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Another week, another title for Lady Pioneers
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Nikki Childers
Updated: Dec 31, 2013, 12:43 AM
Published: Dec 31, 2013, 12:45 AM

If the Lady Pioneers played every game like it was a Christmas tournament, the Warren County High School girls team would be state championship contenders.
The Lady Pioneers swept through their second straight Christmas tournament last week, culminating Saturday night when Warren County beat Westmoreland 34-28 in the championship game of the Watertown Christmas tourney.
By claiming its second title, Warren County (14-6) increased its longest winning streak of the season to six games – all coming in holiday tournaments. Before the Watertown tournament, Warren County won three straight games in the Midstate Christmas tournament held at Ezell Harding High School.
The Lady Pioneers had to get through the host school in the opening round of the Watertown tournament, then beat perennial pest DeKalb County to move into the finals. Warren County topped Watertown 57-51 Thursday, then proceeded to beat the Lady Tigers for the first time in three years 54-47 Friday.
Westmoreland beat Centennial and Cheatham County to reach the title game, where it ran into a motivated Lady Pioneer squad playing with confidence and relying on senior post Jessie Newby to lead the team to victories.
Newby was unstoppable in the championship as she scored 17 points, grabbed nine rebounds and added five steals in the championship game. In the tournament, Newby scored 53 points to claim MVP honors.
Newby was gracious in accepting the award and instead turned the focus on the Lady Pioneers’ play in the tournament as the team played almost mistake-free throughout the weekend at Watertown.
“We just play well as a team. Everybody works together,” said Newby. “The main thing we did was limit turnovers. When we lose, it’s because we have so many turnovers. We didn’t in Watertown and, if we can keep limiting our turnovers, I feel like we are going to surprise people in district play.”
Newby was extremely active in the first quarter as she scored six of her team’s 10 points and keyed a stifling Lady Pioneer defense with two steals. Junior Brittany Myers – an all-tournament selection – added an emphatic block at the top of the key that drew oohs and ahhs from the large contingent of Lady Pioneer faithful who made the trip.
Westmoreland was able to draw within two at 10-8 by the end of the first quarter by beating the buzzer with a late layup.
The Lady Eagles started the second quarter with four straight points to take their first lead at 12-10, but it would prove to be the only time Warren County trailed in the finals.
Newby sparked an 8-0 run to end the half with a three-point play. She would add another basket – giving her 11 first-half points – off a putback before Myers closed the scoring with a 3-pointer from the left wing with 2:25 to play.
Warren County took an 18-12 lead into halftime as the Lady Pioneers were scoreless in the final two minutes while Westmoreland went the last six minutes of the second quarter without a point.
Scoring continued to be a problem when the second half started. Neither team was able to put a point on the board until a great defensive play led to a transition bucket for the Lady Pioneers.
Myers swatted another Lady Eagle shot with 5:45 to play in the third and the ball looked to be going out of bounds. Instead, Allison Hitchcock chased it down and threw the ball back in over her head to Madison Mason. Mason looked out in front where Newby had gotten behind the defense and she was able to connect on a layup to make it 20-12.
Newby would push the lead to double figures with a layup at the 4:40 mark of the third quarter, though Westmoreland closed the third quarter on an 8-2 run to make it 24-20 going into the final period.
The Lady Eagles got within two by starting the fourth quarter with a driving layup, but Camerie Martin wasn’t letting it get any closer. The Lady Pioneer point guard assisted on three straight baskets that helped clinch the title.
Martin started by finding Newby down low for a bucket, then she hit Saydee Winfree with a bounce pass for a back-door layup. After Westmoreland answered with a basket of its own, Martin shut the door by weaving through the Lady Eagle press and hitting Myers in the corner for a 3-pointer that put Warren County ahead 31-24 with 4:09 left.
Martin, Hitchcock and Mason would hit free throws down the stretch and Hitchcock added a block with 35 seconds to go as Warren County won the tournament for the first time since it started making the yearly trip to Watertown in 2011.
Hitchcock and Martin were also named to the all-tournament team following Saturday’s championship game.
WCHS baseball, softball compete in weekend tournaments
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Matt Tyson
Published: Apr 2, 2025, 10:16 PM

One day after a close home win over Cumberland County Thursday night, the Warren County baseball team was back on the road for a weekend tournament slate. Taking part in the Viking Classic, the Pioneers went 2-2 across Friday and Saturday’s contests.

