The first round of the TSSAA football playoffs are in the book. Half the teams are set to enjoy another week of preparations with at least one more opportunity for the excitement of Friday night lights.
The other half will be turning in pads and helmets and planning their holiday vacations.
As expected, some teams, such as Alcoa and Maryville, won by convincing margin, making their case for a 2019 BlueCross BlueShield Championship. Of course, there were the expected, unexpected early exits of number one seeds that fell to four seeds. Whitwell’s stunning upset over Region 4’s undefeated top seed, Monterrey, by a 21-7 margin is just such an example.
A few key match-ups to look for this coming Friday: In Class 1A, Clay Co. (7-3) at South Pittsburg (10-0) and, in a battle of two upset-minded teams, Gordonsville (4-7) hosts Whitwell (3-8).
In Class 2A, Forrest puts its unblemished 11-0 record up against Eagleville (8-3) who upset Houston County in the first round, 8-7. Over in 3A, Red Bank (9-1) travels to Upperman (10-1) and Smith County (7-4) is on the road against Loudon (11-0).
Greeneville (9-2) is set to battle Anderson County (10-1) in a contest between Class 4A powerhouses.
In Class 5A, Rhea County (9-2) heads to undefeated Powell (11-0) and in 6A, Maryville (11-0) takes on Farragut (6-5) and Bearden (5-6) fresh off an upset in round one of McMinn County goes up against Dobyns-Bennett (9-2).
In Division II, the 3A schools begin play this week with McCallie (8-2) hosting Christian Brothers (6-4) and Baylor (9-1) entertaining MBA (6-4). In a contest that could be key to the Blue Tornado’s path to Cookeville, Ensworth (7-3) travels to Briarcrest (9-1).
In Class 2A, CCS (7-3) is on the road to CPA (5-6) following the Charger’s convincing 42-10 win over CAK in a first-ever playoff appearance for the school. Defending champion Lausanne (6-4) entertains Franklin Road academy (8-3).
Let’s take a look across the state, classification by classification, to see who is still upright and advancing.
Winner
|
Loser
|
Score
|
Next Up
|
Class 1A
|
|
|
|
R1 #1 Cloudland (6-5)
|
R2#4 Harriman (3-8)
|
28-7
|
Oliver Springs
|
R2#2 Oliver Springs (9-2)
|
R1#3 Jellico (3-8)
|
42-6
|
at Cloudland
|
R3#3 Coalfield (8-3)
|
R1#2 Hancock Co. (3-8)
|
42-6
|
at Greenback
|
R2#1 Greenback (9-2)
|
R1#4 Unaka (2-9)
|
51-0
|
Coalfield
|
R3#1 S. Pittsburg (10-0)
|
R4#4 Jo Byrns
|
48-7
|
Clay Co.
|
R4#2 Clay Co. (8-3)
|
R3#3 Sale Creek (4-7)
|
28-2
|
at South Pittsburg
|
R4#3 Gordonsville (4-7)
|
R3#2 Copper Basin (6-5)
|
20-6
|
Whitwell
|
R3#4 Whitwell (3-8)
|
R4#1 Monterrey (10-1)
|
21-7
|
at Gordonsville
|
R5#1 Huntland (8-3)
|
R6#4 Hollow Rock (5-6)
|
28-0
|
McEwen
|
R6#2 McEwen (8-3)
|
R5#3 Mt. Pleasant (8-3)
|
49-21
|
at Huntland
|
R5#2 Cornersville (8-3)
|
R6#3 Collinwood (5-6)
|
31-10
|
at Huntingdon
|
R6#1 Huntingdon (11-0)
|
R5#4 Richland (6-5)
|
56-0
|
Cornersville
|
R7#1 Lake Co. (11-0)
|
R8#4 B.T. Washington (5-6)
|
50-20
|
MASE
|
R8#2 MASE (8-3)
|
R7#3 Greenfield (8-4)
|
19-12
|
at Lake Co.
