A pandemic did not prevent the TSSAA from staging a 2020 football season, and although the coronavirus led to disruptions - and in some cases, unceremonious endings for teams forced to forfeit due to the virus - Tennessee state champions were crowned in all nine classifications.
Several Chattanooga-area teams made deep postseason runs, with McCallie repeating as champion in Division II-AAA and Class 1A's South Pittsburg and Class 2A's Meigs County playing in the BlueCross Bowl title games early this month. Those teams were among the most honored local programs in all-region recognition announced since the season.
Here are the honors for the TSSAA regions involving Chattanooga-area schools:
Region 3-1A
Player of the year: Hunter Frame (South Pittsburg); offensive player of the year: Bryson Grabowski (Copper Basin); defensive player of the year: Javien Beene (South Pittsburg); special teams player of the year: Kobe Cooper (South Pittsburg); kicker of the year: Evan Nunley (Whitwell); newcomer of the year: Jayden Mount (South Pittsburg); coach of the year: Vic Grider (South Pittsburg).
All-region team
Copper Basin: Sebastian Baliles, Timmy Fair, Eli Patterson, Chance Rollins, Dawson Worthy.
Lookout Valley: Corey Talley, Jacob Winchester.
Sale Creek: Maddoux Beason, Race May, Braden Penny, Will Roberts.
South Pittsburg: Jamal Allen, Ryan Cagle, Gio Davis, Reginald Hunter, Jackson Lewis, Jared Stone.
Whitwell: Cole Burns, Wesley Nunley, Jacob Winchester.
Region 2-2A
(Only local players listed)
Co-MVP: Will Meadows (Meigs County); offensive player of the year: Logan Carroll (Meigs County); defensive player of the year: Hagen Lowe (Meigs County); best offensive lineman: Malachi Hayden (Meigs County); best receiver: Cameron Huckabey (Meigs County); best linebacker: Ben Smith (Meigs County); best newcomer: Cole Owens (Meigs County); comeback player: Logan Oetting (Meigs County); coach of the year: Jason Fitzgerald (Meigs County).
All-region team
Meigs County: first team - Austin Andrews, Brady Blevens, Hunter Brown, Bryson Falls, Justin Key, Luke Pendergrass, Dalton Purgason; second team - Codey Cawood, Jackson Shaver, Ayden Skinner, Daquwan Tatum.
Region 3-2A
MVP: Kaigan Thomas (Bledsoe County); offensive player of the year: Dylan Robeck (Bledsoe County); defensive player of the year: Chase Hunt (Tellico Plains); specialist of the year: Colby Maynor (Polk County); athlete of the year: Taye Hutchins (Marion County); coach of the year: Dewayne Tabor (Bledsoe County).
All-region team
Bledsoe County: Hunter Ray Eldridge, Harmon Keith, Monse Palacios, Cadillac Seiver, Kyrie Stewart, Gunner Sweat; all-academic - Harrison DeBord, Brady Turner.
Marion County: Jackson Anthony, Kentean Bechtel, Mason Keel, Jake Logan, Alex Nunez; all-academic - Carter Jones, Owen Newsome.
Polk County: Cameron Coffey, Daniel Martin; all-academic - Tanner Meachem.
Tellico Plains: Logan Cox, Marshall Oakes, Reid Shaw; all-academic - Major Carter, David Williams.
Tyner: Ben Blackburn, Marcus Lewis, Dre Ridley, Jeremiah Sawyer; all-academic - Jeremiah Melton.
Region 3-3A
(Only local players listed)
MVP: Lumiere Strickland (Red Bank); defensive player of the year: Cam Bell (Red Bank); quarterback of the year: Xiyeer Lattimore (Brainerd); running back of the year: Kadarius Price (Brainerd); fullback of the year: Jace Derrick (McMinn Central); co-receivers of the year: Kel Eddins (Red Bank), Kaleb Johnkins (Sweetwater); offensive lineman of the year: B.J. Ragland (Red Bank); co-tight end of the year: Donivon Thomas (Brainerd); safety of the year: Reco Trimble (Red Bank); defensive back of the year: Jaylyn Dupree (Brainerd); linebacker of the year: Bryce Johnson (Sweetwater); defensive lineman of the year: Jadon High (Red Bank); kicker/punter of the year: Jake Wright (Red Bank); newcomer of the year: AD Crutcher (Red Bank); coach of the year: Chris Brown (Red Bank); co-defensive assistants of the year: Ted Gatewood and Bryan Satterfield (Red Bank).
All-region team
Brainerd: Diamond Bates, Terrance Thornhill, Alen Ware, Talijah Witt, Xavier Wood; all-academic - Chris Giles.
McMinn Central: Novice Cox, Isaac Dean.
Red Bank: Devon Benn, Joseph Blackmon, Alex Cagle, Silas Garibay, Delmetrius Gustus, Delmontae Gustus, Seth Lacy; all-academic - Notorious Goodlow; honorable mention - Jamari Jackson.
