Prep Football Preview: McMinn County Cherokees

McMinn County's Will Wright (11) celebrates alongside Xayvier Beckingham after the Cherokees recovered a fumble.
McMinn County's Will Wright (11) celebrates alongside Xayvier Beckingham after the Cherokees recovered a fumble.

Region 2-6A // Cherokee Stadium, 2215 Congress Pkwy. South, Athens, TN 37329

At the helm

Bo Cagle

(61-47 in 10 years here and overall)

Heroes assemble!

The Cherokees return 6 off., 4 def. starters.

Super powers

There's no question the team's strength is the offensive line. The Cherokees will have five seniors up front, four of them returning starters.

Possible kryptonite

McMinn is replacing all four defensive line starters and most of the secondary from 2016.

Spidey sense tingling

It appears the Cherokees will be underdogs in five of their first seven games - against Maryville, Farragut, Bradley Central, Ooltewah and Rhea County - but they're banking on going into the last three games with playoff hopes still alive for their regular-season finale against Cleveland.

Here I come to save the day!

Senior QB Bradley Hayes (5-10, 180) will be a three-year starter and is in his second year directing McMinn's wing-T offense.

Up, up and away!

The numbers are back up - 90-plus but with 30 freshmen. Cagle expects that nearly a third of those will play, particularly in the DL rotation. A couple who'll at least fill in on the OL are Bryce Goodner (6-3, 240) and Garrett Priest (5-6, 240).

"Goodner is raw but he has the body for it, and Priest -- they've called him Stump his whole life - is a pine knot," Cagle said.

Hayes is the only returning offensive skill-position starter.

"Obviously we changed offenses last year, but he's comfortable with the offense and he has improved," Cagle said.

As for RBs, it's likely that transfer Jalen Sharp (5-8, 210) is going into the FB spot and could be joined by Cam Johnson (5-9, 180) and Tabre Abernathy (6-0, 175).

They'll be operating behind a veteran line: OTs James Millsaps (6-3, 215) and Tommy Trotter (6-3, 315), OGs Mason Bortle (5-10, 260) and Kyle Jackson (5-10, 215) and C Scott Swafford (5-8, 220).

Cagle expects Martin Pierce (5-8, 250) to be a defensive standout.

"You can't block him. He can smell a trap," the coach said. "We'll be creative with him because he can run and he's a great tackler. He's a physical and mental player; does it all."

2016 Results

Aug. 19 McMinn Central won, 41-6

Aug. 26 Bradley Central lost, 39-7

Sep. 2 Walker Valley won, 24-21

Sep. 9 Lenoir City won, 42-21

Sep. 16 Cleveland won, 28-0

Sep. 30 White County won, 55-22

Oct. 7 Oak Ridge won, 28-24

Oct. 14 Ooltewah lost, 28-6

Oct. 21 Soddy-Daisy won, 33-24

Oct. 28 Rhea County lost, 30-6

Nov. 4 Farragut lost, 40-21 (first round)

7-4, 4-2 Region 4-5A

2017 Schedule

(All times 7:30 Eastern)

Aug. 18 McMinn Central

Aug. 25 Farragut

Sep. 1 at Maryville

Sep. 8 at Rhea County

Sep. 15 at Heritage

Sep. 29 Bradley Central

Oct. 6 at Ooltewah

Oct. 13 William Blount

Oct. 20 at Walker Valley

Oct. 27 Cleveland

Region 2-6A games in bold

Upcoming Events