The largest school among the Chattanooga area’s trio of remaining teams in the TSSAA public-school football playoffs is also staring down the biggest challenge.
Sequatchie County (12-1) hosts nine-time reigning Class 3A state champion Alcoa (11-1) in Friday’s semifinals, looking to hand the Tornadoes their first playoff loss since a runner-up finish in 2014. The last time Alcoa failed to reach a championship game was a quarterfinal loss to Christian Academy of Knoxville — on Nov. 12, 2012.
“You’re just kidding yourself if you don’t address it,” Indians fourth-year head coach Rusty McIntyre said. “Kids see all the comments on social media, they know what Alcoa has achieved as a program. We just have to remind them that we’re not playing the name on the front of the uniform, we’re playing other guys the same age.
“Whoever you’re playing after Thanksgiving, they’re going to be a really good team. We’ve tried to keep the schedule and focus as much the same as possible, but you do have to address who you’re playing, the monster that is Alcoa.”
The Tornadoes have been Tennessee’s most feared prep football team for more than a decade, having appeared in 11 straight BlueCross Bowls while collecting 10 of their TSSAA-record 22 state titles during that span. Their unprecedented run of dominance includes a 162-15 overall record, with nine of those losses coming to perennial Class 6A power Maryville.