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Pioneers get first win
WCHS tops Coffee County on the road
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The Pioneers notched back-to-back wins in their border battle with Coffee County on Friday night, entering the win column for the first time this season with a 32-21 victory in Manchester.
It was a tale of two halves for the Pioneers on their way to vanquishing their former district foes and moving up to a 1-3 record this year. The first half saw Warren County try to do it by the air with quarterback Hunter Mullican launching 16 passes before halftime while his platoon of running backs barely broke a sweat with just six runs from scrimmage. Mullican went 8-for-21 on the night for 161 yards, a pair of touchdowns and an interception.
The Pioneers were able to draw first blood late in the first quarter when a 21-yard field goal off the foot of Johnny Smith split the uprights.
However, their lead was short-lived as the Pioneer special teams continued to struggle. Coffee County’s Cody Howes started the second quarter off right for the Red Raiders when he returned a Warren County punt for a 55-yard TD.
The Pioneers wouldn’t trail long as Hunter Mullican hit his favorite first-half target, D’Andre League, for a 46-yard touchdown at the 10-minute mark of the second quarter. League led all receivers in the first half snatching four passes for 91 yards.
The first-half scoring was capped by an errant snap deep in Manchester territory on fourth down when the ball went over the Red Raider punter’s head for a safety. The miscue gave Warren County a 12-7 advantage going into the locker room.
The second half began with a three-and-out by the Pioneers and a drive that ate up nearly the whole third quarter by Manchester. The long drive that spanned 14 plays failed to put any points on the board for the Red Raiders as they turned the ball over on downs.
It was then Cameron Lusk erupted from the backfield, running over defenders before breaking free into the Coffee County secondary where he steamrolled two defensive backs on the way to a 78-yard touchdown run. Lusk carried the load for the Pioneers Friday night, rushing nine times for 119 yards. His run also set the tone of what would be a smash-mouth ground game strategy for the second half.
The subsequent two-point conversion attempt failed leaving the Pioneers with a 19-7 lead.
The Red Raiders responded in short order, marching their next drive down field and this time finishing the job when running back Reece Platt got in the endzone from four yards out with 2:45 left in the third.
With the flood gates opening both ways, the Pioneers returned the favor by slicing their way down field, this time on the shoulders of running back Tristan Reish.
Reish carried the ball five times for 41 yards, the last yard of which was a plunge across the goal line to give his squad a 25-14 lead just as the fourth quarter began.
Again working from behind, Red Raider quarterback Peyton Meeker, who went 11-for-29 for 235 yards, notched 59 yards of that total on a toss to Chris Vaughn who carried it to the house for a 59-yard touchdown. The long pass play, which came on a fourth-and-long situation, brought Coffee County back to 25-21 with a little over eight minutes left.
Warren County found itself faced with a fourth-down play of its own with 2:10 remaining. The Pioneers drove deep into Coffee County territory only to be backed up outside field goal range by an intentional grounding call.
Surrendering the ball would have given the Red Raiders one more chance to pull off a come-from-behind win. Facing fourth and forever from their opponent’s 32-yard-line, Mullican dropped back for one of his few second-half pass attempts, this one fired at a familiar target.
Lee Carden found himself in single coverage on a flag route and atoned himself by hauling in a 32-yard Mullican offering to ice the game.
The Pioneers were able to stonewall their hosts on one last threat in the closing minute to claim their first win of the season and defeat Coffee County by 11 points for a second straight year. They defeated Coffee County 43-32 at Nunley Stadium last year, marking the first time they had beaten their foes to the west since 2008.
The win is only the third win against the Red Raiders since 2000 in what has become a yearly border battle. The teams were in the same district until this year, opting to keep each other on their out-of-district schedules to preserve the rivalry.
The Pioneers’ next challenge will be a district tilt against the White County Warriors, who come to Nunley Stadium this week for homecoming.

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.