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Pioneers can't keep up with Cavs
IsaacGoldenWEB
Warren County High School Pioneer Isaac Golden takes the ball to the hoop with intensity Wednesday during the Sonic Shoot-Out.

It was a slippery slope Wednesday as the Warren County Pioneers, fresh off an initial win in the Sonic Shoot-Out, couldn’t find traction and fell to the Cookeville Cavaliers, 82-53.
In a decisive first quarter, it was the Cavaliers who set the tempo and tone, putting the Pioneers back on their heels, 26-8.
In a weary Wednesday at White County High School. Nothing went the Pioneers way. On the other hand, the Cavs hit four treys, five field goals and were a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe, all in the first eight minutes. Warren County is usually the fastest team in the room, but it was Cookeville’s speed and accuracy that troubled the Pioneers.
Freshman Pioneer Irving Espinoza, who hit the buzzer-beater bucket that won the last game, was Wednesday’s highest scorer for Warren County with 13 points, three from outside the arc. Tyree Ladet had some success with the fade, but basically the offense was plagued by misadventure as most of the trips inside the paint ended badly. Even a breakaway layup went wide for the Pioneers.
Nine Cookeville players scored, four with double digits led by Noah Hilliker who shot for 17 points.
“We need to come up to their level,” said Warren County head coach Chris Sullens. “We did it last year and now we know what it looks like again so we have to move faster, execute quicker.”
Isaiah Grayson went to the hoop for 11 points and the Pioneers did play their game, but they had a lot more difficulty with the Cavalier defense limiting opportunities and grabbing boards quickly. The Pioneers fell short on securing rebounds as often as most contests and Warren County never recovered from the first quarter.
Also scoring for the Pioneers were Ladet and K’Rojhn Calbert with 6 points each, Sloan Seymour 4, Ethan Smith and Austin Hodges both with 3 points, Isaac Golden, Caleb Newby and Hunter Black hit for 2 points apiece and Bunker Brock was good for 1.
The Pioneers played one last ballgame in the Sonic Shoot-Out on Thursday. Results were not available at press time. Sign up for the Standard’s sports text messages for the latest breaking news by texting “sports” to 77000. Data and messaging rates may apply.

WCHS baseball, softball compete in weekend tournaments
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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.