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Volleyball team handed tough loss
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Nikki Childers
Updated: Sep 8, 2012, 7:23 PM
Published: Sep 8, 2012, 7:24 PM

In one night, the Warren County High School volleyball team looked like it was primed to erase 25 years of losing to the Cookeville Lady Cavaliers.
The Lady Pioneers took the first two sets of Thursday’s road match and were one more set away from ending Cookeville’s 30-game district winning streak, but finishing off the Lady Cavaliers proved to be too much.
After Warren County won 25-22 and 25-23, Cookeville swept the final three sets 25-23, 25-23 and 15-6 to hand the Lady Pioneers their fourth loss this season and keep its dominance of District 6-AAA intact.
Cookeville’s winning streak over Warren County started seven years before the oldest members of the current Lady Pioneer team were born, but seniors Caroline McKinley, Blair Fisher, Kaitlin Lawrence, Megan Dishman, Karaline Deaton and Emily Newman have been pointing to this season for four years as the time the Lady Cavaliers would fall.
The prediction looked promising when Warren County won back-to-back sets off Cookeville for the first time in 25 years, but coach Franklin Fisher saw his team struggle to finish in the third and fourth sets.
After the Lady Cavaliers fought back to tie the match, all the momentum was on Cookeville’s side as it coasted to a victory in the fifth set to claim the victory.
Although the loss was devastating for the Lady Pioneers, coach Fisher couldn’t have been prouder of his team following Thursday’s near miss.
“I’m extremely proud of these young ladies for their effort,” said Fisher. “It was a great match except for the outcome. We played strong for two and a half sets, but lost focus and had problems finishing them.
“It was the first time in 25 years we have won back-to-back sets against Cookeville and we’ll go back to practice and strive to get that third set next time.”
Warren County went into Thursday’s match knowing the history behind the rivalry, but the Lady Pioneers weren’t intimidated by Cookeville.
With Fisher finding McKinley, Dishman and Lawrence for kills, the Lady Pioneers won two hard-fought sets by the narrowest of margins.
Warren County looked well on its way to a sweep by jumping out to a lead in the third set, but Cookeville started its comeback.
The Lady Cavaliers rallied to win 25-23, the same score Warren County won with in the first two sets.
Coach Fisher thought McKinley’s play jumped a notch in the fourth set, but the same result followed. The Lady Cavaliers won again 25-23, setting up a showdown in the final set.
Cookeville was up to the task, while the Lady Pioneers were shell-shocked by the turn of events. The Lady Cavaliers won the final set by nine, which was one more point than the total difference in the first four sets.
With the loss still fresh, coach Fisher wants to get back to practice to correct the things in an attempt to win the rematch in Warren County Sept. 27.
“We will go back to practice and work on the aspects of the game we can control,” said Fisher. “The team fought as a unit to come back several times, but we just couldn’t finish. Winning in the tournament will be what matters most.”
Deaton led the Lady Pioneers in service points, finishing with 24. Newman was right behind with 23.
Fisher had 21 assists to led the Lady Pioneers. Most went to McKinley, who finished with a team-high 23 kills and four blocks. Dishman added seven kills and 17 digs.
Warren County will be back on the court Thursday when the Lady Pioneers travel to Grundy County for a match. Action is set to start at 5 p.m.
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.