Cosby sweeps in District openers
CLINCH-Both teams were coming off losses and needed a boost. Both the Cosby Eagles and Lady Eagles found it tough going Tuesday night in their home opener against Gatlinburg-Pittman. The Lady Eagles, especially, have had some tough times in their first three games of the season, and really needed a victory for some confidence.
Cosby reaps rewards following stellar season
COSBY-It was certainly a football season to remember. The Eagles rebounded from a 2-8 season in 2007 to finish 8-2 during the regular season for a share of the Region 1-1A championship, a first for Cosby, and another trip to the playoffs. Despite an opening round loss to Midway, Eagle head coach Tyler Shelton couldn’t be prouder of his bunch.
“We practiced hard and we played hard,” said coach Shelton, “and you can’t ask for much more than that. The coaching staff put in a lot of long hours getting game plans together, and the players paid attention and listened. We would have liked to win that District championship outright, and getting past the first round of the playoffs. But, we’re working on those. We’re trying to build a successful history here, and it takes time. But, we’re making progress.”
Fellow coaches in Region 1-1A have seen Cosby’s growth and improvement since coach Shelton took over the program four years ago, and heaped praise on the program by voting five Eagles to the All-Region team and five more as honorable mention.
Named to the Region 1-1A All-Region team were seniors Mitch Miller, Spencer Grooms, Trenten Dunn and Matthew Hester, and sophomore Robert Herzog.
Named as honorable mention were Jordan Cates, Matthew Lane, Danny Raines, Cody Butler and Robbie Whitted.
“I think we should have more,” said coach Shelton. “This was a real team effort on our part this past season. We had different guys stepping up each and every week. They played together as a team, and we certainly had more guys that deserved the recognition. But I’m proud of those who were named.”
Grace Christian had the most players named to the All-Region team (six) including Frank Atticus, Phillip Hester, Patrick Green, Jordan Bel, Tyler Richardson and Blake Hester. From Cloudland were Matt Tipton, Nick Sluder and Jon Shell. From Unaka were Dustin Taylor and Drew Chambers. And from Jellico were Ryan Morress and Josh Kennedy. The players from Hampton were unavailable.
The Region 1-1A Most Valuable Player award went to Grace Christian tailback David Amos.
“I thought that should have gone to Mitch (Miller),” said coach Shelton. “What he did this year was incredible, and we played a much tougher schedule that Grace.”
Miller had nearly 1,300 yards rushing for the Eagles this past season, and they were tough yards against not only the Region 1-1A teams, but four schools higher in classification.
The Region 1-1A Offensive Player of the Year went to Randell Johnson of Cloudland while the Defensive Player of the Year went to Josh Peters of Unaka. The Special Teams Player of the Year went to Jacob Teetezman of Jellico.
That only leaves the Region 1-1A Coach of the Year, and here’s where the other Region coaches sat up and took notice. The Coach of the Year went to coach Shelton.
“I certainly didn’t expect that,” said coach Shelton. “I mean Grace and Hampton had the coaches I though it would go to. But, I was told that going from 2-8 to 8-2 and a share of the Region championship was the reason. You need a lot of help when you get this kind of award. It’s not just me. It’s my assistants and my players, not to mention the support from the school and our fans.”
Coach Shelton is far too humble. Since taking over the program four years ago, there has been much he has done. Coach Shelton is now 25-18, becoming Cosby’s winningest ever football coach with the Eagles’ victory over Cloudland early in the season. More importantly, he has three seasons with winning records and three trips to post-season play. And that’s with just four seasons under his belt.
BANQUET SET
To celebrate another successful season, the Eagle Football Banquet and awards presentations have been set.
The Football Banquet will be held on Saturday, December 13, at the Cosby School cafeteria starting at 6 p.m.
There will be great food, and, as always, some great stories and celebration over an outstanding season. Awards will be presented after the food has been served.
2009 SCHEDULE RELEASED
No sooner than the season finishes and the post-season banquet is set, Coach Shelton has already released his 2009 Cosby Eagle Football Schedule.
“It’s a little different,” said coach Shelton. “With us moving up to Class 2A and the new classification handed down by the TSSAA, we changed things up a bit. We still have our traditional rivals from our old Region (Hampton, Cloudland and Unaka), but we’ve added some new teams that should make it interesting.”
