Bearden’s Top 10 Sports Moments of 2015

10. Brady Duncan throws no-hitter against Lenoir City – Then-junior Brady Duncan accomplished one of the toughest things to do in baseball when he recorded a no-hitter, aided by three strikeouts in a 10-0 win over Lenoir City on April 23. The no-hitter came despite Bearden assistant coach Jack Tate breaking the cardinal rule of dugout chatter, when he mentioned that Duncan had a no-hitter during the third inning.

9. Bearden girls soccer beats Farragut for first time in six years – In front of a large Bearden student section at Farragut High School on Sept. 24, senior Casey Riemer’s two goals helped the Lady Bulldog soccer team beat the Lady Admirals for the first time since 2009. The large crowd of Bearden students that made the trip out to Farragut stormed the field to celebrate win the team following the win.

7. (tie) Bearden softball makes first ever state tournament – Led by District 4-AAA co-player of the year and currently UT softball player Dana Steinbacher, Bearden softball reached their first ever state tournament, clinched on May 15 with a 4-2 win over Jefferson County. Though Bearden went 0-2 at the state tournament, 2015 was the most successful in the softball program’s history.

7. (tie) Bearden volleyball makes state tournament – With the help of Nebraska commit Chesney McClellan, Bearden volleyball made their first state tournament since 2012. The Lady Bulldogs clinched their spot with a win against Tennessee High on Oct. 15, and got a win in their first match of the state tournament on Oct. 21 against Franklin. Bearden later fell to Siegel and Houston to finish their trip to Murfreesboro 1-2.

6. Bearden dance team wins third straight state title – We know they are lower on the list than they were a year ago, and it’s certainly not that the third straight state title that Bearden won on Nov. 14 is in any way unimpressive. It’s just that it’s business as usual for the Bearden dance program. Bearden will head to nationals in February.

5. Ty Greene wins mid-major player of the year, later drafted in NBA D-League Draft – One of the most celebrated athletes in Bearden history gathered even more recognition in 2015. Ty Greene, a class of 2011 Bearden graduate, was named the Lou Henson National Player of the Year, which honors the best mid-major player in college basketball, in April. And the excitement didn’t stop there for Greene. Seven months later, he was drafted in the NBA D-League by the Delaware 87ers, a part of the Philadelphia 76ers organization.

4. Chanler Geer hits game-winner to send Bearden girls basketball to state tournament – The Lady Bulldogs basketball team made it to the state tournament for the second time in three seasons in 2015, but it almost didn’t happen. Bearden found themselves tied with Jefferson County in a Class AAA sectional game on March 2, but Chanler Geer came to the rescue, hitting a baseline jumper with 4.9 seconds left to extend the Lady Bulldogs’ season. Bearden went 1-1 in the state tournament, eventually falling to Oakland in the state semifinals.

3. Davis Tull drafted by New Orleans Saints in fifth round of NFL Draft – Just a few months after ending a storied career at Chattanooga where he won the SoCon defensive player of the year three years in a row, 2010 Bearden graduate Davis Tull was chosen in the fifth round of the NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints on May 2, becoming the third former Bearden Bulldog currently in the NFL, and only the second to be drafted.

2. Colten Tyler’s two-point conversion in overtime beats Science Hill – In what was a game for second place in the new Region 1-6A on Oct. 23, the Bulldogs and the Hilltoppers battled back and forth all the way to overtime. After Science Hill took a touchdown lead on their possession, quarterback Cameron Jones found wide receiver Jordan Ferguson on third and goal, which set up Coach Morgan Shinlever’s decision to go for the two-point conversion and the win. The decision paid off, as Jones rolled to his right and threw back to his left to find tight end Colten Tyler and seal a 22-21 Bearden win. It was the best moment from Bearden football’s comeback season.

1. Pair of buzzer beaters help Bearden to two basketball wins over rival Farragut – Against their biggest rival, Bearden came through in the clutch twice in 2015. The first came just 10 days into the new year, when Jason Smith caught an inbounds pass with 1.4 seconds and banked in a short jumper to send the game into overtime. Bearden went on to win the game 54-51 in overtime. Almost exactly 11 months later on Dec. 11, the Bulldogs found themselves in a similar situation. Locked up in a tie game in overtime and with the ball, Coach Mark Blevins called freshman Trent Stephney’s number. Stephney took the ball off an inbounds near midcourt, and drove in for a layup with two seconds remaining that gave Bearden its ninth straight (and 22nd out of the last 23) win over Farragut, 49-47.