Prep football playoff capsules

Tennessee

(All games at Tennessee Tech University's Tucker Stadium)

DIVISION II-AA

Thursday, Dec. 2, 8 p.m. EST kickoff

Baylor Red Raiders (10-1) vs. Ensworth Tigers (9-2)

The coaches: Baylor's Phil Massey; Ensworth's Ricky Bowers

Playoffs to date: Both teams had first-round byes. Baylor was a No. 2 seed in its half of the bracket, Ensworth a No. 1. Baylor defeated McCallie 28-14 and Battle Ground Academy 33-14; Ensworth won over Montgomery Bell Academy 35-14 and Brentwood Academy 20-19.

Playoff history: Baylor has a 19-21 record in 22 playoff games and entered the season having played 27 different teams. The Red Raiders went 1-1 in the 2009 postseason, beating St. Benedict 42-10 and then losing to eventual state champion MUS 38-7. Ensworth has a playoff record of 2-3 but reached the semifinals in 2007 and 2008. The Tigers lost to MBA in the first round last year.

Things you may not know: Ensworth defeated Baylor 41-29 in Week 9 of the regular season. ... Among Bowers' assistants are former Alabama standout linebacker Lemanski Hall and Ingle Martin, the former MBA quarterback who signed with Florida and then transferred to Furman. Before a brief pro career, Martin led Furman to a two-year record of 21-6 over the 2004-2005 seasons. ... Among the Baylor coaching staff are former University of Tennessee standouts Eric Westmoreland and Victor McClure. ... Ensworth, the day it played Baylor, learned that future Southeastern Conference lineman Antonio Richardson was transferring to Pearl-Cohn and it caused multiple changes in their offensive schemes. As Bowers said in a postgame conversation, the Tigers coaching staff was making adjustments for most of the bus trip to Baylor. ... For those who don't recall, running back Corn Elder picked up 260 yards and quarterback Drew Parker completed 15 of 20 passes for 253 yards as the Tigers rolled up 608 yards of offense. ... Despite that Baylor was still in position to with the game with 6:35 left in the game following quarterback and UTC commitment Jacob Huesman's fourth touchdown run. ... In case you missed it, the week after he committed to UTC, Huesman received and declined an offer from Georgia Tech. ... Both teams have had 13 days to prepare for this game although Massey gave his players three days off following Wednesday's morning practice.


CLASS 1A

Friday, Dec. 3, 1 p.m. EST kickoff

South Pittsburg Pirates (11-2) vs. Joe Byrns Red Devils (14-0)

The coaches: South Pittsburg's Vic Grider, Joe Byrns' Tom Adkins

Playoffs to date: Both teams had first-round byes. South Pitt won over Moore County 49-14, Gordonsville 32-21 and Coalfield 54-6; Jo Byrns defeated Collinwood and Wayne County by identical 28-14 scores before knocking off Perry County 45-12.

Playoff history: South Pittsburg has been to the playoffs in 28 seasons, winning a state championship as recently as 2007. All told the Pirates have three state titles in seven trips to the championship game. That 2007 title, a 52-20 victory over McKenzie, polished off a 15-0 season. Jo Byrns got to the championship in 2008 but lost 31-14 to Trousdale County. The Red Devils have been to the playoffs in 15 years and now possess a 16-15 record entering the title game.

Things you may not know: This will be Jo Byrns' first postseason outing against a Chattanooga area team. ... The Red Devils are back-to-back district champions. They were 11-0 last year before falling to Wayne County in the second round. ... They're led by junior and second-year starting quarterback Brandon Adkins, who had passed for 1,885 yards through 12 games while completing 71 percent of his passes. His favorite receivers have been Will Brown (5-8, 160), Brandon Holt (5-10, 1712) and Christopher Corbin (5-7, 150). They have a touted running game, though, with two thousand-yard rushers (Frankie Traughber (5-9, 176) and Holt (5-10, 172). While Traughber had 1,130 rushing yards through 12 games, Holt had 1,236 rushing and another 470 receiving. ... Adkins actually has five receivers with 13 or more catches. ... South Pittsburg is Raquis Hale and more Raquis Hale. The senior has amassed 2,229 yards with 845 of that coming in the last three weeks. He had a 293-yard effort with four TDs on Friday. His backup, Jijuan Lankford, ripped off a fourth-quarter, 82-yard run. But the Pirates are spreading their wings again offensively and quarterback Travis Millard is coming off a 6-of-9 showing with three of those throws going to speedy Antonio Chubb, who finished with 78 yards and a TD.


CLASS 2A

Saturday, Dec. 4, 1 p.m. EST kickoff

Signal Mountain Eagles (13-0) vs. Trinity Christian Lions (9-4)

The coaches: Signal's Bill Price; Trinity Christian's Michael Hodum

Playoffs to date: Both teams had first-round byes. Signal Mountain won over Friendship Christian 56-43, Trousdale County 46-36 and Boyd-Buchanan 51-12. Trinity Christian bested Peabody 37-17, Humboldt 12-7 and McKenzie 27-26 in overtime.

Playoff history: Signal Mountain has made the playoffs in each of its two years of varsity football. The Eagles were 1-1 last year and 4-1 overall. Trinity Christian, like Signal Mountain, is making history with its first state championship showing. The Lions are now 8-6 in playoff games dating back to their first appearance in 2001. They have never played a team from the Chattanooga area in the postseason.

