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DAVID HUNTER
The Cannon Courier
In the past two issues of the Cannon Courier, we previewed the CCHS boys' soccer, softball and baseball teams.
This week we finish up our season previews for the rest of the Cannon County spring sports teams, CCHS tennis and the Middle Grade baseball and softball teams. Also, Hannah Whited begins her final season running track for neighboring district rival, Murfreesboro Central Magnet, as she tries to qualify for the Spring Fling for the fourth consecutive season.
Junior Lionettes Softball
Last week, we previewed the 2017 CCHS softball team, which included several freshmen that made the move up from a successful CCMG softball team. Out of all the Cannon County spring sports teams, this team had the best overall record.
Even though, those players moved to high school, the Junior Lionettes are expected to be just as good this season. So far, so good as of March 15, CCMG is already 5-0 in 2017. Returning head coach Marcus Arnold was very honest about the Junior Lionettes No. 1 goal this season is to go undefeated since the program does not play in a conference, so no postseason action.
"That is all we got to play for, because we are not in a conference," Arnold said via phone last week. "So, we do not have a tournament at the end of the year to try to play and win. The main goal is to try to win every game, and that is the only thing we can control."
In fairness, Arnold also mentioned in the same interview, that several teams who are on the Junior Lionettes schedule this season along with them are hoping to create their own postseason tournament since a lot of them currently are not a part of a conference.
As for the team, the old cliché of they do not rebuild, they reload works perfectly with this program. A group of 12 eighth-graders, including pitcher Maddie Arnold, four seventh-graders, including newcomer to the program, but a great athlete, Rudy DeArmond, and a leadoff hitter, Rosie Davis, who is only in sixth grade leads this year's team.
"We got a good core of returning starters from last year, and a group of girls that got a lot of JV action last year, which is helping us this year," Arnold said.
The Junior Lionettes agree for them to reach their goal this season as it is a simple formula that all sports teams at every age level shoot for each season.
"We just need to keep playing and practicing hard," Davis said.
Eighth grader Josie Gannon added, "We just need to keep practicing and playing as hard as we are right now, and if we keep doing that we can be just as successful as we were last year."
Junior Lions Baseball
While their female classmates enjoyed a lot of success last spring, it was the opponent results for the other middle grade diamond team as they went winless in 2016. However, both the players and returning head coach Michael Bryson has put last season in the past, and they are looking forward to this spring.
"We act like that never happened," Eighth grader Tyler Southworth said.
Bryson added, "We do not want to look back, and we want to push forward every time we can. These guys are good at that. They take the game seriously, and sometimes they get down on themselves. We want them to look up after a play and know what they did wrong and shake it off and go to the next play. Same thing with last year, we want to shake that off, and go to the next game."
So far, the Junior Lions are 0-1, but they were very competitive in a 2-0 loss in their season opener last week.
Bryson has been pleased so far with the leadership shown by the five eighth graders to the young, but experienced players. Those eighth graders include Southworth, Jack Davis, Brady Bryson, Zachary Basham, and Dalton Hale.
"We have been giving them tips on how to spot a curveball, slider, and where most of your first pitches will show up," Davis said.
CCHS Tennis
Long-time head coach Ronnie Burks will be looking to replace Autumn King, who advanced to the Region Tournament in singles last season. Now, King has graduated, and a new crop of seniors led by Alli Howard, Leah Hyatt, Kasey Sadler and Kaylee Nemeth will lead the Lionettes this season as they will only have one male on the team, sophomore Landon Parton.
"We got the potential, and we just need to apply ourselves," Howard said before practice last week.
MCMS Track
In the short history of the program, the Lady Tigers have been known for their successful district running as they have won several state titles in both track and cross country.
Since, CCHS does not have a track team, senior Hannah Whited will make the short trip to Murfreesboro for the fourth and final year as a member of the Central Magnet School team.
She has been a member of the state champion 4x800 relay team during the Spring Fling held each May.
However, last year, they were one lap away from repeating, but CAK's Rebecca Story made the winning pass, and the Lady Tigers finished runner up at the Spring Fling.
The Lady Tigers, including Whited are looking for payback this spring.
"I am trying to enjoy it since it is my last season, and do the best I can," Whited said.
MCMS distance coach Julie Mullane added, "We are still smarting from the loss in the 4x800 and will obviously try one last time in Class A-AA to capture first place in the race, and Whited will play an integral part on the relay team. We will have the same girls as last year; however, Emma Harris will take over for Caroline Smith."
Whited will also compete in the two individual distance races, the 1600 and 3200 this spring.
