Just like that, they’re back in play.

NEWPORT—Saying goodbye is never easy. Even less so when you’re leaving the place that gave you your start in your career.

NEWPORT—It’s never easy to walk away from what you love.

Dear seniors,

Team chemistry is a valuable asset in athletics. It’s apparent that Bryan College head softball coach Mark Ritchhart may understand that better than most.

Hope. It’s a strong word.

Cocke County High School alum and Milligan College sophomore Alayna Perryman wrapped up an exceptional 2019-20 campaign both on and off the course earlier this month.

ROCK HILL, S.C.—Maeve Cummins and Rachel Watts were the latest Carson-Newman women’s golfers to be recognized by the South Atlantic Conference as All-Conference players, as the league announced on Wednesday.

May is just around the corner.

Executive Director Bernard Childress and the TSSAA state office staff are continuing to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on interscholastic athletics in Tennessee.

Everyone held out hope until the very end.

And just like that, it’s over.

One month ago high school spring sports teams were hitting the field to begin their seasons. A week later those seasons were put on hold.

It hasn’t even been a month since the high school spring sports season started and was unceremoniously cut short due to the spread of the novel coronavirus.

NEWPORT—On Friday, another obstacle was thrown in the path of area high school spring sports programs.

The TSSAA isn’t ready to curtail the remainder of its sports seasons for the 2019-20 calendar year.

NEWPORT—After a heartbreaking start to the 2020 campaign, the Cocke County High Fighting Cocks broke into the win column before the first week of the season came to a close.

NEWPORT—As soon as he ended Cocke County’s hitless streak, A.J. Mills stopped at third base and pointed toward the sky. Somewhere, former teammate McKayne Ramsey must have been smiling.

NEWPORT—Gloomy weather wasn’t the only downer in the Cocke County High Lady Red’s season opener on Tuesday.

NEWPORT—Bradyn Long’s final season with the Cocke County High Fighting Cocks began yesterday, but his next destination is already in place.

KNOXVILLE—The Cocke County High Fighting Cocks were one play away from making an improbable late comeback to win their 2020 opener.

JOHNSON CITY—For 30 minutes the Cocke County High Lady Red put together one of their best performances of the season.

MORRISTOWN—With three minutes left in the fourth the Cocke County High Lady Red had whittled a once 10-point deficit down to one, and held Morristown West to no points for more than six minutes.

MORRISTOWN—A strong start gradually faded for the Lady Red of Cocke County.

MORRISTOWN—Cocke County High Fighting Cocks coach Ray Evans noted on Monday after the team’s win over Seymour that they couldn’t give up offensive boards or turn the ball over as much as they had in the first round.

MORRISTOWN—Seniors are expected to carry teams through the postseason. After all, they’re playing to keep their high school careers alive.

It’s the final week of the regular season. Or the final week and one day if you’re Cosby.

NEWPORT—Heavan Baxter exited the court in tears and embraced Hailey Moore. Amid their senior night emotions, Baxter and Moore celebrated Cocke County’s best district finish in seven years.

NEWPORT—Isaiah Elliott and A.J. Mills left no doubt they had accepted their coach’s senior night challenge — leave it all on the court.

COSBY—Jeremy Wise left a mark in his last game against Cocke County.

COSBY—A long battle gave Cody Lowe his first victory over Cocke County.

COSBY—It takes true grit and perseverance to win the type of game the Cosby High Lady Eagles were able to pull out on Tuesday.

COSBY—When your starting point guard goes down early with an injury, heads immediately begin to turn and eyes wander to figure out who’s going to step up.

DANDRIDGE—Kobe Parker missed his second dunk attempt and received a technical foul for hanging on the rim. But he came back with a vengeance before halftime.

DANDRIDGE—It wasn’t just the injury bug that hurt Cocke County’s starting lineup.

GATLINBURG—The Cocke County High Lady Red went six games into the 2020 portion of the schedule without losing. However, that streak was brought to an end on Monday.

NEWPORT—Jaylen Cofield got them there. Gracie Gregg kept them there.

NEWPORT—The Seymour High Eagles entered Friday night’s matchup at Cocke County High with a 27-game winless streak. They left with their first win in over a full calendar year.

NEWPORT—Morgan Blazer is a model of efficiency when it comes to endurance athletes.

MORRISTOWN—Two milestones were on the line for the Cocke County High Lady Red on Tuesday night. They walked away with both in hand.

MORRISTOWN—The scoreboard didn’t show it, but the Cocke County High Fighting Cocks’ demise was decided in a short span that they’ll look to put behind them in a hurry.

NEWPORT—The Cocke County Lady Red showed how important free-throws are with their first win against the Sevier County Bearettes since 2016.

NEWPORT—The Cocke County Fighting Cocks gave the defending District 2-AAA champions a fight at home on Friday.

KNOXVILLE—Jeremy Byrd wasn’t nearly as frustrated with this win over South-Doyle.

KNOXVILLE—Cocke County had an answer for Kendrick Holland the first time. But not the second.

MORRISTOWN—Camryn Halcomb sunk the first shot of the game, but didn’t score again for the entirety of the first half. That shooting slump wouldn’t follow her the rest of the night, though.

MORRISTOWN—The Cocke County Fighting Cocks gave up too much too soon, which proved to be their demise on Friday.