It’s the most wonderful time of the year, especially if you love high school football. This week the best 18 teams in the state will square off to see who the champions will be. Last year the Eastern part of the state came home with the most gold balls and four of their six teams are big favorites. Middle Tennessee has nine teams and could win the most championships this year.
However, there are no losers here at all. What an honor it is for any school, team, coach, player or community to make it this far, but somebody has to win so here are our picks.
Division 2
Class A- Friendship Christian over Middle TN Christian. MTCS won the first game but FCS has been on fire and their defense held 2A York to just one TD. The Commanders repeat.
Class AA- CPA over Boyd Buchannan. Gary Rankin has taken Boyd to the championship game in just his second year at the school but :ions look to be just too tough. CPA gets back at Rankin for some Blue Cross defeats from their old 3A years.
Class AAA- Baylor over McCallie. Another all Chattanooga final. What a game this will be. No way to pick this game with any certainly but isn’t it Baylor’s time?
Division 1
1A- South Pittsburg over McKenzie. The Pirates have just steam rolled their way to a perfect season but McKenzie has been here before. South Pitt in a high scoring game.
2A- East Robertson over Riverside. Another toss up game but East Robertson has too many athletes and wins the game.
3A- Alcoa over East Nashville- Most of the state will be rooting for East Nashville but they are playing a 6A team in talent and it will be just too much. Will Alcoa ever move up in classification or are Gold Bowls their only reason for playing?
4A- Pearl Cohn Over Upperman. What a season for the Bees but this Pearl Cohn team is loaded. It could be close bit the Firebirds have too much firepower.
5A- Knox West over Page. Knox West has been the team to beat all season and what they did to Powell was impressive. Page just won’t quit and always seems a way to find a way to win but I have to go with West.
6A- Oakland over Houston. So you thought Oakland was done for. Not so fast my friends. The Patriots have come back with a vengeance. Houston has been so impressive and just beat down an undefeated Brentwood team but it is Oakland.