Dresden Enterprise - Covering Weakley County Like the Dew from Heaven for 118 Years

    The TSSAA Board of Control voted last week to change the regular and postseason setup by approving the Z Plan, which will drastically change high school football in the Volunteer State beginning in 2009.
    While the vote has created more than a sixth class in TSSAA Division I High School football, right now it has created questions that may not be settled until the new system is finalized with the fall enrollment numbers.
    Using old enrollment figures, only six schools in West Tennessee (Bruceton, West Carroll, Gleason, Greenfield, Lake County and South Fulton) would be eligible for the 1A playoffs with the Z plan. With the current plan, two districts, with a total of 13 teams, compete in Class 1A in West Tennessee, including state runner-up, McKenzie. In the new system, the Rebels would move up to 2A.
    The basics of the Z Plan are:
* In the regular season, the state will be divided into three classes, each with 16 districts much like basketball, baseball and softball currently are. The new football regular season districts would be the same as basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball districts.
* Each class will then become two classes for the playoffs. Class A becomes 1A and 2A with 24 teams in each playoff bracket. About half the schools across the state in each class would make the playoffs.

(Read the rest of this story in this week's edition of the Dresden Enterprise!)

Rodeo team set for 34th straight appearance at CNFR

The UT Martin rodeo team will be among the nation's best college cowboys and cowgirls participating in the 60th Annual College National Finals Rodeo June 15-21 in Casper, Wyo.
    UT Martin will be competing for a national championship as well as individual national titles in saddle bronc, bareback, bull riding, steer wrestling, calf roping, team roping, barrel racing, breakaway roping and goat tying.
    This will mark UT Martin's 34th consecutive appearance in the CNFR. The UT Martin men enjoyed their best finish in the CNFR in 1985 when the team placed third in the nation. The UT Martin women also enjoyed a third-place finish in the CNFR in 1992.
    UT Martin joined the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) in 1973, and has been represented at the CNFR every year since 1974.
    Two special "Bulls, Broncs and Breakaway," performances will be held Sunday, June 15, a matinee at noon and an evening performance at 3 p.m. All remaining performances begin at 6 p.m., including the Saturday championship round. Slack will be held at 6 a.m., Monday, June 16 and Tuesday, June 17.
    Both the UT Martin men and women's team qualified for the CNFR by finishing second in the Ozark Region.
Ty Atchison, who won the Ozark Region All-Around and saddle bronc, will represent UT Martin in the saddle bronc at the CNFR.

(Read the rest of this story in this week's edition of the Dresden Enterprise!)