Football Booster Meeting
July 9, 2007 @ 6:30 p.m.
Central United Methodist Church


 

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2006 Panther Pride Banquet

2006 Powder Puff Winners


2006 LENOIR CITY HIGH SCHOOL PANTHER PRIDE FOOTBALL BANQUET ANNOUNCED

 
The 2006 Lenoir City High School Panther Pride Football Banquet will be held Sunday, December 17th, at 2:30 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Lenoir City sanctuary.  This year there will be desserts, coffee, and soft drinks.  The coaching staff will be awarding letters, All-Region Awards, certificates, and recognizing the 2006 Captains.  The 2006 LC Panther Pride Football Highlight Video will be viewed at the end of the banquet.  The highlight video will be on sale for $25.  
 
For the banquet, the parents of the Seniors and Freshmen are ask to bring desserts.  The parents of the juniors are ask to bring cups, plates, plastic ware and napkins.  The parents of the sophomores are ask to bring two-liter drinks, regular and diet.

PANTHER PRIDE 2006 CELEBRATION

 
This year the football banquet will be a celebration of hard fought battles with a team that kept on fighting.  It has been quoted that "The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running."  The 2006 LC Panther Pride Football Team kept on running.  With the loss of four starters before the season began, five starters during the season, and one for half the season due to illness, these young men fought till the end.  They never gave up. They faced teams that were bigger, teams that were faster, and the state champs; but through all that they continued their fight. 
 
It was uphill all the way, but these young men reached the summit.  It wasn't with higher scores in most of the games, it wasn't always with the most rushing yards, nor was it with the most tackles or passes, but it was with CHARACTER AND DETERMINATION.  Sports Reporters from around the region watched this team as they fought and admired them for their sheer will.   These boys became men this year because they faced more adversity that most deal with in a life time.  This season they learned how to group, recoup, regroup, and continue.  This season will help all of them cope with life,  which is not always kind and which offers many hurts.  They are stronger young men for having gone through this.  All of them wanted to make it to the playoffs, sure they did.  We all did.  But these guys made it to the playoff of life.  It wasn't easy, but they made it through. 
 
We salute this team!  These are real young men.  Young men to look up to , where every aspect of life in which they are involved, they have stepped up to the challenge.   They gave it no less than their best!   
LENOIR CITY PANTHER PRIDE FOOTBALL TEAM - WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!!!! 
 
To the eight seniors,  Justin Brannam, Mitchell Varner, Zack Cusick, Brad Christian, Lincoln Walters, Jason Studwell, Kevin Harman, and David Bearden.  We wish you the best!    May you reach the heights you strive for and may all you dream for, come true.  Good luck in college and in life!   We will miss you!    

SENIOR NIGHT - LENOIR CITY FOOTBALL PANTHERS 2006

 
Friday Night, October 27, is Senior Night for our Lenoir City Football Panthers.  This will be their last game and the last time you will get to see our eight seniors play football as Lenoir City Panthers.  Our eight seniors are:
  
                                     No. 1            Justin Brannam         Defensive Back/Wide Receiver
                                     No. 3            Mitchell Varner          Defensive Back/Wide Receiver
                                     No. 4            Zack Cusick                Quarterback/Defensive Back
                                     No. 6            Brad Christian            Linebacker/Running Back
                              No. 22          Lincoln Walters         Defensive Back/Linebacker
                              No. 44          Jason Studwell          Defensive End/Tight End
                              No. 51          Kevin Harman           Defensive Tackle/Offensive Lineman
                                     No. 52          David Bearden           Defensive End/Offensive Lineman
 
LC plays Maryville High School for this last game of the 2006 season.  We ask each of you to come out and support the LC team and our Lenoir City High School Senior Football Panthers as they take on the state champs.   Wear your ORANGE and BLACK proud for the hometown team as we wage battle against Maryville.  The LC Team needs to know that you are behind them all the way.  GO PANTHERS!!  BEAT THE REBELS!!

ALL GAME PICTURES CD AVAILABLE

 
This year Sammie Dunlap, Team Photographer, has prepared a CD with all of the pictures from all of the Lenoir City Football games on it.  This will be a great CD with hundreds of shots from the games.  These CD's can be ordered either at the Panther Shed on Friday night, 10/27, or you can contact Jenni Hamilton, at 865-643-1981 if you would like to reserve your CD.  The cd's will then be compiled by Sammie and you will pay for them upon receipt.  The price for the CD is $20.00.  These CD's are great!  If you have been keeping up with the web site pictures and the ones in the local News-Herald, Sammie takes all those shots and each one is a tribute to our team.  This is a wonderful opportunity at a very good price!

