DCHS Tiger Football Star Punter Headed for Cumberland University

February 11, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

DCHS Senior Tiger punter Nolan Gottlied is about to kick his football career up a notch!

The 2022 special teams’ player of the year for the Tigers and the Region 4 Class 4A Most Outstanding Punter, gathered with family, friends, coaches, and fellow players at DCHS Friday to sign a letter of intent to play for Cumberland University after he graduates in May.

“I chose Cumberland because it is close to home and it’s a good school. I plan to study physical therapy and hope to one day open up my own chiropractic clinic” said Gottlied.

“I was in middle school when I really started liking football and wanted to play when I got to high school”, Gottlied continued.

Although a gifted punter, Gottlied continually works to improve his skill. “You really have to practice. Its like art, you just can’t put something on a canvas because it won’t look all that great but after you work on it for so long it gets really good,” he said.

Gottlied’s favorite moment as a Tiger was in the state play-offs in November 2021 when as a junior, he had a pick six in the 35-21 win at East Hamilton that helped the Tigers advance to the second round that year.

Tiger Coach Steve Trapp said Gottlied has often been a game changer for the team.

“He has punted for us the last couple of years and will be going to Cumberland to punt for them. This last year as a senior he did a really good job for us pinning teams deep and changing field position. There wasn’t a lot of punt return yards against us and a lot of that was due to his ability to get that thing high. I know a few times we were on our own end of the field and he boomed it all the way down there. He had a lot inside the 20-yard line and was really close to a 50-yard average and for high school that is really good, and he is only going to get better because that is all he will have to worry about at Cumberland. He also played receiver for us, and he gave us depth on the defensive back end last year. He played a little at linebacker early on. He’s done a lot of different things for us but what sets him apart is that he is a super great kid and has a super great family and a great work ethic. That is what has allowed him to have this opportunity to continue to play football at Cumberland,” said Coach Trapp.

“He is kind of a self-made punter. I remember him coming in as a freshman. Coach (Thomas) Cagle who was helping us coach at the time said we’re going to make a punter out of him. Credit goes to Nolan and his family because on Sundays, you would see them out here on the field throwing and kicking back and forth and working. That is something he is still doing today. He comes out once or twice a week and he will be out there kicking the football by himself. He’ll run it down and then kick it back, so he continues to work,” added Coach Trapp.

Cumberland is a private university in Lebanon, founded in 1842 and is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the Mid-South Conference.

February 11, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

The DCHS basketball teams didn’t close out the regular season as they had hoped Friday night as both the Tigers and Lady Tigers lost to the visiting Upperman Bees and Lady Bees on Senior night.

Upperman won the boys game 55 to 47 and 67 to 44 in the girls contest.

With the district tournament to begin next week both the Tigers and Lady Tigers find themselves in 5th place in the seven-team district according to Coach T and will most likely face White County on the road as their first district tournament opponents but that has yet to be confirmed.

In the girls game Friday night, the Lady Tigers trailed 14 to 6 after the 1st period, 28 to 16 at halftime, and 51 to 30 after the 3rd period before suffering a 67 to 44 defeat.

Ella VanVranken scored 15, Chloe VanVranken 13, Avery Agee 8, Madison Martin 5, Tess Barton 2, and Cam Branin 1.

The Tigers led Upperman 11 to 8 after the 1st period of the boys game but fell behind 28 to 20 by halftime and trailed 41 to 29 after the 3rd period before being handed a 55 to 47 loss.

Stetson Agee led in scoring with 17, Elishah Ramos 10, Robert Wheeler 6, Conner Close 5, Zack Birmingham 4, Jon Hendrix 3, and Ean Jones with 2.

Division I Class 3A Region 4 District 7 Girls Standings as of Saturday, February 11:
Livingston Academy: 23-5 (10-2)
Upperman: 25-3 (10-2)
Cumberland County: 20-7 (8-4)
White County: 21-9 (8-4)
DeKalb County: 14-14 (4-8)
Macon County: 7-20 (1-11)
Stone Memorial: 8-21 (1-11)

Division I Class 3A Region 4 District 7 Boys Standings as of Saturday, February 11:
Stone Memorial: 22-4 (11-1)
Livingston Academy: 23-4 (9-3)
Upperman: 18-7 (8-4)
White County: 18-10 (7-5)
DeKalb County: 12-14 (4-8)
Cumberland County: 5-23 (3-9)
Macon County: 5-24 (0-12)

February 10, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

Clerks from seven local stores cited last month by Smithville Police for illegally selling beer, or cigarettes, or vape products recently had their day in General Sessions Court.

According to Assistant District Attorney General Greg Strong, Judge Brandon Cox approved an informal diversion in each case. After six months if the clerks have no further offenses and pay their court costs, the cases will be dismissed.

The citations were issued in January as a result of an undercover investigation conducted by the police department.

Kimberly Rhea of Moses Discount Tobacco, Vape, and Beer on Walmart Drive, Yolanda Ruiz of Mercado Chabelita on East Broad Street, Linda Oliver of Sunoco on East Broad Street, Brandy Jackson of Smithville Discount Wine & Spirits on East Broad Street, Shelia Herron of Jewel’s Market on South Congress Boulevard, Caroline Michaels of Save-A-Lot on South Congress Boulevard, and Diab Barham of Mid-TN Vapor Shop of East Broad Street were each cited for sale of either beer, tobacco, or vape to a person under the legal age to make the purchase.

Meanwhile four of the store owners including Moses Discount Tobacco, Vape and Beer; Mercado Chabelita, Sunoco, and Jewel’s Market also made an appearance before the Smithville Beer Board Thursday and each received a $2,500 civil penalty for the violations. The store owners have seven days to pay the fines. The owner of Smithville Discount Wine & Spirits also reportedly received a $1,500 civil penalty recently by the State Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

Police Chief Mark Collins said the investigation was conducted using an undercover agent to make the purchases. The action was taken based on public complaints.

“The Smithville Police Department did an undercover operation targeting establishments here in town that sold beer, cigarettes, and vapes. We have had complaints from parents and concerned citizens that some of these stores were selling to people underage. During this investigation we targeted nearly every store in town that sold beer or tobacco to the public and seven buys were made to an undercover informant. In some cases, the clerks even asked for an ID and still sold it. None of the other stores we went to sold to our undercover agent and I want to commend them for that,” said Chief Collins.

The City of Smithville adopted a new beer ordinance in October which includes a Responsible Vendors Program that is voluntary but requires participating vendors to comply with employee training requirements. In exchange for complying with the program, certified vendors receive reduced punishments for any illegal sales to minors. Once certified, participating vendors are not subject to permit revocation or suspension upon an initial violation. Instead, they are subject to only a civil penalty not exceeding $1,000 per offense of sale to a minor or other offense. Permanent revocation will not be allowable absent two violations within a 12-month period under state law. Nonparticipating vendors face higher civil penalties. A noncompliant vendor guilty of sale to a minor is subject to suspension or revocation or a civil penalty not to exceed $2,500. These discrepancies in punishment provide a major incentive for retail vendors to become certified.

Neither of the alcohol offenders in this case had qualified as Responsible Vendors.

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