|
R7#2 West Carroll (7-4)
|
R6#3 Memphis East (6-5)
|
62-36
|
at MMC
|
R8#1 Memphis MC (9-1)
|
R7#4 Dresden (4-7)
|
42-13
|
West Carroll
|
Class 2A
|
|
|
|
R1#1 Hampton (9-2)
|
R2#4 Cumberland Gp (4-7)
|
50-0
|
Oneida
|
R2#2 Oneida (7-4)
|
R1#3 Sullivan North (5-6)
|
35-0
|
at Hampton
|
R1#2 South Greene (10-1)
|
R2#3 Rockwood (5-6)
|
20-7
|
At Meigs Co.
|
R2#1 Meigs Co. (10-1)
|
R1#4 Happy Valley (7-4)
|
41-6
|
South Greene
|
R3#1 Tyner (8-3)
|
R4#4 Westmoreland (5-6)
|
54-0
|
Trousdale Co.
|
R4#2 Trousdale Co. (9-1)
|
R3#3 Marion Co. (3-8)
|
42-0
|
At Tyner
|
R3#2 Bledsoe Co. (8-3)
|
R4#3 E. Robertson (5-6)
|
28-6
|
At Watertown
|
R4#1 Watertown (9-2)
|
R3#4 Tellico Plains (3-8)
|
47-0
|
Bledsoe Co.
|
R5#1 Forrest (11-0)
|
R6#4 Hickman Co. (5-6)
|
37-7
|
Eagleville
|
R6#2 Houston Co. (10-1)
|
R5#3 Eagleville (7-4)
|
7-6
|
At Forrest
|
R6#3 Riverside (6-5)
|
R5#2 Lewis Co. (7-3)
|
14-9
|
At Waverly
|
R6#1 Waverly (7-4)
|
R5#4 Summertown (6-5)
|
39-22
|
Riverside
|
R7#1 Peabody (11-0)
|
R8#4 MAHS (6-5)
|
38-0
|
McKenzie
|
R7#3 McKenzie (6-5)
|
R8#2 Mitchell (8-3)
|
28-6
|
At Peabody
|
R7#2 Union City (7-4)
|
R8#3 Douglass (6-5)
|
46-38
|
At fairley
|
R8#1 Fairley (9-2)
|
R7#4 Adamsville (4-7)
|
36-0
|
Union City
|
Class 3A
|
|
|
|
R2#4 Kingston (7-4)
|
R1#1 Chuckey-Doak (6-5)
|
8-6
|
At Austin-East
|
R2#2 Austin-East (8-3)
|
R1#3 Johnson Co. (4-7)
|
41-0
|
Kingston
|
R2#3 Gatlinburg-P (9-2)
|
R1#2 Unicoi Co. (6-5)
|
62-21
|
At Alcoa
|
R2#1 Alcoa (10-1)
|
R1#4 West Greene (5-6)
|
56-6
|
Gatlinburg-Pittman
|
R3#1 Loudon (11-0)
|
R4#4 York Institute (3-8)
|
49-14
|
Smith Co.
|
R4#2 Smith Co. (7-4)
|
R3#3 Sweetwater (7-4)
|
28-27
|
At Loudon
|
R3#2 Red Bank (9-1)
|
R4#3 Sequatchie Co. (6-5)
|
21-0
|
At Upperman
|
R4#1 Upperman (10-1)
|
R3#4 Signal Mountain (4-7)
|
45-0
|
Red Bank
|
R5#1 Pearl Cohn (11-0)
|
R6#4 Stewart Co. (6-5)
|
42-0
|
East Nashville
|
R5#3 East Nashville (9-2)
|
R6#2 Sycamore (5-6)
|
44-7
|
At Pearl Cohn
|
R5#2 Stratford (8-3)
|
R6#3 Camden (4-7)
|
34-14
|
Giles Co.
|
R5#4 Giles Co. (5-6)
|
R6#1 Fairview (8-3)
|
28-7
|
At Stratford
|
R7#1 South Gibson (10-1)
|
R8#4 Sheffield (1-10)
|
54-6
|
Covington
|
R7#3 Covington (9-2)
|
R8#2 Melrose (6-5)
|
48-6
|
At South Gibson
|
R7#2 Milan (6-5)
|
R8#3 Raleigh-Egypt (3-7)
|
38-0
|
At Wooddale
|
R8#1 Wooddale (9-2)
|
R7#4 Westview (6-5)
|
54-14
|
Milan
|
Class 4A
|
|
|
|
R1#1 Elizabethton (11-0)
|
R2#4 east Ridge (6-5)
|
44-8
|
Sullivan South
|
R1#3 Sullivan South (6-5)
|
R2#2 East Hamilton (7-4)
|
28-24
|
At Elizabethton
|
R1#2 Greeneville (9-2)
|
R2#3 Howard (7-4)
|
45-0
|
At Anderson Co.
