By DAVE LINK Jackson Bennett and Sparks Eltz have watched professional angler Jacob Wheeler of Dayton, Tennessee, compete at the highest levels of bass fishing. They only dreamed of fishing with him until recently. Bennett, a rising junior … [Read more...]
Bearden High School soccer standout Lucas Nordin named All-American
BY DAVE LINK Bearden’s Lucas Nordin recalls a quick conversation with his coach, Ryan Radcliffe, after the Bulldogs lost to Houston 2-1 in the 2021 Class AAA state championship, ending his sophomore season. “I remember my coach telling me, … [Read more...]
Inside Luke Smith’s ‘whirlwind’ first month as Knoxville Catholic boys’ basketball coach
BY DAVE LINK Luke Smith watched his first game of team camp as Catholic’s new basketball coach in early June and felt like he’d been away from high school ball for a long time. That’s because he had been. Smith was a star guard and Mr. … [Read more...]
2022 All-5Star Preps Offensive Player of the Year – Lukas Buckner, Farragut
BY DAVE LINK No telling the heights Lukas Buckner will reach the next two years with the Farragut baseball team, but the 2022 season will be hard to top. There was no sophomore slump for Buckner, who started at second base as a freshman in 2021 … [Read more...]
2022 All-5Star Preps Baseball Pitcher of the Year – Dylan Loy, Pigeon Forge
BY DAVE LINK Dylan Loy has some unfinished business to take care of when Pigeon Forge’s 2023 baseball season rolls around. Two straight runner-up finishes in the Class AA state tournament didn’t sit well with the Tigers’ left-handed pitcher and … [Read more...]
Alcoa anglers Joe Vaulton and Walker LaRue finish fourth in MLF World Finals
BY DAVE LINK Joe Vaulton and Walker LaRue of the Alcoa Fishing Team didn’t know what to expect June 22 when the Major League Fishing (MLF) High School National Championship started on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Alabama. They’d spent three days … [Read more...]
Oak Ridge QBs show glimpses in 7v7 at Webb; Fulton’s Marcellus Jackson evolving as starting QB
BY DAVE LINK Oak Ridge football coach Scott Cummings got a first glimpse of his new team in action Thursday afternoon at Webb School of Knoxville. Cummings, hired last December to replace veteran Joe Gaddis, watched his skill players go at it … [Read more...]
7v7 REPORT: Central vs. Farragut – Tuesday, May 21, 2022
BY DAVE LINK Tre Lyons is a rising senior at Central and a two-year starter at strong safety. Sam Myers will be a junior for the Bobcats this fall after spending last year as the junior-varsity quarterback. Lyons and Myers are competing for … [Read more...]
FCA FISHING FILES: Area anglers compete in MLF National Championship & Magellan Outdoors Bass Shootout
BY DAVE LINK Summertime is here, and it’s the peak of postseason for high school bass fishing. At least four teams in the 5Star Preps coverage area are competing this week in the Major League Fishing (MLF) High School National Championships on … [Read more...]
2022 All-5Star Preps Boys Soccer Player of the Year: Lucas Nordin, Bearden
By DAVE LINK Bearden’s Lucas Nordin has one regret about the 2022 soccer season. He wasn’t full speed for the Class AAA state championship game in Murfreesboro. Nordin, the 5Star Preps Boys Soccer Player of the Year, played in the 4-1 loss … [Read more...]