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.
In a game that had five lead changes and two ties, McCallie rallied from a third-quarter deficit to score the final 17 points for a 45-31 Division II-AAA East Region road win over Knoxville Catholic on Friday night.
by Stephen HargisThere are snippets ingrained in the memories of those who experienced the incredible state championship run by the 2000 Red Bank High School football team.
by Stephen HargisAs with most things involving bitter rivals Marion County and South Pittsburg, even the potential for rescheduling this season's matchup has turned contentious.
by Stephen HargisPrep picks for the week ending Sept. 18. Vote now.
by Stephen HargisTyner bounced back not only from the disappointment of last week's region loss but also last year's historic defeat to rival Howard with a convincing 36-0 nonregion win over the Hustlin' Tigers Friday night.
by Stephen HargisFor the first time since 1954, the Marion County versus South Pittsburg football rivalry game will not be played.
by Stephen HargisFinally, there is something both Marion County and South Pittsburg football fans can agree on.
by Stephen HargisOn the first night of high school football season in Tennessee, TSSAA executive director Bernard Childress found himself in a place and a situation that, just weeks earlier, he had thought would be impossible.
by Stephen HargisThe first shockwave of this football season was delivered by Bledsoe County, which steamrolled Class 2A's fourth-ranked Tyner 42-13 Friday night.
by Stephen HargisLast-minute scheduling challenges for two of the Chattanooga area's prep football powerhouses have opened the door for them to square off next Friday night.
by Stephen HargisBefore his senior season began, East Hamilton quarterback Haynes Eller worried far more about the possibility of missing playing time due to being exposed to COVID-19 than he did an on-field injury.
by Stephen HargisDespite having just one week of practice time to prepare for its season opener, McCallie looked every bit the part of the state's top-ranked Division II-AAA football team Friday night.
by Stephen HargisWhen it mattered most, the Marion County defense stood up to help secure a tough 35-26 nonregion home win over Sequatchie County on Thursday night.
by Stephen HargisAt first the incoming text merely illuminated the screen of her cellphone. But after processing the message, the words she was reading lit up Grace Hammond's entire face.
by Stephen HargisPreview some of the Chattanooga area's biggest high school football games for the second week of the 2020 season.
by Stephen HargisThe threat of inclement weather has caused nearly half of this week's high school football games in the Chattanooga area to be moved from Friday to Thursday.
by Stephen HargisAs debuts go, last Friday's season opener couldn't have gone much better for South Pittsburg running back Hunter Frame.
by Stephen HargisMarion County handed Fayetteville its first on-field loss since October 2018, rallying for four unanswered touchdowns in a 27-16 season-opening win Friday night in Jasper.
by Stephen HargisWith the high school football season kicking off Friday night the Times Free Press has put together its annual preview section, with 55 area teams from Tennessee and Georgia featured.
by Stephen HargisThe top high school football players to watch this year
by Stephen Hargis