AA. After graduating five starters, many new faces will be on the field for the Owls in 2016. Many of these new faces will get the chance to prove they have what it takes to get us to the next level.
The Owls will look to build off a strong 2015 campaign in which they finished 19-12, as well as 3rd in District 8-AA. District 8-AA will once again be tough as DeKalb County and Upperman both appear to be strong contenders for the District crown behind two of the top arms in the mid-state. Playing in a district with the likes of DeKalb County’s Stephen Jennings, an Ole Miss Commit, and Upperman’s Winston Cannon, a UT-Martin commit, will prove to be a huge test for the Owls. However, they have proven year in and year out, that they will compete for a top spot during the regular season and in the district tournament.
The Owls Coaching staff consists of Scott Pope, Steve Bray, Randy Wakefield, Jim Hesson, and Jim Porter. Head Coach Scott Pope begins his 10th season at Smith County with two trips in the last six years to the state tournament in Murfreesboro. Coach Steve Bray and Coach Randy Wakefield both return as key assistants. Newcomers Jim Hesson and Jim Porter will also look to aid in getting the Owls back to state during the 2016 campaign.
The Owls will be driven by a group of six seniors that each will be depended on daily as leaders for the 2016 season. Along with the seniors, two juniors, 12 sophomores, and six freshmen will each look to play a part in getting the Owls back to the promised land. Below are Coach Pope’s comments on each of the young men that make up the 2016 Smith County Owls Baseball Team.
Seniors
Jon Neal Vance – “Jon Neal will see time in one of the outfield positions. He has good speed and he has a good bat and will be counted on to provide some offense this season.”
John Ellis Maynard – “John Ellis is a very strong young man and will see time at one of the corner positions. We also need him to provide some consistency in the middle of our offensive lineup.”
Noah McClanahan – “Noah has gained a lot of strength over the past year and has a nice swing. We want Noah to hold down the 3rd base position and give us quality at bats.”
Bailey Dick – “Bailey saw time last year on the mound and will be looked to for quality innings this year as well. He will also see time in the outfield and 1st Base.”
Logan Fields – “A 2015 All District 1st teamer, Logan Fields will anchor our pitching rotation this year. He has seen significant mound time since he was a freshman. He was very consistent last year and was 2nd in the rotation in strikeouts and ERA. We look to him to be the leader of the rotation along with multiple other positions including 3rd base, shortstop, and 1st base.”
Max Massey – “Max hustles, is very quick, and will play outfield and pitch for us this year. We look for him to be at the top of our lineup. He gives us a lot of speed and good base-running ability. He has seen significant amount of mound time over the past two years.”
Juniors
Ethan Hackett – “Ethan is another quick young man and will return to the shortstop position this year. He has good range and a very quick release. We need more consistent throws from him this year. He is a very good bunter and is another young man who could see time at the top of our lineup.”
Luke Williams – “We will continue to lean on Luke in our pitching rotation. Currently, he is our other district starter. After having some arm trouble in 2015, he has come back stronger and has gained velocity over the past year along with improved mechanics. We will also count on Luke to play some outfield along with some 1st base.”
Sophomores
Jase Holder – “Jase will see time at 2nd base. He is quick and can provide more speed at the top of the lineup or someone that can flip the lineup over for us.”
Shermar King – “Shermar is a very athletic young man with a lot of speed. He can give us time in the outfield or a variety of other positions. We’re excited to see what he can bring to the table this season.”
Jay Franklin – “Jay will see time on the mound for us this season. He needs to work on improving his velocity, but he is very accurate and has a variety of pitches that he can throw for a strike. He will see time in the bullpen for the varsity squad and will start in some junior varsity games.”
Cody Bryant – “Cody brings a unique style to pitching. He doesn’t have the most fundamental delivery but he throws strike consistently. We need him to be a big part of our bullpen this year.”