COME AND SUPPORT YOUR LC PANTHERS AS THEY TAKE ON REGIONAL RIVAL SOUTH-DOYLE FRIDAY NIGHT AT S-D.  THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT GAME FOR BOTH TEAMS AND LC NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE STILL BEHIND THEM 100%!  THE PLAYERS WHO REMAIN ON OUR TEAM HAVE FACED ADVERSITY AFTER ADVERSITY THIS SEASON, BUT ALL OF THEM HAVE THE DESIRE TO WIN!   THERE ARE NINE SENIORS WHO WANT TO END THE SENIOR SEASON WITH MORE THAN ONE WIN.  IF WE ENCOURAGE THEM THE WAY FANS AND PARENTS SHOULD, WE CAN ALL HELP THEM GET ANOTHER NOTCH IN THE WIN CATEGORY.  SO COME OUT FRIDAY NIGHT AND CHEER ON YOU HOMETOWN TEAM!  GO PANTHERS!  BEAT THE CHEROKEES!


HOMECOMING EXCITEMENT FOR MANY FRIDAY NIGHT! 

PARADE AND PEP RALLIES:  Homecoming Celebration started Thursday night, September 28, with a Homecoming Parade down Broadway in Lenoir City.  All the queen candidates rode on locally sponsored convertibles with the football team riding in locally furnished pickup trucks.  The night was rainy but the spirits were high as the Lenoir City Youth Football Organization joined in the parade along with the Lenoir City Hall of Fame Officers.  The Parade was followed by a Pep Rally at the Civitan Field.  Then Friday morning at the LCHS gym another pep rally was held to get everyone excited about the impending regional game with West. 

CHORALE AND RETIRED TEACHERS:   The excitement started Friday night with a wonderful presentation of the National Anthem and the LCHS Alma Mater by the LCHS Chorale.  The singing was followed by recognition of the Retired Teachers from the Lenoir City School System.  Preceding the game a reception was held for the retired teachers at the new LC Career Technical Center. Recognized during the pre-game festivities were 30 retired teachers Fotchie Robinson, Elizabeth Holland, Dimple Browder, Sylvia Sproul, Barry White, Howard Murrill, Helen Mason, Norma Idom, Willie Joe Smalley, Polly Stallard, Harold Duff, Mary Ann Stewart, Bobby Hicks, Joe Allen Hall, Joe Spence, Nancy Schowalter, Gerald Augustus, Glenn Williams, Suzanne Redmond, Priscilla Tarpley, June Kincaid, Elizabeth Fritts, Josephine Blankenship, Mary Louise Ledbetter, Ken Guffey, and Jean Campbell.  Bricks for the New Centennial Park at Lenoir City High School (between the long walk and the medical clinic) have been purchased for each retired teacher.  See your National Honor Society Representative to purchase these bricks, in honor of your children, yourself, your parents, your favorite teacher or coach.  Great Opportunity! 

LCYFO TUNNEL:  The Lenoir City Youth Football Organization had over 150 football players, cheerleaders, and coaches present on Friday night to make the longest tunnel that the LCHS Football Team has ever had the opportunity to run through onto the field.  These young people lined up from the 10 yard line to the 45 yard line to show their support of the LCHS Football Program.   They represented their teams, the Cricket/Super Crickets, the Hoppers, the Cutters, and the Junior Panthers.  The Hoppers and Cutters were recognized for their outstanding efforts because they were undefeated last year and won their conference titles and brought home the gold to Lenoir City. 

HOMECOMING QUEEN:  The 2006 Lenoir City Football Homecoming Queen was crowned at half-time. With the candidates being Ellyn Sheets, Kayla Yancey, Whitney Bilek, Sarah Koty, Jesi Giles, Emily Woody, Erickah Sisson, Morgan Freshour, Maddison Matlock, and Noel Lee. The candidates all dressed in formal attire graced the football field with their escorts.  Then after each took their spot, the announcement came.  MORGAN FRESHOUR was voted 2006 LCHS Homecoming Queen. 

Congratulations Morgan!  You looked beautiful! She and her escort, Cody Purdy, are pictured below.

Please go to http://www.lenoircity.com/  to see more
Homecoming, retired teachers, and ballgame pictures.
   