Kicking things off against Huntland at Tullahoma High School Friday evening, Warren County notched its third straight victory with a 4-3 decision over the Hornets.

Sam Robinson had three of the team’s eight hits. Ryder Gilispie followed with two. Tyler Adams, Jerren Harris and Keaton Rowe each added one hit.

Gilispie and Harris were both credited with one RBI each.

Adams, Robinson, Gilispie and Adrian Harris each scored one run.

On the mound, Miguel Garcia pitched four innings, finishing with four strikeouts, two hits, three runs and four walks. Keagan Thompson followed for two innings, striking out two.

In the nightcap, the Pioneers were held scoreless in an 8-0 shutout against the host Wildcats. Robinson had Warren County’s lone hit of the game.

Hayven Jones pitched 1.1 innings, recording one strikeout, four hits, seven runs and two walks. Jerren Harris came on for 2.2 innings, finishing with two hits, one run and four walks.

Back in action for day two of the tournament at Cascade High School, the Pioneers bounced back with a 9-8 win over the host Champions Saturday morning.

The team finished with nine hits, led by Adams and Robinson with two each. Gilispie, Jerren Harris, Adrian Harris, Woogs Bryan and Corban Felton all added one.

Bryan led the team in RBI with four of its eight. Gilispie, Felton, Jerren Harris and Brady Norris each brought in one.

Jaytton Baker went 3.1 innings on the bump, striking out five and coming off with eight hits and five runs. Lealon Arnold followed for 1.2 innings, striking out one and adding two hits and three runs. Gilispie pitched for one inning and recorded two strikeouts and one hit.

Closing out the weekend against Alabama’s Heritage Christian, Warren County came out on the losing end of a 14-6 contest. At the plate, Jerren Harris led the way with two of the team’s eight hits. Adams, Gilispie, Bryan, Felton, Adrian Harris and Evan Snapp all followed with one each.

The Pioneers posted four RBI, with two each for Adams and Snapp.

Snapp had two of the team’s six runs, with one each for Adams, Gilispie, Felton and Jones.

Braden Whinnery pitched 2.2 innings, striking out four and surrendering seven hits, five runs and one walk. Rowe followed for 0.2 innings, adding four hits and five runs. Up next was Keagan Thompson, who went one inning and came off with five hits and four runs. Daylen Holguin wrapped up the day, striking out one and allowing one hit over 0.2 innings.

WCHS softball goes 1-3 through weekend

The Lady Pioneers got their Southern Warrior Classic schedule started with a game against Summertown Friday evening, a matchup in which they fell 10-1.

Warren County finished with six hits, with two each for Ky Damon, Lola Wells and Kaydence Wiser.

Wiser had a home run in the top of the fourth inning for the team’s lone run.

In the circle, Ceilee Gudat pitched 3.1 innings and finished with one strikeout, nine hits, 10 runs and two walks. Kyaira Sharpe followed for the game’s remainder, closing out the last 0.2 innings.

The Lady Pioneers were again bested in their second Friday night game, falling 10-2 to Moline (Ill.).

Wells led the Warren County hitting effort with two of the team’s six. Damon, Callie Roberts, Cortlyn Porter and Ali Young each added one.

Wells and Lily Rains had one run each.

Ruby Denning had one strikeout and gave up eight hits, 10 runs and three walks across all four innings.

The Lady Pioneers had better luck in their Saturday morning opener, flying ahead with an 11-run fifth inning to take down Illinois’s Oswego East 15-9.

Warren County racked up 12 hits over the course of the game, with two each for Rains, Wells, Sharpe, Porter and Addison Smith. This included home runs for both Wells and Smith. Damon and Young both added one hit each.

Smith led the Lady Pioneers in RBI with four of their 15, followed by Sharpe with three. Rains and Wells both had two RBI. Damon, Wiser, Porter and Young all tacked on one.

Sharpe pitched the first four innings and came out with 13 hits, nine runs and two walks. Denning added one hit across one inning.

Warren County was unable to duplicate this in their final game of the weekend later that afternoon, falling 3-2 to Stewarts Creek.

The team notched six hits, with two each for Rains and Porter. Damon and Wiser both added one hit.

Rains had the Lady Pioneers’ lone RBI.

On the rubber, Gudat pitched all five innings, striking out three and finishing the day with five hits, three runs and one walk.