Bryant Goolsby – “Bryant will be a mainstay behind the plate for us this year. He was the Freshman of the Year in District 8AA and led our team in multiple statistical categories. He played as well across the board as anyone we had last year and he was just a freshman. We’re excited to see him follow it up with another great season. He’s very instinctive, makes great decisions at the plate and is also a very good baserunner.”
Nathan Huff – “Nathan is going to have to sit most of this season out because of a health issue, but he is going to be working with us. We are excited to see what he can bring to our team in the future.”
Zeke Gibbs – “Zeke is new to the team this year. He is very quick, and we will look at him in a variety of positions.”
Nathan Johnson – “Nate is really quick. He will compete for time in the outfield, but will definitely spend time with the varsity as a courtesy and pinch runner.”
Grant Winfree – “Grant is another very quick player. He will compete for time at a variety of positions and will definitely get to see time as a courtesy and pinch runner.”
Campbell Gregory – “Campbell has a strong arm and will compete for time in the outfield. He also has some catching experience if he’s needed there.”
Dustin Mimms – “Dustin will compete for time in the infield and on the mound. He is fundamentally sound and can be a really good player for us for several years.”
Brannan Hackett – “Brannan will see time on the mound and in the infield. He has gained a lot of velocity over the past year and continues to fine tune his delivery. He can also be a very good player for us.”
Freshmen
Charlie Hopper – “Charlie is small, but he has great instincts, athleticism, and tracks the ball very well in the outfield. As he grows, he’ll be a great player for this team. “
Noah Murray – “Noah will compete and see time at any of the outfield positions and some infield as well. He has the potential to be a very good player for us as well.”
Matthew Enoch – “Matthew has a big arm and, if he can stay healthy, can be a great asset to the team in the future.”
Bryson Neal – “Bryson is very athletic and quick. He tracks the ball very well and could compete for varsity time this year.”
Isaac Dick – “Isaac is tall and strong. he will be looked at in a variety of positions.”
Dylan Hackett – “Dylan will compete for time in the infield and will also see time behind the plate. He is instinctive and athletic.”
Taking Flight: 2016 Smith County Lady Owls Softball
The 2016 Lady Owls take the diamond as a family looking to improve as a team. The Lady Owls will be looking to build from a strong postseason performance a year ago. The Lady Owls return all starters and look to a few new faces to jump in and jolt the line-up. Coach Joe Hiett had this to say about the 2016 Lady Owls, “This is an athletic group with lots of good players. We have four seniors, six juniors, five sophomores, and eight freshmen. We are learning on the older girls to lead and help the younger ones learn the culture of the Lady Owl family and Smith County Pride (SCP).”
When asked on what needed to change for the Lady Owls to be successful in 2016, Coach Hiett stated, “We must become mentally tough. Last year we had a problem with that. A few bad breaks, and we started letting up. We have to become tougher and fight through those mistakes. Mistakes happen, but how you respond will dictate the outcome. I feel like the girls are working on finishing, but just have to keep fighting until the last out.”
District 8-AA will be one of the toughest districts in the state this season. With the likes of DeKalb County, Macon County, and Upperman, the Lady Owls will have to finish in order to compete in 2016. Coach Hiett had this to say about District 8-AA, “We play in a very competitive district, with at least one team from our district typically advancing to the state tournament each year. I think the best thing about our district is top to bottom, anyone can win on any given night.”
The coaching staff for the Lady Owls will consist of Joe Hiett and Candice Harper. Coach Hiett begins his fourth year as the head coach of the Smith County Lady Owls. Over the last four years, he has watched his team grow and develop daily. Hiett had this to say about Coach Harper, “Candice brings a lot of intensity to the team. She is very passionate in how she coaches. She coaches the outfield and holds them to a high standard.”
