Tyner's Zashun Hubbard recognized the flat route, and he jumped all over it to help provide a 2-point conversion stop with just 40 seconds remaining and his team holding a 26-24 lead over Decatur-Riverside.
Moments later, fellow senior Josiah Bridgeman caught a line drive at his feet on the onside kick attempt, making the slim advantage stand and securing Tyner’s first football state championship since 1997 in Saturday’s TSSAA Class 2A BlueCross Bowl at Finley Stadium.
“I will never forget this moment,” Hubbard said. “We will all remember this forever. All the hard work we have poured into something much bigger than ourselves paid off in the greatest way. We were prepared for that last-second moment. To come up with a stop and get the gold ball feels unreal.”
For the first time, two football programs inside the Chattanooga city limits are TSSAA state champions in the same season. The Rams capped a memorable week for the Scenic City that included Baylor winning the Division II-AAA championship Thursday, and Tyner is also the first Chattanooga public school to win a football state title since Signal Mountain's 2A triumph in 2010.
The Ram Train’s golden moment did not come without a courageous fight. Tyner (14-1) faced a 15-0 deficit at the end of the first quarter and had to regroup after its worst start to a game this season.
Despite throwing two early interceptions, Rams senior Josh Jackson did not back down from the challenge. The Tennessee Titans Mr. Football finalist responded in a big way against a defense that forced him to often make plays on the run.
Jackson threw three touchdown passes, including two in the second quarter to seniors Trae Ruffin and Marcus Lewis, covering from 24 and 22 yards, respectively, to cut the deficit to 15-14.
The Rams took the lead for good with 6:48 left in the third quarter when Jackson ran to his left and fired a strike to Ruffin at the 5-yard line, where he spun and made a defender miss for a 21-yard touchdown to make it 20-18. It was his 10th touchdown catch of the postseason on his 14th reception in that span.
He made another catch after the game, receiving the team's championship trophy and carrying it toward the large crowd of Tyner fans on hand.
“Running with that gold ball felt like I was floating, an out-of-body experience,” Ruffin said. “It felt like I had the world in my hands.
“That gold ball means everything to us. We have been preparing for this moment for two years straight. We knew it wouldn’t be easy, but we knew we had the fight in us. The Ram Train wasn’t going to be stopped tonight.”
After taking their first lead on Ruffin’s final score, the Rams made a pivotal stop on a promising Riverside possession when senior defensive lineman Jamarion Varnell jumped to swat a pass away on fourth-and-4.
“Once the final horn went off, I got really emotional,” Varnell said. “We really went out with a bang and did it all together. I am so proud of my teammates.”
The Rams proceeded to go 10 plays for 69 yards, with senior running back Markel McKinley racing around the left end and diving into the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown that made it 26-18 with 10:18 left. McKinley was named MVP of the game after finishing with 114 rushing yards on 21 carries.
Tyner coach Scott Chandler, who won the title in his second season with the Rams, fought back tears after the game as he credited his senior leaders, who stepped up in their biggest way yet.
“All of our seniors have shown great leadership all year,” Chandler said. “We have seven or eight guys, who if they were on other teams would be Mr. Football candidates. But they made up their mind that this ring and state championship was more important than barren stats.
“For them to be that unselfish is a testament to them, because there are not a lot of kids this day and age who are going to do that. I am so proud of every senior. They all played their rear end off tonight and gave great effort into winning this state championship.”
Rayshaun Hinton led the Rams with 11 total tackles, while Josiah Bridgeman added 10, Jonah Chapman had a forced fumble and Jersey Chubb played solidly at linebacker.
The Rams finished 7-of-13 combined on third- and fourth-down conversions, but they were outgained 299-264 in total yards by Riverside (12-3).
It's the second title in program history, with the Rams winning their first 25 years ago, a season after finishing as runners-up. Until this year, Tyner had played for the title just once since that championship season, losing in double overtime in 2017.
Tyner must say goodbye to a loaded senior class, but the departing Rams believe this is just the start of great things to come for the program.
“This changes the whole future,” Ruffin said. “The guys younger than us now know the work ethic they need to bring day in and day out. You don’t get this far unless you take it serious and give your heart to it. I am just so proud that we could bring this home.”
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon.
Updated with more information at 9:25 p.m. on Dec. 3, 2022.