MUS heads to Cookeville for second time in three years
This week is the final week of high school football before the Blue Cross Bowl state championships in Cookeville. Memphis has two teams — one private school and one public school — left in the hunt. Here are five takeaways as we head into the TSSAA public school semifinals.
MUS makes second DII-AAA state title game in three years
MUS is heading back to Cookeville after a dramatic 49-42 comeback road win Friday night. The Owls trailed Montgomery Bell Academy by 14 with 6:07 remaining in the third quarter but tied the game after a Jordan Helton returned an interception for a touchdown and an 81-yard touchdown pass from Edwin Shy to Clarkson Shoaf. MUS scored two more touchdowns in the fourth to secure the victory. MUS is set to take on Mccallie in the DII-AAA state title game at 7 p.m. on Dec. 3 at Tennessee Tech.
Bartlett one win away from first trip to Blue Cross Bowl
Bartlett is in the state semifinals for the first time since 1999, and the Panthers would clinch the first Blue Cross Bowl berth in school history if they beat Brentwood on Friday night. Bartlett blew out region foe Collierville, 35-7, in its quarterfinal game, and Brentwood beat Franklin 55-34. The winner will face the winner of the Maryville-oakland game on Dec. 5 in Cookeville.
ECS loses to Lipscomb Academy
There won't be an ECS-CPA rematch in the DII-AA state title game this year because ECS dropped its semifinal home game against Lipscomb Academy, 56-13. Tucker White rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown in the loss. Lipscomb will take on last year's state runner-up CPA at 11 a.m. on Thursday in Cookeville.
No more Desoto County teams left after Hernando loss
All eight Desoto County high school football teams are done for the season after Hernando fell 41-26 to Oxford. Reed Flanagan caught a pair of touchdowns in the loss. Oxford, which won the state title last year, is set to take on Clinton in the MHSAA Class 6A North Half state title game.
Can Memphis avoid 2nd-straight year with no public school teams in Blue Cross Bowl?
Bartlett is the only Memphis-area public school remaining in the TSSAA playoffs. No Memphis-area public school teams made it to Cookeville last year. Clearly, this year was unprecedented with all of Shelby County Schools sitting out because of COVID-19. But, the fact that it happened last year indicates that it could become a pattern if things don't change quickly.