On the surface it may not seem like Boyd Buchanan coach Gary Rankin and Lookout Valley coach Josh Payne would have much in common in terms of the football programs they oversee.
Rankin, who has quickly rebuilt the Buccaneers into a state championship contender in TSSAA Division II-AA, has not lost a regular-season game since Oct. 21, 2022, during his first year with the program after highly successful stops elsewhere in Tennessee.
Conversely, throughout his first six seasons as a head coach, Payne’s biggest worry has been simply having enough healthy players available for games each week. Low roster numbers have even forced the Yellow Jackets to forfeit games in the past, and a lack of bodies played a significant role in the Class 1A program entering this season with a streak of 21 straight losses.
Prior to Friday’s season opener, Lookout Valley’s most recent win had come one week after Boyd Buchanan’s last regular-season loss.
Despite the differing recent results, Rankin, Payne and everyone involved with the two programs had a shared experience Friday night with wins that ignited extra reasons for celebration.
Second-ranked Boyd Buchanan’s 47-27 whipping of Maryland’s St. Vincent Pallotti was the 500th career win for Rankin, who was inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame in 2024, while Lookout Valley went on the road to snap its skid with a 14-12 victory over Sunbright, which also marked the first time since 2022 the Yellow Jackets won their opener.
Both coaches, their players, staff and supporters spent a little extra time soaking in the significance on the field and shortly after the games.
“After everything our kids have been through the last few years, it was just really good to see the smiles and looks on their faces as they were walking around on the field after we won,” said Payne, whose team stopped a pair of 2-point conversion attempts by Sunbright, including one with just more than two minutes remaining in the game. “Some of the kids were in tears.
“The bus ride home was pretty loud. They had music blaring for the whole 2 1/2-hour trip back, and we just let them have fun.”
Similarly, Rankin’s team and family lingered on the field a bit longer than usual to take pictures and exchange hugs after he became the nation’s fourth prep football coach ever to register 500 career wins.
“It was pretty neat to have family and friends there to celebrate with on the field,” said Rankin, who added he has received more than 300 calls and texts to congratulate him on making history. “I’ve been blessed to make it all the way to the state championship game 24 times, so when you factor in getting to play five extra games in the playoffs that many times, that helped us get to where we are.”
In 1982, Rankin’s first season as a head coach, he finished 0-10 at Smith County. The following year, he snapped the state’s longest losing streak at 28 games.
“I know what it means to try and build a program from the bottom up,” Rankin said. “That made me appreciate all the success we’ve had more than I would have, so I’d like to congratulate Coach Payne and his staff and their kids. I know what a big win that is.
“You can preach about toughness and repaint the weight room all you want, but nothing helps change a culture for kids more than winning games and getting to see the payoff for all the hard work. Hopefully their win will help them get things going in the right direction for that program.”
Special comeback: Tyner senior quarterback Tyler Anderson showed plenty of emotion after his 11-yard touchdown run with 50 seconds left in regulation during an instant classic comeback win Friday night at Silverdale Baptist Academy.
Anderson put on a show as he carried the ball 25 times for 202 yards and threw for 196 yards and a pivotal 27-yard score to sophomore Dion Edwards (who finished with nine catches for 149 yards) with 2:25 left in the fourth quarter. Anderson’s 2-point conversion pass, thrown while slipping, to Gerald Allen proved to be the winner in the 28-27 outcome.
The Rams showed poise as they converted on nine third downs in a game where they trailed 20-6 at the end of the third quarter and 27-13 with just more than four minutes to play before rallying past an opponent that reached the DII-AA state semifinals last fall.
It’s obviously early, but this could be a momentous win for Tyner, which looks like a Class 3A title contender.
Hello, my name is: Just 12 minutes of game time Friday night was all Levi Scott III needed to establish himself as a budding superstar for McCallie. The 5-foot-6, 140-pound, fleet-footed freshman had 134 of his game-high 156 receiving yards in the first quarter of the Blue Tornado’s 56-20 road win against Lipscomb Academy.
