Class 1A Championship Preview: McKenzie vs. South Pittsburg

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Championship week has arrived and Prep Redzone Tennessee will have complete coverage on every game taking place in Chattanooga, starting with our game previews. Here we breakdown the 1A matchup between the Rebels and the Pirates in what could be an entertaining, close contest. </h2>     Before the start of the 2025 Tennessee High School Playoffs, many, including myself, had the Rebels vs. Pirates penciled in as the potential Class 1A championship and that's exactly what happened. Throughout the 2025 football year, these two teams appeared to be the best two squads coming out of the 1A ranks and both McKenzie and South Pitt performed like the best during the playoffs, which has us here with one these 1A programs set to bring home a “Gold Ball.”    Winning championships is something both McKenzie and South Pittsburg are used to, it's something both these programs strive for each and every year. We have two losses total between both squads and both are on a significant winning streak. The Rebels received a scare in the quarterfinals from Richland but they prevailed. Ever since their first game of the season, where they lost to Silverdale, the Pirates haven't been tested as they have dominated everybody in front of them, including a 35-7 win last week over Coalfield.    Looking at how both these teams like to perform, running the ball, playing physical up front along with strong defense is the recipe for both the Rebels and the Pirates. Both have playmakers either in the backfield or out wide while both have good offensive lines. The defenses for both McKenzie and South Pitt are quite strong as well, so it will be interesting to see if either squad is able to find sustainable drives against the other. Creating turnovers will be key but so will bottling up the other's top playmakers and not letting them take over.    I do think this game between the Rebels and Pirates will be one of the more hard fought, close ball games we have down in Chattanooga this week with the outcome not settled till the 4th quarter. Neither make too many mistakes and both are well coached. This will be the fifth overall appearance in the title game for McKenzie with one “Gold Ball' in the trophy case (2022) while South Pitt has 15 championships appearances and came out on top 7 times with their last one coming in 2023. This is a heavyweight 1A matchup that should be fun to watch as I expect both teams to come out well prepared and ready for the challenge.    - - - - -    Key Players to Know   McKenzie Rebels   ‘27 (QB) [player_tooltip player_id='1603459' first='Cole' last='Brown']: A current finalist for Mr. Football, Brown has put together a spectacular junior season where he leads the 1A ranks in passing at 2,947 yards along with 60 total offensive touchdowns (36 through the air and 24 on the ground). Based on his stats alone, Brown has strung together one of the best individual seasons I've ever seen and will definitely be a key factor in the Rebels hopes of coming home with a state title.    (RB) Timmy Arline: The Rebels have a well balanced offense but running the ball is still their go-to, so it's nice to have a 1-2 combination in the backfield with Brown and Arline, who is the team's number one running back. This senior ball carrier provides elusive running along with deceptive speed into the open field that could cause problems for the Pirates defense.    ‘27 (WR) Avery Brown: This Fall was a breakout year for Brown, where he led the team in receiving and became the offense's top go-to target. Sporting good size and excellent ball skills, Brown is an outside style receiver that can stretch the field while also working the middle on those intermediate routes. South Pitt will have to keep tabs on this guy as Brown could become a game changer in this matchup.   (OL) [player_tooltip player_id='1662846' first='Ryan' last='Toombs']: A multi-year starter up front, Toombs sets the tone on the O-line as one of the better run blockers from the 1A level. Everything pretty much runs through or behind Toombs and his work in the line. For the Rebels to have offensive success, Toombs and the rest of his O-line partners must hold up well throughout the game as I'm sure the Pirates defense will be looking to apply pressure and test the trenches.    (LB) Aiden Legens: The Rebels aren't the biggest within their defensive front seven but Legens makes up for it with his active motor and nose for the ball. This senior linebacker has been a force throughout the entire season where he has produced 85 tackles with 18 of them for loss along with 6 sacks and one forced fumble. His work getting into the Pirates backfield will be critical towards his team coming out with a title.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/07/rtoombs.jpg?w=700" alt="" class="wp-image-1716318" style="width:247px;height:auto" /></figure>   - - -    South Pittsburg Pirates   (QB) Caden Jones: Transferring over to South Pitt proved to be a good move for Jones as he's developed better while being the leader behind center of one of the best offenses in the 1A ranks. The Pirates don't throw the ball too much but when they do, Jones does a nice job of getting the ball out quickly and into his playmakers hands. He also provides dual threat abilities that might prove to be a difference maker in this contest.    (RB/S) [player_tooltip player_id='1134336' first='JaMychal' last='Buckner']: This senior two-way player is one of the Pirates top players and key performers towards his team earning a potential 1A championship. His athleticism and speed at running back have been tough for opposing teams to handle this year and I expect the ball to put in Buckner's hands a lot in this matchup. If the Pirates end up coming out on top, Buckner should play a big role in those efforts.    ‘27 (WR) [player_tooltip player_id='1577095' first='Dayon' last='Cooper']: Currently placed as a Mr. Football finalist, Cooper has been a game changer this year that pretty much finds the end zone anytime the ball touches his hands. Sporting great size and a second gear once in the open field, I don't know if the Rebels have anybody that can keep Cooper in-check and slow him down. If this junior playmaker is allowed to go off, the Pirates should win and bring home another “Gold Ball.”   (OL) [player_tooltip player_id='480895' first='C.J.' last='Francis']: A big part of the Pirates offensive success this year has been the play up front from their offensive line with Francis being a major piece in their efforts. This senior big man was a great addition to the Pirates front five this year where Francis has handled tackle duties and done a nice job of moving guys off the ball. Francis will need one final strong performance this week in hopes of bringing a state title back to campus.    ‘27 (S/WR) [player_tooltip player_id='1675594' first='Brandon' last='Goldsmith']: Yet another strong athlete within the Pirates roster, Goldsmith is a two-way playmaker that has shown up big on several occasions this year and will be tasked with keeping tabs on the Rebels passing attack. McKenzie likes to spin it, so Goldsmith has to play technique sound football in this game that doesn't drift too far, allowing the Rebels receivers to find open space. If this junior safety can blanket the back end, McKenzie will have a hard time finding open guys over the middle.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/daycooper.jpg?w=400" alt="" class="wp-image-1562332" style="width:253px;height:auto" /></figure>   - - - - -    How Can McKenzie Win    - When you look at both rosters, South Pitt will have the edge in the athleticism department, so how can the Rebels combat that and play their way to victory. While McKenzie likes to throw it with Brown and I expect them to pass the ball enough, I think establishing a ground attack may prove to be the best course of action. The Rebels have a nice one-two punch in the backfield with Brown and Arline that can move the chains, produce big gains and keep the Pirates offense on the sidelines.    For this to happen, the McKenzie offensive line must stay strong and consistent up front for four quarters. The Pirates will apply pressure while blitzing on occasions, so the line of scrimmage must hold up enough to allow the Rebels backfield to gain positive yards on most of their runs and keep the clock moving. Defensively, it will be tough to completely shut down Buckner and Cooper but if the Rebels can limit their production and get multiple three and outs, winning the state title is very possible.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/11/colebrown.webp?w=617" alt="" class="wp-image-2003022" style="width:194px;height:auto" /></figure>   - - -    How Can South Pitt Win   - There is a lot of veteran experience within the Pirates roster, so leaning on the upperclassmen to handle the bulk of the duties is smart business. The South Pitt defense has been rock solid all year long but it's been their offense that has set the standard and that must continue in this 1A title game for the Pirates to go home as champs. Buckner and Cooper have been the go-to guys all year and I expect the South Pitt coaching staff to put the ball into their hands as often as possible. Their athleticism and speed can be game changers and if either guy or maybe both gain big yards early, the Pirates can stress out the Rebels defense and wear them down by the second half.    While a lot of attention will be given to the Pirates offense and their playmakers, I also think a key towards a championship victory for South Pitt will be the performance and play from the defense. They can't allow Brown and the Rebels receivers to easily play pitch and catch but they can't allow them to establish a run game either. I do believe that McKenzie will have the best offense South Pitt has seen all season, so problems could arise if the Pirates don't apply pressure on the quarterback nor clog up running lanes. The defense must play strong in the front seven for the Pirates to succeed and earn another state title.    - - -    Game Prediction    - I see this game as a nearly even match with South Pitt holding an edge in the athleticism department. That alone may speak towards the Pirates being the favorite here but McKenzie is legit with a quarterback in Brown that can cause a lot of problems for the South Pitt defense. I think the game will start out slow as both teams try to get a feel for each other, so whichever offensive line is able to gain their footing earlier than the other, may put themselves out in front with a lead. As the game goes on, I do feel that the Pirates senior leadership and athletic playmakers will begin to take over. The Rebels may not have answers for Buckner or Cooper and if both are able to get going, it could turn into a long game for McKenzie.    Ball control offense for the Rebels is key for them. Keeping the South Pitt offense on the sidelines is critical towards McKenzie gaining a lead and maintaining it throughout the contest. Now if the McKenzie offense is able to find explosive plays with Brown and his teammates, the game could change because the Rebels offensive line is able to push the Pirates D-line off the ball. If that happens, I can see McKenzie coming out on top.    I do think in the end, the Pirates playmakers and upperclassmen leadership will prevail in the end. A lot of players on this year's South Pitt team got a taste of Chattanooga last year and tasted defeat. I think they will be ready for this challenge and have too much explosive firepower for the Rebels defense to keep up with. The game should remain close early but eventually, the Pirates will separate and come home with yet another state championship.    Score: South Pittsburg 35 McKenzie 21   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/10/jbuckner.jpg?w=683" alt="" class="wp-image-1957018" style="width:207px;height:auto" /></figure>