MARION COUNTY WARRIORS (13-1) vs. TREZEVANT BEARS (9-5)
BlueCross Bowl Class 2A championship at Cookeville, Noon EST
Stars: Cordarrian Richardson (6-0, 235) is the current face of Trezevant football and represents almost half of the Bears' 14-game rushing offense numbers. Although he has played in just 12 games, he has gained 1,553 yards and averages 9.3 per carry and 129.4 per game. While he's the bread and butter, two other backs - Joshua Reed (5-8, 180) and Tywon Johnson (6-4, 185) - have averaged better than 60 rushing yards per game. In seven games, Johnson has completed 11 passes for 166 yards, but the Bears have attempted just 80 passes all season (fewer than six per game). On defense, freshman Desmond Clayton (5-9, 185) is the Bears' leading tackler, and 13 of his 36 tackles have been for a loss; he also has eight sacks. Tijuan Mason (6-6, 220), an end, has 11 tackles for loss and DB Travon Pulliam (5-9, 160) has returned three of his four interceptions for touchdowns.
Marion County's Hunter McClain topped the 1,000-yard plateau for the season last week; he has 1,086 yards (8.4 per carry) in 13 games. Jacob Saylors has the Warriors' best per-carry average at 11.64 and he also reached 1,000 yards (1,013) in last week's semifinal win over Austin-East. McClain has 20 TDs, Saylors has 21 and Hunter Zeman (946 yards) has 19. QB Isaiah Sampson, who has passed for 1,121 yards and 14 TDs with just two interceptions, is No. 4 on the team's rushing list. Like Trezevant, though, Marion prefers to run, rolling up 285.2 rushing yards per game for 67 total running touchdowns. Defense is a definitive plus for the Warriors, who are led by LB Alex Kirkendoll and Zeman - each with more than 100 tackles - DL Ishmael Avila and LBs McClain and Corey Murray. As a team, Marion has 89 lost-yardage tackles (Zeman 21, Kirkendoll 18, Avila 15 and Murray 13) and 43 sacks (led by McClain's 14). Zeman also has eight of the team's 26 interceptions, returning three for scores.
Storyline: These teams met for last year's 2A championship, with Trezevant rallying for a 40-35 victory. Much of the credit goes to the Clemson-bound Richardson, who shredded the Warriors for 342 yards and three TDs. He also threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Johnson, so it surprised no one when he was named the game's offensive MVP. Trezevant had its share of problems during the regular season and failed to play one game because of a Shelby County school system academic investigation/internal audit that at one time threatened the team's entire season. The TSSAA was never involved in the investigation other than sending Trezevant a couple of eligibility lists requested by the school system and telling Trezevant administration the Bears could not make up the game they failed to play as scheduled. In addition to the forfeit, the Bears lost to Southhaven, Miss., Ensworth and Mitchell. They have won five straight, including back-to-back shutouts by 54 points over Hillcrest and Westwood, the latter in the first round of state. Including that game, they've averaged 45 points in the playoffs. However, they have had close games each of the past two weeks, surviving 28-20 and 34-26. Marion will be participating in its third straight championship game but seeking its first state title. The Warriors' shot at a perfect slate this year was marred by a loss to county rival South Pittsburg. They have since reeled off 10 straight wins, with the smallest victory margin 14 points (a 35-21 win over Austin-East last week, when they led 35-0 at halftime). Marion has averaged 45.3 points per game this postseason. The Warriors have played in 88 playoff games, including four state title games, and have a record of 59-29. Trezevant, 34-23 in the playoffs, won its first state title last year.