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 the start of the 2021 prep football season now just a month away, Chattanooga area programs are hitting the stretch run of the preseason camp circuit.
by Stephen Hargis and Lindsey Young 5 hours agoWith the start of the 2021 prep football season now just a month away, Chattanooga area programs are hitting the stretch run of the preseason camp circuit.
by Stephen Hargis and Lindsey YoungWith the start of the 2021 prep football season now just a month away, Chattanooga area programs are hitting the stretch run of the preseason camp circuit.
by Stephen Hargis and Lindsey YoungWith the start of the 2021 prep football season now just a month away, Chattanooga area programs are hitting the stretch run of the preseason camp circuit.
by Stephen Hargis and Lindsey YoungWith the start of the 2021 prep football season now just a month away, Chattanooga area programs are hitting the stretch run of the preseason camp circuit.
by Stephen Hargis and Lindsey YoungThe annual Best of Preps Jamboree has outgrown the confines of a two-day event.
by Stephen HargisThe first call University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's basketball coach Katie Burrows would make after any game was to her older sister, Kristen Clounch, to discuss the outcome and strategy and seek an honest critique. So when an assistant coach's job opened on UTC's staff, Burrows again made a call to her sister.
by Stephen HargisTime off - if there actually was such a thing - has officially ended for high school football teams.
by Stephen HargisGoose Manning started his week painting the Tyner locker room as a Rams assistant. He's ending it as the new head football coach at Ooltewah, his alma mater.
by Stephen HargisCooper Kinney's trophy case just got a bit more crowded.
by Stephen HargisHoward's football program didn't have to go far to find its next head coach.
by Stephen HargisOvercoming obstacles to guide their teams to a memorable season was a common theme for this year's six finalists for Scrappy Moore Best of Preps Coach of the Year.
by Stephen HargisSequatchie County has turned its football program over to a coach with championship experience.
by Stephen HargisWinning a state championship was not a requirement for being a finalist for this year's Scrappy Moore Best of Preps Male Athlete of the Year, but it certainly didn't hurt.
by Stephen HargisVersatility was the key to becoming a finalist for this year's Best of Preps Scrappy Moore Female Athlete of the Year award, as five of the six finalists were multi-sport athletes.
by Stephen HargisBaylor School pitcher Sydney Berzon has been named the Gatorade Tennessee Softball Player of the Year after her impressive junior season.
by Stephen HargisThe names have changed, but the expectations for McCallie's football program have not.
by Stephen Hargis and Lindsey YoungFor more than a decade, the Chattanooga area has had a run of small-school success unparalleled in Tennessee prep football.
by Stephen Hargis and Lindsey YoungGui Vivaldini is now on an exclusive but growing list of McCallie soccer stars who have been named Tennessee's best player by Gatorade.
by Stephen HargisWith summer camps in full swing, high school football players are making their final push to attract college recruiters before the season begins in two months.
by Stephen Hargis and Lindsey Young