Notre Dame boys reach first state tourney final

The Fighting Irish make school basketball history, and ‘the future is bright’ for the team       By Dan McWilliams The Notre Dame High School boys basketball team made Fighting Irish history by reaching the program’s first state-championship game. Notre Dame hung close to Goodpasture for three quarters before the school from …

KCHS girls basketball team wins first state title

The Lady Irish defeat a strong Ensworth squad 64-59 in the finals as Sydney Mains earns MVP    By Dan McWilliams On paper, the Ensworth High School girls basketball team and its 27-4 record made it seem like a heavy favorite over Knoxville Catholic High School in the Division II-AA state …

Gatorade honors KCHS runner Keegan Smith

In its 38th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, Gatorade on Jan. 30 announced that Keegan Smith of Knoxville Catholic High School is the 2022-23 Gatorade Tennessee Boys Cross Country Player of the Year, the second straight year the Fighting Irish runner has won the award. Keegan …

Knoxville Catholic’s Deondrea Lindsey named state’s top soph in basketball

Knoxville Catholic High School sophomore basketball standout Deondrea Lindsey was recently named the top player in the state for the 2025 signing class by 247Sports. The 6-foot-7, 205-pound Deondrea is receiving collegiate offers from Division I programs Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, and SMU. The Fighting Irish finished the season …

KCHS athletes earn fall-sports honors

Knoxville Catholic High School athletes and a coach recently earned postseason recognition for their achievements in fall sports. The Tennessee Sports Writers Association announced its Division II-Class AAA all-state teams for football. Fighting Irish offensive lineman Trevor Duncan, defensive back Braylon Harmon, and punter Brock Taylor were honored. Making the …

Three athletes from KCHS sign with universities in December

By Dan McWilliams Knoxville Catholic High School hosted its second “National Signing Day” event of the 2022-23 school year Dec. 21 in the St. Gregory the Great Auditorium as three standout student-athletes signed with universities. Held on the football early signing day, the event saw Fighting Irish place kicker Brock …

USA’s No. 1 ranking ‘means so much’ to KCHS girls tennis team

By Dan McWilliams The Knoxville Catholic High School girls tennis team is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 squad heading into this spring’s season. Global tennis player rating system Universal Tennis Rating recently ranked the Lady Irish as tops in the country. “The No. 1 ranking means so much because …

Funeral Mass for Monsignor Bill Gahagan held at cathedral

Bishop Stika, priests, deacons gather to honor longtime diocesan priest By Dan McWilliams The Diocese of Knoxville bid farewell to one of its most beloved priests in January as it celebrated the life of Monsignor Bill Gahagan. Monsignor Gahagan passed away Jan. 10 at the age of 85 after serving …

Bishop Stika leads local memorial Mass for Pope Benedict XVI

Cardinal Rigali, who knew Benedict for years, concelebrated cathedral service By Dan McWilliams Bishop Richard F. Stika celebrated a memorial Mass for Pope Benedict XVI on Jan. 4, the day before the Holy Father was laid to rest at the Vatican after he passed away on Dec. 31. Cardinal Justin …

New KCHS football head coach ready for the challenge

Dean Cokinos has ‘the answers to the test’ as he prepares to lead the Irish in a tough region By Dan McWilliams New Knoxville Catholic High School football head coach Dean Cokinos is ready to take on the challenge of leading the Fighting Irish as they play in what many …

Knoxville Catholic girls tennis team ranked No. 1 in the nation

Global tennis player rating system Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) recently ranked the Knoxville Catholic High School girls tennis program as the No. 1 girls high school team in the United States. When it comes to high school tennis, the No. 1 spot in the nation usually belongs to a full-scale …

Father Valentin Iurochkin incardinated into diocese

The native of Russia says he now ‘belongs permanently’ to the Church in East Tennessee   By Dan McWilliams Father Valentin Iurochkin, a native of Russia, has traveled the world in his time in the seminary and the priesthood, but now he can officially call East Tennessee his home. Bishop Richard …