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Shelbyville's coach throws in the towel
Lady Pioneers win shortened match
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Every outing for the Warren County High School girls soccer team debunks the myth soccer is a boring, non-contact sport.
Tuesday’s match with Shelbyville featured two high-octane offenses, red cards, near fights, fan ejections, a freshman finishing with a hat trick and the Lady Pioneers taking home a 5-4 win. Warren County improved to 11-2 and was able to claim victory despite the game stopping with just over 10 minutes left to play.
Shelbyville coach Neal Gordon asked referees to stop the game late after play had been marred by several fouls and fan incidents in the second half.
Warren County coach Todd Willmore seemed to agree that the game was getting very physical, though he acknowledged the win should stand because the game was played past halftime.
Bad blood runs between the two soccer programs, dating back to the players battling in middle-school action. A raucous crowd spurred on the action, often leading to the referee stopping play to warn fans about their behavior.
Shelbyville jumped out to an early lead, getting three goals in the first half. The Lady Pioneers answered the first two goals by the Eaglettes, but went into halftime trailing 3-2.
Senior Ansley Mullican set up the first Warren County score by taking a free kick near midfield and blasting the ball to the goal. Freshman Madison Mason started her memorable night by knocking in Mullican’s pass, tying the game at 1-1.
Shelbyville responded quickly to retake the lead, but Mullican was able to find fellow senior Morgan McCormick for the equalizer. Mullican sent a pass through the Shelbyville defense to McCormick, who received the ball on a dead sprint.
With room to run in the 1-on-1 situation, McCormick maneuvered her way past the Shelbyville keeper and knocked home her 21st goal this season.
Action got heated late in the first half when senior defender Taylor Mullican was hit high with a flailing arm of Shelbyville striker Alexis Larion. Both players squared off near midfield and had to be separated by the official. It was the start of several players receiving yellow cards.
Shelbyville broke the 2-2 tie shortly before halftime, but Warren County would storm back to start the second half.
Mullican scored in the first minute after play resumed, giving her 30 goals this year. Mullican hit a perfect shot from the left wing that crept past the outstretched hands of the keeper.
With the game tied 3-3, the Lady Pioneers finally were able to take their first lead behind back-to-back goals by Mason. The freshman notched her first career varsity hat trick on two goals in the span of five minutes as Warren County went ahead 5-3.
During the course of the scoring, one Warren County fan was ejected for standing too close to the field and several parents on each side were warned for shouting.
Shelbyville would draw within one with a late goal, but the visitors wouldn’t get a chance to go for the tie. The last few minutes of action didn’t feature goals, but cards came out on both teams.
Shelbyville’s Lesleigh Blackburn, who scored two goals, received a yellow card for hitting Taylor Mullican high and Larion was ejected for her second yellow card late.
Warren County also had a player exit early as sophomore Lindsay Cox picked up a pair of yellow cards. Cox’s second card sent her to the bench while coach Gordon looked for the officials. The short discussion led to the match ending before the full 40 minutes had elapsed from the second-half clock.
McCormick, one of the Lady Pioneer senior leaders, tried her best to stay out of the mess late in the action, knowing any misstep could cost her team.
“It was pretty physical, but I tried to stay out of it,” said McCormick. “I didn’t want to get a red card and miss our next game.”
The Lady Pioneers were back on the field last night for their final regular-season home game. The score of last night’s District 6-AAA match against Rhea County was unavailable at press time. For more information, check Sunday’s Southern Standard.

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.