Baylor Pumped For Rematch With Brentwood Academy

Red Raiders Hope To Get Even After Early-Season Loss To Eagles

  • Wednesday, November 18, 2015
  • John Hunt
This Friday night Baylor will face rival Brentwood Academy in a Division II-AA football playoff semi-final contest. Earlier in the season, Brentwood (10-1)knocked off the Red Raiders (9-2), 42-29. This time around, with a more relaxed Wil Austin (8), shown in the season opener against Rhea County, running the offense, the Baylor squad will be looking to avenge that loss.
This Friday night Baylor will face rival Brentwood Academy in a Division II-AA football playoff semi-final contest. Earlier in the season, Brentwood (10-1)knocked off the Red Raiders (9-2), 42-29. This time around, with a more relaxed Wil Austin (8), shown in the season opener against Rhea County, running the offense, the Baylor squad will be looking to avenge that loss.
photo by Dennis Norwood/File Photo

It's one thing to beat a good football team during the regular season, but it becomes a whole different matter when those same two teams meet in the playoffs.

Just ask those folks at Boyd-Buchanan.  The top-ranked Bucs rolled past Tyner by a 40-7 final earlier before the Rams shocked the boys in blue last Friday by a 13-7 score.

Tyner will get another chance at a "rematch" this week with a trip to Marion County in one of three playoff games where teams from the same region are meeting again.

East Ridge and Notre Dame will meet at Finley Stadium while Ooltewah will host Rhea County.

And the twice-beaten Baylor Red Raiders will travel to Nashville for another tiff with always-tough Brentwood Academy.

The Eagles came to Baylor on Sept. 18 and went back to Nashville with a 42-29 victory.  The visitors got off to a great start, rolling to a huge lead in the first quarter before holding off a frantic Baylor rally in the second half.

The Eagles have probably gotten better since that weekend and there's no question that Baylor has become a better team as well.

Transfer quarterback Wil Austin is much more comfortable with his role as the offensive trigger man and Ryan Parker certainly has a bigger role on the Baylor offense as the weeks have passed.

Will any of these teams turn the tide and win on Friday after losing earler?

Baylor's Phil Massey is one who thinks so.

"Preparation at this point is more mental than physical, but I really feel like we will win that football game on Friday," Massey said Wednesday afternoon before putting his team through an indoor workout.

"We all know about Brentwood Academy and the tangibles they bring with three players committed to SEC teams.  We've been focusing on all the intangibles that you can't measure, stuff like heart, effort, passion and commitment.  We feel like that gives us an advantage.

"We can't have any turnovers, got to win the kicking game and not give up any big plays.  If we can do all of those, I like our chances.  And if we could just ditto last week's performance on offense," he said, thinking back on last Friday's dominating win over MUS.

"We can't get behind the chains offensively as we must eliminate penalties and we can't afford to give them a short field.  Brentwood Academy has developed a reputation for being a fast starting team.  What we need to do is keep it close for the first half.

"We lost to them in week four when Ryan wasn't really part of our offense yet.  And Wil is playing well after completing 13 of 16 passes last week.  But we've earned this opportunity to play them again and I like our odds.

"When the stakes get higher, they seem to play better, but my hope is that when they walk away from that field on Friday night, win or lose, they do so with their heads held high knowing they did all they could do and to not have any regrets," Massey added.

Parker is one who can't wait for the opening kickoff.  He's one of those Massey is referring to when talking about big-game situations.  After all, the recent Notre Dame football commitment is a three-time state champ in wrestling and he's the defending D-II state champ in the discus.

"We just have to stay focused as it's just another game," Parker said before practice began.

"I think we're prepared and the preparation is the same.  As long as we execute and do what we're capable of doing, we'll be good to go.  We have to be point on with no mistakes.  We made a bunch of mistakes last time and they took advantage. 

"We didn't make the big plays and they did, but I just want another chance. I was really disappointed when they beat us here because I knew we didn't play to the best of our ability.

"Just be ready for some surprises on Friday night.  I'm always ready to wrestle, but not just yet as I still want to play a couple more football games," the friendly senior concluded.

 Austin is the 6-2, 195-pound senior who transferred to Baylor this year from Haywood County.  It took him a few weeks to get in rhythm with his teammates, but he's clicking on all cylinders and he personally wants to redeem himself for his performance in the first game with the Eagles.

You see, the first pass he threw that night was intercepted and returned for a touchdown.  The Red Raiders played from behind the rest of the game.

"They're a good team, but I feel like we can take care of them.  They got up on us pretty quick the first time, but if we can play an entire game like we played the second half in that first game, we can take them," he suggested with a tone of confidence.

"That first game was a real learning experience for me as I didn't realize just how good they were, but I just need to stay patient, not force any throws and be a good field general.

"I'm really excited about this game and very thankful to have another opportunity against them.  We have a great chance to prevail and if we come out and play the way I know we can, we'll be okay," he added.

Brentwood Academy is now 10-1 while Baylor is now 9-2.  Friday's winner would most likely face Montgomery Bell Academy in the state championship game at Tennessee Tech on Thursday, December 3.

(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)

When the Baylor football team heads to Nashville Friday for a re-match with Brentwood Academy, the Red Raiders will look to two-way starter Ryan Parker (15) to play a much larger role on offense. Parker is shown above staving off a tackle by Rhea County's Cody Bice (21) in Baylor's 35-27 season-opening win over the Golden Eagles.
When the Baylor football team heads to Nashville Friday for a re-match with Brentwood Academy, the Red Raiders will look to two-way starter Ryan Parker (15) to play a much larger role on offense. Parker is shown above staving off a tackle by Rhea County's Cody Bice (21) in Baylor's 35-27 season-opening win over the Golden Eagles.
photo by Dennis Norwood/File Photo
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