REGION 3-3A

Team to beat: With Division I prospects all around the field and a very experienced senior class, Red Bank looks extremely capable of winning its fourth region title in five years.

Watch out for: Brainerd won only one game last year, but the Panthers have been working hard this offseason to surprise some folks, and sophomore lineman Demetrius Locklin (6-3, 310) could play a part in that.

Best game: Two state champion hopefuls in Red Bank and Class 1A’s South Pittsburg will face off on Sept. 25. The Pirates will host the highly anticipated game that was canceled last year due to lightning.

Dream schedule: Loudon hosts Red Bank to close the regular season on Oct. 30 as it tries to beat the Lions for the third straight time — and perhaps repeat as region champion.

Nightmare schedule: Brainerd travels to Baylor and Howard for its first two games. The Panthers’ first five opponents this year had a combined record of 54-18 in 2019.

Players to watch: Red Bank junior running back Reco Trimble is capable of being a home-run threat for a team with lots of weapons. He and receiver Kel Eddins are both also standout defensive backs who can do a little bit of everything on the football field. Senior defensive lineman Jadon High has grown a lot this offseason for Red Bank, which also returns Cam Bell, who had 15 tackles for loss in 2019. Signal Mountain’s Braden Casner was a touchdown machine last year while sharing time at running back. He will once again be set up for success behind a strong offensive line. Brainerd’s Xiyeer Lattimore is hungry to be great on the field and has worked tirelessly this offseason to be a major playmaker on both sides of the ball.