 


PANTHERS HANDLED REGIONAL RIVALRY WITH TOUGH DETERMINATION

The local News-Herald said it all.  With six starters missing, the Lenoir City Panthers gave Knoxville West one of the best fights of the season.  Five were out due to disciplinary action and another starter, Brad Christian, missed the game due to a recent battle with pneumonia.  It's hard to cope for a struggling new 4A team to lose six starters only hours before a big regional game.  Coach Nick White was faced with putting players in positions they had never played, and starting young team members who had never played varsity before.  Quarterback, Zack Cusick, was put into the punt return position for the first time ever.  

The Panthers, though, stood strong with their skeleton crew.  Even though West came out quick with two touchdowns in tow before the Panthers were able to answer.  Coty Edwards and Mitchell Varner made  touchdowns with Edwards running in a hand off from the 4-yard line and Varner catching a 51-yard pass from Cusick.  With the defense playing as strong as possible led by Justin Brannam and Jason Studwell, and new ones on the field, Coach Nick White said he was pleased with what his team had been able to do.    

The game, which ended with a win for West 28-13, was fought hard by LC.  The defense and offense had to step up in every way, with new players, freshmen and sophomores on the field.  The boys took their roles very seriously and played their hearts out.   The Panthers have had a rough time this season still adjusting to the new 4A classification and injury, illness, and decisions beyond their control haunting them each game. 

The Panthers will travel this coming Friday to play Clinton for their Homecoming Game.    Clinton has been held scoreless in their last two games against Anderson County and Halls.  Both Lenoir City and Clinton will be looking for their first Region 3-4A win.  Come out and support your LC Panthers.  Show them that we've got  PANTHER PRIDE!



LENOIR CITY PANTHER CUBS TO BE RECOGNIZED AT HOME GAMES!
 
The Lenoir City Youth Football Organization will be taking part in the pre-game festivities for the LC Homecoming Game against West, the LC vs. Halls game, and the LC vs. Maryville (Senior Night) game.  Come and support your youth and your LCHS Panthers!  Stay tuned for details and talk to your youth coaches! 
 

2006-2007 At a Glance
# 51  Kevin Harman: All-Region returning defensive tackle and guard.
#  4   Zack Cusick: Quarterback that holds the school record for most yards passed in a game - 439 yards. 
# 21 Coty Edwards: Outstanding running back who competed and placed in this year's Regional Decathlon and track meets.


IT WASN'T THE FINAL BATTLE AFTER ALL 

With much anticipated excitement about September 8 being the final "Battle of the Bridge"  between inter-county rivals, Lenoir City and Loudon, having their last chance to play each other in football, the Football Game was a sell-out.  The Good Samaritan Center Food Drive brought in nearly 100,000 pounds of food.  The Run for the Bridge was the great fun that is always is for the team running.  To put it quite plainly, it was a great event!  Small-town America at its best!  The rival has gone on since 1923, so why end it now?  That was the question posed to Coaches Nick White, Lenoir City, and Jeff Harig, Loudon, on September 26.  In a meeting between the coaches, athletic directors, and principals from both schools, they all sat down and discussed at length the advantages to the games and the detriments. 

With all that said and done, the final decision was left up to the coaches.  Both White and Haring decided that the game, one of the best attended events in the area and a definite monetary asset to the football programs of both schools, would continue to be played early in the football season.  SO, keep those "Battle of the Bridge" shirts handy because next year you will need them again!


THE BATTLE OF THE BRIDGE - THE FINAL CHAPTER
WHO WAS THE REAL WINNER?

A game that will live in infamy.  The end to an era.  Since 1923, for some 83 years, Lenoir City has played Loudon in football.  However, Friday night, September 8, was the last time that game will happen either in Lenoir City or Loudon.  Due to the change in athletic classification with Lenoir City moving to 4A last year and Loudon moving to 2A last year.  Every game has been exciting and has brought more fans that any other contest in the area except maybe when Alcoa plays Maryville. 

Friday night was one of the most powerful games that Lenoir City has ever played on their home field, and it will be a game remembered for a long time.  Lenoir City rushed for over 424 yards, they had 24 first downs, and they penetrated the Loudon defense with a passion.  They pushed their way down the field like bulldozers.  Their goal was to win this game no matter what it took.  As the game came down to the last seconds, for some reason, the fate of the Lenoir City team changed.  The Loudon team was exhausted, but one Loudon player found enough energy to block the, what-could-have-been, winning field goal.  Lenoir City left the field with what numerically showed a loss, 20-21, but these young men played with their hearts, they played with the spirit of high school football.  They gave it their all.   Their physicality shined with a determination that makes high school football what it is.  It is the spirit of what makes a game great!  Coaches from both sides thought Lenoir City was awesome.  People from all around the area agree.  Why the score didn't show that we will never know, but the character and the integrity that these young men showed is to be admired.  It is the way Lenoir City plays athletics.  There are real young men on the LC team to look up to , where every aspect of life in which they are involved, they step up to the challenge.   They give it no less than their best!    LENOIR CITY FOOTBALL TEAM - WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!!!! 

