#TNHSFB: Class 1A All-State, Region Preview & More

We are exactly one week away from the start of the 2021 high school football season here in the state of Tennessee and I think it's the right time to make some predictions on the upcoming year! Along with region and state title predictions, Prep RedZone Tennessee will also provide an All-State team. Our first edition looks at the football programs on the Class 1A level. (Teams are ranked in predicted order) Class 1A-Region 1 1. Cloudland 2. Unaka 3. North Greene 4. Hancock Co. 5. Cosby Notes: Cloudland is a perennial playoff contender that is replacing several key starters but have enough to talent returning to win this region; Unaka will be their biggest competitor; The Rangers have a dangerous 1-2 punch with brothers Devan Ramsey and 2023 (QB) [player_tooltip player_id="150311" first="Landon" last="Ramsey"]; This looks like the best Unaka team in a long time; North Greene, Hancock Co. and Cosy will all battle for 3rd place and work at finding a way into the playoffs. Class 1A- Region 2 1. Coalfield 2. Midway 3. Greenback 4. Oliver Springs 5. Oakdale 6. Harriman 7. Jellico 8. Sunbright Notes: This region should be a good battle between 1A power Coalfield and a senior laden Midway team led by quarterback [player_tooltip player_id="150817" first="Emmett" last="Hegland"]; He has two good offensive weapons to use in (WR) Caleb Goodman and (RB/DB) Ty Mason; Where Coalfield has the edge is up front in the line of scrimmage, showcased by senior Bryson Ridge; Greenback is the sleeper team in the region to win the title as they don't have the veterans that the top two teams have but they have youthful talent that should get become formidable by season's end; Watch out for Oakdale as well as they have a few players this season to make some noise <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-144292" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/05/Emmet-Hegland-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /> Class 1A-Region 3 1. South Pittsburg 2. Sale Creek 3. Whitwell 4. Lookout Valley 5. Copper Basin Notes: There is no hesitation to say that South Pittsburg wins this region with ease and walks into the playoffs as an immediate state title contender; They are talented with a mix of vets and youth, led by star by players (RB) [player_tooltip player_id="102048" first="De'Andre" last="Kelly"] and two-way lineman [player_tooltip player_id="101995" first="Gio" last="Davis"]; Don't sleep on talented athlete Christopher Jackson either; Sale Creek appears right now to be the top contender at dethroning the Pirates but it will be a tough task; Best option for the rest of the teams in this region is to win enough games to make their way into postseason play while the Pirates handle this region. Class 1A-Region 4 1. Gordonsville 2. Jo Byrns 3. Clay Co. 4. Red Boiling Springs 5. Pickett Co. Notes: Much like the region above, Gordonsville is the clear cut favorite and looks to have a nice path towards the postseason; The Tigers have the one of the top players in region in two-way talent Matthew Albritton along with a nice mix of vets and youth surrounding him; The team that might give the Tigers some fits is Jo Byrns; They appear to have a roster that has increased it's talent, led by junior (DE/TE) [player_tooltip player_id="102322" first="Bailey" last="Serignet"] that should compete with the Tigers and become the next best team in this region. Class 1A-Region 5 1. Fayetteville 2. Cornersville 3. Eagleville 4. Huntland 5. Wayne Co. 6. Moore Co. 7. Collinwood Notes: Cornersville is a good looking team this year that should make it to the playoffs but Fayetteville is the no-brainer here as they have as much talent as anybody in the Class 1A ranks. The upperclassmen between the seniors and juniors run the show for the Tigers with a star sophomore at running back in [player_tooltip player_id='258804' first='K.J.' last='Jackson']; Blocking from him up front are two stud seniors in [player_tooltip player_id="102049" first="Gus" last="Hill"] and Andre Thomison; They also have two highly talented juniors on defense in (LB) Isaiah Thomison and (LB/DE) [player_tooltip player_id="149847" first="Braxton" last="Wilson"]; Cornersville is a senior laden team that will be ready to compete with the Tigers for the top spot, led by senior (WR) Tanner Edwards and (OL) Blake Jones; Sleeper teams for playoffs spots in this region include Eagleville and Huntland. Class 1A-Region 6 1. McKenzie 2. Dresden 3. McEwen 4. Perry Co. 5. Gleason 6. Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central 7. South Fulton Notes: The Rebels head into the 2021 season with two of the better talents in the entire Class 1A ranks but also the 2023 class. Junior standouts (Ath) [player_tooltip player_id="102344" first="Marquez" last="Taylor"] and quarterback [player_tooltip player_id="150306" first="Jackson" last="Cassidy"] already hold P5 and D1 offers and will be focal points for the Rebels team and the rest of their competition over the next two years; McKenzie's main competition for the top spot in this region appears to be Dresden; The Lions are looking to make a statement this season and work their way to the playoffs and they will need 2023 two way talent [player_tooltip player_id="150376" first="Tatum" last="Oliver"] to lead the way; McEwen could play spoiler in this region. Class 1A-Region 7 1. Peabody 2. Lake Co. 3. Greenfield 4. Humboldt 5. West Carroll 