Patrick MacCoon

Patrick MacCoon is an avid sports lover who joined the Chattanooga Times Free Press January 2, 2019. He covers prep sports along with the Chattanooga Football Club and Chattanooga Lookouts. Patrick is a fan of Atlanta professional sports and began reading newspapers at an early age to analyze the MLB box scores. He is a graduate from Red Bank High School and the University of Tennessee (Knoxville).

Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6311.

Rhea County QB Jaxton Schmitt seals gritty win over Red Bank

by Patrick MacCoon ·August 21, 2026

Rhea County senior quarterback Jaxton Schmitt could barely stand up at the end of the postgame handshake line Friday night.

Staff Photo by Patrick MacCoon / Rhea County senior quarterback Jaxton Schmitt, left, starred in Friday's 29-27 home win over Red Bank in the season opener for both teams.

Chattanooga area has four TSSAA coaches of the year for 2025-26

by Patrick MacCoon ·August 21, 2026

Two coaches from Cleveland High School and one each from Baylor and GPS have been chosen among the TSSAA's best for the 2025-26 school year.

Staff File Photo / Josh Bosken, standing center, leads both the boys' and girls' wrestling programs at Cleveland High School. He is one of four Chattanooga-area selections among the 27 TSSAA coach of the year honorees for 2025-26, with Bosken chosen for boys' wrestling.

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East Hamilton set to retire Tre Herndon’s No. 21 football jersey

by Patrick MacCoon ·August 20, 2026

Tre Herndon's No. 21 will become the first retired jersey in East Hamilton football history during a halftime ceremony at the Hurricanes' season opener Friday night.

Staff File Photo / East Hamilton will retire the No. 21 football jersey of former Hurricanes standout Tre Herndon, a 2014 graduate of the school, during a halftime ceremony at Friday's season opener against Hixson. Herndon went on to become a standout for SEC member Vanderbilt before spending six seasons with the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars.

Baylor hires former longtime Cookeville coach with USA Baseball experience

by Patrick MacCoon ·August 19, 2026

Baylor School announced Wednesday morning that it has hired Butch Chaffin as the next head coach of its five-time state championship baseball program.

Staff File Photo by Matt Hamilton / Baylor School announced the hiring of longtime USA Baseball coach and former Cookeville High School coach Butch Chaffin on Wednesday morning.

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Boyd Buchanan’s Payton Rider sets tone in season-opening shutout win

by Patrick MacCoon ·August 18, 2026

Boyd Buchanan junior goalkeeper Payton Rider made a significant impact during Tuesday's season-opening 1-0 home victory over Walker Valley.

Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Boyd Buchanan freshman Amelia Acselrod wins the ball on the sideline during Tuesday's 1-0 season-opening home victory over Walker Valley.

Chattanooga-area has 11 state-ranked high school football teams in first TSWA poll

by Patrick MacCoon ·August 17, 2026

Eleven Chattanooga-area teams received top-10 rankings in the Tennessee Sports Writers Association's preseason prep football poll released Monday.

Staff photo by Matt Hamilton/ Tyner's Ja'Marien Crawl and D'Aerion McNealy (22) pursue Silverdale Baptist ballcarrier Luke Bowman during last year's matchup.

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Three Chattanooga-area wrestlers win junior national championships

by Patrick MacCoon ·July 17, 2026

Halfway through his high school career, Harrison Murdock has already established himself as one of the top prep wrestlers in the Chattanooga area, but he's not stopping there.

Staff file photo by Matt Hamilton / Harrison Murdock, top, a Ringgold native who wrestled his first two high school seasons at Dalton's Christian Heritage but will compete for Chattanooga's Baylor as a junior this winter, won a national title last weekend at the prestigious junior tournament held annually in Fargo, N.D.

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Tyner’s trio of receivers could be serious trouble for secondaries this fall

by Patrick MacCoon ·July 16, 2026

The Times Free Press is identifying areas of concern for each GHSA and TSSAA program in the Chattanooga area ahead of the 2026 prep football season.

Staff file photo by Matt Hamilton / Tyner's Jur'Won Hubbard (8) celebrates with Dion Edwards after he scored a touchdown during a game at Red Bank last Sept. 5.

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Red Bank’s passing game may lean heavily on Jones-to-Jones connection

by Patrick MacCoon ·July 15, 2026

The Times Free Press is identifying areas of concern for each GHSA and TSSAA program in the Chattanooga area ahead of the 2026 prep football season.

Staff file photo / Former Boyd Buchanan running back Jerl Young, left, has the potential to be a instant star for East Ridge's football program this season.

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How to replace Jaden Haywood at East Hamilton among questions in 3-5A

by Patrick MacCoon ·July 14, 2026

The Times Free Press is identifying areas of concern for each GHSA and TSSAA program in the Chattanooga area ahead of the 2026 prep football season.