Stories from Wednesday, November 16, 2011

The Marshall County Tigers (9-3) advanced to the quarterfinals of the playoffs for the first time in nine years by defeating the Sequoyah Chiefs 31-6 at home on Friday night in the second round of the Class 4A bracket. MCHS had their way with Sequoyah (6-6) early on and scored on all four of their first half possessions to forge a 24-0 lead at the break. The Tigers then tacked on another touchdown late in the third quarter to open up a 31-0 advantage before coasting to the 25-point victory.

The Cornersville Middle School Lady Bulldogs (6-4) had their five-game winning streak snapped on Thursday night when they lost 27-18 at home to the Bridgeforth Lady Bobcats. Cornersville appeared to be in control of the game early on and led by as many as 10 points in the first half before taking a 13-5 advantage into the break. The momentum, though, shifted dramatically in the second half, as Bridgeforth outscored CMS 22-5 over the final two quarters to take home the nine-point victory.

On Thursday night, the Cornersville Middle School Bulldogs suffered their most lopsided loss of the season when they were defeated 53-5 at home by an athletic Bridgeforth Bobcat squad. Bridgeforth dominated from start to finish and built a 29-5 lead in the first half before outscoring CMS 24-0 over the final two quarters to roll to the 48-point victory.

The Forrest Rockets' post-season dreams came to an abrupt, gut-cutting end Friday night in Parsons as Decatur County-Riverside shocked everyone in the stadium when Panther quarterback Luke Ward found Andrew Lamance on a 43-yard game winning touchdown strike with 9 seconds to go in the ballgame to eliminate Forrest 14-10. In the post-game interview, Forrest head Coach Kyle Stacey said, "This team has overcome so much this year with injuries, re-doing the line and all kind of things. They have accomplished a lot and I am very, very proud of them for that."

The FMS Lady Rockets (2-6) could not snap their losing streak Thursday at Unionville, dropping a 50-32 contest to the undefeated Viqueens (9-0). The defeat was the fourth in a row for Forrest, who is mired in seventh place in the Duck River Valley Conference standings.

The FMS Forrest Rockets had payback on their mind in Unionville Thursday night after the Vikings handed FMS a lopsided 48-8 loss in Chapel Hill on October 18. The Rockets played some of their best ball of the season, leading for a little over three quarters before a fourth-quarter Viking surge sent FMS home as the losers 48-42.

Judy Dianne Beard, 56, of Lewisburg, died Friday, Nov. 11, 2011, in NHC Healthcare Columbia. Ms. Beard was a native of Johnson City, and daughter of the late William Herschel and Mary Frances Webb Goodwin. She was employed with Goodman, Inc. She is survived by three daughters, Brandy Webster of Hendersonville, Emily Horton of Fayetteville, and Kerri Beard of Lewisburg; son, David Beard Jr. ...

Howard Douglas Stegall, 82, of the Farmington Community, died Friday, Nov. 11, 2011, in Marshall Medical Center. Mr. Stegall was a native of the Marshall County Community and son of the late Clarence Edgar and Sammie Hardison Stegall. He was a retired farmer and member of the Farmington Baptist Church...

Tim Mealer, 51, of Lewisburg, died Thursday, Nov. 10, 2011, in Vanderbilt Medical Center. Tim was a native of Marshall County, and son of the late D.J. Mealer and Virginia Darnell Mealer Bills of the Berlin Community. He was the owner and operator of Mealer Trucking. He was a member of the Lewisburg First Baptist Church...

James Franklin Matney, 85, of Lewisburg, died Friday, Nov. 11, 2011, in NHC Lewisburg. Mr. Matney was a native of Marshall County, and son of the late Albert and Grace Curtis Matney. He served his country in France as a military policeman during World War II. He retired from Heil-Quaker Corporation where he was employed in quality control. He was a member of Lewisburg First United Methodist Church...

CHES students get history lesson

Last month Marshall Elementary School kicked off their new Bullying Prevention Program "Got 2 B Bull E Free." Marshall Elementary's new program is a part of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. The kick-off on Oct. 21 was a huge success. The entire afternoon was dedicated to the new bullying prevention program. ...

Two off job, third officer is suspended

County loses nearly $200K, more cuts possible

By Clint Confehr Senior Staff Writer CHAPEL HILL - Henry Horton State Park's become the crossroads for good citizenship, personal fitness and spiritual awareness, all as reflected in comments from folks at the park last week. "Some folks think it's a time of change with a lot of spirit," Gayle Williams of Nashville said calmly while seated in the front seat of her family pickup truck that towed a big camper trailer to the park for a weekend get-away...

From Staff Reports CHAPEL HILL - "Freedom isn't free" is an often heard phrase from servicemen and women, veterans, their families and close friends, and during his Veterans Day address at the elementary school here, a deputy commissioner of veterans affairs for Tennessee taught history lessons to substantiate the truth of that phrase...

Thomas rounds up retreat's brainstorm

By Clint Confehr Senior Staff Writer A traditional Marshall County program was held on the east lawn of the County Courthouse on Lewisburg's public square to mark Veterans Day this year and while the messages were similar, they still rang true. "Very few working people get the day off," Wendell Cheek, deputy commissioner for Tennessee Veterans Affairs, told the faithful and friendly audience in an address tailored for adults, but similar to his remarks at Chapel Hill Elementary School earlier that morning.. ...