Oneida advances to second round of playoffs
Plus: Storm wins league championship, and very few bears harvested in Scott County during fall archery hunt
Good Monday morning! Welcome to a brand new week. This is The Daybreaker, the first of several newsletters that will be published this week by the Independent Herald. The Daybreaker (Monday) and The Weekender (Thursday evening) are our two news-first newsletters. We publish several other newsletters throughout the week, as well as our regular E-Edition on Thursday and our Varsity E-Edition on Sunday (during sports season). If you’d like to adjust your subscription to include (or exclude) this or any of our other newsletters, please do so here. If you need to subscribe, it’s as simple as entering your email address:
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Indians dominate West Greene to advance to second round
ONEIDA | The Indians took care of their business in a big way in the first round of the Class 2A state playoffs Saturday afternoon, dominating West Greene 36-7 to advance to a second round showdown at Gordonsville.
Against a team that had been winless this season until a regular season-ending win over Cumberland Gap, Oneida was expected to win fairly comfortably, and there was not a lot of drama in Saturday afternoon’s game. After being bumped back from Friday night due to the forecast of thunderstorms, the first round game kicked off at 2 p.m. Saturday.
West Greene was able to have some success moving the ball through the air, completing 10 of 22 passes for 150 yards. That allowed the Buffaloes to control time of possession in the first half and keep the game relatively close on the scoreboard.
But the Indians’ defense completely shut down West Greene’s rushing attack. The Buffaloes finished with -2 yards on the ground.
Oneida, meanwhile, used a mix of run and pass to roll up a season-high 405 yards on offense, and averaged nearly 10 yards per play.
The rushing game was effective with Ben Gilbert rolling up 94 yards and a touchdown on just nine carries. The passing game was also effective, with Brock Ryon completing 13 of 16 passes for 263 yards and three touchdowns. Grady Keeton and William Hill each had four receptions, and Waylon Hill had a pair of touchdown catches.
The game started auspiciously, with West Greene intercepting a pass on the first play from scrimmage, setting the Buffaloes up in Oneida territory.
But after West Greene got to the Indians’ 25-yard-line, Oneida’s defense rose up to force incomplete passes on third and fourth down. Ruger West broke up a fourth down pass to force the ball over on downs.
After an exchange of punts, Oneida put together an 8-play, 57-yard drive to get on the board first, with Ben Gilbert scoring on a 3-yard run.
Following a West Greene punt, Oneida saw a drive stall inside the Buffaloes’ 10-yard-line, leading to a field goal attempt that was blocked.
But Oneida’s defense again stood tall, forcing West Greene into a 3-and-out. That turned into points after a bad snap on a punt attempt from the 16-yard-line, and Oneida’s lead was 9-0 midway through the second quarter.
West Greene avoided disaster by recovering a fumble in the end zone on Oneida’s next possession. But the Indian defense got the ball back when Kaden Keeton forced a fumble that was recovered by Drayton Wade. That set up an 11-yard touchdown pass from Ryon to Waylon Hill just before the end of the first half, and the Indians led 16-0 at halftime.
The third quarter started with a punt by West Greene, and Oneida scored again to put the game out of reach. Ryon completed a 47-yard touchdown pass to Grady Keeton to make it 23-0.
West Greene turned the ball over on downs on its ensuing possession, giving Oneida the ball inside the 40-yard-line and setting up a 2-yard touchdown run by Cole Meredith.
The Buffaloes managed a score in the fourth quarter when Austin Brown connected with Shane Wilhoit for a 33-yard score. But the final points went to Oneida, with Ryon completing a 37-yard pass to Waylon Hill.
Tate Shepard was Oneida’s leading tackler for a second consecutive week, finishing with 12 stops.
The Indians will now travel to Middle Tennessee to face an unbeaten Gordonsville team that defeated Coalfield 21-18 in the season opener. The Tigers are coming off a 35-7 win over York Institute in the first round of the playoffs.
Storm wins league championship in Hopper Division
Article and photos submitted by Scott County Storm.
The Scott County Storm have stormed their way to the top, capturing the Hopper Division Championship with a remarkable 8-1 season record. Under the leadership of Head Coach Darby Myers and assistant coaches William Deas, Dallas Newport, Rusty Ellis, and Cody Leib the Storms proved that heart, grit, and brotherhood can conquer any challenge.
The Storm offense was electric all season, racking up 271 points, while their tough, disciplined defense allowed only 76 points. Their lone setback came early in the season against powerhouse Cumberland Gap, a program that had claimed the last four championships and entered the season undefeated. But that loss only fueled the fire.
From that point on, the Storm became a team on a mission — not just to win games, but to play for one another. Despite dealing with multiple injuries and setbacks, this group refused to back down. Each week, players stepped up, filling roles and giving their all to keep the dream alive.
Coach Myers praised his team’s resilience and heart, saying, “These boys never quit. No matter what was thrown at them — injuries, tough opponents, or adversity — they came together as a brotherhood. That’s what makes this championship so special.”
The championship victory was more than a trophy — it was a statement. The Scott County Storm showed that unity, effort, and belief can turn any challenge into triumph.
