Coach Reeves set for FCA banquet

Friday, January 1, 1904

Former Dallas Cowboys player and NFL coach Dan Reeves will be the keynote speaker for the area Fellowship of Christian Athletes "Road to Victory" banquet on March 5 at the Chattanooga Convention Center. It starts at 6:30 p.m. Reeves holds the record for most Super Bowl appearances as a player and coach with nine. "Coach Reeves has always been known as a man with tremendous character and integrity who achieved the highest levels of success as both a player and coach in the National Football League," area FCA director Jay Fowler said in a release from the organization. Reeves was a three-sport star at Americus (Ga.) High School and started for three years as South Carolina's quarterback and was a Gamecocks baseball standout as well. He became the youngest head coach in the NFL in 1981, with Denver, and directed the Broncos to three Super Bowls in his 12 years. He later coached the New York Giants and the Atlanta Falcons, leading the latter to their only Super Bowl appearance in 1998. His career coaching record is 190-165. More information is available from Fowler at 877-3561 or 309-4255, or see chattanoogafac.org.

Tennis

• The UTC women's tennis team opened its season Saturday night with a 7-0 victory over Lipscomb at the Racquet Club in Hixson. One doubles match was as close as 8-6, but the closest singles win was Emily Hangstefer's 6-4, 6-2 victory at No. 3. "We worked through some nerves in the doubles," Lady Mocs coach Jeff Clark said in a school release, "but played solidly and came away with the point. In singles we really got off to a fast start ... and were able to keep the momentum going."

Softball

• The Chattanooga State softball team rallied Friday night to beat Arizona Western 4-2 and go to 2-0 in the 10-team season-opening junior college tournament at Henderson, Nev., and Saturday the 11th-ranked Lady Tigers defeated No. 1-ranked Yavapai 7-2 before night games against two other Arizona teams, Glendale and No. 9 Pima. Against Arizona Western, LSU signee Ashley Czechner got her second pitching win Friday and Janna Scheff recorded a save for the Lady Tigers. Beth Breeden's pinch-hit RBI began the Lady Tigers' surge from a 2-0 deficit, and Chelsea Burgess was 2-for-3, Andi Johnson drove in two runs, Czechner had an RBI double and Shelby Johnson walked twice and singled. Czechner got the complete-game win against Yavapai. The Lady Tigers scored three runs in the first inning. Lacye Walker had three hits, Shelby Johnson had three hits and a walk and Megan Crawford hit a home run.

Track & Field

• University of Tennessee at Chattanooga sophomore Lucas Cotter finished fourth in the 3,000-meter run Saturday at the Rod McCravey Memorial indoor track and field meet at the University of Kentucky. Cotter ran a personal-record (8:13.18) in the event, as did senior teammate Emmanuel Kirwa in finishing 11th. The Lady Mocs' Amanda Summer was eighth in the women's 3000.

• Bryan College's Bryson Harper from Sequatchie County High School finished fourth in the mile run in 4:13.26 in the Indiana Relays held at Bloomington, Ind.