Home field advantage wasn’t enough for the Tellico Plains girls soccer team.

Momentum shifts quickly and ferociously in Monroe County middle school football.

The Sweetwater Junior High School softball team hosted its "Eighth Grade Night" on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Pictured from left to right are Coach Sarah Woodruff, Derayshia Gee, Chloe Sisk, Ella Morgan, Danielle Jones and Coach Amber Bohrer.

A quick start turned into a disappointing finish.

KNOXVILLE — This is how it was supposed to look.

There was one key difference between Tellico Plains’ game on Friday, Sept. 13, and the first three games of the season, according to head coach Jon Rechtorovic.

In their last two games, albeit both losses, the Sequoyah Chiefs have seen two very different ends of the spectrum.

When Tellico Plains Junior High School offensive coordinator Josh Mullinax evaluated the Junior Bears’ win over McMinn County on Thursday, Sept. 5, the first victory in program history, a certain person came to his mind, and into his speech, quickly.

David Matlock’s appearance didn’t match his feelings.

Some big recruiting news, for two separate athletes, hit Sweetwater High School this past week.

Want to become a boxer, or improve on the craft if you have already taken it up?

The Sweetwater Lady Wildcats defeated the Tellico Plains Lady Bears 9-0 on Thursday, Sept. 5, in county rivalry action. Tellico features a head coach in his first year, former Hiwassee College coach Eric Best, while Sweetwater’s Mallory Gruenenfelder is in her second season.

It wasn’t exactly the way the Sequoyah girls soccer team hoped to start District 7-AA play.

Erin Hall in the stands during Carson-Newman’s game against West Florida on Sept. 5. Hall is a Sequoyah alum and attended Carson-Newman as well.

Taylor Hawkins (right) poses with friend Ro Collins during Carson-Newman’s game against West Florida on Sept. 5. Hawkins is a Sequoyah alum and now works with the Carson-Newman athletic department.

Kimberly Alston poses for a photo during Carson-Newman’s game against West Florida on Sept. 5. Alston cheered for Sequoyah and is now on the Eagles’ dance team.

It happened again.

The improvement from weeks one and two to week three was evident for the Sequoyah Chiefs.

On Friday, Sept. 6, the Tellico Plains Bears faced off with North Carolina’s Hayesville Yellow Jackets at TPHS.

It took the Sweetwater high school football team nine games to notch its second win of the season in 2018.

On three carries, Nick Johnson exemplified the growth of the Tellico Plains Junior High School football team.

Allianna Shofner celebrates with her teammates during Sequoyah’s match against Meigs County on Tuesday, Sept. 3. The Lady Chiefs defeated the Lady Tigers in straight sets, 25-18, 25-23, 25-20, to go to 5-0 on the season. Sequoyah was next scheduled to play at Loudon on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 6…

The Monroe County shooting team isn’t just facing competition head on.

Mallory Gruenenfelder knows what she wants to see from her Sweetwater Lady Wildcats soccer team.

It will be, and already has been, called many things.

McMinn Central rallied from a one-touchdown deficit twice and halted Tellico Plains’ attempt at a game-winning drive to claim a 14-13 victory Friday at Charger Stadium.

Mike Martin’s first win as Sweetwater’s head football coach came with one condition: It had to involve stress.

In a matchup between two tribes, the age of one was simply the difference against the other.

Two longtime county rivals collided on the soccer field on Tuesday, Aug. 27, with the Sequoyah Lady Chiefs and Tellico Plains Lady Bears fighting hard from start to finish. Sequoyah topped Tellico in a lopsided match, 7-0.

Sequoyah head football coach Ryan Bolinger has plenty of answers.

KNOXVILLE — Tennessee junior defensive lineman Matthew Butler and two of his teammates spent some of their summer in Rwanda with the VOLeaders program, and though they’re happy to make a difference off the field football was never out of their minds.

It would take a lot of research to uncover whether or not the Sweetwater football program had ever started a season on a Saturday night before Aug. 24.

Almost every coach has a signature win.

It could not have been scripted any better.

The Sequoyah volleyball team has some pep in its step.

Sequoyah had a flashy offseason.

Earlier this year, the Monroe County community decided to create middle school football teams to help ease players’ transition into high school football. The program received much support after many community members spoke in favor of the idea at the school board’s following meeting.

Mike Martin will be in an interesting situation this fall.

2019 will be revealing.

During football season every fall, officials take the field to regulate play, promote sportsmanship and protect players from harm. It’s an absolutely vital part of the game millions across the world enjoy.

The Tellico Plains Bears made a swap from 2018 to 2019, exchanging a John for a Jon.

The TSSAA will hold its Hall of Fame luncheon on Saturday, April 18.

High school golf season is underway in Monroe County, with Tellico Plains, Sweetwater and Sequoyah teams all currently competing. Sweetwater in particular has already found success, as the boys squad holds a 6-0 district record on the year.