SOUTH PITTSBURG, Tenn. - In this town, where folks expect to discuss the high school football team's next playoff opponent as they pass the potatoes every Thanksgiving, the ability to run the ball against any opponent is essential.
And while the basis of the wing-T offense is to prevent any single player from becoming the focal point, the way South Pittsburg's starting backfield has played this season, fullback Garrett Raulston and wings Sawyer Kelley and Ronto Tipton have combined to become the equivalent of a featured back, each capable of carrying the load on a given night.
Raulston, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound junior, hammers the middle of opposing defenses, while Tipton, a 5-10, 165-pound sophomore, is a breakaway threat any time he touches the ball. Kelley, a 5-10, 175-pound senior, is as versatile as household cleaner, with the strength to be a power runner in short-yardage situations, the speed to turn the corner and pick up big chunks of yards and the agility to be a dangerous receiver out of the backfield.
South Pittsburg's Ronto Tipton (7) breaks into the open in the Sept. 8 game against Marion County. One of three running stars for the Pirates, Tipton also shines at safety.
South Pittsburg's Sawyer Kelley (22) finds a opening in the Tiger defense. The Whitwell Tigers visited the South Pittsburg Pirates in the quarterfinals of the TSSAA football playoffs on November 17, 2017. "The whole key to our offense is you have to have guys that complement each other and are willing to block. We've got that in all three of those guys," Pirates coach Vic Grider said. "They all bring a different skill set, and we just try to put them in position to do what they do best for the team.
"Ronto is much further along than you'd expect a sophomore to be and can do some special things for us. Sawyer makes us go on both sides of the ball with his energy. He's just real competitive and the whole team feeds off him. His speed has improved to the point that he can do a lot more than just get the tough yards. He can get to the edge and run by people now.
"Garrett just has so much God-given ability. You don't see guys that size at our level who can move the way he does. He's got really good feet, so he can avoid a lot of the traffic in the middle and get through the hole and take off."
Combined, the trio has rushed for more than 2,400 yards - averaging better than 10 per carry - and helped South Pittsburg average scoring 44 points per game. Kelley, who leads the way with 963 yards and 13 touchdowns, had to adjust to his new position this year after moving from fullback, where he had played his entire career.
"I wasn't real comfortable playing wing at first and it took a while to get used to it, but now I like having a head of steam going when I get the ball," Kelley said. "The biggest thing for me is that people have always told me I'm too small, so I run as hard as I can every time I get the ball to try and prove how tough I am. Yards after contact are a big deal to me."
Kelley also is part of a small but significant group of nine seniors who have helped rebuild the program. When Grider returned as coach four years ago, he leaned heavily on that group to turn things around.
"We don't have many that have to play both ways now, but those three guys play every snap," Grider said. "That's just a testament to how tough they are and how important they are to what we're doing."
As impressive as the offensive production is, much of the reason for the Pirates' success this season has been because of a stingy defense, with Kelley, Raulston and fellow linebacker Mason Fuqua leading the team in tackles. Tipton is tied for the area interceptions lead with seven from his safety position.
"You definitely feel it when you wake up on Saturday mornings," Tipton said. "You're pretty sore, and that's when you know how tough it is having to play both sides of the ball so much. But you just try to rest up and get ready for the next week.
"I think the biggest thing when we have the ball is that on every single play the defense has to honor all three of us. We came up one step short last year, so all we're thinking about is doing whatever it takes to get to the state championship. None of us care who gets the carries."
South Pittsburg's defense has held eight opponents to seven points or less, including shutouts in three of the past four games. The only points the Pirates have allowed in the playoffs was a touchdown by Whitwell last week with just over three minutes remaining.
"We take pride in not allowing anybody to move the ball," said Raulston, the team's middle linebacker. "It makes us mad even when somebody gets a first down. We all just want to get to the ball and gang tackle."
Through the first three rounds of the playoffs the Pirates backs have taken turns with big offensive nights, including 200-plus yards for Kelley in the first round and 130-plus from Raulston last week. Top-ranked South Pittsburg (13-0) will need more of the same in tonight's game at Greenback (11-1), the team that knocked the Pirates out of the playoffs in last year's semifinals and has played in consecutive 1A state championship games.
"This group has been together for a long time and played a lot of ball, so we feel good about what we've got," Pirates defensive coordinator Shawn Peek said. "We've proved we can play against good teams. Now we get to see what we can do against a great team. Having guys like those three on both sides of the ball makes you feel a lot better about your chances."
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.