The Lady Owls have four seniors who will serve as both leaders and teachers during the 2016 campaign. They are #2 Kaylyn Adams, #3 Sydney Clere, #8 Jarraca Holder, and #17 Amber Masters. Coach Hiett had this to say about his 2016 senior class,“These ladies are the leaders of the team. They are looked to by the younger players for guidance and have to hold themselves to a high standard. The younger players will do as they do. They have worked very hard, and I anticipate the ladies having a very big senior year. It’s time for them to rise.”
Behind the four seniors, are six juniors that have all played a key role since their freshman year. The Junior class consists of #4 Abbi Gregory, #9 Karly Edens, #22 Gracie White, #26 Haven Jenkins, #27 Meagan Manning, and #30 Madison Spivey. “These young ladies play a vital role in the success of our team. They have all started at some point since they were freshman, and now it’s time that they put together what they have learned. They are working very hard and should have a very solid year” Coach Hiett stated.
The lower class men will also be looked upon to play a key role in the 2016 season for the Lady Owls. This group consists of five sophomores and eight freshmen. The Sophomore class consist of #11 Lauren Wright, #18 Cayce Forrester, #20 McKenna Anderson, #24 Paige Holland, and #25 Shelby Davis. “This class has several that have to step up. For us to be the team we can be, they have to be big contributors. They each work extremely hard and are a very competitive group that wants to be on the field” stated Hiett.
The Freshman class is composed of #5 Savannah Goodman, #7 Chloe Kitchen, #13 Paige Smith, #14 Trinity Madewell, #19 Carly Suhm, #33 Jessica Maynard, #42 Hannah Gregory, #45 Asia Evans. “These young ladies are showing improvements each day and are working hard. They are learning how to be Lady Owls and what SCP truly means. They are catching up to the speed of the game, and we look for many of them to help immediately. I look forward to seeing where this class can go” Hiett concluded.
The 2016 Lady Owls will lean on leadership and experience in the 2016 season. If they are able to finish, it will be a special year for the Lady Owls as they continue to rise!
Sanders Named SCMS Boys Basketball Head Coach
(Smith County Insider Press) South Carthage, Tenn. – Smith County native Zach Sanders was recently hired to fill the Head Coach position at Smith County Middle School for their boys basket ball program, grades 5-8. The following is a few accomplishments that Sanders has made in his young career as a coach.
- Graduate of Tennessee Technological University, 2015, Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education, with a Concentration in History.
- TSSAA Football Official
- 4 years of coaching experience, High School and Jr. High level
- 1 year of Head Coaching experience
- Parents Trey and Patsy Sanders
- Son to GHS Coach Trey Sanders, Brother to SCHS Coach John Sanders
- 2015-2016 Red Boiling Springs High School Boys Basketball Assistant Coach
- 2015-2016 Red Boiling Springs Jr. High Boys Head Coach
- Season Accomplishments in First year as a Head Coach
- 2015 SCHS Tipoff Classic Champions
- 2015-2016 Cumberland Rim Conference Regular Season Runner Up
- 2016 James C. Haile State Tournament Final Four
- 2016 TNT State Tournament Quarterfinals
- Finished the 2015-2016 year with 24 wins and 6 losses
- 2016 Cumberland Rim Conference Champions, first time in over 15 years
- Season Accomplishments in First year as a Head Coach
“Words cannot express how excited I am to be able to come home to Smith County Middle School to teach and Coach. For the 2016-2017 school year, our emphasis on basketball is focused on one thing, to get better each and every day. Our program will be very strict, have a good work ethic, and will always challenge our student athletes. This upcoming year we will not only become better teachers, coaches, and athletes, but our program will work towards becoming better students. The positive environment, determination, and will to get better will transfer over from the basketball floor to the classroom. Education is something that has always been a focal point of mine and will continue to be in 2016. In the gym this upcoming year, our goal is to develop a winning culture. I would love nothing more to help put Smith County Middle School at the top in basketball. The athletes will work each and every day to ensure that they succeed. As for myself, I will constantly be looking for ways that I can improve my teaching and coaching. I look forward to working with the young men of Smith County. “Owl Basketball Never Stops!”
