Region 3-2A

Team to beat: With 13 total starters returning — seven offensive, six defensive — as well as a 14-game region win streak, Tyner is favored to claim its fourth straight league title.

Watch out for: Marion County brings back the majority of its starters — eight on both sides of the ball — and will be under the direction of Dale Pruitt, who guided the program to consecutive seven-win seasons in his previous stint with the Warriors. Besides solid experience, overall roster numbers are better and the Warriors have more team speed than they had the past two seasons.

Best game: When Tyner hosts Marion County on Sept. 18 the region title could be decided.

Dream schedule: Bledsoe County’s non-region opponents went a combined 15-39 last season. The Warriors also host region favorite Tyner.

Nightmare schedule: Polk County, which will be trying to snap an 11-game losing streak, has a non-region slate that includes last year’s 2A state runner-up Meigs County plus Region 3-3A champ and 13-game winner Loudon.

Players to watch: Tyner’s Jeremiah Sawyer is an all-state caliber athlete at both running back and linebacker while veterans Jailin Worthy and Jamarion Varnell anchor a stout offensive line. Sophomore Jersey Chubb could be in for a breakout season. Marion County junior Taye Hutchins is athletic enough to play any skill position and senior Alex Nunez should provide good leadership in the offensive backfield as well as at linebacker. Bledsoe County quarterback Harmon Keith is back after totaling more than 1,400 yards and 16 TDs last year.