Signal Mountain: Braden Casner, Andrew Eichner, Logan Farr, Nate Menzel; all-academic - Caldwell Payne.
Sweetwater: Simon Blomstrom, Jovan Johnkins, Austin Long; all-academic - Ty Ezell.
Region 4-3A
(Only local players listed)
All-region team
Grundy County: first team - Andrew Barrett, Josh Childers, Jacob Dixon, Jordan Hackworth; second team - Trenton Ashley, Dawson Misolek; honorable mention - Holden Hargis.
Sequatchie County: first team - Austin McCurry, Austin Moffitt; second team - Peyton Campbell.
Region 2-4A
(Only local players listed)
Offensive player of the year: Cameron Sanders (East Ridge); newcomer of the year: Evan Scharzl (Central).
All-region team
Central: Perry Armour, London Martin, Chris Nichols, Kenny Shadden, Mike Watson; all-academic - James Richardson.
East Hamilton: Juan Bullard, Kaunyae Burgans, Jason Brumlow, Calloway Covington, Haynes Eller, Jeremiah Flemmons, Walter Lindsey, Blaine Savage, Brandon Williams; all-academic - Gavin Galloway.
East Ridge: Latrel Adair, Shane Alford, Dedrick Chambliss, Chris Diaz, Desmon Drake, Dejuan Norris, Cameron Sanders; all-academic - Dino Sabic.
Hixson: Braxton Burton, Eugen Callahan, Niyke Logan, Davon Maples, Landon Moore, Parrish Pacetti; all-academic - Bradley Woodall.
Howard: Davon Ballard, London Cross, Jacobi Dixon, DeOriean Elder, Myles Houston, Jamal Macon, Willie Owens, Jermichael Young; all-academic - Angelo Appling.
Region 4-5A
MVP: Dalton Hampton (Rhea County); offensive player of the year: Tucker Pope (Walker Valley); defensive player of the year: Drew Fisher (Rhea County); special teams player of the year: Brody Stafford (Walker Valley); running back of the year: Ethan Davis (Rhea County); offensive lineman of the year: Hunter Callahan (Walker Valley); quarterback of the year: Isaac Barnes (Soddy-Daisy); wide receiver of the year: Logan Ricketts (Soddy-Daisy); defensive lineman of the year: Langford Jadon (Walker Valley); linebacker of the year: Austin Brackett (Rhea County); defensive back of the year: Lane Miller (Walker Valley); kicker of the year: Luke Miller (Rhea County); newcomer of the year: Caleb Martin (Rhea County); coach of the year: Drew Akins (Walker Valley); assistant of the year: Taylor Harvey (Walker Valley).
All-region team
Rhea County: Jayden Goodwin, Jadden Pankey, Amari Roddy, Gavin Roddy, Cole Ruehling, Justin Woody; all-academic - Eli Johnson.
Soddy-Daisy: Dakota Clayton, Jameson Koch, Landon Maynor, Rhett Stottlemire; all-academic - Landon Lewis.
Walker Valley: Daniel Denton, Eli Denton, Spencer Jackson, Kallum Lowe, Skyler Mullins; all-academic - Kyler Tjaarda.
Region 2-6A
(Only local players listed)
MVP: Jalen Hunt (McMinn County); offensive player of the year: Javon Burke (Bradley Central); lineman of the year: Bryce Goodner (McMinn County); sophomore of the year: Jayden Miller (McMinn County).
All-region team
Bradley Central: first team - Gabe Campbell, Camden Creighton, Kanon Hall, C.J. Hardy, Kins Hooper, Aiden McClary; second team - Isaiah Arnold, Marcus Goree Jr., Karter Howard; all-academic - Brody Morgan.
Cleveland: first team - Tetoe Boyd, Ben Gray, Kley McGowan and Evan Neal, Destun Thomas; second team - Drew Lambert, Nic Nicodemus, Tate O'Bryan; all-academic - Gage Kinsey.
McMinn County: first team - Kutler Blackwell, Noah Brown, Jaryd Gable, Jalan James, Bode Patton, Garrett Priest, Devon Turner; second team - Aiden Bautsch, Nick Bottoms, Hayden Hinkle, Cade Hipps; all-academic - Will Harris.
Ooltewah: first team - Jaden Carmichael, Braedon Haynes, Cam Hollis, Fisher Perry; all-academic - Cole Steele.
All-Division II-A East
(Only local players listed)
Grace Baptist: Noah Bastin, Joe Colbaugh.
Division II-AAA East
(Only local players listed)
Defensive player of year: Aaron Crowder (McCallie).
All-region team
Baylor: Eli Bowen, Sam Christensen, Elijah Howard, Neyland Jean, Riley Jenne, Heath Snodgrass; honorable mention - John Emendorfer, DaCorian Jones-Montgomery, Matthew Smith, Carson Yates.
McCallie: Jack Conklin, Austin Gentle, B.J. Harris, Michael May, Eric Rivers, Nic Robinson, JD Tessman; honorable mention - Jackson Burns, Jack Gentle, Jose Osa, Kenzy Paul.