TCS athletes have racked up state and national awards over the last couple of months, and some of those individuals were recognized during the March Board of Education meeting.
In total, Tullahoma had 15 individual athletes honored, as well as the THS boys wrestling team that earned its seat in the TSSAA State Duals for the second year in a row. Tullahoma defeated Sycamore 39-33 in the opening round at state but lost to Signal Mountain and Fairview, finishing the tournament tied for fifth. The Wildcats finished the year with a 25-11 record in dual meets.
The Wildcats wrestling team also had six individual wrestlers qualify for the TSSAA Individual State Tournament. Caleb Adkins, Cody Agnell, Connor Avans, Eric Barragan, Jerzy Hendrix, and Robert Tatum competed in the individual state tournament. Out of those wrestlers, four left Franklin as state medalists. Agnell, Adkins, and Avans all finished fifth in their respective weight classes at the state tournament, while Tatum placed sixth.
The Lady Wildcats wrestling team had six wrestlers qualify and compete at the TSSAA Individual State Tournament. To be eligible for the state tournament, competitors needed to finish inside the top four of their respective weight classes at the region tournament. Brittney Meneses, Tiona Harden, and Zoe Holley all placed second at regionals, while Kaira Webb, Laken Potter, and Payton Agnell all placed third at the region tournament. As a team, the Lady Wildcats finished third in the points at the region tournament.
“All of these wrestlers deserve to be celebrated for their awesome accomplishments,” said TCS Athletic Director John Olive. “I also want to thank head coaches Sean Adkins and Eric Fuerbacher for maintaining the success of these two programs. Both were in their first year as head coaches and watching these wrestlers compete was a lot of fun.”
Earlier last month, Ashley Scott won the national championship in the Young Adult Barebow division at the Scholastic 3-D Archery National Finals held in Las Vegas. Ashley totaled 253 out of a possible 300 points, hitting two Xs during her outing. For her winnings, Scott received a plaque, and 12 scholarship offers from universities around the country, ranging from $1,000 to $2,500.
“Ashley has proven to be committed to the sport of archery for many years, and all of her hard work is paying off,” said THS Principal Jason Quick. “Her passion for chasing excellence with her bow has made her a champion again. THS could not be more proud of her.”
Tullahoma High School juniors Olivia Murphy and Logan Holt recently competed at the Tennessee Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association’s State Championships in Knoxville. The two-day competition took place on the campus of the University of Tennessee.
Murphy led the pair of THS swimmers with top 20 finishes, including a state-medalist performance in the 100-meter freestyle. After competing against 800 other swimmers, Murphy landed a spot in the finals, where she finished sixth, setting a new personal best with a time of 52.88 seconds in the race.
Murphy had another strong performance at the state championships as she competed in the 100 butterfly. After making the finals, Murphy placed 11th overall, again setting a new personal best as she finished at 58.26.
“Finishing on the podium for the 100-meter freestyle was one of the best experiences in my career,” Murphy said. “I went from having a dog fight in the early rounds to making it to the ‘A’ finals before I took sixth in the state. I am also really happy with my 100 butterfly performance, although I would have liked to have done better in the finals.”
Holt also competed in two events at the state championships, participating in the 50 and 100 freestyle races. After battling 800 additional swimmers, Holt placed 47th in the 100 freestyle with a time of 51.14. He additionally finished 63rd in the 50 freestyle at 23.38.
“Attending the state championship for swimming for the second year in a row was exciting,” Quick said. “I have often said swimming is one of the most challenging sports as it requires discipline and commitment from its young participants. As expected, Olivia and Logan were excellently personified in the water. I always enjoy watching our Wildcats succeed in their endeavors.”
Murphy competed at the USA Swimming Southeastern Championships in Huntsville following the state championships in late February. She placed sixth in the 100-meter freestyle race, finishing 14th in the 50-meter backstroke and 16th in the 50-meter freestyle. Murphy will continue participating in the USAS long course seasons this spring and summer. Her performances at state and USAS have also allowed her to qualify for the Speedo Summer Sectionals held in Cary, North Carolina, in July.
“It has been absolutely incredible and amazing to see and celebrate some of the high-quality athletes that we have inside Tullahoma City Schools,” said TCS Director of Schools, Dr. Catherine Stephens. “I am looking forward to future meetings when we can celebrate some additional athletes, performers, and scholars for their accomplishments.”
Top Photo: The Tullahoma High School wrestling team was honored during the March Board of Education meeting. The Wildcats competed at the TSSAA State Duals, where they tied for fifth, finishing the year with a 25-11 record.
