PREPS

Whitehaven coach has schedule woes

John Varlas
USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee
Whitehaven coach Rodney Saulsberry yells to his players during the second half of the Division I Class 6A Tennessee high school football championship game against Oakland on Dec. 3, 2016, in Cookeville, Tenn. Whitehaven won 12-9.

Wanted. Two football games for the 2017 high school season. Please contact Rodney Saulsberry at Whitehaven High.

Saulsberry — the coach of the undefeated 6A state champions — hasn't resorted to taking out an ad just yet. But he's tried almost everything else he can think of in an effort to find two more games to fill out next season's schedule.

"At this point ... we'll play two games in one week," he said. "We'll play a doubleheader. I've been looking everywhere. It's beyond a headache. It's been an effort in futility."

Part of the problem stems from the re-classification for the upcoming season. Instead of being part of an eight-team region as it has been last year, Whitehaven will play just three league games — against Central, Germantown and White Station. That left seven openings.

Saulsberry said he's been able to fill five. Whitehaven will open in the Whitehaven Classic and will also play Lausanne, East and continue its long-standing rivalry against Ridgeway. The Tigers will also travel to East St. Louis.

The schedule Whitehaven already has is loaded. East and Lausanne won state titles in 4A and Division 2-A in 2016. Ridgeway and White Station are always dangerous.

Saulsberry said he tried to put together a game against Trezevant — which would have given the Tigers games against all three of the other Shelby County state champs — but the Bears were full.

"I think our success has had something to do with it but I don't want to paint it as people being afraid to play us," Saulsberry said. "I'm just highlighting how difficult it's been to put together a schedule. There are some people willing to play us that were but we weren't able to make it work with (mutually-agreeable) dates. But some ... just aren't willing."

"It's football. Let's play."

HECK TO STANFORD

Rachel Heck harbors dreams of playing on the LPGA Tour. And she thinks Stanford is the best place to help her get there.

Rachel Heck

Heck — the standout freshman at St. Agnes — recently committed to play for the Cardinal. It's a long way between now and the time she enrolls but the two-time Division 2-AA state champion said she's sold.

"I always thought I'd like it but when I got out there I couldn't believe how beautiful it was," said Heck. "The campus is beautiful ... the practice facilities; you can work on any shot. I think it's the perfect place to help me get to the LPGA Tour."

Stanford won the NCAA championship in 2015, was in the final last year and enters this spring as the nation's top-ranked team. And Heck will help them continue that tradition. She is the top-ranked golfer nationally in the class of 2020 and the seventh overall according to the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings.

In addition to her state title, she won the Bubba Conlee National Junior in July and advanced to the semis of the AJGA Polo Golf Classic in November. Heck also visited Duke, Georgia, Alabama and Vanderbilt. Her older sister Abby, a senior, is headed to Notre Dame.

LACROSSE JAMBOREE

Several local girls lacrosse teams are set to take part in the area's first-ever jamboree, which will be hosted by St. Benedict on Monday.

Arlington, Briarcrest, Collierville, Houston, Lausanne, St. Agnes, St. George's, St. Mary's and White Station, along with the hosts and six-time defending Tennessee Girls Lacrosse Association state champion Hutchison are set to take part in the event, which runs from 4:30-9:30 p.m. at the school's turf field. Admission is $5.

"Football always has jamborees so we said, 'Why can't we have one too,'" said Eagles coach Morgan Fuller. "They'll be quick little scrimmages to see where we are and get excited about the season. It's a growing sport both nationally and here in Memphis."