Zach Sanders – SCMS Boys Basketball Coach
Owls Prevail in County Rivalry Game
(Smith County Insider Press) Carthage, Tenn. – On Tuesday, November 24, the Smith County Owls & Lady Owls and the Gordonsville Tigers & Tigerettes met for the first time in the 2015 season. The final score of the Lady Owls vs. Tigerettes was Lady Owls 66 – Tigerettes 35. The final score of the Owls vs. Tigers was Owls 90 – Tigers 42.
The next time the two teams meet will be on Saturday, January 2, 2016.
Gordonsville Snaps 5 Game Losing Streak
With only two games left on the schedule Gordonsville got a victory over newcomer to the region, Pickett County this past Friday night at Turney Ford Field. With both teams sporting a 1-7 record one would think that the teams would play without a lot of emotion. That was not the case as both teams combined for a total of 75 points as they tried to stay out of the cellar in Region 5 1A. Gordonsville grabbed 51 of those points after falling behind 8-0 right at the start of the game.
The Pickett Co. Bobcat offense scored on the first play of scrimmage via a play that has come to be known as a ‘flea flicker.’ Bobcat quarterback Evan Caudle hit wideout Bryson York for a 8 yard pass who then pitched it to a trailing running back Dakota Thompkins and raced 57 yards for a 6-0 lead with York catching a two point conversion toss from Caudle making it 8-0 with just 24 seconds gone in the 1st Quarter. Gordonsville didn’t take long to get on board as the Tigers’ kickoff return team lead by Jay Vaden took the kick and streaked down the near side line for a 79 yard return and with a two point conversion the score was tied 8-8 still with 11:17 to go in the 1st Quarter. The Tigers then went on a 43 point unanswered scoring frenzy over the next 2 1/2 quarters.
This scoring frenzy consisted of 6 separate drives all in a row that ended in rushing touchdowns by 4 different running backs: Sheldon Harris 2 tds with runs of 15 and 5 yards, Jay Vaden 1 td on a run of 10 yards, Braxton Givens 1 td-29 yard run and Dalton Stallings capped off the frenzy with 2 tds on runs of 6 and 2 yards. Freshman QB Adam Goolsby was a perfect 6 out of 6 passing for 100 yards. Goolsby spread it around in the passing department with six different receivers catching passes: S. Harris 22 yds, B. Washer 5 yds, K. Watts 21 yds, B. Roney 6 yds., Jay Vaden 24 yds and Jusitn Vaden 22 yds.
The Tigers were led in rushing by Sheldon Harris with 112 yards on 11 carries followed by Braxton Givens 4/43, Jay Vaden 3/35, Dalton Stallings 10/26 and Will Roth 2/4. Also with the “mercy rule” in effect some of the 2nd and 3rd unit players got to see some action with Matthew Thompson rushing 1 time for 4 yards, Chris McKinley carring 3 times for -4 yards and Adam Brinkley rushed 3 times for 10 yards. Another promising stat, freshman Levi Halliburton was a perfect 5 out of 5 on extra point attempts.
Gordonsville’s rush defense was rock solid as they allowed negative 26 yards on 6 carries. Pickett County’s QB Evan Caudle did have a good night passing as he went 11 out of 21 with 1 int. (Jacob Short) for 268 yards with Dakoda Thompkins hauling in 6 of those passes for 214 yards and accounting for all of their tds.
Gordonsville ends their season this coming Friday night as they travel to Red Boiling Springs to take on the Bulldogs in a region matchup. The Bulldogs will look to try and end their season at .500 as they enter the contest with a 4-5 record. Game time 7 PM.
