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Pioneers scrappy in setback
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Pioneer wingback Braylon Grayson is shown pulling away from the Mt. Juliet defense Friday night in Warren County’s season opener. In addition to his dazzling running, Grayson caught a 75-yard TD pass.
Brad Durham
Published: Sep 12, 2021, 5:47 AM

The Pioneers may have gotten a late start to the new season, but Mt. Juliet’s head coach, Trey Perry, said at halftime the Pioneers did not look like they were playing their first game. 

Warren County may have been down at halftime 28-13, but the Pioneers actually outgained the Golden Bears in the first half, 178 total yards to 162 total yards. The Pioneers put up a good fight for all four quarters, but lost the game 38-20.

Mt. Juliet came to Nunley Stadium ranked second in the AP 5A Prep Poll, yet the young, inexperienced Pioneers were not intimidated. Mt. Juliet scored first, and the Pioneers immediately answered when sophomore Jaythan Pleasant scored the first Warren County touchdown of the season on a 3-yard run to cap an impressive 73-yard drive.

Any questions the Pioneer fans had about this young team were answered in that drive. And if there were any doubters in the stands when Mt. Juliet went up 14-7 in the second quarter, the sophomore sensation, Jaythan Pleasant, electrified the crowd and Pioneer team with a 74-yard run to close Mt. Juliet’s lead to 14-13.

The other playmaker on offense for the Pioneers was Braylon Grayson who broke tackles and kept Pioneer drives alive with key runs. Showing the same versatility that he showed last season, Grayson caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from Nate Elrod on the Pioneers first possession of the second half.

Before Grayson made the touchdown catch, the Pioneers were down 28-13 with the ball on their own 25-yard line. It was third-and-5, and Elrod threw a bomb that travelled approximately 50 yards in the air to Grayson who caught the ball in stride. Grayson fought off a Mt. Juliet tackler after the catch and ran into the end zone. Beckham Scott made the extra point, making the score 28-20 early in the third quarter. The Pioneers were right back in the game.

Unfortunately, the Pioneers could not score again. Bad field position plagued the Pioneers all night. The Pioneers often started deep in their own territory, and the Pioneers punting game often gave Mt. Juliet great field position. The Pioneer defense allowed Mt. Juliet only 10 points in the second half, but the field position and costly penalties and mistakes kept the Pioneers from scoring more points.

There was one crucial error when the Pioneers went for it on fourth down on their own 7-yard line. There was confusion about Mt. Juliet declining a penalty, and the Pioneers turned the ball over on downs without putting the punt team on the field.  Mt. Juliet ran the ball in for the final score of the night after taking possession on the 7-yard line that made the score 38-20.

The close total offensive yards tells part of the story of how the Pioneers were competitive. Mt. Juliet outgained Warren County by only 12 yards, 326 to 314. Without question, the Pioneers showed a lot of promise in their first game after missing their first three games because of COVID. 

The Pioneers are looking ahead with optimism as they prepare this week for their first region game of the season against Cookeville. Playing an actual game will certainly make the Pioneers feel like a football team again after missing so many games and practices during a COVID shutdown.

COACH COMMENTS


Mt. Juliet head coach Trey Perry was soaking in the elements of Nunley Stadium before the game. Perry said, “I love this stadium and atmosphere. I do not think I have been here before. I love the traditional venues.”

Head Pioneer coach Matt Turner was very positive about his team’s performance after the game. Turner said, “Those kids proved that implementing a system and putting the program first works. They performed. I knew we were going to run out of gas. I would have liked to play this team after playing three games.”

Pioneer defensive coordinator Camron Bond said, “I thought we were hit or miss at times, but as the game progressed, we settled in. In the second half, we started tackling better. This was a lot of our players first varsity game.”


PLAYER COMMENTS


Junior lineman Dayton Jernigan talked about the difference of being on the team this year and how he thought the team performed against Mt. Juliet. Jernigan said, “The big difference is the leadership from last year. All those seniors last year were leaders to me. Now I have to step up. I think we did pretty good tonight. We gave effort. We gave them all we had. It was our very first game.”

Sophomore Jaythan Pleasant discussed the feeling of playing his first varsity game and running for a long touchdown. Pleasant said, “It felt good. I was a little nervous at first, but after that first play, it went away. I liked the 74-yard run. I have to give credit to my line. They blocked and I just hit the hole. I feel 100% ... both of my calves cramped up. I will be fine.”

Junior quarterback and safety Nate Elrod said, “I felt good. The line played good. We didn’t play bad, but we have to work on correcting our mistakes. On defense the biggest challenge was just making tackles. I knew that we would be competitive. I just wish it had been better on the scoreboard. We gave a lot of effort.”

Senior lineman Ethan Bernhardt spoke about the drives and long run by Pleasant. Bernhardt said, “That felt great. Seeing one of your teammates run down the field was fun. You just put your arms up and enjoy it.” 

NEXT GAME

Coach Matt Turner has stated often during the COVID shutdown that the region games would not begin until Week 5. The Pioneers need to win two region games to be assured a playoff berth. This Friday night the Pioneers will travel to Cookeville for their first region game. It is a game Warren County needs to win.

Turner said, “Cookeville is going to want to knock our heads off. We embarrassed them last year and they know that it is a region game. It will be dogfight.”

There is an interview with coaches Matt Turner and Camron Bond on a new Southern Standard on Sports that is available for viewing on the Southern Standard app and website, www.southernstandard.com. 

Download the Southern Standard app and follow Southern Standard Newspaper on Facebook and @sstandardnews on Twitter for updates on scores. You can reach sports via email at sports@southernstandard.com. 
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.