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WCMS completes basketball hires
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Grace Rains, left, and Tyra Wright were teammates in 2019 and now will be coaching WCMS together this winter.

It took some reshuffling of basketball staff at WCMS, but the Lady Pioneers finally have their coaches in place for the 2024-25 season. Macy Harrell Rasori will be taking over the sixth-grade team, while Grace Rains – last year’s sixth-grade coach – is moving up to fill the role as 7-8 grade coach.

Rains, 23, is stepping up to the challenge after Zach McCrary left the program less than two months after being hired. McCrary was selected as coach in May, but WCMS athletic director Betsy McBride noted he “decided to go a different career route,” when he left after setting the roster and taking the team to two camps in June.

The girls program has had a revolving door of coaches since Mendy Stotts’ departure in 2023, with Jeff Chisam leading the program last year before resigning in the spring. Rains will be the fourth coach in the last three seasons for the team when she leads the group onto the court this winter.

“I feel really excited and grateful for the opportunity. I am excited for the competitiveness which comes with the older group. It is a good step forward in my coaching career and I’m excited for this upcoming season with this group on girls,” said Rains.

Tyra Wright, a former Lady Pioneer who signed a D1 scholarship and played at Charleston Southern, is expected to be on the bench with Rains this year. Wright and Rains were teammates on WCMS and WCHS before both graduated in 2019 following all-district seasons as Lady Pioneers.

“I’m very excited to coach with my one of my best friends and teammates. I think we are a good mix and we will work well together to make the girls the best they can be,” said Rains.

Rasori’s willingness to step onto the sidelines gave Rains the opportunity to bump up to the 7-8 grade team. The new coach will be embarking on a new journey on the hardwood and is happy to be getting back into the game.

“I am very excited for this new opportunity to coach the sport I have loved since I was a little girl. I find the job intimidating, but exciting at the same time,” said Rasori. “I am very young, but have great eagerness to grow as a coach, educator and person in the process. I hope to help the program create better athletes with a great ambition to excel in not only basketball, but in life.”

Basketball games will begin in November. 


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.