All kickoffs are 7 p.m. local time
CLASS 6A
Soddy-Daisy (7-4) at Murfreesboro Riverdale (8-3)
* Coaches: Soddy-Daisy’s Kevin Orr; Riverdale’s Ron Aydelott.
* Team nicknames: Trojans, Warriors.
* Last week: Soddy-Daisy came from behind to beat Lincoln County; Riverdale swamped Franklin County 48-0.
* Playoff history entering 2010: Soddy-Daisy was 6-10, Riverdale 57-19. The Warriors got to the semifinals last year before falling to Maryville 42-30.
* You might not know: Soddy-Daisy has won two playoff games in the same year only once, and that was in 1996. … The Trojans missed the playoffs from 2005-2007 and again in 2009. … Soddy-Daisy junior running back Cedric Edwards’ 195 rushing yards against Lincoln County gave him 1,995 for the season. … Riverdale rushed for 335 yards in its win over Franklin County and showed a stiff defense, allowing Franklin County (5-6) a meager 101 yards. In that game, quarterback Dillon Woodruff completed 5 of 5 passes for 69 yards. … Riverdale and Soddy-Daisy have met twice previously in the postseason, the Warriors beating the Trojans in 1997 and ’98.
Oak Ridge (7-4) at Bradley Central (9-2)
* Coaches: Oak Ridge’s Scott Blade; Bradley’s Damon Floyd.
* Team nicknames: Wildcats, Bears.
* Last week: Oak Ridge edged Cookeville 24-21; Bradley defeated Coffee County 34-7.
* Playoff history entering 2010: Oak Ridge was 56-34, Bradley Central 7-5.
* You might not know: The teams were in the same region until the TSSAA’s most recent reshuffling before the 2009 season. … In their last meeting in 2008, Oak Ridge won 28-13 at Bradley. … The Wildcats would prefer to run with Rocky Fludd, who averages better than 6 yards per carry. Quarterback Bradley Zulliger averages slightly more than 100 passing yards per game but through nine games had nine interceptions and four TDs. … Bears sophomore quarterback Bryce Copeland has thrown for 1,557 yards and 17 TDs, but Bradley also has a quality running back in Dewaun Massengill, who is right at 800 yards for the season.
CLASS 4A
Red Bank (7-4) at Maplewood (10-1)
* Coaches: Red Bank’s Tim Daniels; Maplewood’s Arcentae Broome.
* Team nicknames: Lions, Panthers
* Last week: Red Bank rallied to defeated Page 27-23; Maplewood swamped Marshall County 35-7.
* Playoff history entering 2010: Red Bank was 22-21, Maplewood 12-17.
* You might not know: Red Bank has made the playoffs the past seven seasons, going 8-6 in the postseason in that time and reaching the quarterfinals in 2006, ’07 and ’09. … The Lions coaching staff viewed this as a rebuilding year after losing all but one of their skill players (receiver/returner/defensive back Kelvin Clay) and most of their linemen from last season. … Maplewood was a state finalist in 2007 (losing to Maryville, who else?). … Like Red Bank, the Lions made it to the 2009 quarterfinals before losing. … Panthers tailback Stanley Hagan ran for 335 yards and four touchdowns in the win over Marshall County. … Red Bank’s Kionte Davis had two lost-yardage hits, a fumble caused and two fumble recoveries in the win over Page.
CLASS 3A
Polk County (10-1) at Christian Academy of Knoxville (10-1)
* Coaches: Polk’s Derrick Davis; CAK’s Rusty Bradley.
* Team nicknames: Wildcats, Warriors.
* Last week: Polk County defeated Tyner 18-13; CAK defeated Kingston 34-6.
* Playoff history entering 2010: Polk was 8-18, CAK 8-6.