Scott’s first touchdown catch covered 43 yards as he juked the Lipscomb safety to the ground before sprinting to the end zone. He also had a 25-yard leaping touchdown catch over two defenders, and was on the other end of a 66-yard pass from senior Elliott Drapeau (294 total yards, four touchdowns) for the two-time reigning DII-AAA state champs.
Turnover machine: Hixson senior safety Ryan Burney’s knack for taking the ball away from opponents was on display again. The Wildcats star now has five defensive touchdowns and 12 forced turnovers in his past 11 games after totaling three takeaways in Friday’s loss to East Hamilton. That included stripping the ball and returning it 80 yards for a score in the first quarter, and he went on to force three fumbles (with two recoveries) and intercept a pass.
Sudden storm: In the blink of an eye, East Hamilton scored 36 points in the second quarter, turning a two-score deficit into a 43-14 win at Hixson. The Hurricanes began the second quarter with a pick-six by Grayson Maddox and went on to turn three interceptions in the quarter into touchdowns. An onside kick recovery also led to another scoring drive, and senior star Jaden Haywood showed his lightning speed and sudden change of direction on a 40-yard touchdown run.
Haywood also had one of his team’s four interceptions.
Meigs County survives: With senior star quarterback Tuff Ricker ejected in the first quarter of Friday’s season opener against Chattanooga Prep, and sophomore backup Kaiden Brewster having to sit due to eligibility concerns that the TSSAA will discuss Monday, Class 3A’s fourth-ranked Meigs County held on for a 6-0 victory with its third-string option behind center.
On defense, junior Briar Roberts helped spark the shutout as the 5-10, 210-pound middle linebacker had 12 tackles for the Tigers, who held the Sentinels to 44 rushing yards and 35 through the air. Ethan Shaver added 10 tackles and broke up two passes, and the sophomore’s 18-yard touchdown run in the second quarter provided all of the points needed.
Ricker was ejected after stomping on the helmet of a Chatt Prep player. He will also miss next Friday’s game at East Hamilton.
GEORGIA JUDGMENTS
Leveling up: It’s way early, but it appears the level of overall play for the area has taken a step forward so far after a season in which two area GHSA teams went 0-10 and four more recorded just one victory.
Winless in 2024, LaFayette won its opener last week and went toe to toe Friday with a talented Gordon Lee team expected to contend in Region 7-A Division I. LaFayette coach Ethan Thompson said the Ramblers, who feature athletes such as Bryson Cleghorn, Dax Edwards, Porter Sentell, and Jayven Williams, used last year’s disappointment as offseason motivation.
“It reinforced everything we have worked on and taught when we started in February,” Thompson said after the opening win over Chattooga. “We just want the kids to believe they can and will win. They showed it this Friday. These kids are tough and play hard.”
Meanwhile, Ridgeland, which broke a nearly three-year losing streak by defeating LaFayette last year, got its first win of Friday, 38-19 over Armuchee. The Panthers are noticeably more physical this year.
Coahulla Creek, also 1-9 last year, scored 28 unanswered points after a long weather delay at halftime to even its record at 1-1 with a 30-7 victory against Chattooga. The Colts produced several long plays (including an 80-yard kickoff return and 66-yard touchdown pass), something that was missing from last year’s team.
New stars: Just as Dalton’s Caine Woods and Hayven Searles did a week ago, several players had breakout games Friday.
Leading the way as Trion quarterback Linc Allen, who followed up a promising first start with more than 400 total yards in Friday’s win over Dade County. The junior had 326 yards and two touchdowns passing to go with 100 yards and another score on the ground. Coach Sean Patrick seems to have a true dual threat.
As if Heritage needed another offensive weapon, the Generals nonetheless found another one in junior receiver Cohen Fletcher. Playing alongside Cody Bryan and Brayden Stoker, Fletcher stole the show with seven catches for 154 yards and two scores against Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe.
The same could be said of Ringgold, which routed Murray County 43-0 as backfield stars Haddon Fries and Jeremiah Frost combined for 308 yards and three touchdowns. The Tigers also discovered a third receiver to go with Eli Pursley and Bryant Marshall as junior Grady Haddock caught three passes — all of them touchdowns — for 114 yards.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com, Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com and Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com.