Boyd-Buchanan is one of six teams still alive in the TSSAA playoffs trying for a 10-win season.
The Buccaneers can get No. 10 tonight in their Class 2A semifinal at Signal Mountain.
Other teams with nine wins entering tonight’s games include 3A Elizabethton, 5A Hendersonville and 6A Oak Ridge. Ensworth could get its 10th with a win Thursday night in Cookeville against Baylor in the Division II-AA championship game. And 2A semifinalist Trinity Christian has an 8-4 record and would need to win tonight against 11-1 McKenzie and then in the state final to get to 10 victories.
Boyd-Buchanan has won five games in a row, including playoff victories over Unaka, Hampton and Wartburg Central.
“Obviously we have played a little better in the playoffs,” Bucs coach Grant Reynolds said. “We played some good teams early on, but this is every coach’s dream – to play well late and peak at the right time.”
Reynolds’ teams are 30-11 over the last three seasons. They went to the playoffs’ third round in 2008 and the state final last season.
“I don’t keep up with how many wins I have,” Reynolds said. “If that was the case, I wouldn’t schedule Red Bank and Howard and [higher-classification] teams like them.”
All of the teams that beat the Bucs in the regular season advanced to the postseason.
“You go in wanting to win all of your games, but you play those teams that have good athletes so when you get into the postseason you have seen those type athletes,” Reynolds said. “You measure yourself and the kids don’t get into the postseason and say, ‘Wow, we haven’t seen this kind of speed before,’ whether it’s a Hampton or a Signal Mountain that they’re playing.
“I have been working on the schedule for next year, and we’ll play South Pittsburg again and East Ridge and Donelson Christian so we can stand on our tiptoes and see what we’ve got.”
Reynolds said Boyd-Buchanan players have begun to expect it.
“Most of the kids have been here long enough to know that there are some games that are going to test us,” he said, “and they like playing some of those games.”
Seven still unbeaten
Six of Tennessee’s eight classifications still have unbeaten teams pursuing championships. The only classifications without at least one unbeaten are 6A in Division I and Division II-AA.
Signal Mountain, which knocked Trousdale County from the unbeaten ranks last week, is one of seven TSSAA programs without a loss. The 2A Eagles (12-0) are joined by Ridgeway (5A), Greeneville (4A), Alcoa (3A), Jo Byrns (1A) and Division II-A’s Webb and St. George’s.
Home for holidays
Baylor was out of school this week and the Red Raiders’ two starting boarding students stayed with local families who agreed to serve as hosts. Wednesday, those players were dismissed and free to head for home. Actually, all the Red Raiders were given a three-day pass.
Baylor has seven boarding students who play football, but coach Phil Massey let the five nonstarters go home early. Everybody will return in time for meetings late Sunday afternoon.
Toyota players named
Rosters have been released for the East-West Tennesee all-star Classic, which will be played Dec. 11 at Carson-Newman College. Kickoff is set for 12:30.
Among players named to the East squad are Baylor quarterback Jacob Huesman, Cleveland running back JaMarcus Mobley, McCallie receiver Keenan Hale, Red Bank receiver/defensive back Kelvin Clay, Boyd-Buchanan lineman Vincente Jordan, Polk County linebacker Michael Hargrove, defensive tackles Ken Starr of McMinn County and Izaiah Rutledge of Red Bank and ends Jarrod Coleman of McCallie, John Mackey of Baylor and Tucker Bolton of Bradley Central.
The East coaching staff includes Hixson’s Houston White and McMinn County’s Bo Cagle.