NASHVILLE — For the first time in four seasons, there will be a TSSAA Division II-AAA BlueCross Bowl without the McCallie Blue Tornado football team, which means there will also be a new state champion for the first time since 2019.
Electing to go for a 2-point conversion at Montgomery Bell Academy after pulling within 28-27 with 45 seconds to play on a 13-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jay St. Hilaire to Andrei Delinois, McCallie's pass was batted down at the goal line Friday night at the home of the Big Red.
The ensuing onside kick was recovered by MBA, running out the clock on the three-time reigning champ's dream of a four-peat.
"We started talking about going for two while we were driving for that last touchdown," said McCallie coach Ralph Potter, whose team trailed 28-14 heading into the final quarter after being tied at halftime. "It was a good play, we just came up short."
As Potter spoke, his players struggled to fight back tears. All season they had battled injuries to key players while enduring a three-point loss to MBA in September to snap an 18-game winning streak, and a four-point defeat at archrival Baylor.
Now, though, Baylor (10-2) will play MBA (12-0) for the DII-AAA title on Dec. 1 at Finley Stadium, and McCallie (10-3) will bid farewell to a senior class that lost a playoff game for the first time since eighth grade.
"We fought our hearts out," senior running back Tario Price said. "We did our best. We got better all season."
The stats told of a great game. McCallie finished with more total yards -- 372 to 324 -- led by the junior St. Hilaire's 197 passing yards and late touchdown pass to Delinois. St. Hilaire also ran for two scores, and junior running back Ja'Von McMahan raced 61 yards for a fourth touchdown. Elliott Arnold kicked three PATs before the decision to go for two after the final touchdown.
"I'm very proud of you guys," Potter told his heartbroken team after the game ended. "You came to practice ready to work every day. You played as hard as you could every game. Great job all season."
Great job for four seasons, actually.
Contact Mark Wiedmer at sports@timesfreepress.com.