TNHSFB Week Six Statewide Recap

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FRA and Sevier Co. are coming off statement wins. Munford continues to flex their muscles. Blackman, Ensworth & MBA are struggling to score points. All this and more can be found inside our latest statewide recap. </h2>     Week Six Top Stories    Stock Up   - Some might consider FRA's 21-14 win over BGA the best game coming out of “Week Six” and I would tend to agree as you had two top tier programs going toe to toe with each other until the very end where the home Panthers came out on top. Many people across the state, including myself, had BGA winning this game but I have to give credit to the Panthers coaching staff and players for coming prepared to play and remaining focused till the final whistle. The FRA defense in particular might have been the best story to come out of this game as they did a great job of keeping [player_tooltip player_id='914547' first='Kaedyn' last='Marable'] and the Wildcats high scoring offense in-check. The work up front from [player_tooltip player_id='866750' first='Keilan' last='Neal'] and the Panthers defensive line was exceptional and was a key factor in the Panthers pulling off the upset.    The FRA offense did just enough to win this game, led by [player_tooltip player_id='903954' first='Kwadir' last='Fletcher'] and his power running style. This win shows that the Panthers are legit and a team that could go on a deep playoff run and eventually find themselves in Chattanooga competing for a D2-Class AA state title. Even though BGA took the loss, I think they will be fine and will use this loss to improve and become an even more formidable team. These two teams could be the two very best coming out of their classification as well and they might see each again with a title game appearance on the line.  Round one went to FRA but I'd be very curious to see how “Round Two” plays out, if these two teams battle again this Fall.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/06/43-Kwadir-Fletcher-rotated.jpg?w=684" alt="" class="wp-image-1687302" style="width:222px;height:auto" /></figure>   - - -    - Another top level game coming out of “Week Six” was Sevier Co. needing overtime to remain undefeated as they squeaked by Greeneville, 30-27 in what could turn out to be one of the best games from the 2025 season. These programs are two of the best coming out of the East Tennessee region and they needed extra time to settle who was the better squad. The Smoky Bears proved to be better on this night but if these two matched up again, it could go the other way. Greeneville gave up 30 points but overall did a nice job against [player_tooltip player_id='1142902' first='Cooper' last='Newman'] and the Sevier Co. passing attack as they picked him off twice and forced several incompletions.    For the home Green Devils, their offense was held in-check as well for the most part as the Smoky Bears defense didn't allow [player_tooltip player_id='1181026' first='Zaydyn' last='Anderson'] or Caden Baugh to get going. In the end, Sevier Co. was able to find enough plays to climb on top and finish it out for the victory. This was an evenly matched game between two very well coached teams that both will have a shot at competing for a state title, once we reach postseason play. If both teams stay healthy and continue to play at a high level, I would not be surprised to see either team make it to Chattanooga and compete for championships.    - - -    - As we continue to talk about close contests and classic games, Munford and Whitehaven put on a show in the greater Memphis area last Friday as these teams went back and forth until the very end where the Cougars earned one more point in their 36-35 win over the Tigers. This is yet another strong win for Munford as they moved to 5-0 on the season and continue to show why they are one of the best teams coming out of the 5A ranks. The Cougars received strong play from [player_tooltip player_id='1585458' first='Tay' last='Starks'] as well as their offensive line in this matchup while being opportunistic on defense with timely plays.    The Cougars needed every minute of this game to come out on top as [player_tooltip player_id='1431775' first='Christopher' last='Talley'] and the Whitehaven offense performed well and continued to put pressure on the Munford defense. The future West Virginia running back was tough to corral but the Cougars did enough in the end to put the Tigers away and win going home. Munford may not have a lot of flash or wow power about them but they are a disciplined, well coached team that plays together and competes till the very end. After some tough matchups through the first five games, the Cougars have a lighter schedule over the next few weeks until two big games to end the regular season with Germantown and Memphis Central. I can see the Cougars potentially finishing 10-0 and moving into postseason play as a top contender to make it all the way to Chattanooga. Wins like this over Whitehaven help make that statement and show that the Cougars are for real!   - - -    - One of the more interesting scores coming from last week was White Co. knocking off the reigning and defending 4A state champs in Macon Co. , 26-14 and it's a win that might put the Warriors in the driver seat to win their region. The Warriors have several key games remaining but this victory over the Tigers shows that White Co. is legit and a team on the rise that might be a sleeper team to watch once we reach postseason play. Leaning on Cole Sims and their rushing attack, White Co. did solid work on offense but it was their defense that I believe won this game.    Macon Co. is really good at running the ball but the Warriors defensive front seven with [player_tooltip player_id='1405051' first='Hunter' last='Broyles'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1617402' first='Lex' last='Winfree'] did a great job of keeping the Tigers ball carriers quiet. The Warriors defense didn't allow big plays from the Macon Co. offense and I think that along with stopping  their rushing attack were key factors in picking up the win. It will be interesting to see how things play out the rest of the way for White Co. as I could see them winning their region but they must get past several other teams as well as a good Upperman team, who the Warriors face in late October.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/05/hbroyles.jpg?w=683" alt="" class="wp-image-1667196" style="width:221px;height:auto" /></figure>   - - -    - It was an undefeated season for Science Hill until last Friday when they matched up with Jefferson County. The Patriots put it on them as they stunned the Hilltoppers, beating them 31-6 and moving their season record to 4-1 overall. This was one of the more surprising outcomes from “Week Six” as I didn't see Jefferson Co. and their defense shutting down the Hilltoppers offense. I thought it may be a semi-close game but the Patriots came ready to go with a game plan that worked and left Science Hill looking for answers. This is the kind of win that can not only build confidence for Jefferson Co. but possibly put them in contention for a region title.    The biggest takeaway from this game has to be the defensive effort for Jefferson Co. and their job against a Science Hill offense that had been consistent through five weeks of action. Now I will say, I have seen some cracks with the Hilltoppers offense this season but I didn't see the Pats holding them to six points. I'm very interested to see how Jefferson Co. plays the rest of the season. They appear to be getting better week by week with standout guys like [player_tooltip player_id='1276432' first='Shawn' last='Jackson'] beginning to emerge. The Patriots have to re-group and get past Science Hill because the region title may be on the line in “Week Seven” as they hit the road to take on Dobyns-Bennett, which is the one team in the way from earning a regular season championship.    - - -    - I don't know if anybody saw Lebanon being undefeated at 6-0 to begin the season but they are and sitting in a good position within their region. The Blue Devils are coming off a surprising hard fought 7-0 victory over Hillsboro last week but they got the job done and can move on towards the toughest part of their schedule. Over the next few weeks, Lebanon has big matchups set with nothing but region foes with Wilson Central, Green Hill, Gallatin and Cookeville. We will know who this Blue Devils team is by the time we reach Halloween and based on their performance thus far, I think they have a shot to compete for the region title or finish inside the top two, which leads towards hosting in the first round.    - - -    - After starting the season 0-2, Dresden has reeled off four wins in a row and has gotten better every week as it shows in their 70-24 win over Humboldt in “Week Six.” The Lions went into the 2025 season as a top title contender on the 1A level but stumbled out of the blocks with two losses to Trinity Christian and McKenzie. Now those two losses were against good teams but it provided a glance into the mirror of who the Lions were and what they needed to do to improve the rest of the way. Well they worked on their faults and have been impressive over the last month.    The Lions are led by their offense and rushing attack, spearheaded by [player_tooltip player_id='1690526' first='Cooper' last='Allman'] and Luke DiPietro with a line that has seemed to gel together during this four win stretch. Their defense has been much improved as well. I can see an entire team here that is beginning to perform like I and others thought they would going into the season. The second half of the football year will be big for the Lions as they have big games looming with Greenfield and South Fulton. Those matchups will dictate who wins the Class 1A-Region 7 championship. I like how the Lions are looking at this point and their trajectory the rest of the regular season and into postseason play.