Tyner’s Dion Edwards does it all as Rams pull away to beat Red Bank

Dion Edwards spent most of Friday night doing the things that never make it into a football game’s box score.

Eventually, a few of them did.

The Tyner junior threw the block that sprang a long run, stopped Red Bank on fourth down, made a sack for an 11-yard loss, and caught the 2-yard touchdown pass that put the Rams ahead six seconds before halftime. In the fourth quarter, he took a handoff 13 yards for the score that finished off a 30-14 home win over the Lions as Tyner — TSSAA Class 3A’s second-ranked team in this week’s Tennessee Sports Writers Association state poll — improved to 3-0.

“I take a big pride,” Edwards said. “They rely on me. They’ve been relying on me since freshman year.”

Tyner coach Christian Mainor said the block mattered more to him than either touchdown.

(READ MORE: Final scores and photos from Friday’s Chattanooga-area prep football games)

Tyner vs. Red Bank on Sept. 4, 2026

“That right there is a symbol of guys being bought into (playing for each other),” Mainor said. “Dion played really well tonight, but the thing I’m most proud of him for is his leadership. We’ve been begging him to be a leader, and he shows it.”

The Rams needed all of it, because for a half they kept getting in their own way. Tyner outgained its Class 4A visitors 352-99 in total yards and ran for 234 yards Friday, but the Rams trailed 14-7 after one quarter.

Red Bank opened the game with an 11-play, 65-yard touchdown drive that Shawn Carter capped with a 3-yard run. Then, with 59 seconds left in the quarter, Tyner drove to the Red Bank 1 on Kohl Ward’s catch, but fumbled at the goal line and watched Marcus Jones pick it up and go 100 yards the other way. Austin Jones hit Dominic Gordon for the 2-point conversion, and the Lions led by seven.

“I think we had a couple miscues in the first half,” Mainor said. “Felt like it probably should have been 28-7, but that happens sometimes. A lot of stupid self-inflicted penalties, discipline-type things we’ve got to fix. It’s just selfish stuff that we’ve got to weed out, and I take responsibility for that.”

Tyner answered with an 11-play touchdown march that D’aerion McNealy finished from a yard out, then went 80 yards in 11 plays in the closing four minutes of the half, with Edwards hauling in the go-ahead score with six seconds showing on the clock.

The third quarter produced nothing but wasted possessions. Tyner threw two interceptions — Keon Harris and Jeffery Hall got them — and Red Bank turned the ball over on downs twice, the second time when Edwards made the stop at the Tyner 32.

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“Threw a couple picks. We actually had a touchdown on one of them,” Mainor said. “The other one, we’ve just got to hand the ball off.”

The Lions, back in action after a week off following a 29-27 loss at Rhea County in their opener, never crossed midfield after halftime and did not pick up a first down in the fourth quarter. Backed up at their own 2 after a holding call, they watched MJ Bell drop Earl Berry in the end zone for a safety with 3:40 to play, and Edwards scored four plays into the ensuing possession.

JaDarius Hinton carried 17 times for 127 yards for Tyner, and McNealy added 78 on 13 carries.

Red Bank’s Austin Jones, known as a dual threat at quarterback, was held to 52 yards on 16 carries and was 3-of-11 passing for 30 yards.

“I don’t ever think Tyner is going to back down from nobody,” Edwards said. “Even when we’re down, we’re still going to fight.”

Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com.