FHS soccer back to state
Fighting for ball possession are Farragut’s James Tourville (6) and Dobyns-Bennett’s Jeremy Horton.
Farragut High School’s boys soccer team is headed back to Murfreesboro for the first time since 2010.
The Admirals (20-3) answered an early wake-up call Saturday and defeated Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett in a high noon showdown at Farragut Stadium in the sectional round of the state playoffs.
The match was an afternoon tilt since Farragut’s graduation ceremonies were scheduled for Saturday night. The game was early but not as early as it could’ve been if the Admirals had lost in Region 2-AAA championship match on Thursday, May 16.
But Farragut won that game and got a 2-0 victory over Maryville and got to host a Section 1-AAA Saturday against the Indians (19-4-1).
“Getting that win [against Maryville] was big because it meant that we got to stay home,” Farragut head coach Wallie Culbreth said. “If we would have lost that game, then our kids would’ve had to travel and we would’ve had to leave campus at 6:30 in the morning to play at 11 a.m.
“It wasn’t a motivation but it was a huge relief. I tried to motivate the kids with it but I couldn’t.” read more
Underclassmen save Ads
Brett Hagenow, FHS senior catcher, shows the umpire the ball after tagging out Sevier County’s Dalton Ford at home plate in the second inning of this sectional showdown.
Though seven of the 11 Farragut players seeing significant playing time in Friday's Section 1-AAA showdown were seniors, the other four Admirals were huge contributors.
In the face of severe wildness from senior staff ace Kyle Serrano — giving up seven walks, a hit batter and two hits during 2 2/3 innings while starting on three days rest against Sevier County — a sophomore reliever would save the day.
“Raby was the man,” FHS head coach Matt Buckner said with excitement in the team’s post-game huddle about sophomore pitcher Patrick Raby, who helped carry Farragut to an 8-5 win at FHS's John Heatherly Field May 17. It marks the program's 12th Class AAA state tourney appearance in the past 13 years.
Admitting he was “a little bit nervous” while pitching in the biggest game of his life, Raby quickly walked two and allowed an RBI single, as the Smoky Bears (32-10) were ahead 5-2 after three innings with a trip to Murfreesboro on the line.
But the sophomore settled down quickly, ending the game by retiring 12 of the last 13 batters he faced with four strikeouts, one hit and no walks.
“My adrenaline was going. I had to calm down after [my] first inning” he said. “I felt amazing.” read more
Shootout failures end HVA soccer season vs. Rebs
Listening to excited Maryville goalkeeper Ryan Jorgensen after his performance against Hardin Valley Academy, it was more than good guesses when explaining how he blocked three of four HVA shootout “penalty kicks.”“I’ve got my own little theory, but I can’t say,” Jorgensen said after his Rebels outlasted the Hawks 3-1 in a “pk” shootout following a 110-minute 1-1 tie to decide this Region 2-AAA tourney semifinal at HVA Tuesday, May 14.
Jorgensen got the game into pk’s after his fingertip diving stop of an Ethan Haskell header, apparently headed into the net, midway into the second 10-minute overtime.
Hardin Valley was inches away from victory midway through the first five-minute sudden-death overtime. Cameron Schneider’s well-timed pass into the box to Logan Kington was quickly passed right to a cutting, and open, Jeff Lohman. However, Kington’s pass was just barely beyond Lohman, who would have had a short, open toe-tap attempt to win the game.
Hawks goalkeeper Ivan Torres, who according to HVA head coach Mike McLean played only his second game of the season in goal, came up big. “He did a great job,” said McLean, whose team ends the season 8-6-4.
Down 1-0 at halftime, HVA tied it in the 63rd minute. Sean Ryan’s pass into the box was headed into the net by Lohman from eight yards out.
“Our boys, when we have to play we step up and play. You’ve seen that through the district tournament,” Hawks senior forward Chris Gallaher said. read more
Ads’ defense steps up vs. OR
Farragut High School’s boys soccer team got a stellar defensive effort when it was needed most.The Admirals allowed just one shot in a 2-0 victory over Oak Ridge (14-9) in the Region 2-AAA semifinals Tuesday, May 14, at Farragut Stadium.
