SOUTH PITTSBURG PIRATES (5-0) at MEIGS COUNTY TIGERS (6-0)
It’s the second straight season these two will meet with the Pirates ranked No. 1 in Class 1A and the Tigers No. 2 in 2A. South Pittsburg held on to win 27-16 last year. Both teams are coming off bye weeks, and due to COVID-19-related cancellations by opponents, the Pirates will play for only the second time in 35 days. For much of the preseason, the Tigers faced questions about whether they could continue competing at a high level after the graduation of QB and three-time state Mr. Football finalist Aaron Swafford. Those doubters have caused the Tigers to play with a chip on their shoulder through the first six games. Meigs has outscored opponents by an average of 42-6 and is led by a veteran group of linemen, including senior Malachi Hayden (6-foot-3, 282 pounds), who has helped open running lanes for Will Meadows (127 rushing yards per game) and Cody Cawood (6.8 yards per carry). South Pittsburg’s four on-field wins (it has another by forfeit due to COVID-19) have come by a total of 206-13. The Pirates are led by senior RB Hunter Frame’s 661 rushing yards (12.7 per carry) and 14 touchdowns. QB Brayden Sanders, a three-year starter, has a collection of tall, fast receivers in Reginald Hunter (6-4), Kobe Cooper (6-2) and Jackson Lewis (6-2), and senior LBs Javien Beene and Jared Stone and junior DB Richard Hunter lead the stingy defense.
READ MORE: Live coverage of tonight’s Chattanooga-area high school football games
BLEDSOE COUNTY WARRIORS (6-0) at MONTEREY WILDCATS (5-0)
This is a potential trap game for the fifth-ranked Warriors, who are coming off an impressive Region 3-2A shutout win at Marion County and have another region game coming up against Polk County. A league win next week would wrap up the first region title in a decade for the Warriors, who can’t afford to get caught looking ahead against Class 1A’s 10th-ranked Monterey, which has an average game score of 37-9 this season. The Warriors are led on offense by a three-headed rushing attack of QB Harmon Keith, who has more than 800 total yards, and RBs Dylan Robeck (110 yards per game) and Cadillac Siever (9.1 yards per carry). Bledsoe’s defense, which hasn’t allowed more than six points in its past four games including back-to-back shutouts, is led by Monse Palacios (41 tackles, three sacks) and Kaigan Thomas (12 tackles for loss).