BY MIKE BLACKERBY SEVIERVILLE – The beat goes on for the record-setting Sevier County High School football team. The Smoky Bears moved to 11-0 for the first time in the program’s 100-year history with a 35-12 win over Central on Friday night in the … [Read more...]
THE BIG PREVIEW — Round One of the 2024 Playoffs: Bearden/Jefferson County, Halls/Morristown West, Cosby/Rockwood, Farragut/D-B
BY MIKE BLACKERBY It’s Week 12 of the high school football season, and there’s a sense of new beginnings and optimism as the TSSAA playoffs kick off in East Tennessee and across the state this week. Here’s a look at some of the more intriguing … [Read more...]
Zaydyn Anderson, Greeneville Football knock off rival Elizabethton, 41-7, for Region 1-4A Championship
BY MIKE BLACKERBY GREENEVILLE – When Greeneville’s Zaydyn Anderson gets his hands on the football, good things usually happen for the Greene Devils. Anderson, a rangy 6-foot-1 junior with track speed to burn, made a pair of game-changing plays … [Read more...]
THE BIG PREVIEW for Week 11: Greeneville-Elizabethton, Powell-West and more premier contests to prep for
BY MIKE BLACKERBY It’s hard to believe, but this is it. Week 11: the last slate of regular-season games for the 2024 high school football season. Two big-time rivalries that will determine region championships highlight the final Friday of … [Read more...]
THE BIG PREVIEW / Week 10 (2024) — Maryville-Alcoa, Gibbs-AC, Lenoir City-Oak Ridge, Coalfield-Oliver Springs
BY MIKE BLACKERBY The bye weeks and inconsequential games are for the most part over. As we steam into Week 10 of the high school football season, we’re playing for keeps from here on out. With two weeks to go in the regular season for teams … [Read more...]
THURSDAY SHOWDOWN: Knoxville West rallies past Anderson County for second year in a row
BY MIKE BLACKERBY West’s Pete Rogers was feeling pretty good about his chances. After booting field goals of 33 and 21 yards earlier in the game against Anderson County, Rogers lined up for his potential game-winning attempt with 36 seconds to … [Read more...]
THE BIG PREVIEW / WEEK 9 – West vs. Anderson County, Webb vs. Grace, Powell vs. Central, and more
It seems like the season just kicked off, but it’s already Week 9 of the high school football campaign as the Big Preview focuses on some of the pivotal matchups this week in the 5Star Preps coverage area: … [Read more...]
Cooper Newman, Bryson Headrick headline Sevier County’s win in Week 8 over Morristown West
BY MIKE BLACKERBY MORRISTOWN – The big-play Cooper Newman to Bryson Headrick connection clicked early and often Friday night as Sevier County (7-0, 3-0) rolled to an easy 37-7 Region 1-5A win over Morristown West (2-4, 2-1). … [Read more...]
THE BIG PREVIEW for WEEK 8: Carter-Gibbs, Rockwood-Harriman, BA-Catholic, Sevier County-Morristown West
BY MIKE BLACKERBY Week 8 of the high school football season is at hand as the Big Preview takes a gander at some of the key matchups this week in the 5Star Preps coverage area. It’s time to sort out the contenders from the pretenders in region … [Read more...]
Allen Russell steps down after 9 seasons as Anderson County High School head softball coach
BY MIKE BLACKERBY Allen Russell churned out some quality softball teams at Anderson County High School that kind of flew under the radar. That’s because Russell’s Lady Mavericks had the misfortune of playing during the Golden Age of softball in … [Read more...]