Area boxing fans will get a double bonus with this year's Eastern Elite Qualifier and Regional Open Championships, which are set for Oct. 8-13 at the Chattanooga Convention Center with more than 650 fighters ranging in age from 8 to 40. Also at the convention center, on Saturday, Oct. 6, and again on Friday, Oct. 12, elite men and women boxers from the United States will square off against top fighters from Germany as part of their preparation for the 2020 Olympics. "We are excited to host the German Federation, as they have hosted us numerous times for training camps over the past two years," USA Boxing's high performance director, Matt Johnson, said in a recent release. "This will be a great competition and a great opportunity for USA Boxing to showcase our next generation of Olympic hopefuls on home soil." The release said Team USA is expected to include 2017 Elite World Championship medalists Troy Isley of Alexandria, Virginia, Duke Ragan of Cincinnati and Freudis Rojas Jr. of Las Vegas, along with two-time world medalist Christina Cruz of New York City, 2016 youth world champ Delante Johnson of Cleveland, Ohio, 2016 youth world bronze medalist Richard Torrez Jr. of California and a half dozen or so other international medalists.
Fishing
* Thursday's first round in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship tournament on Lake Chatuge in northeastern Georgia stretched the Elite Series points lead for Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Alabama, from nine to 53 - even with just 13 pounds, 6 ounces for his five-bass limit. That was the day's sixth-best total, and he figures a top-eight finish will guarantee him the AOY trophy and the $100,000 bonus that goes with it. The top 50 in points will divide $1 million, and Jacob Wheeler of Harrison was ninth and Wesley Strader of Spring City 29th with two days to go. After Thursday's second-best total of 15-0, Wheeler was only 13 points behind sixth-place Ott Defoe of Blaine, Tennessee. James Elam of Oklahoma took the lead for the tournament's $25,000 top prize with 16-10. Strader was 27th at 10-5.
Football
* Sewanee ends its three-game football homestand Saturday against undefeated Millsaps in a Southern Athletic Association game kicking off at 2 p.m. EDT. Each team is 1-0 in SAA play. The visiting Majors are 3-0 for the first time since 2013, and the Tigers are hoping to be 3-1 for the first time since a 4-0 start in 2001. Sewanee is 25-43-3 against Millsaps and has lost the last 12 meetings, but the last two were by three and four points. This is Family Weekend.
Tennis
* Sewanee's director of tennis, John Shackelford, recently got to meet two greats of the sport, Roger Federer and Andy Roddick, at the invitation of one of Shackelford's former players, Wyatt Harper. Harper, who was Sewanee's 2009 valedictorian, is the chief financial officer of The Andy Roddick Foundation, which was featured at the special event Shackelford attended in Austin, Texas. The foundation provides more than 3,400 kids in the Austin area with nonclassroom education, according to a Sewanee release. "Our mission to expand opportunities for young people is profound and resonates strongly," Harper said. "Athletics provided that outlet for me as a young person and continues to be an indispensable part of my life as an adult. When I am asked questions about my background, no one asks me what it's like to graduate as the valedictorian. They ask me things like 'What was it like playing collegiate tennis?'" He credited Shackelford's "sincere commitment to my success and genuine support" as a big part of his "success and happiness" now. "I have seen firsthand how important and crucial the time outside the classroom is for achieving goals and sustaining happiness through the ups and downs of life," he added. "Wyatt is the perfect example of the power of Division III athletics," Shackelford said. "He was at the very top of his class academically but also one of the hardest workers and most dedicated players I have ever coached. Wyatt learned a great deal about problem-solving and collaboration with others through his athletic experience - a perfect complement to his liberal arts education at Sewanee." J.J. Langston from Sewanee's 1989 graduating class is the foundation's chief development officer and played a big role in getting Federer to the event.
Volleyball
* Walters State's established volleyball program beat Chattanooga State 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-14) on Thursday in Morristown, dropping the first-year Lady Tigers to 6-6 overall and 1-1 in the TCCAA. Micayla Vallie had 12 kills and 17 digs for Walters (9-5, 2-0).