Stephen has covered sports in the tri-state area for the Times Free Press for more than 26 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 54 awards at the state, regional and national level ranging from investigative work to feature and news writing, including 22 awards in the past three years. 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, where his work was noted for its high standards of ethical journalism. He received an Associated Press national award for a season-long story following the Taft Youth Center football team, became the first writer from the TFP staff to win first-place as the state's top overall sports writer by the Associated Press Media Editors and has also been named the state's overall Writer of the Year three times in the past four years. He has been awarded the state's top prep writer a record 18 times, including each of the past six years, is the first writer on the TFP staff to win the prestigious Lawrenceburg Quarterback Club's Sports Writer of the Year and was recognized with the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association's Sportsmanship Award for Contributor of the Year in the state. He is also a regular contributor previewing and highlighting prep football on local television. In 2013, Stephen co-authored a book about University of Tennessee football entitled "Game Of My Life". Stephen is a lifelong Chattanooga area resident and has two children, Riley and Lauren.
With very little drama, the higher-seeded teams held serve throughout Saturday's District 6-AA basketball tournament semifinals at Signal Mountain.
by Stephen HargisPlaying as if their basketball season was on the line — because it was — the GPS Bruisers took rival Baylor to the wire before falling short Friday.
by Stephen HargisThe Chattanooga area will be well represented at this year's Mr. and Miss Basketball awards ceremony.
by Stephen HargisSilverdale Baptist Academy has named Mike Connor as its head football coach.
by Stephen HargisAfter just one season, Travis Olinger has been relieved of his duties as head football coach at Whitwell High School. Olinger was informed by school principal Teena Casseday Wednesday morning and has met with the football team to inform them of the decision.
by Stephen HargisFor the past two weeks Damon Floyd has needed a revolving door leading to his office. With so many college football programs looking to get a jump-start on recruiting rising seniors in high school, the Bradley Central field house has been more than just a whistle stop for countless coaches.
by Stephen HargisKobe Smith sat slumped on a bench just outside the Tyner locker room, the gold-ball trophy he had been presented earlier for scoring his 1,000th career point resting on his lap.
by Stephen HargisThe Super Bowl is in Miami this year, but it will have a little Scenic City flavor.
by Stephen HargisDaniel Corona still has two seasons remaining in his high school career, but the Baylor School junior is already very much on Major League Baseball's radar.
by Stephen HargisHixson High School has named Josh Owensby as its new head football coach. Owensby had worked as the team's offensive coordinator the past three seasons and is a former head coach at Bledsoe County.
by Stephen HargisTwo former high school coaches from the Chattanooga area are part of this year's nine-member TSSAA Hall of Fame class, which was announced Wednesday.
by Stephen HargisThe way Martavius Ryals looks at it, the next step in his football career is the first step to getting where he wants to be.
by Stephen HargisFor its new head football coach, Marion County has turned to one of its former coaches.
by Stephen HargisLike millions of other basketball fans, the news of the tragic death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant hit the Chattanooga sports community hard.
by Stephen HargisCoahulla Creek High School didn't have to look very far to find its new football coach.
by Stephen HargisThe spoils of a state championship season continue for McCallie's football program with seven Blue Tornado players being named to the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Division II-AAA all-state team. A total of 19 local players earned spots on the DII-AAA or DII-AA all-state teams.
by Stephen HargisAfter five seasons as South Pittsburg's defensive coordinator, Shawn Peek has accepted an offer to become the new head coach at Chattooga (Ga.) High.
by Stephen HargisDeep playoff runs translated into an impressive group of all-state selections for four Chattanooga-area Class 1A, 2A and 3A prep football teams.
by Stephen HargisJoey Mathis is going home, or at least close to it. Mathis resigned as Marion County's football coach Tuesday to accept the job as head coach at Coosa High in Rome, Georgia, which is closer to where much of his family currently lives.
by Stephen HargisTen high school football players from the Chattanooga area earned spots on the Tennessee Sports Writers Association's 2019 all-state teams for classes 4A, 5A and 6A.
by Stephen Hargis