farragutpress

Sports

Brummitt boosts Ads in complete game shutout

April 8, 2026 by Jake Nichols

Travis Brummitt Jr. fired a fastball toward the plate, a red zero glowing on the scoreboard behind him.

He tossed six more goose eggs on the board throughout the evening, posting a complete game shutout in a 7-0 win over Rhea County on Monday, April 6.

It was a nice bounce-back for the Admirals, who moved to 7-0 in District 4-4A after losing to Lakeway Christian 5-0 last week.

But it also marked an impressive response from Brummitt Jr., who found his sweet spot under a cotton candy sky.

“Coming off my last start, I struggled a little bit and didn’t have my best stuff,” Brummitt Jr. said. “So it was good to come out and do what I needed to do.”

The Pellissippi State signee was businesslike in his approach, setting down the Golden Eagles’ first four batters. He gave up an error and a single before plucking 17 outs in the next 18 RCHS at-bats.

“To see him go a complete game and have his stuff late in the game is big for us,” Farragut coach Garrett Copeland said. “He’s continued to take strides in conditioning and stretching out games, and it’s effective.”

So was Brummitt’s heater, which rendered Rhea County helpless throughout the night.

“Mainly 2-seam and 4-seam,” Brummitt said. “Just beat them with it, and they didn’t do anything with it until that last inning.”

Lady Ads dominate, improve to 8-0 in district

April 8, 2026 by Ken Lay, Correspondent

Farragut High School entered this week as the only team with a perfect District 4-4A record, and the Lady Admirals kept that undefeated mark intact with a victory over McMinn County Monday night, April 6.

Farragut’s journey through its league schedule has included several lopsided victories; and before the Lady Admirals dismantled the Lady Cherokees, 14-1, Monday night, they made short work of Kingston Pike rival Bearden on Tuesday, March 31.

Farragut (17-4 overall, 8-0 in the district) routed the Lady Bulldogs, 10-0, in five innings at BHS’s Kim Hazelwood Field.

The Lady Ads got off to a quick start as they scored twice in the top of the opening frame as Hannah Grace Johnson came up with an RBI single. Johnson later came home as Rylee Raby reached on an error, making the score, 2-0.

It was a night of small ball for Farragut, which had only one extra-base hit, a double by Raby. The Lady Admirals, however, collected 10 hits and took advantage of five errors. Farragut also was patient at the plate as they drew five walks.

FHS coach Nick Green would’ve preferred a bigger power display from his squad, but he certainly wasn’t going to complain about the apparent lack of style points.

Bearden, Farragut trade narrow wins

April 8, 2026 by Ken Lay, Correspondent

Longtime rivals Bearden and Farragut renewed acquaintances on the tennis court early last week at West Hills Park.

The two teams split a pair of matches on Tuesday, March 31, with the Lady Bulldogs edging the Lady Admirals, 5-4.

Farragut’s boys won, 5-4.

The Lady Admirals were without several of their top players, who had prior academic commitments.

“That was our first loss of the season for the girls,” Farragut coach Joan Swanson said. “We have players (on both teams), who are committed. We have the valedictorian and we have the salutatorian.

“We have chess masters and scholars. We had two tight matches and that just shows the depth of this team. We have nine seniors (combined), but we also have some young players who have stepped up. We have a talented team.”

The Lady Admirals won at No. 1 singles as Riley Turner (who normally plays in the No. 5 singles) defeated Claire Jenkinson, 8-3.

Farragut also won at No. 2 singles as Olivia Lu defeated Maggie Miller.

Rivalry tilt highlights lacrosse slate

April 8, 2026 by Jake Nichols

Last Tuesday, March 31, Farragut took a 3-1 lead over Bearden in the second quarter of their rivalry match.

Unfortunately for the Lady Ads, that is about where their momentum stopped.

BHS outscored FHS 16-6 from that point on, claiming a 17-9 comeback victory to mark its first-ever win at Farragut, per head coach Dawn Coe.

“It was awesome,” Coe said. “They worked hard, and we had a really slow start. It took us a while to get going and for us to really move the ball and get open, but we broke it open going into the second half. For the younger ones to experience that and the ones who have been here fighting for it since they were in eighth grade, it was great. I was so proud.”

Coe noted how impactful the team’s chemistry has been toward its 7-3 record, having lost 10 seniors to graduation before starter Sarah Schaefer tore her ACL earlier this season.

“Some have had some experience, and I have some playing with no experience,” Coe said. “They are locked in, they want to learn and have a fire about them. It’s awesome to watch them come together.”

On the same night as Bearden’s West win, Farragut showed a similar fire in a 13-0 drubbing of Science Hill on Senior Night.

FHS coach Savannah Thomas came away impressed with her team’s resolve, especially coming off the Bearden loss.

“There were a lot of tears, there were a lot of heads that immediately went down after the game,” she said.

UT, Vandy deliver spike in historic exhibition at Knox Catholic

April 8, 2026 by Jake Nichols

A historic event began with an inquiry.

In 2025, when Vanderbilt brought back its women’s volleyball program after a 45-year hiatus, new Vandy coach Anders Nelson posed a question to Tennessee coach Eve Rackham Watt: “How can we continue to grow the sport in our state?”

The answer came on Friday, March 27, as UT hosted Vanderbilt in a unique exhibition match at Knoxville Catholic High School.

It was not the first collegiate exhibition in the state to be held at a high school, as the teams faced off last season at Brentwood High School.

CAK defense shines against Bearden

April 8, 2026 by Jake Nichols

At 6:48 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, legendary skipper Tommy Pharr issued a command to his Christian Academy of Knoxville defense: “Just get an out!”

The task was easier said than done — the Warriors clung to a 3-1 lead, but Bearden threatened with two runners on, no outs and a full count on batter Jack Fennell.

Suddenly, though, CAK snapped into action and tripled Pharr’s request in a matter of seconds. The dizzying result left the Warriors winners at 3-1, as third-baseman Joey Sulish and shortstop Seaton Moffitt combined for a sharp double play before Alex Trimble made a diving grab in foul territory for the final out.

Those efforts, combined with a homerun-robbing grab from centerfielder Wyatt Jones, allowed the CAK defense to shine on a day when the offense did just enough to scratch across some runs.

“Wyatt made some good plays in center, then Joey on that line drive and Seaton having enough awareness at second,” Pharr said. “Then that last one in right field was phenomenal. Really good defense. Did enough to win, and that’s all we needed to do.”

The effort allowed CAK to survive a pitcher’s duel, as Warriors hurler Jon Thomas Slack and Bearden’s Colton Perkins went toe-to-toe for seven innings. They gave up five hits and laced two strikeouts apiece, though