Prep Football Playoff Update: East Ridge, Walker Valley visit area rivals after first-round road wins

Howard's Cameron Thomas tries to wrap up East Ridge running back Traneil Moore during their game last month. Moore missed two games to start the season while recovering from knee surgery, but in last Friday's regular-season finale against Chattanooga Christian he rushed for 301 yards and four touchdowns.

By Ward Gossett November 6, 2016 5 min read

Friday’s second-round Tennessee playoff pairings

CLASS 6ABradley Central (9-2) at Blackman (8-3)On the road/at home: Bradley 4-1; Blackman 4-2The last time: Bradley won a 2012 homecoming game, 23-21CLASS 5AFarragut (10-1) at Rhea County (9-2)On the road/at home: Farragut 4-1; Rhea County 5-1The last time: Rhea County won 40-34 in the second round last year at FarragutWalker Valley (7-4) at Ooltewah (9-2)On the road/at home: Walker Valley 3-4; Ooltewah 6-0The last time: Ooltewah won 56-35 on Oct. 28 at Walker ValleyCLASS 3AEast Ridge (6-5) at Red Bank (8-3)On the road/at home: East Ridge 3-3; Red Bank 5-1The last time: Red Bank won 22-16 at home on Sept. 16Notre Dame (7-4) at Sequatchie County (11-0)On the road/at home: Notre Dame 2-2; Sequatchie 6-0The last time: Notre Dame won 38-0 in a 2015 first-round home gameCLASS 2AWatertown (10-1) at Marion County (10-1)On the road/at home: Watertown 4-1; Marion County 5-0The last time: Programs never have metMeigs County (10-1) at Forrest (10-1)On the road/at home: Meigs 4-1; Forrest 6-0The last time: Programs never have metCLASS 1AFayetteville (9-2) at South Pittsburg (10-1)On the road/at home: Fayetteville 5-0/South Pittsburg 5-0The last time: South Pittsburg won 49-0 in a 2013 third-round home playoff gameWhitwell (6-5) at Columbia Academy (10-0)On the road/at home: Whitwell 4-1; Columbia Academy 6-0The last time: Columbia Academy won 21-3 on Oct. 21 at homeDIVISION IIMcCallie (7-4) at Brentwood Academy (7-2)On the road/at home: McCallie 2-3; Brentwood Academy 5-0The last time: BA won 42-32 at McCallie on Oct. 28Baylor (7-4) at Memphis Univ. School (10-0)On the road/at home: Baylor 1-3; MUS 7-0The last time: Baylor won 31-10 in a 2015 quarterfinal at MUS

East Ridge High School football coach Tim James wanted his team to consider its visit to DeKalb County as a business trip Friday.

The Pioneers didn’t disappoint, taking care of business in Smithville with a 23-18 win over the higher-seeded Tigers.

“It was a business trip. That’s the way I approached it,” James said Saturday. “We have an opportunity to make a presentation and the sale, and if we get it we get the contract to play again.”

Weird was the way he described the game.