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Re Porter - Perfect pigskin picking
bethany porter

For my first column in the sports section, I’ve decided to explain my Pigskin Panel reasoning. I’ve had multiple people I know, including my own dad, questioning why I pick the way I pick. There have been people who don’t even really know me, but know my sister who have asked her what the heck I’m doing. My dad begged me week after week to simply look up who was favored to win and even showed me how. Clearly, I did not do that. 

In the beginning I quite literally circled willy-nilly. I just picked whichever team I was feeling and always picked the Titans because they are the only team I actually watch play. This strategy worked for like two weeks and quickly went downhill. 

 Later into the season, I had the wonderful idea to leave it to fate. I recruited Taylor Moore to be my official circle-er. Every week I would pick out a different colored pen (I have so many different colored pens) and hand the pen and my paper with the games on it to Taylor. I wouldn’t even look at the games. I then sat across from him and said left or right. 

The only exceptions I made while blindly picking was requesting that he always circle the Titans and usually avoid picking the Bills because I don’t like them. This is why my picks were so wild most of the time. I did get lucky a few times and win a few games, but I quickly widened the gap between me and the other players in a very bad way. 

Near the end of the season, I was told the record number of losses was like 112. When I learned that I was already at a hefty 109 losses. I vowed to not lose any more games, but didn’t change anything about my picking process. That clearly didn’t work and I now hold the new record for most losses. 

A week ago, Pat decided Jeffery cheated (I agree) and wanted to start fresh with the playoff games and the Super Bowl. I thought this was my chance to win. I handed a blue pen to Taylor (because blue is the color of first place) and I told him “left, left.” I picked the Bengals and the 49ers. Later that day I realized I was the only one who picked both of these teams and just knew I was going to win. I was absurdly confident that I was about to win. 

The Bengals and 49ers were not on the same page as me at all. Instead of winning, I became the only person on the panel with zero wins. Apparently we are also picking for the Super Bowl. I think I will also leave it to fate and hand my paper to Taylor and tell him right or left. We might also be picking points and I have a great idea for that. I will write down a few different numbers, put them in a hat, and then draw them. So if my point prediction for the super bowl is like seven, mind your own business.  


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.