By Kenneth Coker Sports Editor

The man most associated with the Gleason High School baseball team is hanging up his cleats.

Mike Bennett, who served as the Bulldog baseball skipper from 1984-2009 and as an assistant for four seasons (1983, 2010-12), made his retirement from the program public recently.

Bennett said he will remain an assistant on the GHS football staff.

The 1975 Hollow Rock-Bruceton graduate cited the birth of his first grandchild (Ean Michael) to son Ryan and daughter-in-law Alissa as the primary reason to step away from the baseball diamond for good.

“I decided it was time to get off the baseball field when I found out my first grandchild was on the way,” Bennett said. “I just got to thinking that it was time to cut down on my load and spend some time with my family.”

Family was also the reason why Bennett, who led Gleason to three district runner-up trophies, stepped down from the skipper’s post.

The Gleason mainstay gave up the head coaching position while his wife Sandy – also a teacher at GHS – was battling breast cancer. Mrs. Bennett has since recovered.

“I was at the place I needed to

be with my wife going through treatments, but didn’t feel like I was giving the kids a fair shake with enough time being spent on the field,” Coach Bennett said of the situation. “They needed more time practice-wise and I needed to be where I had to be.”

Thus, Jason Stephens – who had served two years as an assistant in the GHS softball dugout – was pegged as Bennett’s heir.

“It was a big-time honor to be chosen as the guy that came behind him,” Stephens said. “He’s like Babe Ruth in this town when it comes to baseball. I was new to northwest Tennessee period. It meant a lot for him to trust me enough to let me take over his program. I know expectations come with replacing someone that has meant that much to any team – more so now that he will be completely gone from baseball.”

Stephens said that he’ll miss having the 54-year-old Bennett in the dugout.

“When it came to certain situations in a game, it was nice to have his experience in the dugout,” Stephens said. “Instead of questioning a decision, I could just look over to him and say ‘Should I do this?”

Gleason athletic director/

Dresden High School Sports BanquetContinued on Page 9

Gleason Football

DRESDEN ENTERPRISE, Dresden, Tennessee, Wednesday, May 30, 2012 -- Page 8

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Dresden girls’ hoops team honored at annual sports banquetDresden High School girls’ basketball coach Jonathan West honored members of the basketball squad recently at the annual sports banquet. Those gaining individual honors were (seated, from left) Carrie Hatchel, Most Assists; Asa Woodward, Coaches’ Award; Haley Hart, Coaches’ Award; Kristen Childress, Senior Award and Defensive Player of the Year; Alex Glisson, Senior Award and Sixth Man Award; (standing, from left) Jana Ring, Senior Award; Amanda Wecker, Most Improved; Amy McAlpin, Academic Award, Iron Man Award and Offensive Player of the Year; Allie Phillips, Senior Award and Defensive Player of the Year; Jessica Jones, Senior Award, Iron Man Award and Player of the Year; and Ashlee Garner, Most Improved. The Lady Lions advanced to the Region 7A Tournament semifinals this season and helped to complete a sweep of the District 13A Tournament championships for the school. In the 7A semifinals, Dresden lost to eventual Class A state tournament semifinalist Union City. More photos from this year’s Dresden High School sports banquet will be in next week’s edition of the Dresden Enteriprise.

Lion hoopsters earn rewardsMembers of the Dresden High School boys’ basketball team were honored at the annual sports banquet. Those gaining individual honors were (seated, from left) Gatlin Hatchel, Senior Award, Academic Award, Best Defense, MVP and Lion Award; Tyler McPeak, Senior Award, Best Defense, Best Rebounder and a basketball commemorating over 1,000 career points; Joseph Sipes, Senior Award, Impact Player of the Year; (standing, from left) Austin Daniel, Best Offensive Player; and Austin Maxey, Most Improved.

Gleason’s Tanner Trevathan (left) receives a snap as Bulldog skipper Noah Lampkins watches, while Chase Ezell (right) makes a catch during the team’s recent spring practice period. Gleason chose not to scrimmage during its two weeks of spring drills in mid-May.

Bulldogs keep to selves in spring drillsBy Kenneth CokerSports Editor

The Gleason High School football team kept to itself this spring.

The Bulldogs, who won their first-ever home playoff game last season, focused on their own team rather than scrimmaging another throughout the two-week spring practice period.

