Out of a thick cloud of smoke appears Northern Middle Tennessee’s foremost sports prognosticator, Chris-tradamus. The crowd – consisting of his wife and dog – is completely unimpressed. However, the fearless forecasting phenom is undeterred and ready to carry out his latest mission: giving Stay Positive News readers the ‘skinny’ on what our local sports landscape will look like in 2026. 

Take it away, wise man …

(Coughs) Wow, this is not how the instructions said the smoke machine would go! Does anyone have a peppermint? (Wife fetches one from her purse)

(Popping the mint into his mouth) Ah, much better; now on to my mission! 

A new year calls for a fresh batch of Robertson and Sumner County sports predictions, and Chris-tradamus is here to deliver the goods. You can take these four truths to the bank, as long as you’re using Monopoly money hahaha:

Prediction #1 – Two Robertson County teams and one Sumner County team will make the TSSAA State Boys High School Basketball Tournament. 

Having witnessed both White House Heritage (12-2) and Jo Byrns (8-4) boys’ teams play, I can confidently say each has the necessary ingredients to earn a state tourney berth in Murfreesboro come March. Coaches Carl Miller at Heritage and JoJo Northington at Jo Byrns have deep rosters with size, quickness, and tenacity. If both squads can avoid the injury bug, I’ll be surprised if they’re not among the 8-team state field in their respective classes – 1A for Jo Byrns and 2A for Heritage. It would mark the Red Devils’ second state appearance (1985 was the first) and the inaugural visit for the Patriots of Heritage.

Beech is my pick to be in the Class 3A state tournament field. Coach Kip Brown’s 12-2 Buccaneers are a defensive dynamo with plenty of offensive punch, too. The Shackle Island school has made five past state tourney appearances – 1983 (state runner-up), 1990, 2009, 2010, and 2022.

Prediction #2 – East Robertson quarterback Kason Young will win the Class 2A Mr. Football Award in 2026 after being a semifinalist in 2025.

For a second straight year (and three of the last four), an East Robertson Indians football player will win Class 2A Mr. Football. Isaiah Groves took home the honor in 2023, his brother Zac Groves followed suit in 2025, and for 2026 I predict that rising senior quarterback Kason Young will get his name etched on the trophy. A semifinalist last year, Young’s statistics in his junior campaign were eye-popping: he completed 142 of 223 passing attempts for 2,656 yards, with 24 touchdowns against only 3 interceptions. He also accounted for 423 rushing yards and 6 rushing touchdowns to lead the Indians to a No. 1 ranking for much of the season.

Prediction #3 – Liberty Creek High School will win its third consecutive Class 2A Girls’ Softball Championship.

Two. That’s the number of seniors lost from last season’s Liberty Creek softball team which, like it did in 2024, claimed the Class 2A title. Granted, both seniors from the squad that finished 32-2 were All-State infielders Maddie Floyd and Mallie Grizzle, but Coach Kelsey Cartwright has a powerful pack of Wolves hungry to bring home more hardware. Fellow All-Stater Kaylor West returns for her senior season on the mound, with classmate Kenslee Gregory behind the plate. Other returning starters, all seniors, include outfielders Emerson Fitzwilson, Hope Marlar, Maisen Lewis; and Presley Brinegar; infielders Addi Kiser and Hailey Langston; and pitchers Tulip Heinrich and Avery Sweet.

Prediction #4 – After a disappointing 22nd-place finish in 2025, Hendersonville’s Josef Newgarden will win his third Indianapolis 500 this year.

Mechanical issues at last year’s Indy 500 derailed Josef Newgarden’s attempt at a third consecutive winner’s circle appearance, but the 35-year-old Team Penske driver won’t be denied that honor this year. The 32-time IndyCar Series winner will chug the victory lane bottle of milk and kiss the speedway’s vaunted bricks. We’ll be glued to our TVs!

Well, there you have it –  four area sports prognostications for 2026. This is your friendly neighbor Chris-tradamus exiting stage left (no smoke machine, PLEASE!).