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WCHS anglers compete at state
Asa Robertson original
Photos provided Asa Robertson hits Old Hickory Lake early over the weekend to compete in the state championship. Robertson was one of 16 Pioneers to take part in the event

If fish are biting, then it won’t take long for the Warren County angling team to come around.

Members of the Pioneer angling team descended on Old Hickory Lake last weekend, taking part in a two-day state championship.

Pioneer standouts Samuel and Matthew Vandagriff were once again near the top of the field, finishing second out of 162 teams who cast the reels in search of the biggest bass. The brothers bagged five fish each day, with a total combined weight of 27.33 pounds.

The Vandagriffs held the lead after the first day, but Ezra Smith and Devin Howard surged on the second day to win the event, bringing in a combined weight of 32.73 pounds.

The Pioneers had eight teams compete in the event. Ethan Harris and Harley Muncey (10.37 pounds) finished 64th, followed by Jeff McCormick and Curtis Grissom (9.72 lbs., 69th), Will Prater and Aiden Grissom (9.41lbs., 71st), Blake Delong and Asa Robertson (9.19 lbs., 74th), Lane Lassister and Johnathan Walls (8.52 lbs., 77th), Jaymeson Hale and Easton Snider (7.46 lbs., 86th) and Jacob Frizzell and Trace Pack (1.17 lbs., 148th).

Along with taking in second over the weekend, the Vandagriffs were awarded for being the best bass fishing team in the state this year. The Vandagriffs won the TN Bass Nation points race, blowing away the competition by 31 points.

The brothers won on Center Hill Lake, took second in the state tournament and Battle of the Chick, and never finished lower than fourth in a tournament. The points race prize was a $2,000 scholarship to any school, along with a $40,000 scholarship offer to Bethel University. The brothers also took home $700 for second place.

Samuel capped the day by receiving the Hunter Northcutt Memorial merit scholarship worth $3,000.

The Vandagriffs will take part in the Bassmaster Texas Fest in two weeks, an event Samuel qualified for when he was named an All-American. The duo will also compete in the Bassmaster Nationals in August.  

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.