Gleason sk ipper Noah Lamkpins, who will begin his 11th season as head coach in the fall, explained why he chose not to scrimmage another team.

“For one thing, it was a time constraint,” Lampkins said. “We didn’t want to play a scrimmage when we have 35 kids and 15 of them are playing baseball with the majority of those being starters.”

Lampkins also said his squad is set to the put the team first. The veteran Bulldog boss began the era of team accomplishments over that of one person at the annual sports banquet.

Lampkins only presented awards to the squad’s All-District 13A players in recognition of their league honors.

“We’re making a shift into the direction of being more of a team and playing for each other,” Lampkins said. “I mentioned Dresden (at the sports banquet) when talking about playing as a team. When we scouted them, one of the first things we noticed was how hard they played and

how close they appeared to be.“Dresden played harder than

any team we played and I think a lot of that had to do with how close they were with one another. I want to shift our program in that direction where the kids are playing for each other and where the individual aspect is not as important.”

Gleason must replace a

handful of key seniors from last season’s squad, including quarterback Conner Verdell, tight end/defensive end Gabe Lowrance, running back Zach Mileski, lineman Braden Stafford and lineman Cole Verdell. Cole Verdell and Lowrance both made the All-District 13A team.

The Bulldogs have a pair of returning All-District players in Blake Taylor and Austin Perry. Both will be seniors are in the fall.

Taylor is presently embroiled in a battle to start at quarterback with junior Tanner Trevathan.

Lampkins sees the competition as a plus for the team.

“ B l a k e h a s n ’ t p l a y e d quarterback since he was in middle school, while Tanner saw some time last year as a back-up to Conner,” Lampkins said. “Looking at them both, I think we have options at the position and that’s a good problem to have. Anytime you can create competition at such a key spot, there’s a chance to make the team better. It’s good for a player to know someone is waiting to take their spot if they don’t do what they’re supposed to.

As a whole , Lampkins commented that his squad worked more upon new plays in the offense this spring. He hopes that gives the team a leg up come late-July and August.

“We really focused on some new concepts that we’re doing offensively,” Lampkins said. “We focused on getting our timing down and stuff like that. I hope when the dead period is over that we’ll be ready to roll and not need as much time to learn plays. My hope is we’ll only need time to fine tune what we worked on during the spring.”

Lampkins said his team would like to improve its passing game and get the football to wide receiver Austin Perry on more

occasions with space to spare.In addition, the Gleason

skipper said that Chase Ezell has impressed on offense this spring as has Taylor and lineman Brandon Carrington.

Newcomer Tracy Perry (freshman) stands 6-foot-1 and weighs in at 210 pounds. Lampkins said the ninth-grader is a “genetically blessed” player that is physically ready to compete for playing time.

On the defensive side of the pigskin, Lampkins bragged on the linebacker corps of Reece Montgomery, Chris Copeland, Archie Rich, Taylor, Will Clark and Tracy Perry.

“Coming into the spring, we thought the depth at linebacker would be a strength,” Lampkins said. “I feel pretty good about where they are at (after spring practice).”

In terms of the football program, Lampkins said he felt it was pointed in the right direction with at least six wins in five of the past campaigns.

“It’s getting to where we wanted it to be as a staff,” Lampkins concluded. “We wanted to be competitive in every game and not just a game where the opponent can mark down a win the way it used to be.

“It feels good for the kids to expect to win instead of hoping to win. There’s a big difference in that.”

2012 GleasonFootball ScheduleAug. 24 GreenfieldAug. 31 at West CarrollSept. 7 at HallsSept. 14 McKenzieSept. 21 at South FultonSept. 28 HuntingdonOct. 5 Futlon CityOct. 12 DresdenOct. 19 at Scotts HillOct. 26 at Bruceton

Mike Bennett talks to an umpire at the end of an inning during the 2012 campaign. Bennett, a mainstay withing the Gleason High School baseball program, retired from the diamond recently.

Gleason mainstay hanging up cleats

Bennett retires from GHS diamond

assistant principal Lee Lawrence said it would be an adjustment to not see Bennett on the baseball field.

“He’s done it for so long and been around the game for so many years that it’s been a given to look on the baseball field and see him there,” said Lawrence, who played for Bennett on the baseball diamond and on the football field. “Coach Stephens has enjoyed having him as an assistant with his knowledge of the game and helping to bridge the gap that takes place with a coaching change. I think that’s the key along with the friendship they’ve established.”

