#PRZTN Game of the Week: Henry Co. vs Summit
Football is back and we get started in a big way with the Henry Co. Patriots hosting the defending state champs, the Summit Spartans in what should be an outstanding game full of talent!
Where: Paris, Tennessee (Henry Co. High School)
Time: 7 pm Central Kickoff
Coverage: Follow @csmithscout, @HCPatriotsFB, @GridSummit
Team Intel
Henry Co. Patriots (Paris, TN)
HC: James Counce
Class/Region: Class 5A-Region 7
- The Patriots have been grooming their junior class for these next two years as their expectations are high with eyes on nothing but region titles and state championships. Their feelings are justified as they have multiple Power Five, D1 prospects to lean on and lead them to the promiseland over the next two years.
Henry Co. has strengths all across the board of their team but it's their offense that will be the catalyst. They have a Power Five quarterback, a big and talented running back with versatility, a national recruit on the offensive line and a speedy, do everything threat in
Jayce Kendall
Jayce
Kendall
5'8" | 165 lbs | WR
Henry County | 2023
TN
that can score in a variety of ways. The Patriots have all the pieces on offense to score at will and lead this team to Cookeville.
This is also a well coached team that won't beat themselves. The Patriots play cohesive football and understand who they are and what their personnel can do. Defense is the area that will be the most interesting part of the Patriots team to keep an eye on. They are replacing a few key starters from last year's team (most importantly Jawon Odom who is at Memphis now) and will need new guys to step into key roles and produce.
Opening up against Summit is one of the best ways to find out exactly who you are going into this 2021 season. The Spartans are defending state champs and return basically everybody, including two SEC commitments, so win or lose, Henry Co. will be battle tested and aware of how far they are from state title status.
Summit Spartans (Spring Hill, TN)
HC: Brian Coleman
Class/Region: Class 6A - Region 7
- The defending Class 5A state champs are now going after a different prize and a bigger one at that with their move into 6A and boy do they have the horses to play in this field. Everybody knows about the Wade Brothers and it's well deserved but they are surrounded by a group of guys like Pierce, receiver
Brandon King
Brandon
King
5'9" | 180 lbs | WR
Summit | 2022
State
TN
and O-linemen
Mason Richardson
Mason
Richardson
6'4" | 285 lbs | OL
Summit | 2022
State
TN
and Cooper Koch on offense that run like a well oiled machine with the power to score points at will.
All the players mentioned above were a part of last year's title team and have the same goal headed into this season. There is no reason to think with the move up into 6A football that the Spartans will not be a threat and a top championship contender. Now will the competition overall be tougher, yes it will but this year's team has the veteran talent and leadership to take on all comers and march their way to Cookeville yet again.
There aren't too many question marks regarding this Spartans team. Now do they have the exact measurables or athleticism at all positions, no they don't but they are a well coached team that knows their roles and competes hard every snap. You could say defense is the one area where Summit could improve but the funny thing about that is the fact that K. Wade missed most of the season last year due to injury, so this year's defensive team could actually be better!
Summit very well may be one of the best overall teams in the entire state, regardless of classification.
Players to Know
‘23 (QB)
Ryan Damron
Ryan
Damron
6'0" | 185 lbs | QB
Henry County | 2023
State
TN
(6'0 195) - Henry Co.
‘23 (RB)
Zamaryion Kendall
Zamaryion
Kendall
6'0" | 195 lbs | RB
Lausanne Collegiate | 2023
State
TN
(6'1 195) - Henry Co.
‘23 (OT/G)
Luke Brown
Luke
Brown
6'6" | 305 lbs | OL
Henry County | 2023
State
TN
(6'6 305) - Henry Co.
- Damron has put in a lot of time and work into his craft and is ready for a big 2021 season. He is a cerebral, athletic passer who holds a Kentucky offer that can sling the ball all around the field. He has a talented running back in Kendall to hand it and throw it to on a consistent basis. Ranked as the #1 running back by #PRZTN for the ‘23 class, Kendall is a powerful and athletic back that can do just about everything on offense. Kendall will also line up on defense at safety as well. Blocking for Damron and Kendall will be Brown, who is considered one of the best in-state offensive lineman for the 2023 class. Brown is a massive young man that should have a battle on his hands with Wade and Spartans defensive end,
Maddox Reed
Maddox
Reed
6'5" | 215 lbs | DL
Summit | 2022
State
TN
.
(QB)
Destin Wade
Destin
Wade
6'3" | 205 lbs | QB
Summit | 2022
State
TN
(6'3 210) - Summit (Kentucky Commit)
(LB)
Keaten Wade
Keaten
Wade
6'4" | 215 lbs | LB
Summit | 2022
State
TN
(6'4 215) - Summit (Kentucky Commit)
(S)
Brady Pierce
Brady
Pierce
6'0" | 180 lbs | DB
Summit | 2022
State
TN
(5'11 185) - Summit
- D. Wade is one of the more prolific quarterbacks we have had in this state and he could go down in history if this season ends the way he and his team would like it to. Wade is a tough guy to handle for high school athletes because of his size, speed and football smarts. He also has a cannon right arm that can put it down the field in a hurry. K. Wade is viewed not only as one of the top prospects in this state but also one of the best linebackers in the country. He has NFL potential written all over him and now that he is fully healthy, the Cats commitment is looking for a big year and continued development. Pierce is the unwritten hero for the Spartans team that seems to always come up with the big play. He is an underrated athlete and prospect overall that can run and cover but also has tremendous football instincts.
