Surprises happen every week on the high school football field, and the Times Free Press staff is all over them. Here are five notable ones following this past week’s action:
› Golden Eagles passing game soars: For the second year in a row, the arm of Jaxton Schmitt helped deliver a Region 3-5A championship for Rhea County.
The 6-foot-4, 195-pound Schmitt proved he could deliver when the Golden Eagles needed it as he completed 24-of-33 passes for 313 yards and added a game-high 70 yards rushing on 14 carries to lead a 31-24 home victory over Walker Valley.
The passing yardage was 97 more than his previous top performance, while receiver Austun Fugate produced a career day as well with 10 receptions for nearly 150 yards.
Schmitt, who has thrown 28 TD passes to just four interceptions, also broke Walker Valley’s hearts last season with a region championship-winning walk-off 40-yard touchdown pass to Aiden Wilkerson.