6. Halls Notes: The two Class 2A state champs have moved down to 1A and they are looking to continue their championship streak with possibly their most talented team ever; The Golden Tide have a strong senior class leading the way with (RB) [player_tooltip player_id="102142" first="Khalik" last="Ganaway"], (OL) [player_tooltip player_id="102063" first="Connor" last="Meadows"], (DE) [player_tooltip player_id="102035" first="Jordan" last="Shepherd"], two way talent [player_tooltip player_id="102102" first="Malik" last="Ganaway"] and under the radar defensive back [player_tooltip player_id="102147" first="DeMarkus" last="Kee"] at the top of the list; They have good leader at quarterback too in junior signal caller [player_tooltip player_id="102221" first="Sam" last="Driggers"]; The Golden Tide will have their hands full with Lake Co. in this region but they sit at the top in Class 1A as a team poised for a title run. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-142178" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/05/drig-225x300.jpeg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /> Speaking of the Falcons, they are not too shabby either; They have a nice handful of talent that ranges all across the roster; The top guys to know with the Falcons include seniors [player_tooltip player_id="153015" first="Jamarius" last="Williams"] and Miguel Abbott along with an up and comer in junior two way talent [player_tooltip player_id="102197" first="Malachi" last="Clay"]; Peabody may be the top team but the Falcons won't back down and should be ready for a deep playoff run; Watch out for Greenfield as the next best team in this region and a squad that can make it into postseason play. Class 1A-Region 8 1. Middle College. 2. M.A.S.E. 3. Middleton 4. Westwood 5. Washington 6. Bluff City Notes: This region is hard to call due to most of the teams missing out on the 2020 season and there being a lack of film from their programs; What little I do know about this region is that Middle College has a talented two-way prospect in Antonyus Moore that can play on the collegiate level; He has dynamic, play making abilities from both sides of the ball that translate to the college gridiron; The Bulldogs do look like the top team at this point but with so little information and it still being preseason, anything could happen in this region. Playoff Predictions Final Four: Coalfield, South Pittsburg, Fayetteville, Peabody State Championship: South Pittsburg vs. Peabody Pre-season All-State (Class 1A) Offense (QB) [player_tooltip player_id="102221" first="Sam" last="Driggers"] - Peabody (RB) [player_tooltip player_id="102142" first="Khalik" last="Ganaway"] - Peabody (RB) [player_tooltip player_id="102048" first="De'Andre" last="Kelly"] - South Pittsburg (RB) [player_tooltip player_id='258804' first='K.J.' last='Jackson'] - Fayetteville (‘24) (Ath) Antonyus Moore - Middle College (Ath) [player_tooltip player_id="102344" first="Marquez" last="Taylor"] - McKenzie (OL) [player_tooltip player_id="102049" first="Gus" last="Hill"] - Fayetteville (OL) Luke Allen - Greenfield (OL) Andre Thomison - Fayetteville (OL) Bryson Ridge - Coalfield (OL) [player_tooltip player_id="102063" first="Connor" last="Meadows"] - Peabody Defense (DL) [player_tooltip player_id="102035" first="Jordan" last="Shepherd"] - Peabody (DL) [player_tooltip player_id="101995" first="Gio" last="Davis"] - South Pittsburg (DL) Jason Baskerville - Peabody (DE/LB) [player_tooltip player_id="149847" first="Braxton" last="Wilson"] - Fayetteville (‘23) (LB) [player_tooltip player_id="153015" first="Jamarius" last="Williams"] - Lake Co. (LB) Isaiah Thomison - Fayetteville (‘23) (DB) [player_tooltip player_id="102102" first="Malik" last="Ganaway"] - Peabody (DB) Corian Cash - South Pittsburg (DB) Miguel Abbott - Lake Co. (DB) [player_tooltip player_id="123657" first="Devin" last="Ramsey"] - Unaka (DB) [player_tooltip player_id="102147" first="DeMarkus" last="Kee"] - Peabody Honorable Mention: (LB) [player_tooltip player_id="150376" first="Tatum" last="Oliver"] - Dresden, (OL) Blake Jones - Cornersville, (OL) Andre Allen - Fayetteville, (OL) Hunter Johnson - Gleason, (QB/S) Matthew Albritton - Gordonsville, (LB) Chandler Finch - Greenfield, (OG) Chase Johnson - Harriman, (DE) [player_tooltip player_id="102322" first="Bailey" last="Serignet"] - Jo Byrns, (WR) [player_tooltip player_id="102197" first="Malachi" last="Clay"], (Ath) DayDay Williams - Lake Co., (QB) [player_tooltip player_id="150306" first="Jackson" last="Cassidy"] - McKenzie, (QB) [player_tooltip player_id="150817" first="Emmett" last="Hegland"], (WR) Caleb Goodman - Midway, (Ath) Christopher Jackson, (Ath) Reginald Hunter - South Pitt, [player_tooltip player_id="150311" first="Landon" last="Ramsey"] - Unaka Others to Know: (DB/DB) Carson Sharp - Clay Co, ((WR) Tanner Edwards, (RB/LB) Cason Warner - Cornersville, (DB/WR) Dylan Pratt - Eagleville, (S) Cam Sheridan, (RB/LB) Alajarea Johnson - Fayetteville, (RB) Micah Franklin, (LB) Ashton Orr - Greenback, (RB/LB) Isaiah Agnew, (LB) DJ Sangster - Humboldt, (OL) [player_tooltip player_id="150339" first="Jay" last="Lebo"] - Lake Co., (DT) Gary LaPrairie, Jr - McEwen, (OL) Hunter Johnson - McKenzie, (Ath) Ty Mason - Midway, (QB) Connor Partin - Moore Co., (OL) Riley Underwood - Oakdale, (DE/LB) Brier Brown - Perry Co., (QB) [player_tooltip player_id="150311" first="Landon" last="Ramsey"] - Unaka, (Ath) Keaton Johnson - West Carroll