Statewide Roundup (Week Four Recap)

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">When you have games under your belt, you tend to have a good feel for certain teams but surprises always occur, like it did in "Week Four" as we saw some top squads go down. We also saw some teams take the next steps forward into becoming championships caliber programs while others produced big wins that may get their names on the map! </h2>     Columbia Central is For Real!   - After four weeks of action, Columbia Central sits at 4-0 after their 38-20 road victory last Friday over Marshall Co. and the Lions were impressive in this game, generating big, explosive plays while being tenacious in the line of scrimmage. It's been a strong start for the Lions as they have barely been tested and I think they are just hitting their stride, which could be a scary thing for whoever remains on their schedule. Three of their four wins have come on the road while Columbia has defeated all four opponents by double digit points. Their offense is standing out thus far with rising Mr. Football candidate [player_tooltip player_id='1885892' first='Daniel' last='Booker'] leading the way. He is receiving help from an athletic group of skill players like [player_tooltip player_id='1193547' first='Jamari' last='Brown'], who is emerging as a legit D1 prospect, Camron Bridges out wide and junior Hasan Baugh taking carries at running back. Those four along with everyone else on the offensive side of the ball are clicking right now and nearly unstoppable each time they step onto the field.    It's not just the offense that has performed well through four games but the Lions defense has been excellent as well. Columbia has college talent on this side of the ball as well with [player_tooltip player_id='1721111' first='Tyshon' last='Dodson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2135959' first='Xzavior' last='Murphy'] up front, [player_tooltip player_id='1669977' first='J'Mari' last='Hall'] tracking the ball at linebacker with Brown and Bridges ballhawking in the secondary. Both sides of the ball complement each other well and I think both the Lions offense and their defense have higher levels yet to reach. The schedule does get a little tougher in the coming weeks with matchups against Riverdale, at Lincoln Co. and home versus Pope Prep. I'm especially interested to see how the Lions perform versus Riverdale as the Warriors are loaded with college talent and present the biggest challenge on the Columbia schedule. I don't know if I'm ready to put the Lions into the 5A title race but I'm inching closer towards thinking so, especially if they continue to play well. Regardless, this is the best Columbia team we have seen in many years and a squad other 5A programs may not want to see in postseason play.    - - - - -    Maryville Dominates Cleveland    - Don't look now but Maryville is starting to come on and could be a team others don't want to see the rest of the season. After falling to Alcoa in “Week One”, the Rebels have reeled off three wins in a row and dominated all three opponents. They are coming off their most impressive win of the 2026 season thus far with a 33-0 beat down of Cleveland, who came into this matchup undefeated. It's not surprising to me to see the Rebels clicking on all cylinders right now. They have a talented team with [player_tooltip player_id='1723184' first='Will' last='Jones'] running the show on offense and a trio of linebackers in [player_tooltip player_id='1707489' first='Dax' last='Cole'], [player_tooltip player_id='1305810' first='J.P.' last='Peace'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1694317' first='Wyatt' last='Wilber'] spearheading things on defense. Both sides of the ball are complimenting each other well right now and doing the simple aspects of football to dominate their opponents.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/02/dcole.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2123983" style="width:205px;height:auto" /></figure>   The one area for the Rebels that I would like to see continued development with is their run game. They do have a bevy of backs to use, especially Ramillyeon Crenshaw but nobody has really established themselves yet as the go-to guy or become the short yardage back that can generate first downs or red zone scores. If the Rebels can find that guy or multiple that can handle the short yard situations, I think it would open up the offense much further and alleviate pressure of Jones. Enhanced play up front by the O-line could help the cause as well.    Looking at their schedule ahead, the Rebels have a chance to finish off the regular season undefeated but they can't look past anybody. I expect Maryville to win their next three games against Farragut, Hardin Valley and Cookeville then after that is where things get a little tougher. Over the final three games, the Rebels have matchups at Science Hill and at Oak Ridge. Those two games will test them and the matchup with Oak Ridge could be for the region title. I do like the Rebels chances at taking the region and positioning themselves as a top seed in the playoffs. I am also interested to see how they continue to progress over the coming weeks and how good they can become before we get into postseason action. I liked what I saw from the Rebels in their opening season loss to Alcoa and they have done a good job of forgetting that result and building off the positives to be 3-1 right now and a strong, cohesive unit that others may not want to face.    - - - - -    MBA Stays Undefeated After Last Second Win Over Christian Brothers   - One of the best games coming out of “Week Three” was the Big Red traveling down to Memphis to face a good Christian Brothers team and beat the Purple Wave 22-21 with a last second, 30 plus yard field goal by Henri Perry. The road team needed every second to get the job done but they did and found another way to win a ball game to stay undefeated on the season. The Big Red are playing with some magic right now but gaining confidence each week and becoming a team others may not want to see. This win over Christian Brothers is impressive as the Purple Wave themselves were undefeated and playing good football through three games but they ran across MBA in “Week Four” and picked up their first defeat of the 2026 season.    