Those new teams on the schedule include Claiborne County, Gatlinburg-Pittman, North Greene, Hancock County and Cumberland Gap. Gone are Kings Academy, Jellico and Knox Gibbs. Back on the schedule for 2009 are Pigeon Forge and Chuckey-Doak.
“The reclassification was supposed to cut down on travel,” said coach Shelton. “But it really doesn’t do that. I’m really not thrilled with the new classification, but you have to take it and deal with it. I think we’ve set up a pretty good schedule. It’s a tough one, but that’s the way we like it.”
Tough in deed considering the Eagles will have to face Gatlinburg-Pittman at the Highlanders home. They’ll also be on the road at Class 3A Pigeon Forge, and at Hampton, Chuckey-Doak and North Greene. Of particular interest is the set of games following their season-opener on August 21, 2009, at home against Claiborne. The next three games on the schedule are on the road at Gatlinburg-Pittman, Hampton and Pigeon Forge. That’s just plain brutal.
With the new classification, only Cosby and Hancock County are in the same District.
“It’s kind of difficult to figure out at first,” said coach Shelton. “What you really have to do is put it up on a board, and then branch off the teams according to class and you get a better picture. We’re still in a tough Region, so no changes as far as tough is concerned.”
Cosby’s new Region has old foes Hampton and Unaka, and new foe North Greene. Only the top two teams will advance to the playoffs under the new system.
Here’s Cosby’s 2009 Football Schedule:
Week 0
Friday, Aug. 21: Claiborne County (Home), 7:30 p.m.
Week 1
Friday, Aug. 28: Gatlinburg-Pittman (Away), 7:30 p.m.
Week 2
Friday, Sept. 4: Hampton* (Away), 7:30 p.m.
Week 3
Friday, Sept. 11: Pigeon Forge (Away), 7:30 p.m.
Week 4
Friday, Sept. 18: Hancock County* (Home)(Homecoming), 7:30 p.m.
Week 5
Friday, Sept. 25: Chuckey-Doak (Away), 7:30 p.m.
Week 6
Friday, Oct. 2: Cloudland* (Home), 7:30 p.m.
Week 7
OPEN
Week 8
Friday, Oct. 16: North Greene* (Away), 7:30 p.m.
Week 9
Friday, Oct. 23: Cumberland Gap (Home), 7:30 p.m.
Week 10
Thursday, Oct. 29: Unaka* (Home) (Senior Night), 7:30 p.m.
*Denotes Region Game
(New Region includes Cosby, Hampton, North Greene, Unaka. The top two teams at the end of the regular season will go to the Class 2A playoffs)
By PAUL MEADOR
NPT Sports Editor
Cosby Basketball To Start At Tournament
By PAUL MEADOR
Newport Plain Talk Sports Editor
COSBY-The focus, right now, at Cosby is football. The Eagles are flying high at 8-1, and are unbeaten at 4-0 in Region 1-1A play. They’ll play for the Region 1-1A regular season championship this Friday night at the Eagles’ Nest against Grace Christian. The Eagles have already solidified a home game to start the playoffs a week from this Friday as either a No. 1 or No. 2 seed. Obviously, Cosby fans are not thinking basketball yet, but we are, as the Eagles and Lady Eagles have released their 2008-09 schedule. And, it’s sneaking up on us fast as both squads open their regular season in less than a month from now.
Cosby fans won’t have the opportunity to see their Eagles and Lady Eagles at home very much over the first month-and-a-half of the season as both squads will be on the road most of that time.
Both squads open their seasons on Tuesday, Nov. 25, when they begin play at the Greene County Tournament (brackets will be announced soon), which is being played at Chuckey-Doak High School. That season-opening tournament continues on Friday, Nov. 28, and concludes on Saturday, Nov. 29.
The Eagles and Lady Eagles will make their first home appearance on Tuesday, Dec. 2, when they host Gatlinburg-Pittman.
