This Week in Sports: March 2-7

Last week’s action felt like an appetizer for spring sports. The full entrée has arrived this week.

Weather permitting – and it’s setting up to be a potentially great week on that end – almost every single spring sports program in Warren County will be in action this week. Tennis teams hope to make a racket, flag football teams will look to continue undefeated starts, the Pioneers, Lady Pioneers and Broncos will take the diamond and the WCHS soccer program will debut after WCMS got on the pitch last week. By Saturday, when the WCMS track team heads to Riverdale, it will conclude an action-packed week of local sports.

As always, you can turn to the Voice of the Pioneers Jay Walker to get the latest in WCHS sports. He’ll be on the call on Star 107 Monday for softball, Tuesday for baseball and Friday for flag football. Walker will also join Jeff Simmons on the Simmons Says show Monday and Tuesday at 9:50 a.m. to discuss all the action this week in local sports.

This is a free feature for all readers and we’ll be doing it every Sunday on the Main Street Journal. This is made possible due to our great partnership with Westwood Church of Christ, the presenting sponsor of ALL of our spring sports coverage this year.

Full schedules are at the end of each of these weekly updates. If there is a game missing, rescheduled or if you find an error in our reporting, please reach out to Jeff Simmons (Jeff.Simmons@mainstreetmedia.llc) or Sam Griffin (Sam.Griffin@mainstreetmedia.llc) and we’ll be sure to make updates on the post.

Let’s get rolling!

Softball has region return on the mind

It wasn’t long ago when you knew the moment the spring rolled around, it was time to be making more room in the trophy case for the Lady Pioneer softball team. Whether it was regular-season, district tournament or region titles, Warren County was going to bring one – if not more – home before May.

The Lady Pioneers have went a few years without a title though, something this year’s group of seniors and long-tenured coach Gooby Martin would like to change. Armed with three college signees (Lola Wells – the school’s first D1 softball signee, Ceilee Gudat and Kyaira Sharpe), Warren County could make plenty of noise in the district this year.

It won’t be easy though. Lincoln County and Coffee County have seized control of the coveted top-two spots (the only teams who make it to region in the postseason) over the past two years, while Cookeville – once a perennial rival for district titles with the Lady Pioneers – has rejoined the fold in District 6-4A.

Before Warren County sets its sights on district foes, the group will get a few home tune-ups to start the year. The Lady Pioneers make their debut Monday night against the Community Vi-Queens, who are coming off a 28-win season and a run to the 2A state tournament last spring.

Click here to hear more about the Lady Pioneers from coaches Gooby Martin and Cody Crouch, who joined the Simmons Says show last week.

Will baseball bounce back?

The Warren County High School Pioneers enter the 2026 season with a clearer vision of who they want to be and a determination to build something steadier on the mound. Coach Phillip King has spent the offseason stressing identity, chemistry and day-to-day consistency, believing that if the group locks into the process, the wins will follow.

There are proven pieces returning to help set that tone. Senior catcher Sam Robinson, a Roane State signee, brings leadership and experience. Junior Ryder Gilispie, an All-District performer, will be counted on as both a hitter and a pitcher. Brady Norris, Corban Felton and a deep rotation of returning arms, including Lealon Arnold, Brady Swallows, Miguel Garcia and Braden Whinnery, give the Pioneers a solid foundation as they transition into the newly aligned District 6-4A alongside Coffee County, Lincoln County, Shelbyville and Cookeville.

Fans will get a quick read on this team. Warren County opens with four games in the first week, including back-to-back home matchups at Patrick Ramsey Field to start the season. The Pioneers host Moore County on Monday and Cumberland County on Tuesday, the kind of early test that should show whether this group is ready to take a jump.

Click this link to hear coaches Phillip King and David Martin talk about the program on the Simmons Says show from February’s preseason preview.

Dominant start for flag teams

While many high school teams look for success to start their season this week, two local teams are already coming off dominant debuts. Both the Lady Pioneer and Lady Bronco flag football teams were amazing Friday night, with Warren County taking out rival Sparta 25-6 on the road and Boyd running by Rhea County 33-0 in its program debut.

Fittingly, it was the quarterbacks who were making the difference on the gridiron. Chloe Wanamaker threw for 118 yards and rushing for 96 more as she accounted for three Lady Pioneer touchdowns against the Warriorettes. For Boyd, senior Cydney Jane Perry was able to rush for over 100 yards and four scores.

Defense also took centerstage for both teams. Harper Fuston and Alyssa Boyd each had interceptions for Warren County, while speedster Ariyanna Rippe keyed the team’s pass rush with two sacks. For the Lady Broncos, Brooke Kesey made an instant impact, scoring the program’s first points on a Pick-6.

Both teams have a chance to continue impressive starts this week. Boyd heads to Hixson for a doubleheader with the Wildcats starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday. On Friday, the Lady Pioneers will make their home debut as they welcome Smyrna to town for a district showdown starting at 7 p.m.

Here is the full schedule of games for this week:

Monday, March 2

WCMS baseball vs. Monterey, 5 p.m.
WCMS softball at Cumberland County, 5:30 p.m.
WCHS softball vs. Community, 6 p.m.
WCHS baseball vs. Moore County, 6:30 p.m. 

Tuesday, March 3

WCHS tennis vs. Community, 3 p.m.
WCMS baseball at Cumberland County, 5 p.m.
Boyd flag football at Hixson (DH), 5 p.m.
WCHS baseball vs. Cumberland County, 6 p.m.
WCHS soccer at Ooltewah, 6:30 p.m. 

Thursday, March 5

WCHS tennis at Shelbyville, TBD
Boyd tennis at White County, 4 p.m.
WCMS baseball vs. Cumberland County, 5 p.m.
WCMS soccer at Algood, 5:30 p.m.
WCMS softball vs. Cumberland County, 5:30 p.m.
WCHS baseball at White County, 5 p.m.
WCHS soccer at Cascade, 7 p.m. 

Friday, March 6

WCMS softball vs. Christiana, 5:30 p.m.
WCMS soccer at Watertown, 6:30 p.m.
WCHS flag football vs. Smyrna, 7 p.m. 

Saturday, March 7

WCMS track at Riverdale, 10 a.m.
WCHS baseball vs. LaVergne, 3 p.m.