DCHS Football Star Isaac Cross Signs with Tennessee Tech

December 19, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

One of the brightest stars on the DCHS football team this past season will soon be trading his black and gold school colors for purple and gold.

Isaac Cross, a senior, signed a letter of intent Wednesday to play for the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles next year. Cross will graduate from DCHS in May.

Cross, a recent All Region Award winner as Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, played for the Tigers all four of his high school years with this season having been the most memorable as the team advanced to the third round of the state play-offs before losing to Nolensville last month.

“We had a historic run this year and I am proud to have been part of this Tiger football team,” he said.

Cross, who serves as Mr. DCHS, will be following in the footsteps of his older brother Eli who is playing football on the collegiate level, but unlike Eli who has made his mark at Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Kentucky, Isaac chose Tennessee Tech where he expects to play at the center position.

“One reason I chose Tech is that it is really close to home. They offered to pay for everything which is really a blessing between academic and athletic money and Tech has a really good football program. I absolutely love coach Dewayne Alexander. He is an amazing coach with great principles. I love just about everything about the program,” said Cross.

Tennessee Tech competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision and is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference.

As for his high school playing days, Cross said he will miss it but is thankful for the guidance of his coaches and the support of the community.

“DeKalb County football has been a big part of my life. All the coaches have done so much for each of us as players and individuals. I can’t thank them and the people of the community enough for all of their support,” said Cross.

The Tigers concluded the 2019 season at 8-5 overall, a 2nd place finish in the region, and a 2-1 record in the state playoffs, the first time a DCHS football team had ever advanced that far in the post-season.

Isaac was joined at the signing Wednesday by his parents, Tony and Shelly Cross, and his brothers and sisters, Eli, Silas, Abby and Ally.  Isaac’s coaches and teammates were also on hand to congratulate him.

As for Eli’s team, the sixth-ranked Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders recently lost to Marian (Ind.) in the NAIA Football Championship Series Semifinals. Their season came to an end with a 12-1 record after reaching the program’s first national semifinal.

December 19, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The 2019-20 College Football Bowl season begins this weekend and WJLE’s Fearless Forecasters will meet today (Thursday) to pick winners in each of the 40 showdowns from December 20 to January 13 including the eventual national champion.

The program airs at 4:30 p.m. on WJLE AM 1480/FM 101.7 and LIVE Streaming at www.wjle.com

Dewain Hendrixson maintains his lead going into the bowl season with an overall record of 150-72.

The overall standings of the Forecasters are as follows:
Dewain Hendrixson: 150-72
James Gang (Grant and Jeff): 149-73 (1 game back)
Darrell Gill: 144-78 (6 games back)
Guests (combined): 144-78 (6 games back)
Jacob Parsley: 141-81 (9 games back)
Ricky Atnip: 140-82 (10 games back)
Chad Kirby: 138-84 (12 games back)
John Pryor: 135-87 (15 games back)
Jared Davis: 134-88 (16 games back)
Will Graham: 134-88 (16 games back)
Scott Brown: 131-91 (19 games back)

Meanwhile Ricky Atnip and Jacob Parsley each had the best record for the week (two weeks ago) at 11-1 followed by Darrell Gill, the James Gang, Scott Brown, John Pryor, Dewain Hendrixson, Jared Davis, and the guest Steven Jennings each at 10-2. Will Graham and Chad Kirby were each at 9-3.

Two of the forecasters picked up points with their underdog selections two weeks ago. Scott Brown added to his overall lead with 6 points as Oregon defeated Utah 37-15 and Jared Davis picked up 6 points with the same selection, Oregon over Utah.

Brown remains in the lead with 51 underdog points followed by Jared Davis with 47.5 points, Dewain Hendrixson 28, Jacob Parsley 24 points. John Pryor 21.5 points. The James Gang has 21 points, Ricky Atnip 20.5 points, Darrell Gill 19, the Guests 14.5, Will Graham 13 and Chad Kirby with 1 point.

Today’s invited special guest is Ray Robinson of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, a former Tennessee Volunteer Football player who was on the team that defeated Miami in the 1986 Sugar Bowl.
Catch the Fearless Forecasters on WJLE Thursday at 4:30 p.m. on AM 1480/FM 101.7 and LIVE streaming at www.wjle.com.

The program is sponsored by Graham Services, the Charles D. Atnip Realty and Auction Company, Davis Auto Body, Middle Tennessee Natural Gas, Liberty State Bank, DeKalb County Insurance, Gill Automotive, Love-Cantrell Funeral Home, DeKalb County Ace Hardware, and Domino’s Pizza.

