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Whitwell continues building for future

Staff photo by Robin Rudd/ Whitwell's Jacob Winchester (4) runs through a drill with assistant coach Rocky Stephenson in August 2019. Stephenson is now head coach of the Tigers, taking over the program where he was once an all-state player. Staff photo by Robin Rudd/ Whitwell's Jacob Winchester (4) runs through a drill with assistant coach Rocky Stephenson in August 2019. Stephenson is now head coach of the Tigers, taking over the program where he was once an all-state player.

By Stephen Hargis August 19, 2021 2 min read

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WHITWELL TIGERS

Head coach: Rocky Stephenson (first season as head coach)

Returning starters: 6 offensive; 6 defensive

Last year’s record: 1-9, lost in 1A first round

Stephen Hargis

Stephen has covered sports in the tri-state area for the Times Free Press for more than 35 years and was named Sports Editor in February of 2015 after 10 years as assistant sports editor, where he oversaw the prep sports staff. Stephen is among the most decorated writers in the TFP newsroom, having won more than 60 awards at the state, regional and national level ranging from investigative work to feature and news writing. Stephen was named one of the top 10 sports writers in the nation at the Associated Press Sports Editors' conference in Kissimmee Fla., in 2012, and has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists with Green Eyeshade southeast regional awards three times. He received an Associated Press national award for a season-long story following the Taft Youth Center football team, was named the state's top overall sports writer by the AP Media Editors as well as Tennessee Sports Writers Association three times and has also been named the state's top prep writer 19 times by the TSWA. Stephen is a lifelong Chattanooga area resident and has two children, Riley and Lauren.

Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.