Good Monday morning! Welcome to a brand new week. This is The Daybreaker, the first of several newsletters that will be published this week by the Independent Herald. The Daybreaker (Monday morning) and The Weekender (Thursday evening) are our two news-first newsletters. We publish several other newsletters throughout the week, as well as our regular E-Edition on Thursday and our Varsity E-Edition on Sunday (during sports season). If you’d like to adjust your subscription to include (or exclude) this or any of our other newsletters, please do so here. If you need to subscribe, it’s as simple as entering your email address:
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A Scott County sweep at the Tennessee Valley Fair
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. | It was a good night for Scott County at the Tennessee Valley Fair on Saturday.
Not only did girls from Scott County sweep the Tennessee Valley Fairest of the Fair and Fairest of the Fair Junior competitions Saturday evening, but contestants from Scott County claimed the top three spots in Saturday’s nightcap at the Chilhowee Park & Exposition Center.
The 110th edition of the Tennessee Valley Fair, which began Friday and continues all this week, saw Helenwood’s Jayden Gray crowned the Junior Fairest of the Fair (ages 13 to 15), and Huntsville’s Jaeda Newport crowned the Fairest of the Fair (ages 16 to 20).
Jayden is the daughter of Tim and NaRicka Gray and is a student at Oneida High School. Jaeda is the daughter of Eric and Marki Newport and is a 2026 graduate of Scott High School.
The evening pageant, the highlight of the fair’s beauty contests, was swept by Scott County contestants. While Jaeda Newport was crowned the winner, the first runner-up was RaeLynne Blevins of Oneida and the second runner-up was ShayLeigh Gray of Helenwood.
RaeLynne is the daughter of Dave and Becky Blevins. ShayLeigh is a sister to Jayden Gray, and the daughter of Tim and NaRicka Gray.
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Scott’s comeback at A-E comes up just short
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. | Time ran out in East Knoxville Friday night with Scott High stranded on the 45-yard-line.
More accurately, Scott’s last-second, desperation heave was picked off by the Roadrunners, helping them preserve a 31-28 victory over the Highlanders in a comeback that came up just short.
Scott (2-1, 0-1) had been down 24-7 late in the third quarter before beginning the comeback bid. The Highlanders put two scores on the board late to make the game close but were haunted by a few individual moments throughout the game.
There was a fumble near the end of the first half, when the Highlanders were simply trying to get to the locker room with a 12-7 deficit. Instead, Austin-East (2-1, 1-0) recovered at the two-yard-line and tacked on a garbage score just before the end of the half to go up 18-7.
Then, after the Roadrunners had swiftly added another score to start the third quarter, the Highlanders had a drive stall inside the red zone. Down 24-7, Scott chose to attempt a fourth-and-six conversion rather than settle for three points, which turned out to be the difference on the scoreboard at the end of the game.
Penalties also continued to hurt Scott High. The Highlanders were penalized seven times for 46 yards — a season low — but there were some costly ones. Scott’s first drive appeared promising before a holding penalty killed the possession and Austin-East marched 92 yards for the game’s first score.
Scott finished with 361 yards of offense — almost identical to the 366 put up by Austin-East. But stopping the Roadrunners proved to be difficult. A-E quarterback Landon Lightfoot completed 14 of 25 passes for 213 yards, a season-high given up by the Highlander defense.
Lightfoot started the scoring with a 12-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, and later threw for two more scores.
Jesse Jeffers had a monster game for Scott High. The junior finished with 200 yards of total offense, most of it on the ground, and was also a leading tackler on defense. He was named the IH Sports Network’s First National Bank Player of the Game.
After Lightfoot’s score in the first quarter, Scott answered with an impressive drive that was capped by an eight-yard Carter Slaven touchdown run, and the Highlanders led 7-6.
Austin-East regained the lead on the ensuing possession, with Jocorious Towns scoring on a 30-yard run for a 12-7 lead.
That was the way it appeared things would stand at halftime, but a fumble deep inside the 10-yard-line late in the half flipped the script. Austin-East pounced on the fumble at the two, setting up an easy touchdown plunge by Keyvon Booker just before the intermission to put his team up 18-7.
The third quarter started with A-E taking possession and swiftly tacking on another score. Lightfoot connected with Dikyeis Towns for a 19-yard strike, and the Roadrunners led 24-7.
The Highlanders’ ensuing drive stalled inside the 10-yard-line, when A-E made a fourth down stop just short of the sticks. But the Highlander defense came up with a stop, and then the comeback effort began in earnest.
After Slaven scored on a three-yard run to make it 24-14, A-E tacked on another score on a 30-yard Lightfoot pass to Travis Burgins. But Scott struck back with a one-yard run by Slaven, then Jeffers broke free for an 18-yard run to make it 31-28.
The Highlander defense got one more stop to give the offense an opportunity to win the game. But with no timeouts remaining, Scott was powerless to stop the clock and the final possession became more of a desperation effort, which ended with a deep pass being intercepted by A-E.
The loss was Scott High’s first of the season, but was an important loss became it marked the opening of region play. The Highlanders will now host McMinn Central on Sept. 18 in what is an almost must-win game for Scott’s playoff hopes.
CAK is powerful in 49-0 win over Oneida
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. | It was apparent that Oneida was up against a stiff challenge with Friday’s trip to West Knoxville to face Division II foe CAK. But if there was any hope that the Warriors might overlook the Indians, that was quickly extinguished by a CAK squad that looked primed to make a serious run at a state championship in December.