December 18, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Food Lion of Smithville is partnering with God’s Food Pantry to again help feed the hungry during the holidays.

Employees of the store delivered truck loads of “Food Lion Holidays without Hunger” food boxes to the pantry Wednesday afternoon.

Through the campaign, Food Lion customers could purchase and donate a specially-marked “Holidays Without Hunger” food box or make a cash donation at checkout.

Greg Eller, manager of the Smithville Food Lion store, said Food Lion believes ending hunger is a reason to give this holiday season.

“We are donating approximately 500 food boxes which were purchased by customers at our store. Food Lion does this every year and not just in Smithville but at stores throughout our Food Lion chain,” said Eller.

(View Video Below featuring Gods Food Pantry volunteers Pat Zornow, James Owens, Stevie and Brenda Cripps, Bernice Hendrixson, Rose Dillen and Smithville Food Lion Manager Greg Eller)

Pat Zornow and other volunteers at God’s Food Pantry from dwayne page on Vimeo.

Each “Food Lion” food box contains macaroni and cheese, canned mixed vegetables, rice, tomato soup, chunk light tuna, pot ready spaghetti, and other food staples.

Pat Zornow, a volunteer at God’s Food Pantry, said the partnership with Food Lion is most welcome.

“Food Lion has worked very closely with the pantry over the last few years with their donations including the Food Lion “Holidays Without Hunger” boxes and we want to give them the credit they are due for their cooperation with us. People need to understand that this food pantry is built with 100% volunteers and 100% donations. Most of our food we have to purchase from Second Harvest except for what we can buy from Food Lion,” said Zornow.

Eller said Food Lion also hopes to make another “sizeable donation” to God’s Food Pantry next month.

“We had tried to get something approved by corporate for December but due to budget constraints they wanted to wait until January and do a sizeable donation for this food pantry so they have put us off until January. I don’t know how much it will be yet but it will be based on the number of people this pantry serves,” added Eller.

For more than a decade God’s Food Pantry has provided food and other essentials throughout the year to help meet the needs of the medically frail and elderly, children, veterans, the homeless, and the working poor.

Food is distributed on the first Friday (perishables when Second Harvest delivers) and on the third Friday (non-perishable food staples in addition to meats) of every month from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. from the pantry at 430 East Broad in Smithville.

“This particular week we will have breads and a lot of frozen foods including vegetables, fruits, pies, cakes, and even ice cream,” said Zornow.

“We also have turkeys donated by Tenneco Automotive and we were able to buy pork this time from Second Harvest and thank God we got in some large hams so the larger families of 5 members or more are going to get another large turkey or large ham  for Christmas. For the smaller families, there is all kinds of other meats including beef and chicken,”  Zornow added

If an emergency should arise, a volunteer can open the pantry anytime 24 hours a day to serve an individual or family.“We have various people who volunteer. They come and go to help people in an emergency. Among our volunteers today are some who formerly needed help themselves. They are now a part of our volunteer family,” she continued.

The effort began almost thirteen years ago as the First United Methodist Church Food Pantry located at the Methodist Church. However because of space issues, the pantry was later moved to its first community location at 107B East Bryant Street. Due to an increasing need for more services and additional space, the pantry moved again to its current location four years ago.

Today God’s Food Pantry serves approximately 9,000 families or 22,000 people each year and its reach extends beyond DeKalb County. No one in need is turned away no matter where they are from.

“I get referrals from schools about children in need. In some cases they don’t have food at home. We have a lot of veterans we are feeding right now. A couple of them are living in canisters. I know of people living in their cars. Others are basically living in squaller without electricity. Sometimes we make referrals, especially for men, to the Cookeville Rescue Mission. In other cases, we put people or families up temporarily in a local motel to help them,” Zornow added.

Special pickups and deliveries are made for the medically frail and elderly. “If someone is on a special diet we’ll purchase the foods they need. We provide extra help with gas cards and Food Lion cards and assist with utilities, rent, and medications especially for our elderly who can’t afford to pay for it. We even buy special clothes for people who may need adequate apparel. For those who can work we let them know where the jobs are. Whatever the need is we’re going to help that person,” she said.

The pantry is staffed by volunteers and supported totally by donations. It does not receive any local, state, or federal government funding. The money raised goes toward purchasing food for the distribution.

“Many churches support the pantry and there are people in the community, businesses, civic organizations and even food drives who give us donations along with Food Lion, Tenneco Automotive, and Wilson Bank & Trust who are especially supportive. This effort is 100% volunteer driven and a community affair and we encourage more churches, businesses, organizations to join us,” said Zornow.

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