Statewide Roundup (Week One Recap)

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Blowouts, surprises, upsets all took place last weekend, which is exactly what you would expect from "Week One". We had some standout individual performances that propelled teams to victories while some other squads didn't live up to the hype. Here we breakdown some of the biggest stories coming out of the first week of action, including a few all-time classic games. </h2>     East Tennessee Classic: Alcoa Triumphs Over Maryville   - It was an exciting, fun opening weekend of high school football here in Tennessee with Alcoa's 43-42 overtime win over Maryville being the game of the week. It was an all-time classic and possibly one of the best of all-time between these cross town rivals. The road Tornadoes had the momentum early, Maryville made a comeback. Alcoa then regained the advantage until the Rebels made a surge in the 4th quarter to tie things up and move the game into overtime. Both teams would trade scores until Alcoa decided to go for two where [player_tooltip player_id='2058759' first='Thomas' last='Manu'] alluded the rush to find [player_tooltip player_id='1028069' first='Haynes' last='Hawkins'] open in the back of the end zone to take home the victory.    It was a gutsy performance from both teams but Alcoa converted one more play compared to Maryville to earn their third straight victory over the Rebels. I think this opening game speaks a ton about both teams and their competitive nature but also showed some areas that need work, especially on the defensive side of the ball for both squads. It appeared that both quarterbacks had plenty of time in the pocket to do whatever they needed while both offenses ran the ball enough to make D-line coaches look for answers. I fully expect both teams to work on their weaknesses during practice this week and shore up some things going into “Week Two”.    I knew going into this game that Alcoa would be good but I wasn't sure about Maryville. I knew the Rebels were a playoff caliber team but I think they can still compete for their region title due to having [player_tooltip player_id='1723184' first='Will' last='Jones'] behind center. He was special in this contest, showing grit, toughness and playmaking abilities that kept his team in striking distance to win. The future Jacksonville St. signal caller also showed improved arm power and ball placement along with looking much bigger. This game proved to be a good litmus test for both Alcoa and Maryville but also a contest that gave back to the community with an entertaining game that kept everybody on the edge of their seats, which is something you want in a cross town rivalry.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/hhawkins-e1787602455288.jpg?w=434" alt="" class="wp-image-2344731" style="width:300px;height:auto" /></figure>   - - - - - -    East Nashville Pulls Upset over Collierville   - I have to admit. I did not see the Eagles going down to Memphis and knocking off our preseason “6th” ranked big school team in the state in Collierville but it happened. East Nashville defeated the Dragons, 19-7 and showed me and everybody in the state they are legit and a prime contender for the Class 2A state championship. Now we must say there was some sloppy play in this game, especially by Collierville but you can't take anything away from East Nashville and their ability to travel four hours away from home against a 6A power and come back to “Music City” as a 1-0 ball club.    The Eagles defense to me won this game as they consistently made plays all over the field, including putting constant pressure on [player_tooltip player_id='905003' first='Brayden' last='Santibanez']. The East Nashville defensive line, led by [player_tooltip player_id='1565681' first='Devin' last='Phillips'] and [player_tooltip player_id='906125' first='Zamari' last='Davis'], did a good job of coming off the ball and making things difficult for the Dragons backfield. Senior two-way talent [player_tooltip player_id='1974488' first='Cason' last='Reed'] also had a strong game. He was the team's top playmaker on the night with a game that certainly boosted his college stock. There is a lot to work on for the Eagles but you take a win anyway you can get it. For the home Dragons, this is a setback. I know they lost to a good East Nashville team but a lot of expectations were put on Collierville going into the year and this is certainly not the way they wanted to begin the 2026 season.    - - - - - -    Baylor May Have a Future Hall Famer in DGG   - If anybody watched the Baylor versus Brentwood Academy game on Thursday night, you saw something special in [player_tooltip player_id='1210671' first='David' last='Gabriel-Georges'] and potentially a NFL hall of famer one day. He has everything you want in a running back, including a winning mentality that shows up in the 4th quarter. Throughout the first half, Georges generated several strong runs but it was the second period where he took over and pushed his team towards a 38-20 victory over the Eagles. The future Tennessee Volunteer running back ran around and through defenders, producing some “wow” level runs while putting the ball into the end zone three times. The Brentwood Academy defense did everything they could to slow him down but Gabriel-Georges is just too good!   