TONIGHT’S AREA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL MATCHUPS
OOLTEWAH OWLS (2-2, 1-0) AT BRADLEY CENTRAL BEARS (3-1, 1-0)
Bears QB Aiden McClary has completed 43 of 60 passes this season for 588 yards with no interceptions and four touchdowns, all of them to Kanon Hall, who has 24 catches for 379 yards. Bradley Central freshman Marcus Goree Jr. has 14 tackles and two interceptions as part of a secondary that has allowed only 145 passing yards over the past two games, and he has also blocked a field goal. Ooltewah QB Fisher Perry totaled 174 yards last week in a 56-14 loss to McMinn County. The Owls’ defense will be put to the challenge again in a Region 2-6A matchup by facing versatile athlete Javon Burke, who has averaged 119 yards per game and 6.9 yards per carry this year, having broken out for 177 yards and two scores last week against Bearden.
CHRISTIAN ACADEMY OF KNOXVILLE WARRIORS (4-0, 0-0) SILVERDALE BAPTIST ACADEMY AT SEAHAWKS (2-1, 1-0)
The Seahawks might have the rare combination of fresh legs and momentum heading into this Division II-AA East Region matchup. In their most recent game, they were given a major boost by senior Ben Bambrey, who had 14 tackles (four for loss) and one of four sacks in a 31-13 home victory over region foe Notre Dame two weeks ago. Silverdale will rely on RB Connor Delashmitt, who has 63 carries for 406 yards and seven touchdowns, but sophomore QB Turner Junkins averaged 190 yards his past two games and WRs Cameron and Noah Bowen have combined for 329 yards and accounted for at least one TD in every game this season. The Warriors beat Silverdale 28-14 last season.
CHATTANOOGA CHRISTIAN CHARGERS (1-2, 0-0) VS. BOYD BUCHANAN BUCCANEERS (1-1, 0-1)
Finley Stadium hosts a high school game for the second straight week, and this time it’s a rematch of of a DII-AA East meeting that was a dandy last year: Boyd Buchanan led 21-10 before the Chargers responded with 21 unanswered points, including a 33-yard touchdown run by Traveon Scott to pull away late. Both programs entered the season with high expectations, but each team’s schedule has been altered amid the coronavirus pandemic. Scott is a powerful runner who put up 113 yards against Baylor this season, and m Baxter’s speed is another factor in the Chargers’ favor. Boyd Buchanan returns 2019 state Mr. Football semifinalist Eli Morris who, had 271 total yards and three scores in a loss at Knoxville Webb two weeks ago. The Bucs have another star in JaMichael McGoy Jr., who has been timed at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He had seven catches for 105 yards and a score, rushed for 32 yards on two carries and returned a kickoff 48 yards in his season debut.
NORTHWEST WHITFIELD BRUINS (2-0) AT NORTH MURRAY MOUNTAINEERS (0-0)
The key question in this intriguing matchup of teams that qualified for the 2019 GHSA playoffs: How much of an edge do Class AAAA’s Bruins have with two games under their belts and the Mountaineers just now opening the season? Northwest has established one of the area’s top passing games with sophomore QB Owen Brooker, who threw for five touchdowns last week against Gordon Central. He has a bevy of targets, led by Matt Redmond, Ray Morrison and Preston Nealey. North Murray reached the Class AAA quarterfinals last year, but coach Preston Poag’s team is breaking in 16 new starters, including QB Seth Griffin. Poag will rely heavily on senior RB D’Ante Tidwell, Murray County transfer Cade Petty and two-way threat Noah Lunsford for yards.
LAFAYETTE RAMBLERS (0-1) AT GORDON LEE TROJANS (2-0)
The Ramblers are coming off a loss to Model in which they led 20-7 after three quarters but later allowed a long punt return for a score. Still, LaFayette’s dangerous offense was on display and will be counted on heavily in this game.
Jamario Clements, a Times Free Press Dynamite Dozen member, had an 82-yard touchdown run, and Jaylon Ramsey carried one in from 9 yards; both rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season. Gordon Lee is off to a 2-0 start for the second consecutive year and so far hasn’t had the injuries that derailed its 2019 season. The ground game has averaged better than 300 yards per game, with Cade Peterson, Bo Rhudy, Cody Thomas and QB Blake Groce all contributing.
RINGGOLD TIGERS (0-1) AT RIDGELAND PANTHERS (0-2)
The Tigers nearly rallied to win from 21 points down last week but fell a touchdown short against Heritage. Kyle White managed 165 passing yards against the stingy Generals, though a ground game led by Price Pennington and Peyton Williams was stymied most of the night. Those yards might be easier to come by against Ridgeland, which allowed a combined 87 points to Rabun County and Dalton. The Panthers allowed nearly 400 rushing yards to Dalton last Friday and will focus on eliminating the multitude of missed tackles that led to many of those yards. Ridgeland’s offense has moved the ball but has only seven points to show for it. The team’s huge offensive line hasn’t lived up to its billing yet, but this should be a favorable matchup that offers hope for unleashing backs KeSaun Eubanks and Jeremiah Turner.
CALHOUN YELLOW JACKETS (1-1) AT CEDARTOWN BULLDOGS (1-1)
Coach Clay Stephenson’s Jackets committed an unusual five turnovers — four of them interceptions — in last week’s 38-22 loss to McCallie at Finley Stadium. QB Christian Lewis had an up-and-down game: In addition to the picks, he also threw for three scores, two of them covering 99 and 70 yards to dangerous WR Cole Speer, whose 221 yards set a program record. The running game, though, was nonexistent, something Calhoun will need against a talented Cedartown defense led by Georgia recruit C.J. Washington, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound LB. The Bulldogs are coming off a 21-10 loss to Rockmart in which they threw three interceptions. Containing Jayden Johnson, who is committed to South Carolina and had 76 total yards a week ago, is the key for Calhoun’s defense.