Eagles Soar to Offensive Excellence over Gordonsville
Eight possessions, eight touchdowns. Starting quarterback eight out of eight for 150 yards passing with four TD’s and 70 yards rushing with another TD. Five 1st half drives that averaged 3.5 plays and 1:40 which all ended in TD’s. No turnovers. A total of only 34 offensive plays that produced 53 points: a perfect example of offensive efficiency. These are some of the reasons why Nashville Christian School is touted as one of the teams to win it all in class A football this year. Add to that a stingy defense spearheaded by Division 1 prospect Daniel Bituli, and they have a real good shot at winning it all.
The Gordonsville Tigers traveled to western Davidson county to take on Nashville Christian in a region game with not a whole lot to loose and holding back nothing. Despite playing in the face of a lions’ den, without the services of their starting quarterback, and two running backs out due to injuries, the team showed a lot of effort and fight in a losing cause. Senior quarterback Damian Davis was out with a hand injury while running backs Braxton Givens and Jesse Meadows missed with lower body injuries. With the injuries, the Gordonsville offense saw sophomore running back Dalton Stallings getting some carries as he rushed 7 times for 25 yards. Junior Sheldon Harris led Gordonsville in rushing with 64 yards on 14 carries.
With Davis out, freshman quarterback Adam Goolsby got the start and performed well by completing 6 out of 11 passes for 89 yards. Gordonsville’s only points came on a Goolsby 42 yard hookup with Justin Vaden. The extra point was no good, and the six points was all the Tigers’ offense could produce. Goolsby’s other receptions were to Koby Watts 2/29, Dylan Askew 1/8, Jay Vaden 2/9.
With the loss, Gordonsville’s record moves to 1-7 overall and 1-5 within the region. The Tigers return to Turney Ford field for their final home game with the Bobcats from Picket County. Everyone is encouraged to wear something pink to participate in “Pink Out” for cancer awareness.
Lady Owls Enter D8A-AA District Championship
The D8A-AA District Championship game was Thursday October 15th at Macon County High School. The Lady Owls sporting a record of 14-0-0, were full of nervous excitement as they stepped onto the pitch underneath the lights as they faced Central Magnet out of Murfreesboro whose 2015 record stood at 11-1-2. Both teams seemed to come out strong but no one was able to land a goal right away. Central Magnet was the first to score but the Lady Owls held strong and pushed forward without getting down. Now wasn’t the time to lie down and quit. They had been in the same type of games all season and were known to make a comeback before. The Lady Owls did just that when forward Katy Wright got a break away and chased the ball into the net bringing the score 1-1. This seemed to give a new life to the Owls and happened to be just what they needed in order to keep going. But right before half time, Central Magnet returned the favor when they slipped a goal past our keeper and pulling ahead at 1-2.
At the start of the second half, the Lady Owls seemed to have faces of steel. Pushing harder than they’ve ever pushed before, they stood fast in the mid-field trying to hold Central Magnet back but were unable to keep them from scoring once more and bringing the score up to 1-3. However the Lady Owls did not give up hope or determination. They continued to play their best but alas were not able to score again. I’ve never seen a team play with more heart than I did that night. The game ended with a loss of 1-3 but Smith County Lady Owls brought home a few trophies of their own. Not only did they bring home a 2nd place finalist District Plaque, Coach Bubba Dunbar was named Coach of the Year. There were a string of First Team All-District Players that included: Abby Smith, Abbi Gregory, Savannah Wright and Lena Broyles. The Second Team All-District Players were Katy Wright and Julia Pardue. Our Lady Owl goalkeeper received Goalkeeper of the East District as well. When Coach Dunbar was asked about the game,” We came out and never let up! We played as hard for 80 minutes as a team could play. It just came down to which team was gonna make a mistake and it just happened to be us! We can’t dwell on a loss because we’ve got Regionals to focus on.” The Lady Owls travel to play in the Regional Tournament against Notre Dame Tuesday October 20th in Chattanooga.