* You might not know: The Wildcats won last Friday despite producing only slightly more than 100 yards of offense. However, they also had an 80-yard punt return that set up one score and an interception return for a TD. … Polk quarterback Jared Allen will sign a baseball scholarship with the University of Tennessee on Wednesday. …CAK has a 22-3 record over the past two seasons, and all three losses have been to defending state champion Alcoa. … The Warriors’ average margin of victory through 11 games is slightly less than 20 points per game. They forced the mercy rule only twice, however – against Sequoyah (48-7) and Stone Memorial (55-15). … The teams’ only common opponent was Sequoyah, which Polk beat 40-0. … The Wildcats had four shutouts during the year and also played a Class 6A team (Bradley Central), a Class 5A team (Walker Valley) and perennial Class 1A power South Pittsburg. … CAK played one higher-classification school, beating 5A Seymour 35-19. … The Warriors like to throw, quarterback Quinn Epperly completing 71 percent of his passes in 272 attempts for 2,584 yards and 34 TDs through the team’s first nine games. They have two receivers with 50 or more receptions and six with at least 10 catches.
Sequatchie County (8-3) at Goodpasture (10-1)
* Coaches: Sequatchie’s Chad Barger; Goodpasture’s David Martin.
* Team nicknames: Indians, Warriors.
* Last week: Sequatchie nipped rival Bledsoe County 35-34; Goodpasture defeated Christ Presbyterian 20-6.
* Playoff history entering 2010: Sequatchie was 15-18, Goodpasture 56-22.
* You might not know: The Warriors may be similar in style to Bledsoe. Quarterback Keenan Reynolds threw for 1,348 yards and 11 TDs while completing 59 percent of his passes and giving up just one interception in nine games, but the Warriors favor a short passing game. Their longest passing play covered 39 yards. … While Goodpasture may throw more than run, Sequatchie is definitely going to run more than throw. The Indians entered the postseason with three 1,000-yard rushers ,and the trio rushed accounted for 316 yards at Bledsoe. They threw a grand total of eight passes and completed one. … Sequatchie last won a playoff game in 1997. The Indians have advanced to the playoffs the past two years but entered this year with a seven-game postseason losing streak. … Goodpasture won state titles in 1995, ’99 and 2001 and made the finals in 2005, ’06 and ’07.
CLASS 2A
Friendship Christian (9-2) at Signal Mountain (10-0)
* Coaches: Friendship’s John McNeal; Signal’s Bill Price.
* Team nicknames: Commanders, Eagles.
* Last week: Friendship defeated Marion County 45-8; Signal Mountain had a bye.
* Playoff history entering 2010: Friendship was 15-18, Signal Mountain 1-1.
* You might not know: Friendship used defense to upend Marion County with Kyle Wood and Schaeffer Palmer leading the win with fumble returns for first-quarter touchdowns. … Eagles quarterback Hogan Whitmire leads the state in pass efficiency (based on NCAA ratings) with a mark of 252.9. He has thrown for 1,765 yards and 22 TDs with just one interception while playing past halftime in less than half of the Eagles’ games. … Although Donnie Garner leads Signal with 636 rushing yards, as many as 15 Eagles carried the ball in a game earlier this year. … The teams’ only common opponent is Marion County, which Signal Mountain beat 54-13 in Week 6. … The Eagles, a second-year program, are 22-2 the past two seasons. Among their victims this year were 4A members East Hamilton and Hixson and 2009 1A finalist South Pittsburg. … Signal Mountain was able to invoke the mercy rule in nine of its wins and emptied the bench early in the first half in a season-ending 75-0 win over Whitwell.
Boyd-Buchanan (7-4) at Hampton (9-1)
* Coaches: Boyd’s Grant Reynolds; Hampton’s Mike Lunsford.
* Team nicknames: Buccaneers, Bulldogs.
* Last week: Boyd-Buchanan defeated Unaka 20-6; Hampton had a bye.
* Playoff history entering 2010: Boyd-Buchanan was 30-12, Hampton 15-23.
* You might not know: It’s 225 miles and about four hours from Boyd-Buchanan to Hampton, which is nestled in the mountains near a curvy 30 miles due east of Johnson City. … Be forewarned: if it’s cool here it will be cold in Hampton, and if it’s raining in Knoxville it could be snowing there. … The Bulldogs played three teams with winning records – the last three games of the regular season – and the string included their one loss (29-12 to Happy Valley). … The Buccaneers played five teams with a record of .500 or better, including 4A playoff participant Red Bank (lost 32-6), District 6-AA runner-up Howard (lost 16-7), Class 1A favorite South Pittsburg (lost 41-6), Class 3A postseason participant Marion County (won 22-6) and Class 1A playoff member Copper Basin (won 22-7). … Only four teams managed double-digit scoring against Boyd-Buchanan (Red Bank, South Pitt, Howard and Pope John Paul II). … Lunsford is familar with the Buccaneers, having coached against them when he was head coach at Cloudland.