During his tenure with the Gleason baseball program, Bennett witnessed a change in how spring sports were treated locally as more teams started up.

“Baseball used to be one of those things where you wanted to win, but just being able to play was a good thing,” Bennett said. “The change that I’ve seen is that there’s now an ultimate goal of going to the state tournament.”

Many schools in rural West Tennessee did not have baseball programs during the 1970s and even the 1980s and the Gleason team was in its infancy when Bennett arrived.

Bennett and his players did much of the maintenance work on the Bulldogs’ then-baseball playing surface (Legion Field).

“When I was at Motlow State, the players did all the work on the field,” said Bennett, who also played college baseball at UT Martin. “It was instilled in me that you play according to the level of the facilities you have.

“At Motlow, we hauled dirt with wheel barrows to our positions and took care of that part of the field. I just feel like if the kids are putting forth the effort to maintain the field that it helps the team play better on it. Coach Stephens does that now by mowing the field and spraying to keep wild grasses out of the field.”

Aside from the cosmetics of the field, Bennett had some memorable outings and times between the chalk lines during his near 30 years as a baseball coach.Bennett said his most memorable game as a coach was the during 1987 campaign when Gleason took eventual state champion Dresden to the wire in the district championship game.

GHS fell 3-2 to the Lions in that contest.

Though the outcome of that game was certainly heart-breaking for Gleason, Lawrence said that Bennett has always been more focused on teaching life lessons on the baseball field than wins.

“I was fortunate enough to

have Coach Bennett in both football and baseball,” Lawrence said. “He was always more concerned with how the athletes were developing as young men than how they were developing as football or baseball players.

“He wanted to make me a good person more than a good baseball player. That attitude is what sticks and makes him so beloved by those that played for him.”

In addition to the hundreds of other players, Bennett had the chance to teach life lessons via baseball to all three of his sons (Ryan, Adam and Colin) at the high school level.

“It was really enjoyable to see them play and grow up on the baseball field,” the elder Bennett said. “That was one of the few times where I got to spend time together with them. When you’re coaching, it’s tough to have quality time together unless your kids are involved in that sport.”

When asked what he’ll do next spring, Bennett was admittedly puzzled.

“I don’t really know what my plans are,” said Bennett, who hasn’t had a spring off since 1983. “I haven’t really thought about it. I imagine I’ll spend time with my grandson.

“I might go to the park to see a game, but I’m not sure about that because I don’t know how it’ll affect me. The great thing is that when I do go to a game, I’ll get to set back and watch the game.”

Gleason basketball boys honored at banquetFirst-year Gleason boys’ basketball coach Jamie Roney honored members of his team on May 15 at the school’s annual sports banquet. Members of the team receiving awards were (seated, from left) Chris Sumner, Most Improved Defensive Player; Keaton Collins, Bulldog Award; Alex Hahn, Most Improved; Ethan Terrell, Finish Award; Austin Perry, Best All Around and Dakota Parsons, Team Player Award.

DRESDEN ENTERPRISE, Dresden, Tennessee, Wednesday, May 30, 2012 -- Page 9

Gleason High School Sports Banquet

Lady Bulldogs gain individual hoops honorsGleason girls’ basketball coach Joel Ayers honored his high school team at the annual sports banquet on May 15. Those earning awards for individual achievements were (seated, from left) Briana Jones, Best Free Throw Percentage, Best Rebounder and Best Offensive Player; Alex King, Best Defensive Player; Calay Smith, Best Three-Point Shooter; (standing, from left) Kim Quick, Lady Bulldog Award; and Jaclyn Montgomery, Most Improved.

Gleason’s All-District grid quartet lauded Gleason High School head football coach Noah Lampkins honored the members of his team that made the All-District 13A team at the athletic banquet. Lampkins chose to focus on his team’s accomplishments rather than give out individual awards. Members of the Bulldog football team that were honored by District 13A were (from left) Blake Taylor, Cole Verdell, Gabe Lowrance and Austin Perry.

Gleason cheerleaders among award winnersMembers of the Gleason High School cheerleading squad received recognition at the annual sports banquet. Those gaining honors were (from left) Sami Verdell, Highest Grade Point Average and Best Back Spotter; Paige Lowry, Best Flyer; Lindsey Langley, Most School Spirited; and Rachel Harrison, Most Dependable and Best Base.

Gleason From page 8

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