Staff file photo / East Hamilton’s Adam Caudle, left, celebrates a touchdown near Chattanooga Christian players Michael Smith (25) and Zion Irvin (21) during the Times Free Press Best of Preps jamboree Aug. 16 at Finley Stadium. Caudle scored four touchdowns last week in the Hurricanes’ 59-14 victory against Signal Mountain.SODDY-DAISY TROJANS (0-1) at EAST HAMILTON HURRICANES (1-0)
There is quite a buzz surrounding Class 4A’s ninth-ranked Hurricanes, who shot to a lightning-quick start last week when standout RB Adam Caudle scored four times to help the team set a program record with 59 points. Meanwhile, a defense led by senior captains Aidan Holt, Nathan Lee and Conner Thornburg shut out Signal Mountain’s wing-T offense after trailing 14-0 with 5:05 left in the first quarter. The Hurricanes can’t afford to let the hype get to them as they host the program that has beaten them the past two years by a combined score of 73-21. The Trojans were humbled 38-7 by Red Bank to begin the season, but the reigning Region 4-5A champions have the offensive weapons to bounce back. In this nonregion matchup, the visitors must find consistency through the air with a receiving corps that lost no one from last year. Hayden Maynor is a workhorse who can make big plays on the ground and in the passing game. East Hamilton WRs Jackson Fletcher and Cade Meeks look to help spark another big night for the offense.
BRADLEY CENTRAL BEARS (0-1) at WALKER VALLEY MUSTANGS (1-0)
Walker Valley showed poise in a 42-40 road victory over Karns last week for the program’s first win since shocking Red Bank on Oct. 6, 2017. The Mustangs hit the ground running in Drew Akins’ coaching debut, rushing for 250 yards and five touchdowns. After averaging just 8.8 points per game in 2018, new play calling and transfer junior QB Tucker Pope could make this spread attack dangerous. Meanwhile, Bradley Central came out swinging against a perennial power as it led 30-17 in the third quarter over Farragut, but the Bears committed four turnovers, were penalized 15 times and surrendered 20 unanswered points to fall at home. With a 13-1 lead in this intracounty series, the Bears look to get junior WR Tray Curry going after he accounted for just 3 of Bradley Central’s 417 yards last week. Walker Valley’s LBs will have a tough task stopping junior QB Javin Burke, a McCallie transfer who rushed for 163 yards and two scores in his Bears debut.
RED BANK LIONS (1-0) at OOLTEWAH OWLS (0-0)