Stories from Thursday, August 22, 2019

From the outside looking in, the 2018 season for the Marshall County Tigers football team was a step back from the success the team has become known for after making three straight trips to the 4A state semifinals. But a closer look at the season finds evidence the 2018 team was right on track for another above average regular season and deep postseason run if not for a few key injuries and unlucky bounces here and there.

If 2017 was the Bulldog's Cinderella season and 2018 was Cornersville's season of destiny, then the 2019 season will be the season of longevity-- meaning this will be the season where Bulldog fans find out whether the success of the past two campaigns were due to an unreal, once in a lifetime talented senior class or if fifth-year coach Gerard Randolph has built this model into a model of sustainability.

After two tumultuous seasons that included a sudden head coaching change and a 9-13 record, plus a pair of first round road playoff losses at Waverly, the Forrest Rockets have circled the wagons and come together as a unit in preparation for the upcoming season. “We are looking forward to get ready to play football again, the past couple of seasons has not been traditional Rocket football,” second year head coach Eli Stephenson said. “We have to get back to playing basic hardnosed football and playing with class, pride, and tradition and that is what we have to get back to and I’m looking forward to that.”

Carolyn June Hawkins, 91, passed away peacefully on Aug. 21, 2019. She was born Sept. 15, 1927, in Ostella, TN to H.D and Mary B. Clift. She was the widow of Thomas Hale Hawkins who passed away in 2000, and was also preceded in death by her first husband, John Boyd in 1960; son, Stephen C. Boyd, stepson, Tommy Hawkins; granddaughter, Stephanie Boyd; sister, Sue Arnold; and brothers Joe Clift, Wayne Clift, and Lee Clift...