THE GOOD SAMARITAN CENTER FOOD DRIVE

The Battle of the Bridge brought with it this year an amazing food drive for the Good Samaritan Center of Loudon County.  Last year both Lenoir City High School and Loudon High School combined brought in 62,000 pounds of food for the center , which has lasted until this year's drive.   However, this year the food drive was an admirable effort for both schools.  Even though it was just a four-day school  week , this year Lenoir City brought in 43,970 pounds of food, and Loudon brought in 52,950 pounds of food.   Combined these two schools contributed 96,920 pounds of food to the poor and needy in Loudon County.  A gallant effort for both schools.  This amount should supply the GS Center for a long time.   Plans are now underway for a new type of food drive  to replace the Battle of the Bridge effort for next year that will benefit the Center.


THEY DID IT FOR BRIAN!!!!
Friday night's game, September 1, was a struggle for Lenoir City.  Powell's defense was tough and the LC offense was suffering.  The score looked like it could have been hard for everyone on the LC team.  At times it was.  They were all hoping to win and win big for their beloved fallen brother, Brian Christian, who was honored at the beginning of the game by the LC Football Coaching Staff.  His No. 6 Away game jersey from last season was incased in a shadow-boxed frame and presented to his grandparents, LaNelle Monroe and Joe Christian, and his parents, Stacey Lovinggood and Nick Christian.  His Home game jersey from last season will hang in the Panther Den Field House for now on.

The evening started very somber, but with television's stations WVLT, WATE, and WBIR there to cover the celebration of who Brian Christian was, a peaceful calm came across the crowd and for a few moments of silence we remembered the young man who always had a smile for everyone.   Something wonderful happened that night.  Maybe the crowd didn't realize it because they were looking for a win.  None of the reports on TV Friday night revealed it, and even the Lenoir City News-Herald did not talk about it as much.  It was a win in a sense, for a team in the spirit of what's right and good!  That night a play that had been suggested earlier was finally called by Coach White in the last few seconds of the game. With very little time left Zack Cusick handed the ball off to Brad Christian, who this year wears his brother's No. 6, and that night there was a victory so sweet, unlike none other.  With time running out, Brad Christian ran fourteen yards and carried the ball across the goal line for the one and only touchdown for Lenoir City.  That night Brad made the touchdown not only for his brother, Brian, as Brad said, "watching down from above," but for himself, too.  The victory, who for a struggling family and team,  came that night as Brad ran with both his and Brian's legs.  The Lenoir City Football team did it that night, they did it for Brian.  Whether the score showed it or not, for 14 seniors that lost a very close friend last February, Friday night was a win as they honored their close friend and team mate in the sport he loved. 

We will always miss you, Brian; but you will be in our hearts forever. 

THE PROGRAM PRESENTED BY JUSTIN KROPFF ON WVLT-TV LAST FRIDAY NIGHT, SEPTEMBER 8, WAS A WONDERFUL TRIBUTE TO BRIAN CHRISTIAN AND LENOIR CITY FOOTBALL.  HOPE EVERYONE WAS ABLE TO SEE IT!!!!


NEW STADIUM FEATURE:  PLAYER SAFETY BARRIER
This season the LC Football Stadium has added a special feature to the field.  On both sides of the football field, directly behind the LC Bench and the Visiting Team Bench,  a New Safety Barrier has been added.  We are trying to provide an environment for our athletes that will promote success and good health.  This barrier has been added for the protection and safety of the players and coaches.  It will be a three-foot, no-occupation area, where people will not be allowed to stand against the fence behind either team.  This will eliminate smoking from this area of the field, which has caused some health concerns for the players, coaches, and cheerleaders.  Smoking will now ONLY be allowed in the stadium at the far right side of the LC side, down next to the Panther Paw Pad.  On the visiting side, smoking will ONLY be allowed to the far right side of the bleachers closer to the Technology Center.  This barrier will not only protect the teams from smoking irritants, but it will also allow the players to focus on the game and the coaches commands, so they will not be distracted from the game by comments from well meaning or overly enthusiastic fans or parents.   This effort is supported by the Lenoir City Board of Education and will be enforced by the local law enforcement officers and the Special Resources Officer.
 