|
R2#1 Anderson Co. (10-1)
|
R1#4 Grainger (6-5)
|
41-14
|
Greeneville
|
R3#1 Livingston A. (11-0)
|
R4#4 Maplewood (3-8)
|
27-8
|
Nolensville
|
R4#2 Nolensville (9-2)
|
R3#3 Macon Co. (5-6)
|
47-7
|
At Livingston Acad.
|
R3#2 Dekalb Co. (7-4)
|
R4#3 Tullahoma (7-4)
|
45-34
|
At Marshall Co.
|
R4#1 Marshall Co. (9-2)
|
R3#4 Stone Memorial (3-8)
|
39-8
|
Dekalb Co.
|
R5#1 Springfield (8-3)
|
R6#4 Jackson South (3-8)
|
42-21
|
Lexington
|
R6#2 Lexington (6-5)
|
R5#3 White House H (7-4)
|
35-21
|
At Springfield
|
R5#2 Creek Wood (9-2)
|
R6#3 Jackson North (6-5)
|
21-14
|
At Hardin Co.
|
R6#1 Hardin Co. (10-1)
|
R5#4 Portland (4-7)
|
42-14
|
Creek Wood
|
R7#1 Haywood (10-1)
|
R8#4 Craigmont (2-9)
|
42-8
|
Ripley
|
R7#3 Ripley (6-5)
|
R8#2 Fayette are (8-3)
|
21-20
|
At Haywood
|
R7#2 Crockett Co. (7-4)
|
R8#3 Bolton (1-10)
|
56-0
|
At Millington
|
R8#1 Millington (9-2)
|
R7#4 Dyersburg (3-8)
|
46-29
|
Crockett Co.
|
Class 5A
|
|
|
|
R2#4 Gibbs (8-3)
|
R1#1 Tennessee (9-2)
|
20-13
|
At Knox Central
|
R2#2 Knox Central (9-2)
|
R1#3 David Crockett (7-4)
|
24-14
|
Gibbs
|
R1#2 Daniel Boone (7-4)
|
R2#3 Knox Halls (8-3)
|
32-3
|
At South Doyle
|
R2#1 South Doyle (8-3)
|
R1#4 Cherokee (6-5)
|
41-3
|
Daniel Boone
|
R3#1 Powell (11-0)
|
R4#4 Lenoir City (1-10)
|
60-14
|
Rhea Co.
|
R4#2 Rhea Co. (9-2)
|
R3#3 Knox Fulton (3-8)
|
47-7
|
At Powell
|
R3#2 Knox West (10-1)
|
R4#3 Walker Valley (4-7)
|
45-7
|
Oak Ridge
|
R3#4 Oak Ridge ((6-5)
|
R4#1 Soddy Daisy (6-5)
|
40-23
|
At Knox West
|
R5#1 Page (10-1)
|
R6#4 Hunters Lane (3-8)
|
42-0
|
Summit
|
R5#3 Summit (9-2)
|
R8#2 Gallatin (9-2)
|
27-14
|
At Page
|
R5#2 Shelbyville (10-1)
|
R6#3 Hillsboro (5-6)
|
39-0
|
At Beech
|
R6#1 Beech (11-0)
|
R5#4 Columbia (6-5)
|
6-3
|
Shelbyville
|
R7#1 Henry Co. (9-2)
|
R8#4 Ridgeway (5-6)
|
10-6
|
Clarksville
|
R7#3 Clarksville (7-4)
|
R8#2 Munford (7-4)
|
29-28
|
At Henry Co.
|
R7#2 Dyer Co. (9-2)
|
R8#3 Kirby (8-3)
|
32-10
|
At Southwind
|
R8#1 Southwind (7-4)
|
R7#4 Kenwood (2-9)
|
55-7
|
Dyer Co.
