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PERFECTION
Irving College wins county title
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Anden Green and Drystan Cantrell celebrate after the Irving College Tigers completed a perfect season in 7-8 grade elementary basketball. - photo by Jeffery Simmons
Jeffery Simmons
Published: Feb 11, 2024, 3:35 AM

An unforgettable group of Tigers made sure to wrap up their impressive careers with a championship Friday night. Irving College, led by a group of eighth graders who have been hanging banners for the last three years, topped Dibrell 42-32 to complete a perfect 14-0 run through the Warren County 7-8 grade league this season.

Anden Green scored a game-high 25 points on his way to MVP honors, while sidekick and flamethrower Drystan Cantrell added 13 points as the Tigers outlasted the Wildcats in a tough championship matchup. Dibrell, which upset Centertown to make the finals, held its own until the very end and got a big nights from Andre Mietling and Dylan Hernandez (10 points each).

Many of the same kids on the floor at Charlie Dalton Gym Friday were on the 5-6 grade Tiger team two years ago that went perfect while collecting a county championship. They were on a mission to be perfect again when they put on their Irving College jerseys on again one final time.

Dibrell didn't make it easy. The Wildcats sent waves of defenders at Green, who was coming off a 39-point performance against Morrison in the semifinals, and attacked the rim to build an early lead. Brayan Lopez and Stuart Garcia opened the game with back-to-back layups, getting open looks off the left side to push the Wildcats up 4-0 in the first minute. The Tigers rallied to tie the game at 8-8, but Halen Myers came back with a 3-pointer from the left wing over two defenders to spark a 7-0 run. Lopez capped the spurt to make it 15-8 Wildcats with just 45 seconds left in the first quarter.

Cantrell gave the Tigers some momentum with a step-back triple to end the first, then Irving College took its first lead, 18-17, in the second quarter on a contested layup from Mikey Fults. Fults  played a huge role for the Tigers stepping up in the paint with big man Peyton Rucker sidelined after sustaining an injury in the semifinals.

A late corner 3-pointer from Cantrell, along with a strong take for a layup from Green in the waning seconds, helped Irving College build a 23-19 advantage at halftime.

Green was just warming up. The star guard broke loose in the second half, setting up most of his offense by grabbing steals and beating the pack back down the court on defense. His coast-to-coast scores and wide array of tough pull-up jumpers from all over the court were part of a 14-point outburst as the Tigers pulled away.

Trenton Martin added the final touches, rolling in a layup while being fouled as a packed crowd of Tiger faithful went crazy. When the final seconds ticked away, the Tigers were able to celebrate perfection once again.

Following the championship, both teams were showered with accolades. Green (MVP), Cantrell and Mason Petrovic were named all-tournament from the Tigers, while Mietling, Myers and Hernandez earned the same honor from the Wildcats. 
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.