It's a balanced approach right now by the Big Red that is finding ways to win in a variety of ways. When Charlie Verner and the MBA offense is needed, they show up. When the defense is asked to step up and provide strong play, they have done so. The special teams have been excellent as well. Just about everything the Big Red is doing right is working. Their impressive start has MBA ranked inside the Prep Redzone Tennessee “Top 15” going into “Week Five” but the magic will need to get stronger as the Big Red has a tough schedule ahead that will show us how legit they are.    This coming Friday, MBA hosts undefeated Knox. Catholic, who themselves have been impressive through four games. After the Fighting Irish, the Big Red takes on Baylor, who is the best team in the state. The final two games of the year will be big tests as well versus McCallie and Ensworth. The schedule is tough the rest of the way for MBA, so I'm interested to see if this Nashville based team can continue their winning ways and keep building each week towards potentially competing for a region title. We will definitely find out how legit the Big Red is this coming Friday against Knox. Catholic but for now, it's been a great start with their best win coming in “Week Four” over a good Christian Brothers team.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/04/Photo-Apr-02-2026-3-30-04-PM-crop-1046x687-1775161917.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-2164198" style="width:286px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: MBA QB Charlie Verner during a game. Photo from his Instagram.</figcaption></figure>   - - - - -    Brentwood Upsets Page   - Possibly the biggest surprise coming out of “Week Four” was the Bruins taking down previously undefeated Page, 20-14. This was a victory I did not see coming as the Patriots came into this matchup as the superior team but they must have left their superman cape in Rudderville because the home Bruins were in control the entire night. Brentwood quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='904978' first='Gavin' last='Strang'] and his offense did enough to maintain a lead but it was the Bruins defense that deserves the game ball for their efforts in shutting down a good Page offensive unit. All three levels did a good job of handling their responsibilities. Pressure was put on [player_tooltip player_id='693877' first='Cameron' last='Kruse'] while keeping his dual threat abilities in-check. The D-line did solid work slowing down the run game while the secondary probably played their best coverage of the 2026 season. It was an all-around outstanding defensive effort by the Bruins and a performance to build on for the future.    This loss for Page should be a wake up call for them. I still have them at the top of the board to repeat as Class 5A state champs but I recently scouted the Pats game against Hendersonville and while they handled the Commandos, I saw some deficiencies that I feared might show up at some point this season. Well they did in this loss to Brentwood. The offense is potent and talented but not as dominating as they should be. That offensive firepower didn't show up last Friday and it hurt them. Knowing the staff and the talent throughout the roster, I expect Page to get serious this week in practice to rectify this loss and get things back on track. This loss may turn out to be a good thing that refocuses the Patriots and puts them back on path towards Chattanooga.    - - - - -    Region Foes, Memp. Central & Munford Stay Undefeated   - Two of the more underrated but better teams coming out of the West Tennessee region this year are Memphis Central and Munford and everything points towards their regular season finale game to find out who will win the region title. Both teams have been impressive so far this early season with the Warriors sitting at 4-0 after their “Week Four” win over PURE Academy and the Cougars at 3-0 after holding on to defeat Woodford Co. out of Kentucky, 34-30. Both teams have been tested a little bit but will certainly see the competition grow over the coming weeks that will either make each team better or begin to show some flaws.    What's been impressive from both squads thus far is their offensive output. Memphis Central is potent with [player_tooltip player_id='1094224' first='Brooks' last='Wright'] running the show behind center with him using a variety of skill players to lean on. Munford is a run based team with [player_tooltip player_id='1585458' first='Tay' last='Starks'] as their lead back and an offensive line, spearheaded by [player_tooltip player_id='1597028' first='Jaydien' last='Mullins'] setting the tone up front that does a good job of putting together long drives and keeping the clock in their favor. Both these teams go about their business in different ways but are both legit ball clubs that have the talent to win a region title.    I am interested to see how both teams progress over the coming weeks and how much better each team can become. Memphis Central has a few strong tests in the near future with two home games versus Germantown and MUS. Munford takes on Haywood this Friday in their biggest game of the year then faces Whitehaven and Germantown down the road before the Warriors and Cougars face off in the final regular season game of the year. As things sit right now, both teams have played good football without a lot of mistakes while handling their business as expected. It will be interesting to see if both keep up their winning ways over the next few weeks and remain healthy because I can see either team making a deep run in the playoffs and potentially sneak their way into competing for the Class 5A state title.    - - - - -    Big Program Win for Concord Christian   - It's only been a few years of existence for the Concord Christian (3-1) football program but they have made great strides as seen in their “Week Four” 30-23 victory over Knox. Halls. Defeating the Red Devils is a huge win for the Lions program as they proved to be the better team over a Class 5A program that has put several guys into the college ranks throughout the years. This is a win that shows program growth but also shows that Concord could be legit and a team that makes a potential run in the playoffs, however there is still a lot to learn about the Lions moving forward. Over the coming weeks, especially this coming Friday against MTCS, we will know how the Lions build off this win and how far they can take their season.    