Joey Bryson has been hired as the boys’ basketball coach at Southeast Whitfield High School. The former Western Carolina University player was an assistant coach with the Raiders for two seasons before becoming the head coach at Model High School for one year. He replaces Tim Rogers, who resigned following a 6-20 season.

“Joey brings a lot of knowledge and a great work ethic to the job,” Southeast principal Alan Long said. “He will be a great role model for the kids, and the best thing is he’s young, so he will be able to relate to them.”

The 31-year-old North Carolina native, who played as a freshman on WCU’s team that lost to Purdue by two points in the NCAA tournament, was one of 21 applicants for the job, according to Long. Two of the other applicants, Josh Carter and former Southeast star Marcus Cooper, were hired as assistant coaches.

LaFayette’s Chandler signs

LaFayette senior shortstop Clayton Chandler signed a baseball scholarship Wednesday with two-year Hiwasee College after finishing the season with a batting average of .303.

Ramblers coach Mike Dunfee said Chandler has always had the defensive ability to play collegiately, but his hard offseason work at the plate opened scouts’ eyes.

“He’s been a solid defensive player for us and he stepped up at the plate this year,” Dunfee said. “I really think his better years are ahead of him. He’s one of the hardest-working kids I’ve had in the program.”

Chandler will likely get a chance to start right away.

“The coach first told me I would play at second or third because he had a second-year shortstop coming back, but he said the other day that the shorstop hurt his arm or something, so I could play there,” he said. “Either way, I’m looking foward to it.”

GPS ends Baylor streak

The Baylor softball team had its streak of six consecutive region championships come to an end Tuesday with a 4-1 loss to GPS.

GPS (22-4-1) will host either Father Ryan or Pope John Paul II on Saturday at 3 p.m. for the Division II-AA East/Middle Region championship. Baylor (16-14) plays the other at 1, also at GPS, for seeding purposes for next week’s sectionals.

“We talk a lot about those five state championships, but we’re just as proud of those six consecutive region championships,” Baylor coach Kelli Smith said. “That means a lot to us. It goes all the way back to Katherine Card’s senior year. Some kids played four or five years and won the region every year. Not many can say that.”

Card went on to star at Tennessee. Tennessee Tech freshman Maddie Schmissrauter made the Lady Red Raiders varsity as an eighth-grader and was part of the last five of those region-championship teams.

Rain delay?

Rain might force a delay in the Division II baseball postseason. The six-team sub-region in Nashville was scheduled to finish Thursday, but rain could delay it.

The top two teams in Nashville are scheduled to play Baylor and McCallie at 2 and 5 p.m. Saturday at McCallie to establish the East-Middle region’s top four seeds for next weekend’s sectional tournaments.

“We’re hoping they can finish by Friday and we can play the qualifier on Saturday,” McCallie coach Chris Richardson said. “If they don’t finish, we’re looking at playing on Sunday, which is Mother’s Day, or on Monday.”

Benford full qualifier

Red Bank receiver and defensive back Tim Benford posted a good enough ACT score and will be considered a full academic qualifier when he enrolls at Tennessee Tech to begin his college football career.

“I just have to keep doing what I have been doing in class the rest of the year,” he said.

Tennessee Tech coaches have let it be known that Benford is likely to contribute in a big way in his first year.

Orr the starter

Former Soddy-Daisy quarterback Gary Orr has moved from a humble beginning to starting status at Austin Peay. The Times Free Press All-City quarterback in 2006, Orr walked on at Austin Peay but has become the Governors’ starting quarterback with a full scholarship.

Bruins runners sign

Senior Bruins runners Daniel Horseman and Johnathan LaVelle will continue their cross country careers in college. Horseman signed a letter of intent to run for Georgia College and State University, an NCAA Division II program in Milledgeville. LaVelle recently signed with Brevard College, an NAIA program in North Carolina that will soon move to Division II.

Horseman and LaValle helped Northwest Whitfield win the Region 7-AAAA team championship in 2007.

“I believe both runners will excel at the college level. They both are excellent students and have a tremendous work ethic,” second-year coach Tom Sell said. “These two runners were key ingredients of arguably our best season ever that included second-place finishes at the first Chattanooga Cross Country League meet and the Chattanooga Cross Country Festival, a fourth-place finish in the Chattanooga Optimist meet and first-place finishes in the second CCCL meet, the Ridge Ferry Invitational and the Region 7-AAAA meet.”

Heritage hires Crawford

Longtime Central High coach John Crawford has officially been hired at Catoosa County’s new Heritage High School as a football assistant coach to Tim James. Principal Ronnie Bradford wanted to hire Crawford weeks ago, but a hiring freeze in the county had prevented it.

“Coach Crawford has had a great career in Hamilton County and we know he will be a big addition to our staff,” said Bradford, who said Crawford will teach drafting. “We feel his experience will help us on the field and in the classroom.”

7-AAAA diamond honors

Georgia Region 7-AAAA baseball coaches recently voted on an all-region team. Rome’s Brandon Johnson was voted coach of the year, while Rome’s Matt Kirksey and Ringgold’s Justin Harris were voted pitcher and hitter of the year, respectively.

Other first-team members are: Outfielders —Ridgeland’s Justin Carruth, Rome’s Cory Thacker, Northwest Whitfield’s Brent Stephens; Infiedlers — Ridgeland’s Shaun Ball, Southeast Whitfield’s Michael Simpson, Ringgold’s Drew Walker, Rome’s Auston Thomas, Gordon Central’s Cody Hooper and Dalton’s Stryker Brown. Dalton catcher Garren Palmer and Northwest designated hitter Mitch Souther round out the regulars. Pitchers — Ridgeland’s Alex Ridge, Northwest Whitfield’s Jaron Hollifield, Dalton’s Mackie Sheets, Ringgold’s Zac Fairchild and Rome’s Jacob Williams.

Soccer players honored

The District 6-A/AA and 6-AAA all-district teams were released this week.

District 6-A/AA: Bledsoe County — Abdiel Perez; Hixson — Mahmoud Ibrahim, Edgar Aguillar; Chattanooga Christian — Brad Gibson, Jake Gibson, Evan Collins; Notre Dame — Matthew Keaney, Hershal Patel, Stephen Shipner, Andy Helms; East Ridge — Stephen Troglen, Tyler Boyd.

District 6-AAA: Ooltewah — Daniel Tackling (MVP), Caleb Jones, Devin Hayes, James Reason, Jeff Hall; Soddy-Daisy — Scott Brennon, Zakk Martin, Matt Dolberry; Red Bank — Mike Espino, Frank Lamacchia; Central — Tyler Henderson, Aaron Crawford.