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Eyes on the Tigers
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Nikki Childers
Updated: Aug 11, 2012, 8:49 PM
Published: Aug 11, 2012, 8:50 PM

With only a week left to prepare for the start of the football season, coach Tommy Johnson couldn’t afford to let a downpour cost the Pioneers a day of work.
Instead of sending his team home for a long weekend, coach Johnson started Friday’s practice in Charlie Dalton Gym working on special teams before the sun came out and gave Warren County just enough time to hold a second intersquad scrimmage of the preseason.
Friday didn’t provide the perfect conditions for football, but the Pioneers weren’t worried about things being perfect when they went to work with one week remaining before the team kicks off its season against the DeKalb County Tigers.
When lightning forced the Pioneers inside, coach Johnson and his staff decided special teams needed some extra attention. After spending an hour going over kicking, the sun finally emerged and the Pioneers got a surprise when the team took the field.
Coach Johnson held a sequel of last Saturday’s “Blue and White” scrimmage as he split the Pioneers into two teams for a short intersquad scrimmage.
The results didn’t change much as the White team won 7-3 Friday, getting a touchdown catch from freshman Ethan Fliss to win.
The Blue team was forced to settle for a field goal on its only possession, which started after Christian Taylor recovered a fumble on the White team’s first drive.
Junior Johnny Smith connected on a 25-yard field goal after the Blue team drove the length of the field behind the running of Cameron Lusk and arm of freshman Christian Wilkinson. Wilkinson completed two passes on the drive, connecting with senior Kendall Rutledge and freshman Josh Clark.
The White team rebounded from its early miscue to win again. Hunter Mullican led the White team to the win as the junior QB tossed a touchdown on a fade route in the red zone to Fliss.
Closing out another week of practice with a successful scrimmage was exactly what coach Johnson wanted as his team shifts its full focus to the Tigers.
“I feel pretty good about where we’re at,” said Johnson. “We accomplished what we wanted to accomplish. We’re stronger than we were a year ago, we’ve installed an offense that can control the clock and our defense should be improved.”
The Pioneers will take the practice field tomorrow with only four more days to prepare for DeKalb County, which turned heads last season by finishing the regular season 8-2 and advancing to the state playoffs.
The Tigers started last season with a 26-7 victory over Warren County at Nunley Stadium, snapping a two-game losing streak in the series that has been played every year since 2005.
The Pioneers will be looking for pay back when the lights come on this Friday in DeKalb County and coach Johnson feels like his team is completely different from the one that took the field last year.
“I feel like we have a good thing going on right now,” said Johnson. “For the first time since I’ve been here, we’ll have a senior class full of contributors who have grown up in our system.
“It all comes down to us not making mistakes. We still can’t afford to beat ourselves with mistakes.”
The Pioneers have a busy week planned before the season starts Friday in Smithville. Along with a week of practices after school,  the Warren County High School junior varsity team will play tomorrow night at 6 p.m. against Coffee County at Nunley Stadium.
On Thursday, the whole team will get involved as Walmart has planned a  pep rally for the Pioneers. More details of Thursday’s kickoff party will be available in Wednesday’s Southern Standard.
Friday’s game at DeKalb County will begin at 7 p.m.
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.