farragutpress

Sports

From Pharr to Buck to Cope

A ‘third generation’ state champ with FHS baseball, Copeland talks about what he’s learned from Buckner; ‘unreal job:’ Buck

June 4, 2025 by Alan Sloan

Garrett Copeland is now a “third generation” Farragut High School baseball state champ skipper. Taking over at FHS in 1998, then Ads skipper Tommy Pharr needed his sixth season (2003) to claim the first of his five at Farragut, with four more later at CAK. A top Ads assistant and former player of Pharr’s at Monterey High, Matt Buckner came from Bearden after six years leading BHS — having learned much from his mentor while tutoring a talented Dawgs pitcher, Copeland (Class of ’09) — and won a state title his first FHS head coaching season in 2010, grabbing seven state crowns in just 14 full seasons. In Copeland’s 2025 “rookie” season as a head coach after 12 assisting Buckner at FHS, he piloted a team largely inexperienced to the Division I-4A state title. About “Buck” (right photo, Buckner on the left with “Cope” after his state title win May 24), “He’s been a great mentor to me. ... He’s been a huge part of my baseball life,” Copeland said.

CareActer Star Athlete ’24-25 honorees told

June 4, 2025 by

Former Knoxville area football coach and Christian “Truckster” evangelist Dave Moore’s CareActer Star Athlete Program has named its 2024-2025 Star Athletes as recognized for seven Farragut-area high school programs in three sports: football, girls and boys basketball and baseball.

Football

Farragut: Robbie Jacobs, Landon Collins, Kent Carbaugh, Luke Finnegan, Jacob Cabrera, Randon Miller, Harrison Kilpatrick, Christian Campbell, Henry Dee, Noah Haag and Bryce Thompson

Hardin Valley Academy: Nathan Holbrook, Michael Stewart, Neal Henley, Evan Clarke, Kaden Cutcher. Grady Estep, Isaac Shelby, Ryder Dozier. Jayden Sheard and Rocco Pritchard

Bearden: Keaton Gilbreath, William Pendergrass, Jaxson Davis, Karnell Mills, Seth Henry, Aiden Thacker, Connor Gibreath and Paxton Parrott

Knoxville Catholic: Dominic Daddabbo, Jalen Wrancher, Liam Patterson, Ethan Hill, Casen Jenkins, Tyren Brabson, Amare Mckenzie, Gavin Jones, JR Fowler and Gavin Guinn

Christian Academy of Knoxville: Lincoln Rich, Maddox Mozingo, Jac Phillips, Ward Sterchi, Will Kelley, Zane Fields, Luke Whicker, Elijah Hoke, Graham Moffett and Alex Gilmer

Webb School of Knoxville: Ben Shawl, Hal Niendorff, Greyson Webb, Cruise Cunningham, Bradyn Hooker, Christian Mirochnikoff, Shavar Young, Baxter Johnson, Marvin Hicke and Michael Pemberton

Concord Christian School: Daniel McCoy, CJ Simpson, Dasani Mouldin, Cooper Bacon, Brandon Edwards, Cade Harrison, Asher Noe, Andrew Lumsdaine, Austin Gomes and Ethan Gomes

The next generation

FMS boys track-field wins Knox title, top state finishes include two runner-ups; pair of girls take top 5 in TN

June 4, 2025 by

Farragut Middle School boys track & field team captured the 2025 Knox County Middle School Track & Field Championships crown among a 32-team field, finishing first overall for the fourth time in program history. With top eight finishes in 10 of 15 events, these Admirals grabbed three individual Knox first-place honors: Nathan Jacobs in the 400-meter run and long jump, plus Brayden Wilder in shot put. Nathan also was part of three FMS top-finishing teams during the TMSAA Track & Field State Championships Saturday, May 17, in Clarksville. He captured second in the 400 and fourth in the long jump while teaming with Carter Maltais, Drake Lewis and Khai Tehranchian to finish runner-up in the 4 X 400 relay. Brayden claimed seventh place in discus, while Khai, Carter, Drake and Nicholas Stewart finished eighth in the 4 X 200 relay. “It was an honor and a privilege watching these boys rise to the occasion,” said head coach Sarah Archer, who was assisted by Randy Swartzentruber (top row, far left in photo), Nicole Jackson and Logan Bryant. “With such a new team, there were moments where they had to really dig deep and work together. I am proud of all their hard work and persistence to accomplish so much this season.”

State track-field top 3 for ‘other’ local programs

June 4, 2025 by

MURFREESBORO — TSSAA Track & FIeld State Meet top three results in Division I-AAA, Division II-AA and Division II-A (not including state champ teams Farragut boys and Webb School girls; see/read May 28 issue) May 20-22.

Boys Division I-AAA: 3200-meter run, Garrett Hawkins, champ, Hardin Valley Academy (9:16.16); 1600 run, Gabe Allen, HVA, third; pole vault, Gavin Bailey, second, Bearden (14-feet-6).

Girls Division I-AAA: pole vault, Katie Edmunds, second, Farragut (11-feet-6).

Boys Division II-AA: discus, JR Fowler, second, Knoxville Catholic (175-feet-10); shot put, Fowler, second (61-feet-5.75).

Boys Division II-A: 4 X 800 relay, second, CAK (8:20.48); 3200 run, Graham Lloyd, third, CAK; pole vault, Silas Fulford, third, CAK.