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/06/callman.jpg?w=700" alt="" class="wp-image-1689001" style="width:251px;height:auto" /></figure>   - - - - - - - - -    Stock Down   - We have three teams in Blackman, Ensworth and MBA that currently sit inside the #PRZTN Big School Top 25 but are all three coming off losses with offenses that aren't generating enough points. What these three teams have in common are top level defenses that will keep them in most games while providing them an opportunity to go deep in the playoffs but they must figure out their offense and start finding more points.    All three teams have senior quarterbacks with two of them in [player_tooltip player_id='1153810' first='Taylor' last='Hasselbeck'] and [player_tooltip player_id='688833' first='Hugh' last='Price'] committed to D1 programs (Wyoming/Southern Miss) but for one reason or another, things just aren't clicking. For Ensworth and MBA, they have faced some significant competition so far this season and it's understandable having some struggles but for either squad to compete for a D2-Class AAA state title, they find a better recipe on offense.    Blackman has been stellar on defense on season long but their offense has been lacking and it showed in last week's 32-0 loss to Oakland. Their game plan the rest of the season may be to lean more heavily on their rushing attack to shorten games and keep their defense fresh. I still like this Blackman team and their chances in the playoffs but more offense needs to be generated to get past certain high powered 6A teams. All is not lost with any of these teams but all three have a bunch of talent throughout their rosters. We still have a long way to go before it's all said and done but some offensive adjustments need to be made for Blackman, Ensworth and MBA to fulfill their championship hopes.    - - -    - Probably one of the biggest surprises from the 2025 season when it comes to a team with higher expectations going into the football year is Red Bank. Through five weeks of action, the Lions are 1-4 on the season with their lone win coming in-region against East Ridge. When they have faced strong competition, the Lions have struggled on both sides of the ball. I didn't foresee their offense struggling like they have, especially with the offseason additions of [player_tooltip player_id='1590252' first='Austin' last='Jones'], [player_tooltip player_id='1654041' first='Marcus' last='Jones'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1699919' first='Tramell' last='Davis, Jr'] but it's been difficult scoring points.    The defense has actually been solid and done enough to keep their team in games but they broke down last week in their 31-7 loss to South Pittsburg. One good thing in their favor is that they are 1-0 in the region with the biggest games of the season ahead. The Lions still have a shot at winning the region title but they must figure things out on offense to achieve that goal. Talent is there for the Lions, so we shall see how things play out but so far, things haven't been too pleasant.    - - -    - Another team that has struggled to score points this year has been Hendersonville. The Commandos go into “Week Seven” at 2-3 overall but are coming off a 17-7 loss to Portland with their offense struggling to gain any traction. It's been an up and down season so far with both sides of the ball showing flashes of good play but not enough consistency. The Commandos lean on the run game offense while their defense is expected to stop the run. Those two areas haven't been consistent enough to get the job done but all isn't lost as we still have the second half of the season to go with the playoffs still in play.    - - -    - After beginning the year at 4-0, Dyer Co. has dropped back to back losses to Jackson North-Side and South Gibson with their offense going missing in action. Last week against the Hornets, Dyer Co. did not score a point and that is strange as the Choctaws averaged nearly 35 points in game through four weeks of play but now seem to be hitting or wall. Now they could be dealing with injuries and that can definitely play a part but the Choctaws have a talented roster, so the past two weeks are a little surprising.    Opportunity is there for Dyer Co. to get things back on track against a struggling Chester Co. team this coming Friday. If they can pull that win out, the Choctaws get in bye the following week, so they work on some things while getting healthier. The region title is still in play but they need to win out while North-Side has to take a few losses. If the Choctaws can reach the playoffs while fixing their issues, I think they can be a 4A sleeper and do some damage.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/09/dyerco-crop-494x325-1759165591.jpg?w=493" alt="" class="wp-image-1922077" style="width:305px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: State Gazette</figcaption></figure>