McMinn County defensive coordinator Brent Massengil has left the Cherokees.

“We hate to lose Brent, who is a great coach. It was one of those things. He really needed more time with his family,” McMinn coach Bo Cagle said this past week. “We felt it was best to make a move now before everything really got going. It was the best thing for both.”

Billy Vestal will likely assume Massengil’s duties.

“Brent was in charge of the defense last year, but we work together so much that a title is just a title,” Cagle said. “We had two defensive line coaches, so one of them will move and our strength coach (Clint Spencer) is going to help us in the box on Friday nights.”

On the positive side, running back/receiver and safety Tevin McDermott has returned to limited duty. McDermott had been sidelined since the final day of preseason conditioning when he pulled a hamstring.

Bears lose 1, Tornado 2

Bradley Central has lost Aaron Cochran for the season.

According to Bears coach Damon Floyd, the senior safety sustained a severe shoulder separation in one of the team’s scrimmages.

McCallie linebacker Jim Makepeace, a starter last year, and offensive lineman Daniel Lapikuska will be on the Blue Tornado sideline until midseason.

Makepeace suffered a broken leg while wake-boarding before the Blue Tornado got to camp. Lapihuska sustained a broken hand.

“Makepeace was in a cast for a couple of weeks and he’s in a boot and on crutches now,” McCallie coach Rick Whitt said. “Lapihuska had to have surgery (a plate and eight screws) because the bone was protuding a little and the doctors were concerned about messing up a tendon.

“Football means a lot to Makepeace, and he was one of our leaders, and Lapihuska had really come on and was pushing for a starting job. He would have given us some flexibility in the offensive line.”

Breakfast of Trojans

A tradition that began when he was an assistant coach at Red Bank has spilled over to Soddy-Daisy with new head coach E.K. Slaughter. It is game day breakfast at Wimpy’s on Dayton Pike, and it started Friday morning because the Trojans played in the jamboree that night at Finley Stadium.

Slaughter noted that attendance was optional.

Red Bank coaches began meeting at Lillie Mae’s on Dayton Boulevard several years ago, and then players began showing up.

“I remember one week Lillie Mae’s was closed for remodeling or some kind of construction, and we cooked breakfast out in the parking lot at school,” Slaughter said.

Century of Wildcats

Hixson High will be celebrating its 100th year this season and has invited all letter-winners —- in music, academics and sports — to the Wildcats’ games. Hixson will recognize a particular decade at each of its home games: 1980s, Sept. 12 vs. Macon County; 1990s, Sept. 19 vs. Central; 1960s and prior decades, Oct. 3 vs. White County; 2000s, Oct. 17 vs. Cleveland, and 1970s, Oct. 31 vs. Red Bank.

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