Things you may not know: Eight games into the season Trinity Christian was a .500 club. Since that time, though, the Lions have strung together five straight wins including the last-minute -- and unexpected -- one-point win in overtime over McKenzie. ... Their largest margin of victory was a 48-0 shutout of 1-9 Scotts Hill and they also posted a 53-6 win over 1-9 Middleton. ... Most points they have given up was 35 in a 14-point loss to Jackson Christian in early September. ... Trinity Christian averaged 27.5 points per game to date but only 19.3 in the playoffs. The defense has been relatively steady all season, allowing 16.3 in the playoffs and 16.5 for the year. ... Signal Mountain has been an offensive juggernaut behind quarterback Hogan Whitmire, receivers Jon Patton, Alex McGhee, Will Queen and Reese Phillips and running backs Donnie Garner, Darien Hogans, Zach Bowman, Andrew Price, Gervell Morgan and Mitchell Hall. Whitmire, who has thrown for more than 2,000 yards, and linebacker Morgan were Mr. Football finalists. ... Price is the team's only 100-yard rusher and did it for the second time this season in last week's game, but his uncle, the coach, believes in a solid rotation and situational backs depending on a need for power, speed or bruises or any of those combinations. . . While the Eagles' passing game has been superlative with their lanky receivers (all are 6-1 or better), the running game produced 403 yards against the Buccaneers. That included an 18-play drive to open the second half and chewed more than seven minutes off the clock before kicker Dane DeWet's 29-yard field goal. ... The Lions are 3-0 this year in games played at neutral sites. ... The Lions show 38 players on their roster including six freshmen. ... Their go-to offensive standout is quarterback Jabriel Washington, who also is a team captain along with defensive back/wingback Blake Spurgeon. ... Washington has thrown for 2,003 years with 19 TDs and eight interceptions and also has run for 874 yards (212 carries). He has accounted for 32 touchdowns. ... Washington also is fourth on the team in tackles behind J.J. Tomlin, Davis Orange and Spurgeon. Orange, a defensive lineman, led the way through 12 games with 126 stops but all four had topped the 100-tackle plateau.


Georgia

Friday, Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m. EST kickoff

Columbus Carver Tigers (13-0) at Calhoun Yellow Jackets (13-0)

The coaches: Calhoun's Hal Lamb; Carver's Dell McGee

Playoffs to date: Calhoun defeated Manchester 44-8, Westminster 36-19 and Fitzgerald 31-13. Carver shut out Pepperell 35-0 and defeated Greater Atlanta Christian 21-7 and Thomasville 41-14.

Things you may not know: Carver lists just 27 players on its roster but 16 of those are seniors and no freshmen are named. ... Carver has now rushed for more than 3,000 yards and 41 TDs behind an offensive line that includes South Carolina commitment Quincy McKinney (6-4, 295), Gabriel Wright (6-4, 285), Alex Spencer (6-4, 275) and Eric Spencer (6-2, 250). ... The Tigers' top offensive performer, Isaiah Crowell, has missed much of the season with an injury, but put on a show last week when he rushed for 305 yards and five TDs. The 6-foot, 205-pounder, ranked by ESPN as the nation's top running back prospect, reportedly has more than two dozen offers including Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Clemson and Florida State. Crowell clocked a 10.939 100-meter dash at the Georgia state track meet last spring. ... Carver has averaged 33.7 points per game while allowing just 55 (4.2 ppg in season and 7.0 ppg in playoffs). ... They have six shutouts including the playoff opener. ... Calhoun has averaged 41.1 points per game (37.0 in the playoffs) and the defensive has two shutouts and has held eight opponents of 9 points or less including a 44-8 first-round playoff win. ... Calhoun's top performers include quarterback Landon Curtis, receiver J.T. Palmer and running back Dustin Christian on offense and Hunter Knight and Gus Roberts on defense. ... Heading into last week's game, Curtis had thrown for more than 2,000 yards and 28 TDs with but one interception. He added two more TD tosses Friday. ... Christian was averaging 116 yards per game and had a 155-yard night last week. ... Knight and Roberts and joined defensively by Alex Kirby, the team's leading tackler, and Gabe Freeman, who's No. 3 on the tackle charts. Kirby has a team-high 20 tackles for loss.

Things you may not know: Carver lists just 27 players on its roster but 16 of those are seniors and no freshmen are named. ... Carver has now rushed for more than 3,000 yards and 41 TDs behind an offensive line that includes South Carolina commitment Quincy McKinney (6-4, 295), Gabriel Wright (6-4, 285), Alex Spencer (6-4, 275) and Eric Spencer (6-2, 250). ... The Tigers' top offensive performer, Isaiah Crowell, has missed much of the season with an injury, but put on a show last week when he rushed for 305 yards and five TDs. The 6-foot, 205-pounder, ranked by ESPN as the nation's top running back prospect, reportedly has more than two dozen offers including Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Clemson and Florida State. Crowell clocked a 10.939 100-meter dash at the Georgia state track meet last spring. ... Carver has averaged 33.7 points per game while allowing just 55 (4.2 ppg in season and 7.0 ppg in playoffs). ... They have six shutouts including the playoff opener. ... Calhoun has averaged 41.1 points per game (37.0 in the playoffs) and the defensive has two shutouts and has held eight opponents of 9 points or less including a 44-8 first-round playoff win. ... Calhoun's top performers include quarterback Landon Curtis, receiver J.T. Palmer and running back Dustin Christian on offense and Hunter Knight and Gus Roberts on defense. ... Heading into last week's game, Curtis had thrown for more than 2,000 yards and 28 TDs with but one interception. He added two more TD tosses Friday. ... Christian was averaging 116 yards per game and had a 155-yard night last week. ... Knight and Roberts and joined defensively by Alex Kirby, the team's leading tackler, and Gabe Freeman, who's No. 3 on the tackle charts. Kirby has a team-high 20 tackles for loss.

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