Eleven Chattanooga-area teams received top-10 rankings in the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s preseason prep football poll released Monday.
Baylor (Division II-AAA) and South Pittsburg (Class 1A) enter the season as defending state champions, and both programs received every first-place vote. Joining them as unanimous No. 1 selections are Huntingdon (2A), Westview (3A), Alcoa (4A), and Battle Ground Academy (DII-AA).
The Class 3A rankings featured a trio of area teams in No. 2 Tyner, No. 3 Meigs County, and No. 10 Sequatchie County.
Other state-ranked local programs include Sale Creek (1A No. 10), Marion County (2A No. 3), Bledsoe County (2A No. 10), Silverdale Baptist (DII-AA No. 4), Boyd Buchanan (DII-AA No. 5), and McCallie (DII-AAA No. 3). Rhea County was the area’s other team to receive votes, narrowly missing out on being ranked as the team at No. 11 among 5A teams.
Here are three observations from the season-opening poll.
1. Tyner and Meigs County chase Westview
Tyner newcomer JD Hinton showcased big-play ability in a recent scrimmage, scoring on a 27-yard touchdown run, while juniors Dion Edwards and Karontae Cunningham give the Rams two more potential game-breakers.
Tyner’s linebacking duo of Nasir Hayward and D’Aerion McNealy could be the heart of a stellar defense for the Rams, as both had more than 90 tackles last season.
Western Kentucky commitment Carmello Peoples (6-6, 300) will also help protect a deep quarterback room that features Marcus Turner and Tyson Sutton, a high-profile transfer from Gatlinburg-Pittman who threw for 2,783 yards and 27 touchdowns last season. Sutton’s former team ended Tyner’s season in last year’s semifinals before finishing as the 3A runner-up.
Meigs County also will be motivated by last year’s 34-30 playoff loss to Gatlinburg-Pittman. Kaiden Brewster has the potential to become a Mr. Football finalist, while junior Ethan Shaver could emerge as one of the area’s breakout players.
Neither Tyner nor Meigs County enter the season as the 3A favorite, as that distinction belongs to Westview, which is led by junior quarterback Graham Simpson. The four-star quarterback has thrown for 7,700 yards and 100 touchdowns in his first two seasons and was incredible in the state title game last year as he threw for 510 first-half yards in a 62-21 victory over GP.
2. Silverdale ranked ahead of Boyd Buchanan
Boyd Buchanan’s No. 5 ranking stands out for a program riding a 22-game region winning streak.
Silverdale has more proven production returning, particularly on offense, while Boyd Buchanan will have to replace several key pieces from last year’s team, including David Green, a Tennessee Titans Mr. Football award finalist.
In order for the Bucs to win a fourth straight region crown, young talent and newcomers must complement veterans Justin McGoy and Mason Bates. Sophomore quarterback Drew Rivers offers breakout potential along with junior running back Jack Ferguson.
3. High-stakes Week 1 showdowns
Chattanooga is set for an intriguing opening week with three state-ranked showdowns on consecutive nights.
The national spotlight will shine on Chattanooga on Thursday night when Baylor hosts Brentwood Academy on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. in a rematch of last year’s BlueCross Bowl state title game that saw the Red Raiders prevail 28-24. MaxPreps has Baylor ranked 12th in the nation, while Brentwood Academy is 13th.
Meanwhile, fourth-ranked Silverdale Baptist will travel to second-ranked Tyner on Friday at 7 p.m. The Rams rallied for a stunning 28-27 road victory over the Seahawks in last year’s season opener. Also, 3A’s 10th-ranked Sequatchie County travels to 2A No. 10 Bledsoe County to renew one of the area’s most underrated rivalries.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com.