South Pittsburg’s Jaylyn Hubbard (5) escapes a Grundy tackler. Marion County High School hosted the Sequatchie Valley Football Jamboree that featured eight area teams on August 10, 2018. Head coach: Vic Grider (207-51 in 21 years here and overall)
Returning starters: 7 offensive; 7 defensive
Key players: RB-DB Ronto Tipton (5-11, 175); WR-DB Jaylyn Hubbard (5-10, 160); OT-DE Blaine Pittman (6-0, 220); OG-LB Brydon Mabry (6-0, 215); OG-DE Dakota Blevins (5-11, 225); FB-LB Cameron Trussell (5-10, 215); FB-S Brett Nelson (5-11, 200); OL-DT Josh Hutchins (6-2, 245); QB Brayden Sanders (6-0, 180); RB Hunter Frame (6-0, 160).
Team strengths: The Pirates are an old team – 31 players who are either juniors or seniors – with loads of big-game experience. There also is no shortage of speed and athletic ability in the backfield.
Team concerns: Depth, particularly up front on both sides of the line. The Pirates play a rugged schedule that includes five games against teams in larger classifications, so getting banged up before the playoffs could derail what is expected to be a deep run.
South Pittsburg’s Ronto Tipton (7) breaks a long run for the frist Pirate touchdown. The Marion County Warriors visited the South Pittsburg Pirates in a TSSAA rivalry game on September , 2018. Breakout candidate: Sophomore running back DeAndre Kelley (6-0, 185) looks to be a future star for the program. Kelley is a smooth athlete who can play a variety of skill positions and brings a good balance of speed, elusiveness and power for a young player.
Season outlook: In each of the past three seasons the Pirates have been agonizingly close to getting back to where the program was accustomed to being. After consecutive state semifinals losses, they were beaten in double overtime by Whitwell in last year’s quarterfinals – the second straight season to end with a close loss to an eventual state champion.
Ronto Tipton (7) runs for South Pittsburg. Marion County High School hosted the Sequatchie Valley Football Jamboree that featured eight area teams on August 10, 2018. With the mixture of experience and talent returning, coaches and players alike have vowed that anything short of returning to a state title game – and bringing back a sixth gold ball – will be a disappointment this year.
Both lines have good size, especially for a 1A team, and the backfield is loaded with talent that could play at any level, starting with Tipton, an all-state caliber running back and safety. Pittman and Blevins will be counted on as leaders up front, while Mabry and Trussell are physical linebackers and blockers.
The versatile Hubbard has played every offensive skill position and should be the top target for Sanders, who enters his third season as the starting quarterback. Nelson, a transfer from Marion County, has big-play potential and will get plenty of carries at fullback, while Frame is the team’s fastest runner.