As the final whistle blew and the team hoisted the championship trophy, it wasn’t just a win for the record books — it was a win for every player, coach, and family member who believed in the Storm journey.
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Black bear harvest down significantly in 2025
Most Scott Countians agree that black bears are over-populated in this area, 30 years into a bear reintroduction program centered in the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area that proved to be a tremendous success and resulted in bears going from rarely being sighted to a nuisance.
Unfortunately for homeowners who live on the edge of bear habitat and deal with bears in their trash and pet food, the 2025 hunting season is proving to be little relief.
Data from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency shows that hunters killed only three bears during the archery hunt, down more than 80% from last year.
All three of the bears harvested during this year’s hunt were killed with crossbows.
Last year, during the archery hunt, Scott County hunters killed 17 bears. Two more were killed during the weekend gun hunt in December, for a total of 19.
The black bear hunting season in the Cumberland Bear Hunt Zone coincides with the archery season for deer. It has traditionally been open only on private property west of U.S. Highway 27, but was recently expanded to include properties east of U.S. 27. The Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area is considered a bear sanctuary and is off-limits to bear hunting.
Hunters have long complained that the archery hunt isn’t inclusive enough, since most hunters do not participate in the archery season and fewer still have access to private land. Last year, TWRA added a week-long gun hunt in December, though that did little to satisfy hunters who point out that bear activity is significantly reduced that late in the season. While bears do not truly hibernate in this area, they do become sluggish during the winter months and move much less.
In neighboring Fentress County, hunters killed 12 bears during this year’s archery hunt, down significantly from the 43 that were harvested during last year’s hunt.
Across East Tennessee as a whole, the archery harvest this year has declined from 229 to 91.
No bears were killed during the Oct. 25-26 youth-only deer hunt, which is also open to bear hunting.
The December gun hunt will be Dec. 13-14, on private lands only.
The Week Ahead
❄️ Weather: It will be very cold today, with a high temperature of about 30° and a 40% chance of snow showers. This will be the earliest on record that we’ve ever failed to reach the freezing mark during the day in Oneida. Check out our daily Eye to the Sky updates on our Facebook page — published each morning at 7 a.m. on the dot — or always available at indherald.com.
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📅 Community Calendar
Monday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center in Huntsville will offer its walking program, puzzles and games, and massage chairs from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. today and every weekday this week. Congregate meals are also available on-site at 12 p.m. each day, and are free to seniors ages 60 and over. You’re asked to call ahead, 423-663-9300. Additionally, Tai Chi will be offered today at 10 a.m. (The center will be closed tomorrow for Veterans Day.)
Monday: Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services’ Mobile Health Clinic will be in the Walmart parking lot in Oneida from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering integrated primary care and behavioral health. No insurance is not a problem. Call (866) 599-0466 for more information.
Monday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out. Phone: (423) 569-5972.
Monday: Scott County Finance Committee will meet at 5 p.m. in the Scott County Mayor’s Office.
Monday: The Winfield Board of Mayor and Aldermen will meet at 6 p.m. at the Winfield Municipal Building.
Monday: The Round Table will not air tonight on the IH Sports Network. We will return for our final episode before the holiday break next week.
Tuesday: American Legion Post 136 will host its annual Veterans Day ceremony at the War Memorial Building (19175 Alberta Street, Oneida) beginning at 10:30 a.m. The gust speaker will be Steve Stanley, a veteran of the U.S. Army. A meal of hot dogs and chili will follow.
Tuesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.
Tuesday: Pinnacle Resource Center’s food pantry (1513 Jeffers Road, Huntsville) will be open beginning at 10 a.m. There are no income guidelines; however, a photo ID and a piece of mail with a Scott County address are required.
Tuesday: Boy Scout Troop #333 will meet at the Oneida War Memorial Building on Alberta Street in Oneida beginning at 6 p.m.
Tuesday: Wall Builders will meet from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church (1611 Glass House Road, Helenwood) for those struggling with addiction or striving to keep off drugs. There will be preaching, teaching, food, fellowship and personal counseling.
Wednesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out.
Wednesday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center in Huntsville will offer Senior Meal Connect today.
Thursday: The Gerry McDonald Mission House, located on Church Avenue, directly behind First United Methodist Church, is open from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. You are eligible to receive food once per month. For more information or requirements, call the church office at 569-8828.
Thursday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.
Thursday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center in Huntsville will offer crafts at 1 p.m.
Thursday: The Scott County Board of Education will meet in regular session at the Central Office in Huntsville, beginning at 4:30 p.m.
The Community Calendar is presented by Citizens Gas Utility District. CGUD operates natural gas distribution pipelines in portions of Scott and Morgan counties. Visit citizensgastn.com.
Thank you for reading. Our next newsletter will be Echoes in Time tomorrow. If you’d like to update your subscription to add or subtract any of our newsletters, do so here. If you haven’t yet subscribed, it’s as simple as adding your email address!
◼️ Monday morning: The Daybreaker (news & the week ahead)
◼️ Tuesday: Echoes in Time (stories of our history)
◼️ Wednesday: Threads of Life (obituaries)
◼️ Thursday evening: The Weekender (news & the weekend)
◼️ Friday: Friday Features (beyond the news)
◼️ Sunday: Varsity (a weekly sports recap)