Stories from Tuesday, February 2, 2016

The Associated Press' Top 10 teams in each of Tennessee's three Division I non-financial aid classifications and in the combined Division II financial aid classification as selected by Tennessee AP-member sportswriters and broadcasters. With first-place votes in parentheses, records through February 1, total points based on 10 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 10th-place vote:...

The Lady Bulldogs hosted Region 6A foe Loretto (12-7) on Thursday night, looking to exact a little revenge on the Mustang team that throttled Cornersville by 52 points to open up the season at Lawrence County in the Hall of Fame Classic. Cornersville (10-11), winners of seven of its last eight entering the game, got down early and never seemed to muster enough energy to make a serious run at Loretto as the Lady Mustangs held the streaking Bulldogs to its third lowest scoring output of the season in a 50-30 loss.. ...

The Cornersville Bulldogs took a break from a grueling district schedule on Thursday night to welcome the Loretto Mustangs to southern Marshall County. The Bulldogs (1-17) seemingly threw in the white flag before the contest began, starting five players from the depths of its bench and that move proved prophetic as the Mustangs (13-7) embarrassed Cornersville 78-29 in a game in which the home team never so much as made a run at Loretto.

The Cornersville Bulldogs came into Friday night's senior night matchup with district rival Culleoka (5-15, 3-9) with nowhere to go but up after a disappointing 49-point blowout loss the to Loretto the previous night. The Bulldog team that came to play on Friday night was night and day different from the Thursday night team and Cornersville (1-18, 1-11) took a lead deep into the final period before succumbing to a big fourth quarter from Culleoka as the Warriors escaped Marshall County with a 49-40 win.

An initial District 12-AA win there for the taking, but it slipped away at the very end, continuing a frustrating season for the Marshall County Tigerettes, who led for much of the game before losing 51-49 at Spring Hill Friday night. "It was the first time we had a lead going into halftime and the first time we had a lead going into the fourth quarter," MCHS coach Vincent Yarbrough said. "We just to learn how to be more mature and learn to nurse a lead and let the defense work for a few minutes and then execute." The Tigerettes had three players in double figures in the contest with Cassi Whitworth leading the way with 12 points, while Leah Hollingsworth and Tianda Hutton added 11 points apiece.

The Cornersville Lady Bulldogs looked to bounce back from an uninspiring loss to Loretto on Thursday night against district foe Culleoka, a team Cornersville beat by 17 points on January 5 to start off a six-game winning streak. The Lady Warriors (6-12, 3-8) looked like a shell of the team that has only won six games the entire season by pushing the favored Bulldogs (11-11, 9-3) to the brink of defeat before the home team finally squeaked out a victory 51-44 to stay in the hunt for the second place seed in District 11-A.

In the opening match of the Region 7A/AA Dual Wrestling Tournament at Fairview Thursday night, the Page Patriots took down Eagleville 66-18 before things got interesting as the host Yellow Jackets and the defending region champion Forrest Rockets became embroiled in an epic battle on the mat for a spot in the championship dual. "We put ourselves in a position to win which is what we talked about all week long," Forrest coach Kyle Stacey said. "We had to have certain things happen and the guys did exactly what we asked them to do."

Boys Community 14 10 21 21 -- 66 Forrest 7 25 8 14 -- 54 Community: Lacey Reed 19, Sarah Pierce 17, Jordan Huntley 10, Davie Barnes 9, Erin Thompson 7, Alyssa Freeman 2, Mercedes Huntley 2. Forrest: Caitlyn Yost 24, Kyleah Hengesbach 14, Katey Harmon 6, Krista Chapman 4, Sydney Hill 3, Haily Collins 3. 3-Point goals: Community (4): J. Huntley 2, Barnes, Pierce. Halftime score: Forrest 32, Community 24.

After consecutive district losses, the Marshall County Tigers traveled to Spring Hill Friday night where they bounced back with a big 61-42 win. The Tigers were without head coach Arnett Bodenhamer, who was suspended for two games after being ejected versus Cascade last Tuesday night at Lewisburg.

The revolving door that has become the Rocket football coaching position is no longer spinning as Forrest graduate Brent Johns stepped up to the challenge of bringing some stability to the program. "I want to come in and try to provide some stability to the program, we have had five head coaches in the last six years and that is just too much turnover," Johns said. "I'm not going anywhere, I have an 11-year old, a nine-year old and a four-year old that go to school here, so I am here until at least they are done."