CLASS 1A
Moore County (7-4) at South Pittsburg (8-2)
* Coaches: Moore’s B. Scott Smith; South Pittsburg’s Vic Grider.
* Team nicknames: Raiders, Pirates.
* Last week: Moore County defeated Eagleville 14-0; South Pittsburg had a bye.
* Playoff history entering 2010: Moore County was 27-22, South Pittsburg 55-23.
* You might not know: Eleven years ago Moore County lost to South Pittsburg 42-13 in the Class 1A championship game. … The Pirates have lost no more than two games in any season since going 3-7 in 2004. Since that aberration, Grider’s teams have compiled a 66-8 record, which translates to a win percentage of .892. … Pirates quarterback Travis Millard has thrown for 1,325 yards and 19 TDs with eight interceptions, and Raquis Hale, the primary running back, has run for 1,384 yards and 23 TDs (both in limited playing time because of the numerous blowout victories). … Smith is Moore County’s third head coach in four years. … The Raiders aren’t strangers to the playoffs, but they have lost five in a row in an eight-year span and their last postseason showing was a one-and-done in 2008. … They’re a spread team that features quarterback Hunter Case from a shotgun formation. Their running attack falls to Nathan Matlock.
Copper Basin (9-1) at Sunbright (8-2)
* Coaches: Basin’s Patrick Daly; Sunbright’s Scott Stephens.
* Team nicknames: Cougars, Tigers.
* Last week: Copper Basin beat Harriman 32-13; Sunbright had a bye.
* Playoff history entering 2010: Copper Basin was 6-16, Sunbright 1-7.
* You might not know: Sunbright won the first playoff game in school history last season with a 54-38 victory over Cloudland. The Tigers lost to Knoxville Grace 65-0 the next week, and Grace was then eliminated by South Pittsburg, 57-13. … Sunbright has invoked the mercy rule in four games this season, but the Tigers had to score 53 on Oct. 15 to beat Oliver Springs by a point. … The teams’ only common opponent is Whitwell. Sunbright won that game 47-0 in Week 2, the week after Copper Basin beat Whitwell 42-6. … Copper Basin played only nine regular -season games but won a school-record five of those by shutout. The Cougars enjoyed a running clock in seven of their eight regular-season wins, and they allowed an opponent to score 10 or more points only twice – in a 33-12 win at Andrews, N.C., and the regular season-ending 22-7 loss to Boyd-Buchanan. … Sunbright has won by an average of three touchdowns. … The key for Cougars opponents is stopping quarterback Eric Sisson (1,017 passing, 835 rushing), but Copper Basin had five other backs with at least 200 rushing yards entering the postseason.
DIVISION II-AA
McCallie (4-6) at Baylor (8-1)
* Coaches: McCallie’s Rick Whitt; Baylor’s Phil Massey.
* Team nicknames: Blue Tornado, Red Raiders
* Last week: McCallie upended Briarcrest Christian 28-21 in two overtimes; Baylor had a bye.
* Playoff history entering 2010: McCallie was 11-21, Baylor 19-21.
* You might not know: The teams are meeting in the postseason for the first time since 1997, when Fred Hubbs’ Baylor team, which finished the year 3-8, edged Ralph Potter’s Tornado 21-7. It was Potter’s first year as his alma mater’s head coach and the only losing season (1-9) he had in his decade of service to McCallie. … Baylor beat McCallie 27-6 in Week 6 this year. … The teams also met in the postseason in 1974 when Baylor, coached by Red Etter, won 31-14 in the regular season before falling to Pete Potter-coached McCallie 29-7 in a first-round game. … McCallie left for Briarcrest Christian on Thursday and went halfway but drove straight back after the game. … McCallie quarterback Trent Lusk missed the Briarcrest game with a concussion, but he’s expected back to face the Red Raiders. … Baylor’s Massey spent all of the bye week preparing for McCallie after seeing video of Briarcrest.