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Everything on the line
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Nikki Childers
Updated: Oct 11, 2012, 11:26 PM
Published: Oct 11, 2012, 11:27 PM

Tommy Johnson has coached many big football games in his career, but the biggest game during his three-year tenure at Warren County High School will be tonight in White County.
Warren County (2-5) hopes to secure its first playoff bid since 2008 with a District 6-AAA win over the Warriors on the road.
When action kicks off at 7 p.m., both teams will be playing for a chance to play in the postseason. Coach Johnson has addressed this fact with his Pioneer squad and knows what a win would mean to his program.
“We’ve talked about it during practice and pushed the guys to work harder in hopes of making the playoffs a reality here,” said Johnson. “Everything changes in the postseason. Records are reset and it becomes about who is the better team that night. We want to get there and show we’re a good team.”
Each team will come into tonight’s game with some momentum. The Pioneers are still riding high after a 43-32 victory over the Coffee County Red Raiders Sept. 28, while White County won 27-12 last week over Loudon on Homecoming night.
In many ways, the two programs have been mirror images this season. Both teams have 2-5 records, including a 1-3 record against common opponents.
The Pioneers and Warriors each own wins over Coffee County, but fell to Smith County, DeKalb County and Cookeville. The losses to Cookeville, which has clinched at least a share of the District 6-AAA title, make tonight’s game so important.
With a win, Warren County would secure the No. 2 spot in the district standings and a berth into the playoffs. A loss would mean the Pioneers would fall to 2-2 in district, which is the worst White County could finish and the Warriors would own the tiebreaker.
Beating the Warriors will likely come down to whether Warren County can contain White County junior tailback Blake Lynn.
After the Warriors lost All-District 6-AAA quarterback Devin Davidson to a season-ending leg injury against Cookeville, Lynn has been the focal point of the White County offense.
Lynn is coming off a three-touchdown performance against Loudon, including catching the first Warrior touchdown pass in 16 games.
Coach Johnson knows the talented playmaker for the Warriors will make things difficult for the Pioneers.
“We’re really going to have to watch where No. 7 lines up,” said Johnson. “He’s their go-to guy. They do a lot of things to get him the ball. We have to play disciplined and make sure tackles.”
If the game turns into a shoot-out, it should favor the Pioneers. Warren County averages 31 points per game in district action, while White County scored a total of 26 points against Cookeville and Coffee County.
The play of junior running back Cameron Lusk has fueled the Pioneer offense against district foes. Lusk went over 100 yards in Pioneer victories over Cumberland County and Coffee County, but was held to 22 yards in a loss to Cookeville.
Lusk should receive hand-offs from two quarterbacks tonight as Lee Carden and Hunter Mullican will each see action. Mullican received most of the snaps in practice this week as Carden nursed an injury, but the junior should be able to play tonight.
Mullican had a huge game against the Warriors last year, throwing for 290 yards and two touchdowns, but Warren County lost 49-32.
Warren County has won the last two games between the teams in Sparta. The Pioneers beat White County 49-48 in overtime in 2010 and won 35-0 in 2007.
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.