CAK (3-1) scored on every single possession, rolled up more than 400 yards of offense, and led 42-0 by halftime, before a running clock shortened the second half. The Warriors’ defense was just as dominant as their offense, limiting Oneida to only 33 yards of offense and four first downs.
Oneida (2-2) continued to play without injured starting quarterback Connor Mays, who missed a second consecutive game, and had a difficult time generating offense against CAK.
There were positives for the Indians: Oneida did not turn the ball over, and was penalized just twice.
Beyond that, bright spots were hard to find. CAK scored twice in the first quarter, added four more scores in the second quarter, and had put the game away well before the halftime break.
Isaac Kannah scored on a 19-yard run to give the Warriors their first score just 70 seconds into the game.
On the next possession, Seaton Moffett completed a 29-yard pass to Baker Sterchi for a score, and it was a 14-0 game after the first quarter.
The second quarter saw CAK score on two more Moffett touchdown passes, both to Hunter Bennett, before a pair of touchdown runs — one by Kannah covering 41 yards and one by Masyn Apaletegui covering four yards.
The second half saw CAK possess the ball just twice, scoring on a 21-yard run by Easton Sternberg on the first possession. The clock ran out on the Warriors’ second possession of the second half.
Friday’s game was Oneida’s final non-region tune-up. The Indians will host Tellico Plains on Sept. 18.
Words of Wisdom
Each week, Preacher Johnny Polk and the Oneida Church of Christ present Words of Wisdom, short devotionals that are archived on our website. Here is the current Words of Wisdom. (Sponsored content.)
The Week Ahead
☀️ Weather: The heat returns in earnest this week. After a high of 86 degrees today, we’re expecting temperatures in the low 90s Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with no more rain in sight. Temperatures should cool down ever so slightly heading into the weekend. Check out our daily Eye to the Sky updates on our Facebook page — published each morning at 7 a.m. on the dot — or always available at independentherald.net.
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📅 Community Calendar
Monday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center (Monticello Pike, Huntsville) offers a walking program, puzzles and games, and massage chairs every week day (Monday-Friday) from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Additionally, Golden Grooves Exercise will be offered today at 1 p.m.
Monday: Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services’ Mobile Health Clinic will be in the Walmart parking lot in Oneida from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering integrated primary care and behavioral health. No insurance is not a problem. Call (866) 599-0466 for more information.
Monday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out. Phone: (423) 569-5972.
Monday: The Scott County Finance Committee will meet at the Scott County Mayor’s Office in Huntsville, beginning at 5 p.m.
Monday: The Winfield Board of Mayor & Aldermen will meet at the Winfield Municipal Building, beginning at 6 p.m.
Tuesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.
Tuesday: Pinnacle Resource Center’s food pantry (1513 Jeffers Road, Huntsville) will be open beginning at 9:15 a.m. There are no income guidelines; however, a photo ID and a piece of mail with a Scott County address are required.
Tuesday: Robbins Elementary School Food Pantry will be open September 15 from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. at Barton Chapel (5760 Scott Highway, Robbins). Turn onto School House Road at Keeton Monuments and follow it to the entrance of Barton Chapel (do not try to enter Barton Chapel from U.S. 27 please). Parents, grandparents, guardians or caregivers of a child attending Robbins Elementary School or Head Start are eligible to receive food.
Tuesday: Boy Scout Troop #333 will meet at the Oneida War Memorial Building on Alberta Street in Oneida beginning at 6 p.m.
Tuesday: Wall Builders will meet from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church (1611 Glass House Road, Helenwood) for those struggling with addiction or striving to keep off drugs. There will be preaching, teaching, food, fellowship and personal counseling.
Tuesday: Alcoholics Anonymous will meet at 7 p.m. at the Highway 27 Unity Club (17737 S. Alberta Street, Oneida).
Wednesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out.
Wednesday: Alcoholics Anonymous will meet at the Highway 27 Unity Club (17737 S. Alberta Street, Oneida) at 12 p.m.
Wednesday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center in Huntsville will host Senior Meal Connect.
Thursday: The Gerry McDonald Mission House, located on Church Avenue, directly behind First United Methodist Church, is open from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. You are eligible to receive food once per month. 423-569-8828.
Thursday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.
Thursday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center in Huntsville will offer Chair Volleyball at 11 a.m. and Senior Trivia at 1 p.m. today.
Thursday: The Town of Oneida Board of Mayor & Aldermen will meet at the Oneida Municipal Services Building, beginning at 6 p.m.
Thursday: The Town of Huntsville Board of Mayor & Aldermen will meet at the Huntsville Municipal Building, beginning at 6 p.m.
The Community Calendar is presented weekly by Citizens Gas Utility District. Before you dig, Call 811! It’s the law! You can help prevent pipeline damage and leaks by calling 811 before doing any excavating or demolition and submitting a utility locate request. Visit citizensgastn.com.
Thank you for reading. Our next newsletter will be Echoes From the Past tomorrow. If you’d like to update your subscription to add or subtract any of our newsletters, do so here. If you haven’t yet subscribed, it’s as simple as adding your email address!
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Our Newsletters:
• Monday morning: The Daybreaker (news & the week ahead)
• Tuesday: Echoes from the Past (stories of our history)
• Wednesday: Threads of Life (obituaries)
• Thursday evening: The Weekender (news & the weekend)
• Friday: Friday Features (beyond the news)
• Sunday: Varsity (a weekly sports recap)