Hixson head football coach Dan Duff watches from the sidelines during their game against Central on Oct. 24, 2014, at Hixson High School.The last time Hixson High School made the state football playoffs three years running, the coach was Dan Duff.
He actually took the Wildcats four years in a row as the 1990s blended into the new millenium, and he came back this year to continue a streak begun two years ago by Jason Fitzgerald.
The Wildcats, even with a game to go versus Brainerd on Friday, have locked up Tennessee's District 6-AA championship. It's the second in as many years and their third top-two finish in the past three seasons.
Where do they go from here? It would be nice for them if they can get past Brainerd, something they failed to do last year. And Brainerd enjoyed an open date last week. Defeating the Panthers could cement both a first-round host's spot in the Class 4A playoffs and a quadrant top seed.
But Brainerd all of a sudden finds itself with an outside shot for the Class 3A playoffs. After losing their first four games -- including state-ranked Ensworth, Ooltewah and Baylor -- the Panthers won three of their next five. That second spot in the district, which carries an automatic playoff berth, belongs to Red Bank, but Brainerd still might get in as a wild card. There should be at least 16 slots to be determined in the 32-team field.
There are still two district titles in the area to be decided.
It's likely that most all of the folks in Marion County will be in South Pittsburg on Friday when the Pirates host Marion County. Whitwell, the other high school team in the county, has finished its regular season. The game will be televised locally as the two longtime rivals battle for the 6-A championship. Both are ranked in their respective classifications, South Pitt in 1A and Marion in 2A.
Then there is the blossoming 5-A rivalry between Boyd-Buchanan and Silverdale Baptist. If Boyd-Buchanan wins, the district championship is the Bucs' with no argument. If Silverdale wins and Copper Basin beats Grace Academy, then the Basin boys would have the tiebreaker (head-to-head) over SBA, but it would be a three-way tie because Boyd-Buchanan beat Copper Basin.
Elsewhere, Ooltewah, win or lose Thursday vs. McMinn County, has wrapped up the 5-AAA championship, and Cleveland, which lost Friday at Ooltewah, will be second. Does anybody else get in?
If it can beat East Hamilton Friday, Bradley Central would finish 5-5 and might. McMinn County would have to beat Ooltewah to finish 4-6. Of course, Bradley would be playing in Class 6A.
Notre Dame has clinched the District 7-AA title and Signal Mountain will finish second regardless of the outcome of their games later this week -- Notre Dame at home vs. Grundy County and Signal at home vs. Sequatchie County. Grundy, currently 5-4, is probably the only other team with a postseason shot from 7-AA. It's likely that Notre Dame will host at least one first-round game and that Signal and Grundy will be on the road.
We've already pretty much covered 6-AA with the exception of Central, which is 6-3 overall entering its nondistrict game vs. McMinn Central. The Pounders will be one of those to be scrutinized when the TSSAA goes to filling its postseason brackets. McMinn Central is already in, having finished its 5-AA schedule and finishing second.
That leaves Meigs County is District 3-A. The Tigers cannot win or place second. Currently 5-4, they likely are in whether or not they win over Tellico Plains on Thursday. A win, though, certainly would enhance their position.
In Division II-AA, it's hard enough to get excited yet about the postseason because they all make the playoffs, unless the rules have changed. It's all about byes and who gets them.
Right now it looks like Baylor will be on the road and McCallie will be at home. What one hopes to avoid is a first-round trip to Memphis.
- There were numerous outstanding performances this past Friday that were considered for Player of the Week honors.
Atop the list were the honorable mention candidates including Northwest Whitfield quarterback Caleb Shiflett's amazing 427-yard passing night, Boyd-Buchanan safety Kohl Henkie's great defensive night that included 10.5 tackles, a sack, an interception, a fumble recovery and a blocked punt and Bradley Central quarterback Cole Copeland's two-pronged attack that consisted of 129 rushing yards and 259 passing yards. (The sophomore completed 20 of 23 passes).
And there were others.
Ooltewah quarterback Kelvin Leon passed for 348 yards in the Owls' big district win over Cleveland.
Notre Dame's Auston Banks ran for 196 first-half yards in the Fighting Irish's 40-0 win at Coalmont.
Tyler Lawson ran for 173 yards and caught two passes for 43 yards for Meigs.
Northwest Whitfield's Dexter Stamper caught only three passes, but they went for 164 yards and three TDs.
Hixson's Jordan Johnson had five catches for 150 yards.
Whitwell's Cody Ingrassia got just 11 carries but gained 211 yards while Bailey Blaylock, moving from his tight end/split end role for the Tigers, gained 119 yards on 11 carries and scored four times along with a 40-yard reception.
He was moved to replace ever-ready runner Clay McHone, who suffered a broken ankle a couple of weeks back.
And while Henkie had a great night, he was just one of two that put up great defensive numbers for the Buccaneers on Friday. Jake Harden was credited with a 16.5-tackle performance with a sack against Sequatchie County.
- It was nice to see that Kile Sholl, sidelined for the last two or three weeks with a broken hand, was back on the field Friday for Ringgold. He had a 70-yard TD reception.
- Looking over in Alabama, congrats to North Sand Mountain, which got its first win of the year with a 13-12 win over Brindlee Mountain. Hunter Hill scored the Bison's first TD and then threw a 20-yard TD pass to Jordan Harmon with 1:03 left in the third quarter for a winner.
North Jackson rolled, too, blistering Good Hope in its last region game. The Chiefs have played their last home game of the regular season, but it's probable they'll be back home for the playoffs.
Ider and Valley Head look pretty good for the postseason, too, and Fort Payne, despite numerous injuries to key personnel, is in second place in its region.
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.