RED BANK 54, UPPERMAN 13
The star: Red Bank’s Calvin Jackson and Zay Brown combined for 328 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 27 carries.Up next: Red Bank will host East Ridge.
Friday's second-round Tennessee playoff pairings
(All kickoffs at 7 p.m. local time) CLASS 6A Bradley Central (9-2) at Blackman (8-3) CLASS 5A Farragut (10-1) at Rhea County (9-2) Walker Valley (7-4) at Ooltewah (9-2) CLASS 3A East Ridge (6-5) at Red Bank (8-3) Notre Dame (7-4) at Sequatchie County (11-0) CLASS 2A Watertown (10-1) at Marion County (10-1) Meigs County (10-1) at Forrest (10-1) CLASS 1A Fayetteville (9-2) at South Pittsburg (10-1) Whitwell (6-5) at Columbia Academy (10-0) DIVISION II McCallie (7-4) at Brentwood Academy (7-2) Baylor (7-4) at MUS (10-0)
Red Bank's Calvin Jackson and Zay Brown took turns punishing Upperman defenders as they combined for 300 rushing yards in the first half Friday night, and the host Lions scored 28 straight second-quarter points on the way to a 54-13 victory in the first round of the Class 3A state playoffs.
Red Bank (8-3) hosts East Ridge (6-5) in next week's second round. The Lions beat the Pioneers 22-10 during the regular season.
Jackson, a sophomore, led the way Friday with 205 yards on nine carries, highlighted by a dazzling 62-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. He was initially hit behind the line of scrimmage, broke multiple tackles, used two spin moves and a stiff arm and finished with a dive for the pylon for the score.
"I did a little move, then I got a block, then I did another move and then another move," Jackson said. "I didn't think that I was going to score until I saw the open field and I was like, 'Touchdown.'"
The game was tight after one quarter at 13-10 with Upperman (4-7) returning a tipped pass 59 yards for a touchdown.
"Our defense settled down, and our offense was able to control the ball," Lions coach Chad Grabowski said. "We have two phenomenal football players. It starts off with our O-line, and it opens up everything else for those guys behind them."
A pair of juniors, Jamel Davis and Jordan Douglas, led the defense. Davis had a sack and a fumble recovery and Douglas had an interception as the defense stifled the Bees for the final three quarters.