Page Withstands Lions Roar to Win, 42-35

It was a beautiful night of football in “Rudderville” where the home Page Patriots had to stave off a hungry Columbia Central football team and win late by the score of 42-35. This turned out to be an entertaining game, especially as we got into the 4th quarter. The Patriots offense was on fire early, scoring on their 1st four possessions and moving the ball at will. They slowed down a little bit as we inched towards the break but still took a 35-14 lead into halftime. Patriots quarterback Jake McNamara Jake McNamara 6'0" | 180 lbs | QB Page | 2022 State TN was the star of the show in the 1st half where he was the director of his offense, displaying a variety of skills from making off platform throws for 1st downs or touchdowns while also gaining critical positive yards with his legs. Second half was a different story as the Lions defense made adjustments and picked up their energy which bled over to the offensive side of the ball where they started moving the ball easily against the Pats defense. Sophomore running back Kayden McCoy Kayden McCoy 5'9" | 175 lbs | RB Columbia Central | 2024 State TN and senior athlete Q Martin became a problem for the Patriots defense as they were carving them up on the ground and finding paydirt on multiple occasions. The momentum had clearly swung in the direction of the Lions and they eventually tied things up at 35 a piece. It came down to one final drive from the Patriots and they got the job done. Running back Ethan Cunningham Ethan Cunningham 5'9" | 180 lbs | RB Page | 2024 TN darted up the middle, broke through tacklers and found the end zone to give the Patriots the lead back and that would be all they needed to walk away with the win. Columbia Central fought hard and deserve a lot of credit for their effort but the home Patriots withstood their fight and remained undefeated on the season at 7-0. Player of the Game (QB) Jake McNamara Jake McNamara 6'0" | 180 lbs | QB Page | 2022 State TN - Page - The Patriots star quarterback was the best player on the field Friday night where he was a part of or accounted for all of the offensive touchdowns on the night, except for one. He controlled the pocket well and used his legs when needed. McNamara is a precision passer that dropped some dimes on Friday night and showed why he is currently committed to the Colorado St. Rams. Other Top Standouts ‘23 (WR) Max Collins - Page - Collins had a big night against the Lions where he came up with several clutch receptions, including two spectacular touchdown catches with defenders close by. This Patriots junior receiver has nice size and arm length along with great hands. Collins has now jumped on my radar and could develop into a college recruited prospect. ‘24 (Ath) Jordan Davis Jordan Davis 6'3" | 185 lbs | DB Columbia Central | 2024 State TN - Columbia Central - Among all the skill players the Lions put on the field, Davis is the one guy who stood out the most as someone that has the look and athletic traits of a Division 1 prospect. The Lions sophomore is tall with long arms and the speed to plays up on the next level. He was a problem at times for the Patriots defense and showed why he could be a highly recruited down the road. (OL) Owen Sacks Owen Sacks 6'2" | 295 lbs | OL Page | 2022 State TN - Page - Sacks is a beast! This dude is a constant worker that never complains and hardly ever leaves the field. Against the Lions, Sacks manned the left tackle spot and started over on defense at D-Tackle. He is the ultimate teammate that does anything it takes to help his team win. The Butler Bulldogs certainly added a steal here with Sacks! ‘24 (QB) Luke Uselton - Columbia Central - The Lions have a strong sophomore class and a signal caller here in Uselton to build around over the next three years. His performance on Friday night against the Patriots sold that idea as he handled the offense well, making several tough throws and leading his team to 35 points. Uselton needs more work but upside is there. ‘25 (LB) Eric Hazzard Eric Hazzard 6'3" | 255 lbs | EDGE/DL Page | 2025 State TN - Page - Many around the state need to start learning about this guy because Hazzard is a force on the Patriots that was hard to control on Friday night. He was everywhere from making tackles in the backfield, rushing the passer or dropping into coverage. Hazzard is only a freshman but is already 6'3 210 pounds and he can run! Watch for this linebacker to expand his stock over the coming years. Scout's Notes - After Friday night's win over Columba Central, the Page Patriots sit at 7-0 with only three games remaining in the regular season and at this point, they have positioned themselves as a possible top contender in Class 5A to reach Chattanooga. The Patriots have a potent offense with McNamara at the helm and skill surrounding him. They also have a big offensive line that has gelled quite well over the season and will welcome back from concussion protocol, the return of 2024 offensive tackle Ronan O’Connell Ronan O’Connell 6'5" | 285 lbs | OL Page | 2024 State TN next week, who could be one of the top sophomore offensive linemen in the state. The Patriots also have a defense with enough pieces to keep their team games. They are not overly athletic but they play together and play hard until the end. Many might have seen Page as a formidable opponent at the beginning of the season but I don't think many saw them being undefeated at this point. Other teams across the 5A ranks better watch out for these Patriots because they have an offense and team overall that can go on a deep playoff run. - Friday night was the first time seeing the Columbia Central Lions in person and while they might have lost the game, they sure do have some talent to build around over the coming years. The Lions are young overall with a lot of growth in front of them but talent is there to build into a Region title contending team over the coming season's. The Lions are relying on a few key seniors but it's their junior and sophomore class that is so exciting. We have already mentioned Davis and Uselton above but others to know include juniors Jase Hoath (TE/DE), Tylan Orr (OL) and defensive backs Adrian Hidalgo and Jay Frierson along with sophomores Kayden McCoy Kayden McCoy 5'9" | 175 lbs | RB Columbia Central | 2024 State TN (RB) and defensive end Malik Smith. This is really a strong, talented core for the Lions to grow around but all players mentioned must buy in completely if they want to develop into the players they want and need to be. Good times could be ahead for the Columbia Central football program!