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Slatton wins her fourth 7-AA title
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Photo provided Lauren Slatton, center, won her fourth District 7-AA title Monday, shooting 66 to pace the field. The Lady Pioneers also qualified for the region tournament as a team as Slatton, Lilly Womack (left) and Ella Matheny finished third as a team in the district tourney.
Jeffery Simmons
Published: Sep 29, 2023, 2:10 AM
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Will Sporalsky, left, and Noel Davis will play in next week's region tournament after a solid showing in the district tourney.

It seems like every time Lauren Slatton steps on a golf course she is winning a championship. The feeling never gets old for the dominant senior golfer though.

Slatton won her fourth District 7-AA title Monday, dominating the competition at Golden Eagle golf course in Cookeville. Slatton shot a 4-under, 66, which was 11 strokes better than second-place Sarah Bass from Stone Memorial.

Coupled with Ella Matheny's 111 at Cookeville tough's course, Warren County was able to finish third among eight teams represented at the district event. Their top-3 finish will allow all three Lady Pioneers - including Lilly Womack - to play in next week's region tournament at Bear Trace.

Slatton has been dominant from the moment she teed off in the district four seasons ago. Her unstoppable run continued Monday, even if being crowned the top medalist did leave her with a somber feeling as well.

"It felt great (to win), but I was also sad that it would be my last," said Slatton about winning her final district tournament.

Slatton had a chance to beat her best score on the course - a 5-under carded earlier this season - but had a bit of an issue navigating the Par 5s in Cookeville.

Normally she is a lock to go low on the long holes, but she noted that she "missed my birdiet chances on three of the four Par 5s." 

Even when she wasn't at her absolute best, she was still easily good enough to take home another title. Now she'll get to prepare for her fourth region tournament, though this year will have a new feel.

Slatton has qualified as an individual her first three years, but this time she'll have her teammates with her at Bear Trace in Crossville. Coach JW Holt is hopeful the group can make a run all the way to state together.

"I think the team score will have to be in the 150s to win it," said Holt. 

Lincoln County could enter the region as a favorite, though Slatton still has an avenue to qualify for state as an individual (as she's done the last three years). Slatton is coming off a second-place finish in the state as a junior and is looking to win the title in her final round as a Lady Pioneer.

DeKalb County won the girls event Monday with a score of 160, while Upperman (173) finished second in front of Warren County (182). Bass was one of five girls to qualify for region as an individual. She will be joined by Sarah Tinsley and Kierstyn Ealey from Cookeville, Keely Cunningham from White County and Kelly McCartt from Cumberland County.

 Warren County's boys team also had a solid showing at the District 7AA tournament, though the Pioneers narrowly missed qualifying for the region as a team. Will Sporalsky, who shot a 6-over, 76, and Noel Davis (11-over, 81) will move on to the region as individual qualifiers though. Sporalsky also left the district tournament with a medal as his core was the fourth-best turned in Monday in a field of 38 competitors.

"I'm glad to see Will and Noel advance. It is always exciting to have our players advance in the postseason," said coach JW Holt, who also had two Pioneers - Chase Newby and Sawyer Seymour - make it to region last year. "Our goal was to shoot in the 340s as a team. We just came up a little short."

Warren County's boys team score of 358 was good for fifth. The team score included a 97 from Hayven Jones and 104 from Aubrey Bryant. Ty Childers also shot 113 at the event.

Cookeville won the boys side, shooting 297 as a team. Parks Fowler led the way with a 71 as he was named low medalist for the boys. Upperman (332) and Stone Memorial (336) also qualified for the region on the boys side. 

Individual qualifiers from Monday's boys district tournament were Sporalsky, Davis, William Blair and Bradley Hale from DeKalb County and White County's Lucas Dickerson. All five will play in next week's region tournament at Bear Trace for an opportunity to earn a bid to the state tournament in Sevierville. 
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.