Early morning alarms on fall Saturdays are always more welcome after a win for high school football coaches, but that’s especially the case for a handful in the area who are either working toward turning around programs that had struggled recently or suffered disappointing losses in their openers.
On the heels of impressive victories Friday producing a 2-0 start, the staffs at East Ridge, Lookout Valley and Sale Creek were all back at work early Saturday after winning their games by a combined score of 115-12. Similarly, coming off losses in the first week of the TSSAA regular season, Bradley Central, Ooltewah and Silverdale Baptist Academy rebounded with statement wins.
East Ridge is 2-0 for the first time since a seven-win season in 2017 that began 5-0. The Pioneers have given up just six points and have a big road matchup against Brainerd next Friday before beginning Region 3-4A competition at Red Bank.
“I didn’t get home until after 1 a.m. after the game and was back at the field house by around 7:20, and I live in Marion County, so that’s a pretty early turnaround,” Pioneers coach Chad Barger said. “Seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces after these last two wins is a really big difference, and it’s great to see.”
Demarcus Scruggs and King Knox combined to ignite East Ridge’s offense in a 50-point explosion. Scruggs threw for 132 yards and three touchdowns (all of 40 yards or more) and rushed for 47 yards and another score, while King gained 203 yards on the ground with a pair of touchdown.