Then, it’s on the road for four straight games beginning with a District match-up at Clinch on Friday, Dec. 5, a trip to Unaka on Tuesday, Dec. 9, another District match-up at J. Frank White on Friday, Dec. 12, and at Berean Christian on Tuesday, Dec. 19. On Friday, Dec. 19, the Eagles and Lady Eagles finally return home for a District game against Washburn.
Then, it’s holiday play as both the Eagles and Lady Eagles play at the Midway Christmas Tourney Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 27, Dec. 29 and Dec. 30.
Both squads will begin their second half of the season with two District home match-ups, first with Clinch on Tuesday, Jan. 6, and Hancock County on Friday, Jan. 9.
The two teams will travel to Pigeon Forge on Monday, Jan. 12, before returning home for two more District get-togethers, first with J. Frank White on Tuesday, Jan. 13, and Jellico on Friday, Jan. 16.
The two squads will hit the road for match-ups at Gatlinburg-Pittman on Tuesday, Jan. 20, and at District foe Hancock County on Friday, Jan. 23.
The Eagles and Lady Eagles then return home for two out-of-District get-togethers against Maryville Christian on Tuesday, Jan. 27, and Unaka on Monday, Feb. 2.
Then, it’s back on the road at Maryville Christian on Tuesday, Feb. 3, and at Jellico on Friday, Feb. 6.
The two squads will play their last regular season home game on Tuesday, Feb. 10 against Pigeon Forge, before finishing up regular season play on the road at Washburn on Friday, Feb. 13.
The District 2-A Tournament will be plays Feb. 19-24 on the campus of Lincoln Memorial University, while the Region 1-A Tournament will be played at Chuckey-Doak Feb. 27 through March 5.
2008-2009 Cosby Basketball Schedule
Tuesday, Nov. 25: at Greene County Tournament** (GV, BV)
Friday, Nov. 28: Greene County Tournament** (GV, BV)
Saturday, Nov. 29: Greene County Tournament** (GV, BV)
Tuesday, Dec. 2: Gatlinburg-Pittman (BJV, GV, BV)
Friday, Dec. 5: at Clinch* (BJV, GV, BV)
Tuesday, Dec. 9: at Unaka (GV, BV)
Friday, Dec. 12: at J. Frank White* (BJV, GV, BV)
Tuesday, Dec. 16: at Berean Christian (GV, BV)
Friday, Dec. 19: Washburn* (BJV, GV, BV)
Saturday, Dec. 27: Midway Christmas Tourney (GV, BV)
Monday, Dec. 29: Midway Christmas Tourney (GV, BV)
Tuesday, Dec. 30: Midway Christmas Tourney (GV, BV)
Tuesday, Jan. 6: Clinch* (BJV, GV, BV)
Friday, Jan. 9: Hancock County* (BJV, GV, BV)
Monday, Jan. 12: at Pigeon Forge (BJV, GV, BV)
Tuesday, Jan. 13: J. Frank White* (BJV, GV, BV)
Friday, Jan. 16: Jellico* (BJV, GV, BV)
Tuesday, Jan. 20: at Gatlinburg-Pittman (GJV, GV, BV)
Friday, Jan. 23: at Hancock County* (GJV, GV, BV)
Tuesday, Jan. 27: Maryville Christian (BJV, GV, BV)
Monday, Feb. 2: Unaka (GV, BV)
Tuesday, Feb. 3: at Maryville Christian (BJV, GV, BV)
Friday, Feb. 6: at Jellico* (BJV, GV, BV)
Tuesday, Feb. 10: Pigeon Forge (GJV, BV, GV)
Friday, Feb. 13: at Washburn* (BJV, GV, BV)
Feb. 19-24: District 2-A Tournament at LMU
Feb. 27-March 5: Region 1-A Tournament at Chuckey-Doak
*Denotes District 2-A game
**At Chuckey-Doak High School
Cosby crowns homecoming Queen: By Russell Laws Newport Plain Talk
Congratulations to sophomore Karrie Bowman, who was crowned Cosby Homecoming Queen on Friday night during halftime festivities. Karrie is the daughter of Barry and Kristy Nease, and was escorted by her father, Barry Nease. Nikki Crowe was named Senior Princess, while Cara Asbell was named Junior Princess, Whitney Black was named Sophomore Princess and Ashley Diluigi was named Freshman Princess.
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