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Sports Updates

Sports Updates Winter 2023

Football Team Claims 2022 Blue Cross Bowl State Title

The Baylor Red Raiders defeated a previously unbeaten Montgomery Bell Academy 38-34 in a thrilling come-from-behind victory to claim the TSSAA Division II AAA Blue Cross Bowl state title at Finley Stadium on Dec. 1. The championship capped off a season of winning 11 of 13 games.

The 2022 state title win is the first for Baylor football in 49 years when the 1973 team defeated Memphis Hillcrest 6-0 at the Liberty Bowl stadium and were later voted National Champions by the National Sports News Service.

Watch this archival footage of the 1973 Championship (no audio available) 

 

Nineteen seniors anchored the squad, including senior running back Tennessee Titans Mr. Football finalist, Caleb Hampton ’23, who was named the game’s MVP after rushing for 170 yards on 24 carries and scoring two touchdowns. Junior quarterback Whit Muschamp ’24, completed 19 of 29 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns in addition to gaining 52 yards on eight rushing attempts.

Although all eight regular season victories were important, none was sweeter than the 31-27 come-from-behind home win over McCallie, convincingly snapping the archrival’s five-game series winning streak.

Relive the big win! Watch this highlight video!


Volleyball Returns to State Finals, Finishes Second

After a one-year absence, Baylor’s volleyballers were back in the state finals with a second place finish, riding the crest of a season that would end with a 35-8 record, including a spotless 15-0 record at home. Among the victories were two straight-set wins over rival GPS. After vanquishing Ensworth and Knox Catholic in the state tourney, the girls eventually fell to perennial powerhouse Briarcrest.

Junior Maggie Hansen and sophomore Sydney Sharpe were named to the All-East Region Team along with senior Elli Kinney, who was also voted Region MVP. In her final game, Kinney had a dozen kills and seven digs and at one point delivered a string of six-straight service points. Sharpe racked up 24 assists, and Hansen had nine kills.


Golf Teams Finish Second and Third in State

The girls’ golf team placed second in TSSAA tournament play with the boys coming in third. Individual medals went to junior Mattie Nall who finished fourth with back-to-back 75s on the par-70 course, and freshman Carlee Rogers tied for sixth. Senior Viktor Stöllinger finished third after back-to-back 70s, and junior Guillame Paquette tied for fourth with consecutive 71s.


Girls' Cross Country Third in State

The girls’ cross country team ran strong in 2022, placing third overall at the TSSAA State Championships in November. The girls were led by All-State runners Addi Greene (sophomore) and Mae Mae Powe (junior), who finished sixth and eighth respectively. Greene also placed third overall in the Front Runner Invitational at Baylor on Oct. 20, and seniors Addison Johnson, Helen Webb, and Charlotte Ann Haddock anchored the team performance.

The boys’ cross country team placed seventh in the state championship race, led by senior All-Stater Chris Knight’s tenth place finish. During the regular season, the boys placed second in the Front Runner invitational with Knight and senior Jack Gartman leading the team’s effort with top-ten finishes.


Soccer Makes State Final Four Appearance

The Baylor girls’ soccer team finished with a 15-6-1 record, was the region runner-up, and made yet another appearance at the state tournament with a thrilling 2-1 state quarterfinal win over Pope John Paul II. The Raiders fell in the state semifinal match, 2-1, to a tough Briarcrest team. The 2022 Division II AA All-East Region Soccer team included junior Elizabeth Stophel as MVP, along with all-region players Claire Holtzclaw, a senior; juniors Ellie Carico, Jada Cooper, and Sophia Mize; and sophomore Sara Hill.


Red Raider Rowers Have Good Showing at Fall Regattas

The girls’ and boys’ rowing teams enjoyed a great day of racing at Nashville’s 2022 Music City Regatta in October with the Women’s Youth Novice 8+ bringing home the gold and four additional teams placing in the top eight. At the 2022 Head of the Hooch Regatta, Baylor teams ranked an impressive 14th overall for the Youth Events Point Trophy out of over 60 clubs and schools attending the regatta. Baylor was also the second-ranked scholastic program at the regatta and defeated GPS and McCallie on the points list.

Sports Updates SB Winter 2023

Payton Brooks Named Head Varsity Swim Coach

Payton Brooks, the assistant swim coach for Virginia Tech, was named head swimming coach for the Red Raiders in October.

Brooks joined the Hokie staff as the assistant in 2019 where he played a role in leading the Tech men to 11th place finishes at the NCAA Championships the past two seasons. The Tech women finished 21st and 23rd respectively.

Prior to joining the Hokies, Brooks was head coach at Alderson Broaddus University in Philippi, West Virginia, for the 2014-15 season. He served as an assistant coach at The Bolles School from 2012-2014, where he was also the assistant director of the Bolles Sharks Swim Camp and a residential staff member for the boarding program.

He was a member of the West Virginia University swim team, graduating with a B.A. in physical education and sport sciences with a focus in athletic coaching. A native of Hurricane, W.Va., Brooks is married to the former Madisen Meadows, and they have three children: Stone, Meadow, and Bo.


"Coach E" Recognized as Baylor Wins 1,000th

With a victory on Aug. 27 over Gulf Shores High School, Baylor’s volleyball team reached a program milestone by winning their 1,000th match and Kurt Emmanuele (center) has seen them all. He was recognized at a special ceremony during a home football game in Heywood on Sept. 2, 2022. Emmanuele has been a part of each of the 1,000 wins as either the head coach or the assistant coach. The 2022 Baylor volleyball team and head volleyball coach Sarah Lail (left) were also recognized.


Partrick Named Girls Golf Coach of the Year

Baylor School golf coach Gary Partrick has been selected by MaxPreps and the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association as the 2021-22 Girls’ Golf Coach of the Year. Partrick began helping with the offseason program for boys’ and girls’ golf from 2006-08 and was an assistant coach in 2008 when the boys and girls golf teams each won state championships. He was named head coach in 2009, and since then, the girls’ teams have won six state titles (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2020, and 2021); and the boys’ teams have won five titles (2012, 2015, 2018, 2020, and 2021). Last August, he was named the TSSAA Distinguished Service Award recipient of the 2021-22 school year.


Softball Team Promotes Lung Cancer Awareness

Baylor Trustee Dr. Rob Headrick ’82 partnered with Baylor’s softball team to promote Lung Awareness Month in November. Coach Kelli Howard Smith ’95 said the team engages in a service activity each year, such as breast cancer awareness through the Mary Ellen Locher Breast Center at CHI Memorial. “It’s a great opportunity to get involved in something bigger than ourselves,” said Smith. Pictured (kneeling, left to right) are sixth graders Wrigley Burge and Ella Higgins; (back row) are juniors Avery Shamblin and Riley Oleksik; sophomore Mary Margaret Guthrie; juniors Izzy Moore, Addie Yates, and Sloane Watson; Coach Smith ’95; seventh graders Annie Williams and McLaine Reese; juniors Kaylee Snyder and Holly Merritt; and sophomore Brenley Gentry.

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Volume 35
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