Soddy-Daisy Trojans know third straight Region 4-5A football title isn't guaranteed

Inside the Soddy-Daisy Trojans' locker room on Friday, just a week before their 2020 football season opener at Red Bank, no one was talking about last year.

The standout performances for the back-to-back Region 4-5A champions include an upset victory at Knoxville Catholic two years ago and a hard-earned win in a low-scoring affair last fall at Rhea County.

However, the Trojans are approaching this season and their goals mindful of what this year and the coronavirus pandemic has proven - in sports and otherwise - over and over again: Nothing is promised.

"Yes, we want to three-peat, but also we are not region champions anymore. This team is not a region champion," said coach Justin Barnes, whose program went 6-5 overall and 6-1 against league foes each of the past two years. "That's something you have to earn in those big moments, and those teams are gone. This is a new team.

"The region is up for grabs, but at the same time we know there is a target on our back. We have to bring our 'A' game week in and week out in our region."

Back in command behind center is Isaac Barnes, a 6-foot, 170-pound senior who completed 61% of his passes for 2,264 yards and totaled 28 touchdowns last season on the way to being voted region offensive player of the year.

With another deep and athletic receiving corps that will be led by Will Ackerman, Barnes will try to continue his progress. Last season, he threw for a career-high 303 yards against Ooltewah and had five touchdown passes each against Lenoir City and Signal Mountain. In those three games, he completed 62 of 80 passes (.775).

"You could see the confidence really building in him last season," Coach Barnes said of his nephew. "His maturity really progressed, and he started to be able to get to his third or fourth reads. Having a guy like him back to pull the trigger is going to make all of our guys better. I think he will also do an even better job of protecting the ball this year, too."

A big question is how Soddy-Daisy will replace the do-it-all talent of Hayden Maynor, who last season made 98 tackles, scored 21 touchdowns and totaled 1,116 yards rushing and 306 receiving. The Trojans don't have an every down back, but they expect several players to be able to get the job done if the offensive line can jell and hit its stride together.

"It definitely will be different without Hayden, but we are excited to see what a committee of backs can do for us. Landon Lewis (5-11, 205) and Jonah Gipson (5-11, 190) will split carries and are very valuable on the defensive side for us, too, where they played a lot last year. We have two or three other guys who can also carry the ball."

Leadership is expected to be shown by defensive back Peyton Uren (5-10, 165) and defensive lineman Ayhan Munsuz (5-8, 190), both of them returning starters.

After the trip to Red Bank and a home game against East Hamilton, Soddy-Daisy's region schedule kicks off Sept. 4 with a visit from Lenoir City. The Trojans' other two league games are in the final three weeks of the regular season, Oct. 16 versus Rhea County and Oct. 30 at Walker Valley.

Staff photo by Robin Rudd / Walker Valley quarterback Tucker Pope carries the ball close to host Rhea County's end zone on Sept. 6, 2019. Pope was a 2,000-yard passer during the 2019 season.

"We have played really well in our region games the last two years and definitely had a a few big breaks go our way, which is certainly a part of football," Coach Barnes said. "Walker Valley is tremendously better with Drew (Akins) leading them (as head coach), and I expect them to be even better with (quarterback) Tucker Pope back.

"Rhea County is Rhea County. They are always going to be physical. They always play good defense and can run the ball well. You have to match their intensity and physicality. And you can't forget Lenoir City. Last year was the first time in three seasons we have beat them, and I expect them to be better than last year."

While the Trojans return only four starters on each side of the ball, they believe the leadership of those players is as good as it can get.

"It's nice to have those older guys who can lead," Coach Barnes said. "I look around the field at practice, and they are coaching up those other guys around them. We will have a lot of new faces playing under the Friday night lights, and they have guys who have their backs and are going to help them get where they need to be."

Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon.

Staff photo by Robin Rudd / Rhea County's Dalton Hampton pushes away a defender during a game at Walker Valley on Sept. 6, 2019. Hampton rushed for 13 touchdowns and 1,207 yards on 179 carries in 2019.