During my twenty plus years of football scouting, Gabriel-Georges is the best running back I have ever scouted and seen in the great state of Tennessee. He reminds of players like Bo Jackson, Herschel Walker and others that can do anything they want to on the football field and there isn't much opposing players can do to stop him. I think we will look back years from now and say how special it was to watch this guy perform in our state and see how his future plays out at Tennessee and beyond. Barring his health, I expect the Red Raiders running back to put forth another special year while earning his third straight Mr. Football honor and getting his Baylor team back to the D2-Class AAA state title game.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/DGG0rb.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2341327" style="aspect-ratio:1.2503256056264653;width:301px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Baylor Football</figcaption></figure>   - - - - - -    Key Opening Win for Tyner Academy   - Headed into the 2026 season with high expectations, Tyner Academy was tested in “Week One” by Silverdale but ultimately prevailed in overtime against the Seahawks, 34-27. The Rams got pushed to their limit and early on it didn't look good as Silverdale came out firing on all cylinders but Tyner and their explosive offense finally got going with [player_tooltip player_id='1038480' first='Dee' last='McNealy'] leading the way. The game stayed competitive throughout until Tyner sealed the deal in overtime. I expected the Rams to win by a wider margin but you can understand the struggle being the first game of the year and Silverdale having enough talent to make things competitive.    The biggest takeaway I have from this game is the grit and toughness seen by the Rams. They could have easily folded early on in the game and allowed [player_tooltip player_id='1535798' first='Connor' last='Jenne'] and his Seahawks team to run away with things but Tyner's players stayed focused and continued to make plays that put them in position to win. Even though the Rams defense gave up 27 points, I think they performed pretty well, especially up front. Senior edge rusher [player_tooltip player_id='2235589' first='Ja'Marien' last='Crawl'] had a solid opening game as a disruptor. The rest of the Tyner defensive line did well enough against the run while putting occasional pressure on Jenne.    Even after this matchup with Silverdale, I still like who Tyner Academy can be by the end of the regular season. I actually think this game speaks a little more about Silverdale and who they could turn it to be this Fall. I believe the Rams have enough talent overall and veterans to win their region but also chase after a state championship. The staff needs to shore up a few things but game one was definitely a test for his players that should help them in the long run.    - - - - - -    Powell Impressed in Road Win over Anderson Co.   - The official first game of the 2026 season pitted the Powell Panthers going up against Anderson Co. in what was expected to be a high scoring affair and that's exactly what we got. Early on and throughout the game, Powell had full command of this contest and looked like the better team on their way to a 56-44 victory over the Mavericks. Every time Anderson Co. would do something good or score, the Panthers would immediately answer, doing so by way of the pass and the run game. Senior quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='904027' first='Jaylon' last='Benjamin'] had a coming out party where he threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 79 yards and another score. This was the best overall performance I have seen yet from Benjamin and I think it not only boosted his college stock but squarely put him into the mix for Mr. Football.    Benjamin wasn't the other Panther senior to show out as wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1708407' first='Zi' last='Jackson'] was nearly unstoppable as he produced 8 receptions for 191 yards and two touchdowns on the night. His speed and playmaking abilities were electrifying. Jackson is someone to watch for over the next few months to potentially see his stock explode and officially become a Power Four level recruit. Another Panther ball player to know about that flexed his muscle against the Mavericks was sophomore running back Keshawn Thomas. The Powell ball carrier generated multiple touchdowns in this contest while potentially establishing himself as the top back moving forward.    Overall, this was a really good win for Powell, especially on the road versus a good Anderson Co. football program. I think they got some areas to work on, especially up front on defense but their offense might turn into one of the best this season coming out of the 5A ranks. I will be interested to see how the Panthers perform in “Week Two” and if they can keep the momentum going. I have seen teams impress in their opening game then pull out a stinker the next week. I don't think that will happen here as Powell has top tier players at key positions along with enough veterans to keep their focus and intensity.   - - - - -    Big Opening Week Win for Huntingdon   - There were several games across the state for “Week One” that I was interested to see the results. This is one of them as Huntingdon faced McKenzie on their home turf and knocked off the Rebels, 28-21 in a game that saw Mr. Football candidate [player_tooltip player_id='932932' first='Kenton' last='Smith'] go-off for a big game. The Mustangs senior athlete went for 236 total offensive yards on the night, proving to be a difference maker that McKenzie had no answers for. I thought this was going to be a close game going into Friday night as both have seniors at key positions and a winning culture behind their names. It proved to be a good one that ultimately went into the favor of the home team.    This victory speaks about Huntingdon and their chances at repeating as state champs but I think it speaks a little more about McKenzie and how much improvement needs to be made over the coming weeks. Star quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1603459' first='Cole' last='Brown'] was pretty much held in-check as his offense gained yards but couldn't find enough scores. The Rebels defense held up pretty good but still gave up too much on the ground. I still think McKenzie will be a good ball club but they might not be as strong as I thought going into the 2026 football year. Huntingdon looks well equipped to go on another run this season, especially with Smith running the show on offense. Watching how both teams respond in “Week Two” will speak a little further to who they are and what kind of forces Huntingdon and McKenzie can be this year within their respective classifications.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/kensmith.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2344748" style="aspect-ratio:1.157091201285657;width:280px;height:auto" /></figure>   - - - - - -   Big Red Stun the Firebirds   - One of the more surprising results coming out of “Week One” is MBA taking down a talented Pearl Cohn football team, 34-20 and if you look closer at the game itself, the Firebirds didn't live up to the hype, especially on offense. The Pearl Cohn defense was solid, receiving two pick sixes from edge rusher [player_tooltip player_id='1847720' first='Mikhai' last='Moshay'] while making the Big Red offense fight for every yard but it was their offense that didn't do enough to earn the victory. You have to give credit to MBA for winning this contest and showing their worth against a state title contending team but I'm sure the Firebirds coaching expected more from their kids and will definitely get them right going forward.    Even though Big Red quarterback Charlie Verner threw a couple of picks, he still competed hard and did enough with his legs to cause fits for the Firebirds defense. The Big Red defense was also a key piece in this victory as well. They did a good job up front of slowing down the Pearl Cohn run game while applying pressure on [player_tooltip player_id='1286233' first='L.J.' last='Funk']. This is a big win for MBA as they face a tough schedule moving forward, so gaining confidence defeating a good Pearl Cohn team should help their mental and prepare them for the rest of the season. For the Firebirds, it's a tough loss but one they can learn from. They have been here before losing early in the season then turning things on late and maybe that's the case again this year.    - - - - - -    Cross Town Rivalry Goes to Cleveland   - I don't know many people that were picking Cleveland to up-end Walker Valley on opening night but they did and now should be a team I and others look deeper into for the rest of the season. The Blue Raiders went into hostile territory, held their nerve and physically controlled the game until the final whistle with a 48-20 commanding win over the Mustangs. I know of several, including myself that had Walker Valley as the favorite but Cleveland clearly proved otherwise by flexing their muscles in several ways, especially in the line of scrimmage where they nearly dominated the contest.    The Blue Raiders did well on offense, led by [player_tooltip player_id='1660896' first='Kason' last='McGowan'] but it was their defense that impressed me the most. The Cleveland front seven harassed and caused fits for the Walker Valley backfield all night long with [player_tooltip player_id='2113113' first='Daxton' last='Evans'] being a standout player for the Blue Raiders. Holding down the Mustangs run game while putting pressure on their quarterback was a key recipe for success that helped Cleveland pull out this victory. If their defense can continue playing like this in “Week Two” and beyond, the Blue Raiders may become a team others may not want to face.    I'm interested to see how Walker Valley bounces back after this defeat. Strong expectations were put on the Mustangs going into the 2026 season and everything they want to achieve is still in-place but adjustments must be made to get things back on track. Cleveland might have exposed some holes, so Walker Valley must figure out what they are and fix them before we get deeper into the season. This game showed a lot on who both these teams can be but “Week One” always provides weird results, so watching how both respond this week will open the book even further on how good or bad either squad might be.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/08/devans.jpg?w=400" alt="" class="wp-image-2344744" style="width:249px;height:auto" /></figure>