Stephen has covered local sports in the tri-state area for more than 20 years, starting at the News-Free Press as a 19-year-old reporter. He has been with the Times Free Press since its inception and has been an assistant sports editor since 2005. Stephen is among the most decorated writers in the TFP’s newsroom, winning numerous state, regional and national writing awards. He was named one of the top 10 sports writers in the nation at the Associated Press Sports Editors’ conference in Kissimmee Fla. in 2012, and won second-place at the 2012 Society of Professional Journalists awards, where his work was recognized for its high standards of ethical journalism. He also has an Associated Press national award for his season-long story following the Taft Youth Center football team.
Stephen was named Tennessee's Sports Writer of the Year for 2011 as well as being named the state’s Prep Writer of the Year. Stephen has been named the state’s top prep writer 15 times and has won 14 other state awards ranging from Best Investigative Writer to Best Feature Writer. He has also won the prestigious Lawrenceburg Quarterback Club’s Sports Writer of the Year and the TSSAA’s Sportsmanship Award for Contributor of the Year in the state.
Stephen has two children, Riley and Lauren, and lives in South Pittsburg.
Contact Stephen at 423-757-6293 or shargis@timesfreepress.com.
Recent Stories »
It was a banner year for high school sports in northwestern Georgia, and the finalists for this year's Scrappy Moore Coach of the Year award reflect that area's success.
Like long sideburns and muscle cars, multisport athletes produce golden memories.
Most of them were up much earlier than summer vacation should require.
Four of the six finalists for the Scrappy Moore Female Athlete of the Year award excelled in more than one sport and the two that didn't dominated their chosen sport.
After a long and sometimes frustrating search, North Jackson High School has found its new football coach.
In a move to help high school football players around the state get acclimated to the heat before full-contact practice begins, the TSSAA Board of Control has approved a recommendation to move up the date of the first day football teams can practice in helmets and shoulder pads by one week.
Always looking for ways to make our Best of Preps banquet better and to ensure we credit the people who deserve recognition, our sports staff expanded the number of awards to be given this year.
The smallest school in the area came up the biggest as Lookout Valley teammates Jamal Jones and Vann Scribner led the Tennessee all-stars to a 10-7 victory over Georgia in the football game featuring recent area high school graduates Saturday night at McCallie's Spears Stadium.