Farragut, which improved to 18-3, needed its defense to step up because senior goalkeeper Gus Green couldn’t play.
“I’ve been having flu-like symptoms and I think it’s pretty much passed, but my whole body has been aching,” Green said. “My defense didn’t let up.
“They knew that I was sick and I have to give it to my defense.”
Admirals’ head coach Wallie Culbreth said that his defense was key to the victory.
“The defense really played well,” Culbreth said. “They knew that Gus wasn’t feeling well and they really stepped up and that shows you just what kind of team this is.
“Gus faced one shot.” read more
Lady Ads fall at Seymour
SEYMOUR — Farragut High School saw its season come to an end Friday night.The Lady Admirals dropped a 4-0 decision to Seymour at T.J. Carter Memorial Softball Field in a Section 1-AAA contest.
Farragut, the District 4-AAA regular season champion, district tournament runner-up and Region 2-AAA Tournament runner-up, notched a comeback win at Halls to get to Friday’s game. But the Lady Admirals, who made several comebacks this season, didn’t have one more against the Lady Eagles (41-6-1).
Farra-gut, which finished the season 30-12, mounted a threat in the top of the first inning when junior center fielder Avery Blankenburg doubled with one out. Blankenburg was stranded at second as Lady Eagles’ senior right hander Carly Lewis recorded the final two outs of the inning when she fanned Shelby Miller and got Mary Claire Coyne to pop up to first.
Lewis, who notched her 21st shutout of the season (and fourth in the playoffs), escaped the first and went on to retire the next six Lady Admirals and record five strikeouts over the next two innings.
“She did a good job keeping us off-balance,” said Blankenburg, who had the only two Farragut hits off of Lewis. read more
sports briefs
• Youth ages 13 and under are invited to 29th Annual Bob Watt Youth Fishing Rodeo, starting with registration on site at 9 a.m., Saturday, June 8, at Anchor Park, 11730 Turkey Creek Road. Fishing to follow from 9:30 to 11 a.m. For more information, visit www.townoffarragut.org or contact Lauren Cox at lauren.cox@townoffarragut.org or 865-966-7057.• Upcoming outings for Harvey Broome Group, Tennessee Chapter of the Sierra Club: Saturday, June 1, wildlife float, Rankin Wildlife Management Area, Douglas Lake. Pre-register with Ron Shrieves: phone 865-922-3518; ronaldshrieves@comcast.net (e-mail preferred). Saturday-Sunday, June 1-2 (date has been revised), backpack, Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area (Jefferson National Forest, Va.). Pre-register with Will Skelton at 865-523-2272, 654-742-2327 or whshome@bellsouth.net.
playbook TSSAA schedules
• TSSAA Division I Class AAA Baseball State Tournament began this week in Murfreesboro, with Farragut (32-8) in the “Lower “Bracket” with Centennial, Dyer County and Tullahoma. If the Admirals were still alive Thursday, May 23, they would be playing at Oakland High School starting at 3 p.m. (EDT), 2 p.m. (CDT), Thursday, in a winners bracket game or an elimination game. Another game, if necessary, would be played immediately following the first Thursday game. Championship game begins at 6 p.m. (EDT), 5 p.m. (CDT), Friday, May 24, on Reese Smith Jr. Field at MTSU against either Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett, Riverdale, Brentwood or Collierville.• TSSAA Division I Class AAA Boys Soccer State Tournament began this week in Murfreesboro, with Farragut (20-3-0) having sought to survive a quarterfinal game versus Smyrna and, if they won, a semifinal match versus the Houston-Ravenwood winner (all played after deadline). If Farragut won both games, it would be playing in the championship game starting at 8 p.m. (EDT), 7 p.m. (CDT), Friday, May 24, at Richard Siegel Soccer Complex against either White Station, Maryville, Franklin or LaVergne. read more