Game Breakdown & Prediction
- What a way to start the 2021 football season here in Tennessee! You have two power programs competing against each other in front of a big crowd in what should be one of the better atmospheres you could be at for the entire year. Regardless of who wins the game, everybody wins for being at and a part of this contest!
Now onto the game itself. Both teams will be excited to compete and itching to hit somebody, so the beginning of the game could go in a variety of ways but the team that settles in first and grabs a hold of their emotions, should jump out in front first.
The key to the entire game as I see it will be the Henry Co. defense slowing down Wade and the Spartans offense. It will be hard because Wade is talented and fast but if the Patriots can somehow slow him down or even better pick up some turnovers, it will help their cause towards being in this game at the end.
Henry Co. has the firepower on offense to score points and they should score enough to be right there but it will be up to their defense to keep them in it. Damron and the Patriots will want to throw it a lot but giving it to Kendall and letting him wear down the Spartans may be smart towards keeping the game close.
If this game turns into a track meet, which I think it could, it will be a high scoring affair that I feel Summit will end up on top. Henry Co. will compete and fight and be right there with opportunities but the Spartans will compete right back and put up more points to walk away with the win.
Score: Summit 38 Henry Co. 31
Mason
Richardson
6'4" | 285 lbs | OL
Summit | 2022
State
TN
and Cooper Koch on offense that run like a well oiled machine with the power to score points at will.
All the players mentioned above were a part of last year's title team and have the same goal headed into this season. There is no reason to think with the move up into 6A football that the Spartans will not be a threat and a top championship contender. Now will the competition overall be tougher, yes it will but this year's team has the veteran talent and leadership to take on all comers and march their way to Cookeville yet again.
There aren't too many question marks regarding this Spartans team. Now do they have the exact measurables or athleticism at all positions, no they don't but they are a well coached team that knows their roles and competes hard every snap. You could say defense is the one area where Summit could improve but the funny thing about that is the fact that K. Wade missed most of the season last year due to injury, so this year's defensive team could actually be better!
Summit very well may be one of the best overall teams in the entire state, regardless of classification.
Players to Know
‘23 (QB)
Ryan Damron
Ryan
Damron
6'0" | 185 lbs | QB
Henry County | 2023
State
TN
(6'0 195) - Henry Co.
‘23 (RB)
Zamaryion Kendall
Zamaryion
Kendall
6'0" | 195 lbs | RB
Lausanne Collegiate | 2023
State
TN
(6'1 195) - Henry Co.
‘23 (OT/G)
Luke Brown
Luke
Brown
6'6" | 305 lbs | OL
Henry County | 2023
State
TN
(6'6 305) - Henry Co.
- Damron has put in a lot of time and work into his craft and is ready for a big 2021 season. He is a cerebral, athletic passer who holds a Kentucky offer that can sling the ball all around the field. He has a talented running back in Kendall to hand it and throw it to on a consistent basis. Ranked as the #1 running back by #PRZTN for the ‘23 class, Kendall is a powerful and athletic back that can do just about everything on offense. Kendall will also line up on defense at safety as well. Blocking for Damron and Kendall will be Brown, who is considered one of the best in-state offensive lineman for the 2023 class. Brown is a massive young man that should have a battle on his hands with Wade and Spartans defensive end,
Maddox Reed
Maddox
Reed
6'5" | 215 lbs | DL
Summit | 2022
State
TN
.
(QB)
Destin Wade
Destin
Wade
6'3" | 205 lbs | QB
Summit | 2022
State
TN
(6'3 210) - Summit (Kentucky Commit)
(LB)
Keaten Wade
Keaten
Wade
6'4" | 215 lbs | LB
Summit | 2022
State
TN
(6'4 215) - Summit (Kentucky Commit)
(S)
Brady Pierce
Brady
Pierce
6'0" | 180 lbs | DB
Summit | 2022
State
TN
(5'11 185) - Summit
- D. Wade is one of the more prolific quarterbacks we have had in this state and he could go down in history if this season ends the way he and his team would like it to. Wade is a tough guy to handle for high school athletes because of his size, speed and football smarts. He also has a cannon right arm that can put it down the field in a hurry. K. Wade is viewed not only as one of the top prospects in this state but also one of the best linebackers in the country. He has NFL potential written all over him and now that he is fully healthy, the Cats commitment is looking for a big year and continued development. Pierce is the unwritten hero for the Spartans team that seems to always come up with the big play. He is an underrated athlete and prospect overall that can run and cover but also has tremendous football instincts.
Game Breakdown & Prediction
- What a way to start the 2021 football season here in Tennessee! You have two power programs competing against each other in front of a big crowd in what should be one of the better atmospheres you could be at for the entire year. Regardless of who wins the game, everybody wins for being at and a part of this contest!
Now onto the game itself. Both teams will be excited to compete and itching to hit somebody, so the beginning of the game could go in a variety of ways but the team that settles in first and grabs a hold of their emotions, should jump out in front first.
The key to the entire game as I see it will be the Henry Co. defense slowing down Wade and the Spartans offense. It will be hard because Wade is talented and fast but if the Patriots can somehow slow him down or even better pick up some turnovers, it will help their cause towards being in this game at the end.
Henry Co. has the firepower on offense to score points and they should score enough to be right there but it will be up to their defense to keep them in it. Damron and the Patriots will want to throw it a lot but giving it to Kendall and letting him wear down the Spartans may be smart towards keeping the game close.
If this game turns into a track meet, which I think it could, it will be a high scoring affair that I feel Summit will end up on top. Henry Co. will compete and fight and be right there with opportunities but the Spartans will compete right back and put up more points to walk away with the win.
Score: Summit 38 Henry Co. 31