GREAT NEW PANTHER SHED - TERRIFIC BUYS

NEW ITEMS ARE HERE!  COME AND CHECK THEM OUT DURING HOMECOMING!

 NEW GRAY PANTHER HOODIES AND SWEAT PANTS 

    ORANGE AND BLACK TIE-DYE T-SHIRTS   

       YOU GOTTA HAVE ONE!!!! 
 

The New Shed

New T-Shirts in orange and black,  tie-dye t-shirts, and black hoodies.  Keep checking in the Panther Shed each home game (Varsity, JV, and Freshmen).  There are great items now and new things coming in each week.  

The LC Football Boosters have been busy this past summer building a NEW Panther Shed to house all the terrific Panther Pride items and this year the items list has expanded.  Come and visit it at each home Varsity, JV, and Freshmen game. 

The items we offer are:
14 different styles of T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, License Plates, Drink Koozies, Panther Paw bracelets, Hats, Inflatable Thunder sticks, Football Magnets, Panther Paw stickers, 2 Styles of Mats for Pictures (suitable for framing), and two Reversible Fleece Stadium Blankets with Embroidered Panther Paws to be raffled off in the cooler months.

Also, at the Freshmen and JV games, pizzas, drinks, and snacks, along with merchandise will be available.  This is the first year that concessions have been offered at the Freshmen and JV games.


GREAT NEW ELECTRONIC SPIRIT SIGN
The LC Football Boosters have added a great electronic spirit sign to the bottom of the score board.  This sign will offer announcements, cheer spirit, our web address, and Gold, Silver, and Sign sponsor information to the fans.  We are having great support from the local businesses and restaurants this year, which we appreciate so much!

The Electronic Spirit Sign was a great hit last week!  Thanks to the efforts of Mike Bluford, Booster Parent, who got the sign hooked up this year and fully operational.  Thanks to him also for running the sign during the games.  Great job, Mike!  Keep up the good work.  A comment from one of the news reporters last week was that Lenoir City is the only high school in the area to have its own Spirit Sign.  GO LC!


SPONSORS OF LC PANTHER PRIDE FOOTBALL
 

GOLD SPONSORS
Aubrey's;  Construction Design & Management; Changing Faces MediSpa; Domino's Pizza; FSG Bank; Gallahar and Associates; Gerald's; Steven Pershing, MD; Gondolier Italian Restaurant; Shubert's Auto Sales; Yale Locks and Hardware; Tilley-Lane Dodge; Custom Finishes and Painting.

SILVER SPONSORS
All-Star Sports; American Trust Bank; Buddy's Bar-B-Que; Click Funeral Home; Club Tan; Dairy Queen; Elm Hill/Family Brands; First National Bank; Gold Star Awards; Kentucky Fried Chicken; Leo's Pulled Pig; Loudon County Rental; Meadowview Nursery; Merle Norman; Monterrey Mexican; Perkins Restaurant at Watt Road; Spicy's; The Sports Complex; Star Physical Therapy; Subway; Tellico Realty; Wampler's Farm Sausage.

SIGN SPONSORS
Academy of Dance Arts; Affordable Dentures; Animal Medical Clinic; Broadway Florist; Community Bank of Loudon County; Dinner Bell; Econo Lodge; EZ Stop Food Marts; Advanced Medical Group; Baptist Health Care Center; 1Way Student Ministry of First Baptist Church; Hardees, Lenoir City Eye Center; Little Caesars; M&M Marine;  Matlock Tire; Metro Ford; Moneymaker's; Shades, Shoney's; Sixth Avenue Church of God; State Farm Insurance; Stephen's Deli; Tennessee Foot and Ankle; United Community Bank; Wilburn's Hardware; Malibu Boats.

MEAL PROVIDERS:  (Thursday night and Friday afternoon meals for football team) 

Leo's Pulled Pig; Aubrey's; Asahi; Shoney's; Gondolier; Dinner Bell; Spicy's; Gerald's; Buddy's Bar-B-Q; Subway; and Calhoun's.

THANKS TO ALL BOOSTER PARENTS WHO ARE PROVIDING FRUIT REFRESHMENTS FOR THE TEAM AT HALF-TIME.  THE TEAM IS LOVING IT!


PANTHER CARDS AVAILABLE:  ONLY $10.  See you favorite football player or Booster Club parent to purchase one.  The cards again offer many discounts to you favorite restaurants and businesses in the Lenoir City area.

 
 


Managing Editor: Jenni Hamilton 643-1981
Website Created and Maintained by Sarah Shaver

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© 2006 Lenoir City Panther Pride Football - Lenoir City, TN - All Rights Reserved