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WCMS beaten in season finale
dante-elam
Pioneer Dante Elam looks for openings in Tuesday nights final game of the season versus White County. WCMS was defeated 20-12 after leading the Warriors at the half.
Kyle Robinson
Updated: Oct 8, 2015, 11:47 PM
Published: Oct 8, 2015, 11:07 PM

It was the final game of the season for the Warren County Middle School Pioneer football team on Tuesday. The Pioneers made the trip to Sparta and took the field against a winless White County Middle School team.
It was the final game of the season for each team and was homecoming for the Warriors. White County saved its best football for last and defeated the Pioneers, 20-12.
 “We made mistakes and they took advantage of it,” said WCMS coach Donnie Harris.
Added WCMS assistant coach Jeff Watson, “They came to play and they wanted it.”
Said WCMS assistant coach Nick Cantrell, “Every game we won this season we laid it on the line, so let’s build on that next season.”
The Pioneers picked up just over 100 yards on the ground behind a strong game from C.J. Taylor, who gained 75 yards on 19 carries.
Pioneer QB Dante Elam went 1-for-10 and his only completion was caught by Braden Bottoms for a 20-yard gain.
In the final two minutes, White County all but cemented the win with a 35-yard touchdown run. The Warriors took a 20-12 lead, but with a touchdown and two-point conversion the Pioneers could tie the game at 20.
White County attempted an onside kick with 1:55 to play. WCMS recovered the kick on the 49-yard line. Three straight runs by Taylor picked up a first down and had the Pioneers on the Warrior 39-yard line.
WCMS needed yardage and the clock continued to run. On first-and-10, the pass over the middle was intercepted and returned back deep into Pioneer territory. A flag after the interception brought the ball back to the White County 19-yard line.
The Warriors kneeled on the ball and time expired giving them the win on their homecoming night by a final score of 20-12.
The Pioneers went into the halftime down 8-6. WCMS immediately went to work in the third quarter and on its first possession with the ball at the Warrior 48-yard line. Kaden Jordan broke free and raced through the defense down the Pioneer sideline for a 47-yard gain and a Pioneer first-and-goal inside the 5-yard line. That set up a Taylor TD from three yards out and the Pioneer touchdown put WCMS in the lead 12-8.
The Warrior offense was deep in Pioneer territory and on third-and-15 picked up 32 yards on a pass play. Three consecutive pass plays followed and all three fell incomplete. White County had the ball on WCMS 45-yard line. On fourth-and-10 the Pioneers gave up a 55-yard pass play and White County reclaimed the lead 14-12 after a failed two-point conversion.
WCMS took the onside kick attempted by White County near midfield. On third-and-1, Jay Rozier picked up the Pioneer first down. A run for negative yardage and three incomplete passes later, the Pioneers turned the ball over on downs.
WCMS immediately scored in the first quarter on its first possession. A 20-yard pass set the Pioneer offense up first-and-goal at the 9. Taylor picked up seven yards on the first carry inside the 10. Jordan finished the drive when he hammered the ball in from two yards out.
White County left the Pioneers defense in the dust. The Warriors went to the air and unloaded an arsenal of passes good for 231 yards. The Pioneer defense had no answer for the Warriors passing game.
In its final game of the season, WCMS was defeated by the Warriors 20-12. The Pioneers finished its season with an overall record of 2-5.
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.