Times Free Press’ top ten area state championship teams
1. Red Bank (2000 Class 5A): As heavy white flakes swirled around Tom Weathers, the longtime Red Bank coach fought back tears as he glanced one last time at the scoreboard towering over Floyd Stadium at Middle Tennessee State University. With heavy snow blowing in throughout the game, the Lions capped a perfect 15-0 season with a 27-7 victory over perennial power Murfreesboro Riverdale for the 5A championship.
Said Weathers, as he clutched the championship coach’s plaque: “I really can’t put into words what this feels like. Not right now. It will take some time to look back on everything these kids did and be able to describe the feeling.”
After the game, several Lions players lay flat on their backs, sliding their arms and legs back and forth to make snow angels on the field in celebration. Red Bank’s title marked the first time in 27 years that a Hamilton County team had won a championship in the state’s largest classification.
The Lions opened the season at Finley Stadium with a 34-7 win over a Brentwood Academy team that went on to play for the Division II Large state title, and they also beat state-ranked teams Cleveland, Murfreesboro Oakland, Bradley Central (twice) and Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett along the way. Red Bank finished No. 11 in the USA Today national rankings, outscoring opponents an average of 40-12, and held its last six opponents to 14 points or less, giving up more than two touchdowns only twice all season.