SCHS Lady Owls “Owl Walk”
On Thursday October 15th SCHS principal, Jeanie Hix allowed the SCHS students to participate in an Owl Walk for the Smith County Lady Owls soccer team. At 2:45pm students lined College Avenue outside of the high school and cheered on our undefeated Lady Owls as they walked with a police escort from Owl Street. Earlier that week the students from some of the team’s classes produced signs and had them hanging all around the school to show support as they prepared for their first District Championship game in 4 years. There was quite a large crowd as the team waved to their peers and fans. The Smith County Lady Owls soccer program has gained a huge amount of attention this year with their success. This can only mean good things to come in the future for this program.
Wildcats’ Defense Overwhelms Tigers in 2nd Half
What seemed like a game that might turn into a barnburner based on the first half performance by both teams quickly got out of hand in the 2nd half. Led by a suffocating defense, and a bruising running game the visiting Monterey Wildlcats took the hometown favorites to the old proverbial wood shed in securing a very important region win. Thus, keeping their playoff hopes alive. With the loss, Gordonsville’s chance of making the playoffs all but evaporates, and with six losses overall and only three games left means they will finish below .500 three years in a row.
Monterey got on the board with their first possession. They took the opening kickoff and marched 69 yards in 11 plays. Using both a strong running game and the arm of QB Corey Heiderich they connected on 2 out of 4 passes as Caleb Phillips capped of the drive going in from 28 yards out. Extra point was good by Uli Perez. Monterey led 7-0, 7:25 1st Qtr. After a three and out possession by Gordonsville, the Wildcats turned the ball over on their first play giving the Tigers great field position on Monterey’s 37 yard line. The Tigers took advantage of the opportunity, and put a TD on the board by converting two 4th down attempts with Sheldon Harris diving into the endzone after churning for 8 yards. Extra point was good by Brandon Cruz. Score tied up 7 all with 2:03 still left in the 1st Qtr.
Gordonsville’s defense came up big on Monterey’s next possession as Tiger defensive back Jacob Short picked off a Heiderich’s pass near mid-field. However, Gordonsville was unable to capitalize on this turnover as they lost possession on downs. After a Monterey punt, the Tigers turned the ball over with a fumble on their own 48. The Wildcats put together their second scoring drive before the 1st half came to a close. Caleb Phillips took a 11 yard screen pass from Heiderich and hit pay dirt. Extra point was good by Perez. 14-7 Monterey at the half.
The 3rd quarter saw no points scored as both defenses played hard, but the Wildcats began to flex their claws stopping Gordonsville on two 3 and out possessions. Monterey scored on their second possession of the 2nd half, and the very 1st play of the 4th quarter as Jesse Raines plunged in from the 1 yard line and Perez kicked his third extra point. 21-7 Monterey start of the 4th quarter. The Wildcats’ continued their defensive dominance in the remaining quarter as they stifled any Gordonsville attempt to get back into the game. Two more 3 and out stops by Monterey with a Caleb Phillips’ 6 yard run for the visiting team 28th point sealed the deal for a Wildcat victory. 28-7 Monterey for the final score.
How impressive was the Wildcats’ defense in that second half? It limited Gordonsville to no first downs, negative 20 yards of total offense, and only seven minutes of possession versus seventeen minutes for Monterey. Caleb Phillips rushed for 110 yards on 22 carries and 1 reception for 11 yards and 3 TD’s. Quarterback Corey Heiderich was 7 out of 12 passing with 90 yards and added 76 yards rushing on 13 carries . Phillips along with Cody Charlton, Noah Mason, Jesse Raines, Tommy Wilkerson and Brandon Buckner all caught passes from Heiderich.
Gordonsville was led in rushing by Sheldon Harris with 12 carries for 31 yards followed by Jay Vaden with 4 rushes for 26 yards. Using a two quarterback alternating system saw Adam Goolsby 4 out of 11 for 31 yards and Damian Davis 1 out of 4 for 1 yard. Jay Vaden caught 4 passes for 19 yards and Bailey Roney caught 1 pass for 12 yards.
Gordonsville will travel to Nashville Christian on Friday night October 16 for a region game. Start time 7PM.
