The Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour Stage One knockout round Tuesday knocked out the three area contenders besides No. 1 Group B qualifier Jacob Wheeler of Harrison for Wednesday's final round on Lake Eufaula in Alabama. Wheeler had a 51-pound, 6-ounce total after Monday's second round and joined Group A winner Bryan Thrift in the final 10 along with Tuesday's top eight. Rhea County residents Andy Morgan (41-10 first two rounds), Wesley Strader (38-9) and Michael Neal (31-7) also qualified but finished 21st, 30th and 29th Tuesday with 12-12, 7-15 and 8-7, respectively.
* Buddy Gross of Chickamauga, Georgia, finished 11th Monday at Palatka, Florida, in the first Bassmaster Elite Series of the year. The series' other anglers were supposed to join him this week at his home lake, but that Dayton-based event has been postponed until March 19-22 because of the flooding and continued rain in southeastern Tennessee. Gross weighed in 36 pounds, 10 ounces of bass for his three days on the St. Johns River, and places 11-15 earned $12,000 each. Paul Mueller of Naugatuck, Conn., got $101,000 for his first-place 47-6.
Golf
* The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's golfers finished 13th out of 14 teams Tuesday in their first tournament of 2020, the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate in southern Alabama. The Mocs were tied for 13th with Western Kentucky at 8-over-par 584 after Monday's 36 holes and wound up at 878. Florida State won at 836, one shot better than Illinois and two ahead of Louisville. UTC's Will Porter and A.J. Lintunen tied for 33rd individually with 215s, and Moritz Lammel tied for 51st at 220.
* Led by Nathan Hawkins' 19th-place 149 for 36 holes, Covenant College's men finished 12th at 634 (314-320) in the Coastal Georgia Winter International tournament at the Brunswick Country Club. The Scots' Will DeMersseman was 40th at 155.
Soccer
* Forward Santiago Agudelo from Frisco, Texas, and Fort Hays State University was the announced pro soccer signee of the day Tuesday for the Chattanooga Football Club. He was the D2CCA player of the year in 2018, when he scored 26 goals in 19 matches for Fort Hays, and he had 17 goals and six assists in 2019. He repeated as D2CCA Central Region player of the year. "Santi has been able to score consistently at every level," CFC coach Peter Fuller said in a club release. "He came through the FC Dallas Academy, where he was a prolific goal scorer in one of the top club teams in the country. He continued that at the college level. We are fortunate to have him." Said Agudelo: "I'm beyond happy to announce I've signed my first professional contract with Chattanooga FC. Special thanks to God, my family, coaching staff, teammates and everyone who's been part of this process."
Basketball
* Covenant College lost its USA South men's basketball game Tuesday night at Brevard 75-69 after leading 69-62 with three minutes to go. Will Crumly had 26 points and seven rebounds in defeat for the Scots (13-8, 10-4), and Chris Barnette contributed 10 assists with seven rebounds.