Skip to content

Messenger Sports Briefs for May 25

Messenger Sports Briefs for May 25
Briefly

Middleton in search
of boys’ hoops mentor

Count Middleton in as one of the schools in need of a boys’ basketball coach.
Longtime Tigers’ coach Larry Smalley announced his resignation of the post recently.
Smally compiled a 495-298 record, which included nine district titles and eight regional crowns along with 10 sectional/substate appearances, during his 24-year tenure at Middleton, winning state championships in 2002 and 2005.
Smalley, a 1964 graduate of the school, plans to continue to drive a bus for the school system and substitue teach.

Ex-Dyer Co. standout
heading to UT Martin

Dylan Cupples has plenty of connections to UT Martin that head coach Bubba Cates likes, but the connection the coach likes the most is the right-handed pitcher’s maturity.
“We lost five pitchers on our staff and we need to replace them with some maturity,” Cates said. “Dylan is an older guy and that will help us.”
Cupples, who prepped at Dyer County High School, pitched his freshman year at the University of Memphis. He suffered a stress fracture in his elbow, but made a successful comeback at Dyersburg State this past spring.
Cupples was a two-sport athlete (baseball and football) at Dyer County High School. He was a member of the National Honor Society. His biggest claim to fame as a Choctaw was pitching and getting Dyer County High School’s first-ever victory in the baseball state tournament.
Cupples led the Choctaws to three consecutive district baseball titles and is a four-time all-district honoree. He led the team and the state in saves with eight in 2004.

Skyhawk footballers
announce game times

The University of Tennessee at Martin has announced game times and its 2009 Skyhawk football season on Thursday.
The 11-game schedule is highlighted with the 7 p.m. regional showdown against Bowl Championship Subdivision foe Memphis on Sept. 19 at the Liberty Bowl.
The Skyhawks’ 2009 schedule opens Sept. 3 when Iowa Wesleyan visits Hardy M. Graham Stadium on campus at 6 p.m.
The Skyhawks will host five home games, including Iowa Wesleyan. The other four games are against Southeast Missouri State (6 p.m., Sept. 26); Tennessee Tech for homecoming (2 p.m., Oct. 10); Murray State (6 p.m., Oct. 24); and Austin Peay (1 p.m., Nov. 21).
The away games include Missouri State on Sept. 12, Jacksonville State on Oct. 3 and Eastern Kentucky on Oct. 17.
The Skyhawks also return to LP Field in Nashville to battle Tennessee State. Kickoff for the Tigers’ homecoming is scheduled for 5 p.m.
UT Martin will close out the road portion of its 2009 campaign on Nov. 14 at Eastern Illinois. Kickoff for that OVC contest is slated for 1:30 p.m.

UTM alumni Sutton
now on pro diamond

A year after former UT Martin baseball player Calen Sutton signed his first free agent contract to play in Professional Baseball’s Independent League, he has landed a roster spot with the Evansville Otters in the Frontier League.
Sutton finished his baseball career at UTM in May of last year. The 6-foot-3 right-handed pitcher thrived after joining the starting rotation midway through his senior season. He posted a 4-3 record and a 4.92 ERA in 20 games, including seven starts, and recorded three complete games.
After graduation, he attended a baseball showcase and was offered a free agent contract with the Lincoln (Neb.) Salt Dogs. The gig lasted about three weeks.
Sutton will be a relief pitcher for Evansville, a member of Independent Professional Baseball and the Frontier League.
The Otters opened their season Friday against the Southern Illinois Miners in Marion, Ill.