What I do like about Concord Christian is the potential on offense. They are young but show a lot of upside, especially with their skill guys. Freshman quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='2347345' first='Dylan' last='Brown'] looks like a future college signal caller. Pass catchers [player_tooltip player_id='1036206' first='Amare' last='McKenzie'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1031934' first='Dasani' last='Moulden'] are undersized but electric with the ball in their hands and the speed to beat defenders deep. Sophomore Maurice Smith is talented with a possible future ahead in college. The offensive line does need improvement and needs to get bigger but even they have done well enough this season. There are parts on the Concord team that makes you excited about their future. I think we are seeing that future in play this season, so I'm interested to see how they keep progressing over the coming weeks, especially coming off this big program victory over Knox. Halls.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/02/Photo-Feb-26-2026-3-54-09-PM-crop-1320x867-1772143320.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-2139954" style="width:275px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Concord Christian ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1031934' first='Dasani' last='Moulden']. Photo from his Instagram.</figcaption></figure>   - - - - -    Whitehaven, Germantown Play Defensive Classic   - Scoring points wasn't in the cards last Friday night in Whitehaven's 7-6 region win over Germantown but that's ok because the universe decided that defense was going to be the star and both provided star like performances. This was a line of scrimmage, back end coverage game that saw both defenses go blow for blow with the Tigers ended up one point ahead. Both teams deserved to win when it comes to their defensive efforts but the Germantown and Whitehaven offenses definitely have some work to do. This game could provide a benchmark point that both teams use to improve their respective offenses and find what recipe works to generate points. The Red Devils are a young team overall with a lot of newness, so I respect their effort in this contest, doing what they could to potentially win in the end.    Whitehaven needed this game to remain in the championship picture both in their region and the 6A classification. The Tigers have a talented team with potential that has played a tough schedule thus far. The way things have been going for this Whitehaven team tells me they will be battle tested but the offense must find ways to be consistent. They have a good backfield, led by [player_tooltip player_id='1588108' first='Jour'din' last='Shelton'], solid skill players out wide and an offensive line that is senior laden. The offense needs to find their stride soon too because the Tigers have upcoming games against Southaven, at Munford and a big region contest versus Southwind. Seeing that schedule says to why this Germantown win was huge and one they needed to have to remain in the championship picture.    - - - - -    Beech, Ensworth Pick Up Big Road Wins   - Last week could have been a season defining week for both Beech and Ensworth. Both Mid-State programs went on the road to take on two talented teams in “Week Four” but found ways to win and do so in ways that should benefit both going forward. The Buccaneers kicked things off on Thursday evening with their 35-34 comeback victory over East Nashville where they received a strong game from [player_tooltip player_id='1206523' first='D.K.' last='Williams'] and opportunistic play from both sides of the ball. Beech started off the 2026 season with a surprising loss to Green Hill but did the right things to adjust and improve after that to be at 3-1 right now. This victory over East Nashville was impressive as the Eagles sport multiple future college level guys but the Bucs stood toe to toe with them and fought to find themselves in the win column.    Coming off a loss to Briarcrest Christian, Ensworth bounced back in a big way by going down to Chattanooga and knocking off a previously undefeated McCallie football team. I did not see the Tigers pulling off that win but they did and they have to be given full credit for getting to work after the Briarcrest loss, fixing some problems and taking a mindset of winning into Blue Tornado territory. Ensworth did a good job of winning up front and establishing the run game with [player_tooltip player_id='1940925' first='E.J.' last='Gibson']. He ran hard and tough, especially in the red zone but his big men up front like [player_tooltip player_id='1673214' first='Jake' last='Baker'], [player_tooltip player_id='1180873' first='Ashton' last='Coles'] and others deserve a lot of credit for opening holes for Gibson. It was an impressive win by Ensworth and hopefully one they build on moving forward.    Both teams did well for themselves when it comes to staying relevant. I don't know if either Beech or Ensworth are state title contending teams right now but that could change if both continue to put together impressive performances. I do see the Buccaneers winning their region and being a top seed in the playoffs but for Ensworth, it's a tough path over the coming weeks. The Tigers have games upcoming against Lipscomb Academy, Brentwood Academy, at Knox. Catholic, CPA, Baylor and at MBA to end the regular season. If the Tigers can get through that schedule with a winning record, they may be a legitimate title contending team. The response in “Week Five” is what I'm interested in right now for both teams. How they build off these big road wins will be key and potentially dictate how both Beech and Ensworth will perform the rest of the year.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/09/ashcoles.jpg?w=684" alt="" class="wp-image-2395700" style="aspect-ratio:0.6679758168014472;width:204px;height:auto" /></figure>