Sports Briefs

Willie Matthews does it again!

Senior offensive tailback Willie Matthews has, in the words of coach Bobby Armbruster, “done something that most football players never do.” This week Matthews has won the Player of the Week, sponsored by First Citizens National Bank, for the second time!

The first time Matthews received this award was for his performance in the game against the Houston Mustangs, when he rushed 311 yards, carried the ball 24 yards, and scored two touchdowns.

Now Matthews has outdone himself. In the game against Raleigh-Egypt on Oct. 2, he rushed 277 yards, carried the ball 42 times, and scored four touchdowns. His contributions helped to lead the varsity team to their 30-14 victory, bringing their record to 2-4.

Bartlett marching band revs up for competition

The Bartlett marching band, led by director Dwight Dodd, has once again gained outstanding awards in the midst of the marching band season. In the district marching festival on Sept. 26, the band received a B+, and the guard, the percussion, and drum major Katherine Pugh all received A’s.

The band also participated in another competition on the same day. At Liberty Technical High School in Jackson, the band received third place in class at the West Tennessee Marching Festival. In addition, the guard placed third in the Lower Division, and percussion placed second in the Lower Division.

With these accomplishments under their belt, the band will attend the McDonald’s Invitational in Paragould, Arkansas, on Oct. 10. The next week, Oct. 17, the band will compete in the West Tennessee Small Band Championships at Trenton-Peabody High School in Trenton, Tennessee.

Carrie Conner prepares for state championships

At the peak of her high school athletics career, senior Carrie Conner has broken alumna Arielle Montague’s former record. Montague ran three miles in 22:37, and Conner has beaten that record with a time of 22:04.

A 33-second difference may not seem like much time, but to a runner, half a minute can be the difference between qualifying for state and staying at home and cheering for the team from the home front. Being one of the top ten runners in the region is pretty much the only qualification for a cross-country runner going to state, so every girl is competing against each other for a spot.

With the honor of being the sixth-fastest runner in the region, Conner is guaranteed a place for the state championships, but she wishes her team good luck and hopes that they will also be able to attend state.

Sports Briefs

Player of the week
Bartlett has produced yet another Player of the Week, sponsored by First Citizens National Bank. Senior Jeremy Merriweather won the award for his performance as the defensive linebacker against the Arlington Tigers on Sept. 18.

Merriweather’s accomplishments in this game include two knock-down passes, one quarterback hurry—in which he rushed a quarterback and made him drop the ball quickly—and six tackles.

Former Players of the Week include seniors Vernon Cavitt and Willie Matthews. The varsity team plays the Central High Warriors on Sept. 25 at 7:00. Their record still stands at 0-4.

Everyone loves C.C.
Senior Carrie Conner, known as “C.C.” among her friends, has been touted by cross-country coach Edward Sullivan as the “number one girl on the team.” In the Tennessee Classic 31st Annual Cross Country Meet on Sept. 20, C.C. made the five-kilometer run in 24:28.87 minutes.

The only reason this time is worse than her usual time is that the track on Sept. 20 was muddy and slick from the constant rain Tennessee had last week. Her time was the 169th best in the area when competing against hundreds upon hundreds of students from all four corners of Tennessee and some areas of Kentucky.

C.C.’s talent has been noticed not only by her own coach, but also by college coaches. The University of Tennessee at Martin is currently scouting her to sign with them after she graduates from high school.

Varsity volleyball hits the net
With an 8-5 record, the Lady Panthers’ volleyball team competed against the Ridgeway Roadrunners on Sept. 24 at 7:00 p.m. On the weekend of Sept. 25 they will play in the Franklin Tournament in Franklin, Tennessee. Their next game is Sept. 29 against the Bolton Wildcats at Bolton High School.