|
Class 6A
|
|
|
|
R1#1 Dobyns-Bennet (9-2)
|
R2#4 William Blount (4-7)
|
35-7
|
Bearden
|
R1#3 Bearden (5-6)
|
R2#2 McMinn Co. 99-2)
|
23-6
|
At Dobyns-Bennett
|
R1#2 Farragut (6-5)
|
R2#3 Bradley (7-4)
|
56-21
|
At Maryville
|
R2#1 Maryville (11-0)
|
R1#4 Science Hill (4-7)
|
42-0
|
Farragut
|
R3#1 Oakland (11-0)
|
R4#4 Lebanon (5-6)
|
34-0
|
Mt. Juliet
|
R4#2 Mt. Juliet (7-4)
|
R3#3 Riverdale (7-4)
|
20-14
|
At Oakland
|
R3#2 Blackman (7-4)
|
R4#3 Wilson Central (6-5)
|
24-0
|
At Hendersonville
|
R4#1 Hendersonville (6-5)
|
R3#4 Cookeville (5-6)
|
59-42
|
Blackman
|
R5#1 Cane Ridge (8-3)
|
R6#4 Franklin (5-6)
|
42-7
|
Ravenwood
|
R6#2 Ravenwood (10-1)
|
R5#3 Stewarts Creek (8-3)
|
35-0
|
At Cane Ridge
|
R6#3 Independence (7-4)
|
R5#2 Smyrna (6-5)
|
28-10
|
At Brentwood
|
R6#1 Brentwood (9-2)
|
R5#4 McGavock (3-8)
|
28-6
|
Independence
|
R7#1 Houston (11-0)
|
R8#4 Germantown (2-9)
|
56-12
|
White Station
|
R8#2 White Station (7-4)
|
R7#3 Bartlett (6-5)
|
28-7
|
At Houston
|
R8#3 Memphis Cen. (5-6)
|
R7#2 Collierville (5-6)
|
35-28
|
At Whitehaven
|
R8#1 Whitehaven (9-1)
|
R7#4 Cordova (47)
|
50-8
|
Memphis Central
|
DII-1A
|
|
|
|
E#1 FCA (8-2)
|
Bye
|
|
Columbia Academy
|
W#4 Columbia Acad. (6-5)
|
E#5 Mt. Juliet Christ. (3-7)
|
69-20
|
At FCA
|
E#3 DCA (8-3)
|
W#6 Tipton-Rose. (4-7)
|
34-6
|
At Davidson Acad.
|
W#2 Davidson Acad. (8-2)
|
Bye
|
|
DCA
|
W#1 Nashville C. (10-0)
|
Bye
|
|
Fayette Academy
|
W#5 Fayette Acad. (6-5)
|
E#4 MTCS (4-7)
|
26-21
|
At Nashville Christ.
|
W#3 USJ (8-3)
|
E#6 grace (3-7)
|
68-3
|
At King’s Academy
|
E#2 King’s Academy (6-4)
|
Bye
|
|
USJ
|
DII-2A
|
|
|
|
E#1 Knox Grace (9-2)
|
M#5 Goodpasture (4-7)
|
35-20
|
Lipscomb Academy
|
M#4 Lipscomb Acad. (6-5)
|
E#3 Boyd-Buchanan (8-3)
|
41-27
|
At Knox Grace
|
M#1 CPA (5-6)
|
E#5 Knox webb (3-7)
|
35-0
|
CCS
|
E#2 CCS (7-3)
|
E#4 CAK (8-3)
|
42-10
|
At CPA
|
W#1 ECS (10-1)
|
W#6 Hardin Acad. (2-9)
|
45-7
|
BGA
|
M#3 BGA (8-3)
|
W#3 FACS (5-6)
|
49-6
|
At ECS
|
M#2 FRA (8-3)
|
W#5 Newport Christ. (3-8)
|
48-12
|
At Lausanne
|
W#2 Lausanne (6-4)
|
W#4 St. George’s (4-7)
|
19-17
|
FRA
|
(Email Assistant Sports Editor Dennis Norwood at dennisnorwood56@gmail.com; follow him on Twitter at @DennisENorwood)