DCHS Cross Country Runner to Compete at Collegiate Level

January 28, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A DeKalb County High School cross country runner will continue pursuing his love of the sport at the collegiate level.

Friends, family, and coaches joined Aaron Gottlied Friday at DCHS as the senior star cross country runner, who qualified for state championship competitions throughout his high school career, signed a letter of intent with Milligan University to join the nationally acclaimed Buffaloes.

At the 2022 NAIA National Championships, Milligan’s men finished as the national runner-up with four All-Americans at Apalachee Regional Mark in Tallahassee. The Buffs posted a team score of 115, identical to the national championship-winning total for the Buffs in 2021. Milligan’s women also finished as the national runner-up with three All-American finishers in the top 20.

At Milligan, Gottlied will be a runner at some level year-round including cross country in the fall, indoor track in winter, and track in spring.

Gottlied, son of Edward and Carrie Gottlied of Smithville, said he is excited about his future.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to be able to be part of something bigger than high school and to go on and continue to keep running at a higher level,” said Gottlied.

Aaron’s plans are to earn a degree in pre-physical therapy and then work toward obtaining a masters degree to become a physical therapist.

Kristen VanVranken, who has coached Gottlied both at the DeKalb Middle School and DCHS level, said Aaron is a special athlete.

“He started running for the middle school team when he was a sixth grader. Right away he had something special. He really enjoyed the sport. He is super committed. Aaron started out pretty competitively his sixth-grade year. He was running varsity and it snowballed from there. He is also involved with track for Warren County. We have a co-op program with them, so he does that. This will be our third year with Warren. His major accomplishments have been making it to state as a cross country runner his 9th-12 grade year. Unfortunately, his 12th grade year he had the flu so he wasn’t able to compete,” said Coach VanVranken

In addition, Gottlied was key in leading the first Cross Country team from DCHS to state.

“We sent a team last year to compete at state which is the first time that has ever happened for DCHS, so Aaron is not only an amazing individual runner, but he played a major role in seeing us to state as a team which was awesome,” added Assistant DCHS Cross Country Coach Paris Rabidoux (Coach R).

“We are really proud of the work Aaron has put in and excited to see where he is now. It’s a coach’s dream to be part of that. We can’t wait to see where it goes for him,” added Coach Rabidoux.

Milligan University is a private Christian university in Milligan College, Tennessee near Johnson City. Founded in 1866 as the Buffalo Male and Female Institute, and known as Milligan College from 1881 to May 2020, the school has a student population of more than 1,300 students, most of whom reside and study on its 355-acre campus. As a church-related liberal arts university, Milligan remains closely aligned with the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, a capella churches of Christ, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the three religious bodies that have traditionally supported the school. The university offers over 100 programs of study leading to both undergraduate and graduate degrees.

The Milligan athletic teams are called the Buffaloes. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) since the 2001–02 academic year.

Milligan competes in 29 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, cycling, eSports, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, track & field, triathlon and volleyball; while women’s sports include basketball, bowling, cheerleading, cross country, cycling, dance, eSports, flag football, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field, triathlon and volleyball. Former sports included football and men’s disc golf.

January 28, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A marquee win!

The DCHS Tigers did Friday night what few teams have done this season, defeat the Livingston Academy Wildcats. The game was played in Smithville and the final score was 73 to 61.

The Lady Tigers lost their game 70 to 53.

With the victory, the Tigers improve to 11-11 (3-6) on the season while the Wildcats suffered only their third loss of the year at 20-3 (6-2). The Lady Tigers go to 12-12 (3-6) as the Lady Wildcats now sport a record of 21-3 (8-0).

The Tigers led the Wildcats 19 to 14 after the 1st period. The game was tied at 30-30 by halftime but DC opened up a 48 to 39 advantage after the 3rd period and went onto claim a 73 to 61 victory.

Conner Close scored 29, Robert Wheeler 18, Stetson Agee 10, Zack Birmingham and Alex Antoniak each with 5, Jon Hendrix 4, and Ean Jones 2.

In the girls game the Lady Tigers trailed 18 to 11 after the 1st period but grabbed a 27 to 26 lead by halftime. Livingston Academy regained the lead 45 to 38 by the end of the 3rd period and won 70 to 53.

Ella VanVranken scored 25, Avery Agee 12, Chloe VanVranken 5, Ella Hendrixson 4, Tess Barton 4, and Madison Martin 3.

Remaining 2023 DCHS Basketball Schedule:
Mon, 1/30-6:00pm-Smith County-Home • Non-District
Tue, 1/31-6:00pm-Macon County-Home • District

FEBRUARY
Tue, 2/7-6:00pm-Cumberland County-Away • District
Fri, 2/10-6:00pm-Upperman-Home • District

times listed are the start of the Lady Tigers game. Tigers games to follow.

January 28, 2023
By: Bill Conger

Keeping kids away from drugs and alcohol is one key part of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program. Fifth grade students have been learning from the law enforcement curriculum during the first part of the school year at DeKalb West School. Under the guidance of School Resource Officer Billy Tiner, students were also taught assertiveness training techniques, anger management and conflict resolution skills, interpersonal and communication skills, how to enhance self-esteem, positive alternatives to substance use, and developing risk assessment and decision-making skills.

DWS D.A.R.E. students graduated from the program Thursday (January 26) in a special ceremony that was coordinated by Officer Tiner and attended by county officials, law enforcement personnel, school administrators, families and students. Students were handed certificates accomplishment for their successful completion of the program. Essay winners for the best paper on what they learned in D.A.R.E were announced. Hailey Brown was the winner from Ms. Jeanna Caplinger’s homeroom. Sophia Caraway had the best paper in Ms. Rachel Desimone’s homeroom. Levi Reynolds was the top essay winner overall. General Sessions/ Juvenile Court Judge Brandon Cox presented Reynolds with a $50 gift card along with other gifts from Officer Tiner.

Members of the 2022-2023 D.A.R.E. Graduating Class are the following: (from Ms. Jeanna Caplinger’s homeroom) Noah Bratcher, Hailey Brown, Christian Cripps, Lillian Dillard, Aiden Garza, Joseph Gebhart, Rebekah Gohs, Kayden Harbaugh, Bryce Harvey, Christopher Hebert, Landon Holmes, Brylee Key, Abram Maynard, Danny Prater, Charley Prichard, Emily Roberts, Braxton Taylor, Grady Thomason, James Upchurch, Preston Williams, Averie Winchester, and Bentley Wright; (from Ms. Rachel Desimone’s classroom) Ashetan Ahlgard, Maks Austin, Sophia Caraway, Billy Clark, Hunter Clemons, Jackson Dunaway, Zane Griffith, Mason “Bo” Hale, Hannah Harbaugh, Brayden Heflin, Abegayle Howard, Masen Mabe, Emma Marshall, William Marshall, Bentley Martin, Niccoli Moore, Lucas Nokes, Kayleigh Ramirez, and Levi Reynolds.

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