Four of the six finalists for this year's Scrappy Moore Coach of the Year award already claimed the most important status symbol for any coach -- a state championship. The six finalists are Red Bank's Christel Brooks, Gordon Lee's Ed Clendenen, Calhoun's Chip Henderson, Soddy-Daisy's Clifford Kirk, Bradley Central's Steve Logsdon and Northwest Whitfield's Margaret Stockburger.
The winner will be announced during tonight's annual Times Free Press Best of Preps banquet at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
In her third season at Red Bank and second as head volleyball coach, Brooks guided the Lady Lions to a school-best 56-10 mark. Their victory in the Class AA state-title match was the 300th in her career against 95 losses. Having graduated five starters from a team that finished third in the state in 2008, Brooks helped the team form a chemistry that resulted in the program's first state title.
Clendenen was named a Best of Preps Coach of the Year in two of the three sports he coached at Gordon Lee. The boys' basketball team won the Region 6-A championship and finished 21-6, losing to the eventual state champion in the playoffs. After injuries led to a slow 5-5 start, the Trojans won 16 straight games before their season was ended. In his fifth year as volleyball coach, he led the Lady Trojans to the Area 6-A/AA title. The Lady Trojans finished the season 27-4, setting a school-record for victories despite playing a schedule that featured a bevy of larger schools.
Henderson, who has coached Calhoun's baseball program for 16 years, directed the Yellow Jackets to the program's third state championship in 11 years. This season's 35-1 squad was loaded with talent and motivation. After losing its first game of the season in the championship series opener against Cook High, the Yellow Jackets rebounded for two tough wins.
Kirk has guided nine teams to TSSAA Class AAA softball state championships, seven at Soddy-Daisy, but none of the others were any deeper, more resilient or attained higher national acclaim than his 2010 Lady Trojans. When they defeated Beech 8-5 in this year's final it capped 52-2 record. Since first appearing in the ESPN Rise FAB 50 and later in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association/USA Today Top 25, Soddy-Daisy continued a steady climb in both national polls and are currently in the top five in both rankings.
Bradley Central's wrestling team just completed its second straight undefeated season under Logsdon, winning the Class AAA traditional and duals state championships. The veteran coach's record is now 356-25. The Bears have claimed three consecutive traditional and duals state championships -- an amazing run that Logsdon said is a tribute to the volunteers, the wrestlers and his coaching staff.
Stockburger knew her Northwest Whitfield team had the potential to be special this year. Four starters and two key reserves returned from last year's Class AAAA quarterfinalists. In going 29-4 and reaching the state championship game for the first time in more than 20 years, the Lady Bruins left their mark as one of the best teams in the rich history of girls' basketball at the school.
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