Here are four of the best prep football games to watch Friday night in the Chattanooga area.
Baylor (5-0, 2-0) at McCallie (5-1, 0-1): For the past two years, this rivalry’s regular-season renewal has been a tune-up for a state championship rematch two months later in the BlueCross Bowl at Finley Stadium. That could be the case once again as both enter this TSSAA Division II-AAA East Region matchup ranked among the nation’s top 25 prep football teams, according to MaxPreps.
Baylor’s offense has been firing on all cylinders so far, scoring an average of 45 points per game this season on the strength of senior quarterback Briggs Cherry’s ability to exploit deep-ball opportunities and connect with speedy receivers Kaiden Dewey and Jamyan Theodore. Junior running back David Gabriel-Georges, who was held out of last week’s game with a lower-body injury, is the X-factor with a rare blend of speed, power and elusiveness. He can turn any carry into an explosive play.
McCallie’s strength is on defense, where linebacker Cooper Gentle ranks among the area leaders in tackles for loss and rush end Fischer French can both harass quarterbacks and shut down running lanes. Those two standouts plus a veteran secondary led by senior captain Malakai Jacob help set a physical tone that tends to wear opponents down.
Walker Valley (5-1, 3-0) at East Hamilton (6-0, 2-0): The Mustangs and the host Hurricanes are rocking heading into their Region 3-5A clash — Walker Valley has won four games in a row, while East Hamilton hasn’t lost since the playoffs last November — and the rankings show little separation. East Hamilton is No. 6 in the TSWA’s Class 5A poll and ranked No. 29 in the state (regardless of classification) by MaxPreps; Walker Valley is No. 7 and No. 30.
Walker Valley, which allowed an average of 14.3 points per game, will be tasked with trying to stop an opponent that ranks fourth in Tennessee in scoring with 46.7 points per game. Hurricanes senior Jaden Haywood is the current state leader with 23 touchdowns this season.
East Hamilton’s secondary will face its toughest aerial attack as Chase Stephens spreads the ball around well to towering 6-foot-4 receivers Sawyer Boyd (103.2 yards per game), Roman Eulo (93.0) and Luke Hayden (79.3), who have combined for 22 touchdowns.
In 2023, the Mustangs won the region title (with their lone league loss to East Hamilton) and advanced to the state quarterfinals; last year, it was the Hurricanes. This game could again be pivotal to determining a champion.
Knoxville Grace (4-1, 3-0) at Boyd Buchanan (5-0, 3-0): After a rather breezy schedule in the first half of the season, the competition level heats up dramatically for the host Buccaneers in a battle for the top spot in Division II-AA’s East Region between two state-ranked teams.
No. 2 Boyd Buchanan, coming off an open date, has had two weeks to prepare for a prolific offense that features freshman JV Stinson (886 rushing yards, nine touchdowns) and senior Jace Ballard (492 receiving yards, 308 rushing yards, 17 touchdowns). The duo combined for 592 of the fifth-ranked Rams’ 601 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in a 70-40 region win over Knoxville Webb.
The Bucs have allowed just 7.7 points in region play as Mason Bates and Zach Gilbert have set the tone up front for Boyd Buchanan’s defense.
Red Bank (1-4, 1-0) at Signal Mountain (3-3, 1-0): The Lions have taken hit after hit against a tough row of nonregion foes that has Red Bank’s strength of schedule ranked No. 3 in its classification. However, losses to Rhea County, Tyner, Bradley Central and South Pittsburg could prove to help them rule Region 3-4A.
Signal Mountain has won two in a row and is coming off its most complete performance of the season, last week’s 44-0 win over Brainerd. After rushing for 318 yards in their region opener against Sequoyah, the Eagles’ offensive line will face its greatest test yet against Lions senior defensive end Eugene Robinson.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com and Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com.
Staff file photo by Matt Hamilton / Boyd Buchanan’s Mason Bates (49) is a key player on defense for TSSAA Division II-AA’s second-ranked Buccaneers, who host Knoxville Grace this week.
AREA PREP FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Thursday, Oct. 2
TENNESSEE
Brainerd at Meigs County, 7:30
East Ridge at Cumberland County, 8
Friday, Oct. 3
TENNESSEE
All games begin at 7 p.m. local time unless noted
Baylor at McCallie, 7:45
Bledsoe County at Marion County
Knoxville Grace at Boyd Buchanan
Central at Hixson
Chattanooga Christian at Christian Academy of Knoxville
Christian County (Ky.) at South Pittsburg
Cleveland at Bradley Central
Knoxville Central at McMinn County
Knoxville Webb at Notre Dame
Lenoir City at Rhea County
Lookout Valley at Copper Basin, 7:30
McMinn Central at Kingston
Midway at Whitwell
Ooltewah at Soddy Daisy
Pigeon Forge at Polk County
Red Bank at Signal Mountain
Sale Creek at Howard, 7:30
Silverdale Baptist at Lakeway Christian
Walker Valley at East Hamilton
Watertown at Sequatchie County
GEORGIA
All games begin at 7:30 p.m.
Coahulla Creek at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe
Dade County at Gordon Lee
Fannin at Chattooga
Gilmer at Heritage
Gordon Central at Christian Heritage
Northwest Whitfield at LaFayette
Ridgeland at Calhoun
Ringgold at Union County
Trion at Mount Zion-Carroll
Saturday, Oct. 4
TENNESSEE
Tyner vs. Chattanooga Prep at Howard, 7:30