Blackman football coach David Watson gives the offense a play during Monday’s 7-on-7 practice.

MURFREESBORO – Ten new starters will be on the football field when Blackman begins its first offensive series against Clay-Chalkville, Alabama, Aug. 22 in the Middle Tennessee Football Classic presented by Venture Express.

However, those replacements are ready for the challenge.

“We all have chips on our shoulders for sure,” Blackman quarterback Miller Armstrong said. “We all respect the guys that were here last year and what they did for this program. But we’re definitely ready to prove ourselves.”

Blackman quarterback Miller Armstrong takes a snap during Monday’s practice. Armstrong replaces Jauan Jennings at quarterback.

Armstrong started at linebacker in Blackman’s 3-4 defense in 2014 while backing up former quarterback Jauan Jennings, a Tennessee signee and Mr. Football winner. Armstrong was 3-of-7 passing for 79 yards with one touchdown and an interception in limited action.

However, he is far from being alone as newcomers on the field.

Matthew Leifheit, who started at tight end last season, is the lone starter returning. And he will play a new position this season after moving to tackle.

“I think they feel like they have a chip on their shoulders just because they are competitive,” Blackman first-year coach David Watson said. “Competitive kids want to prove themselves whether we have 10 starters returning or five.

Blackman first-year football coach David Watson talks to his team after Monday’s practice. Watson must replace 10 starters on offense.

“If we had 10 guys returning and Miller was the only one not returning, he would want to prove himself as a quarterback. It’s just natural.”

Blackman finished 11-2 in 2014, falling to Oakland in the Class 6A state quarterfinals. The Blaze were ranked statewide and nationally during the season.

Of the 10 starters who graduated, seven signed college football scholarships.

Joining Jennings as signees were Navy signees Charlie Davidson, Quentin Hardy and Ronnie Killings. Offensive linemen Caleb Lafleur and Micah Cale each signed with East Tennessee State and receiver Lorel Morton signed with Cumberland University.

Taeler Dowdy, who rushed for 380 yards on 55 carries as a junior, enters the season as the starter at running back. He said he believes the offense will be successful despite the new bodies.

“We are looking forward to proving people wrong,” Dowdy said. “People don’t think we can have a championship run.”

Dowdy said the offense hasn’t changed much with the new personnel and new head coach.

Blake Taylor, who reeled in a 46-yard TD reception for his lone catch of the season, acknowledged it will be difficult to replace the Blaze’s top three receivers from a year ago in Killings, Hardy and Morton. The trio combined for 87 catches and 1,547 yards with 19 TDs.

“They are great receivers, and all three are going to play college football,” Taylor said. “We have a lot of young players that are starting to step up.

“I played behind Ronnie Killings. He was a great mentor for me. He helped me become the player I hope to be this year.”

Contact Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 or tkreager@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kreager.

Blackman wide receiver Michael Harris pulls in a pass during Monday’s practice.

Oakland, Pulaski Academy disagree on canceled game

Oakand first-year football coach Kevin Creasy must find another game since Pulaski Academy in Arkansas will not play the Patriots. The schools disagree about the reason.

MURFREESBORO – Oakland High’s football schedule for this season just got another challenge.

That challenge? Finding a 10th game.

Oakland first-year football coach Kevin Creasy told The Daily News Journal Tuesday that he found out recently that Pulaski Academy, Arkansas, had replaced the Patriots with Wynne, Arkansas, for its Week 4 game Sept. 11. Oakland was scheduled to travel to Pulaski Academy in Little Rock that day.

Pulaski Academy was then scheduled to play Oakland in Murfreesboro in 2016.

That leaves Oakland scrambling to fill its regular-season schedule less than three weeks from when practice in pads begins.

“It truly was a misunderstanding by both teams,” Creasy said. “Maybe we can work something out next year.”

However, Pulaski Academy coach Kevin Kelley said there was no misunderstanding. He said he was told by Oakland athletic director Brad Cowan that the game was not going to be played.

“I was told to go find another game,” Kelley said. “We didn’t drop anybody. We got dropped.”

Creasy replaced former coach Thomas McDaniel in March after McDaniel resigned and took the same position at Christian Brothers, a private school in Memphis, a month earlier.

Creasy said he’s been told that a conversation did take place prior to him being hired that if Pulaski Academy could find a new opponent, Oakland would be fine with it as long as they were notified. However, Creasy said the school agreed to play Pulaski if the Arkansas team couldn’t find an opponent.

“The conversation that we believe took place was, ‘Let us know if you find can find another game, but if you don’t we will play you,'” Creasy said.

“At the end of the day, we believed that we were still playing them because they never called us back.”

Pulaski Academy is the defending Class 5A Arkansas champion, beating Wynne in the championship game.

Kelly said the team has not steered away from playing out of state teams, playing in California, Florida and Texas.

Oakland finished 12-2 this past season, losing to Maryville in a Class 6A state semifinal. Oakland is guaranteed a playoff berth under the new TSSAA Super 6 playoff system that gurantees all 32 teams in Class 6A a spot in the postseason.

Creasy said he has limited options to fill the Sept. 11 game, but has began a search to fill its 10th game. Ironically, Pulaski Academy was the 10th game scheduled by McDaniel prior to his resignation.

“Unfortunately, now we have to find another game,” Creasy said. “It’s very late to find out, which is frustrating.”

This marks the second time in two years that a Murfreesboro football team has been forced to scramble due to out-of-state programs finding other games.

Bowling Green, Kentucky, backed out of coming to Murfreesboro to play Blackman for the 2014 season, which led to the Blaze scheduling Hoover, Alabama, this past year.

Kelley said he believes that Creasy didn’t know the game was canceled.

“He wasn’t in on the conversation,” Kelley said. “But I was told to go find another game.”

Oakland could also fill the game with one during fall break Oct. 9. The Patriots have played during that break the past four years.

However, gate receipts are generally down that week due to school being out that week and families vacationing.

“We know how terrible it can be to have to play during your bye week during fall break,” Creasy said.

Creasy said he’s started a national search to find a 10th game. However, he’s not too optimistic that one will be found this close to the season.

“It’s going to be a challenge to find a 10th game now,” Creasy said.

Contact Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 or tkreager@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kreager.

Oakand first-year football coach Kevin Creasy must find another game after Pulaski Academy in Arkansas dropped the Patriots after finding a new game.

MURFREESBORO – Oakland High’s football schedule for this season just got another challenge.

That challenge? Finding a 10th game.

Oakland first-year football coach Kevin Creasy told The Daily News Journal Tuesday that he found out recently that Pulaski Academy, Arkansas, had replaced the Patriots with Wynne, Arkansas, for its Week 4 game Sept. 11. Oakland was scheduled to travel to Pulaski Academy in Little Rock that day.

Pulaski Academy was then scheduled to play Oakland in Murfreesboro in 2016.

That leaves Oakland scrambling to fill its regular-season schedule less than three weeks from when practice in pads begins.

“It truly was a misunderstanding by both teams,” Creasy said. “Maybe we can work something out next year.”

The misunderstanding came during the time that the Patriots were without a football coach. Former coach Thomas McDaniel resigned in February to take the same position at Christian Brothers in Memphis. Creasy was hired in March.

However, Creasy said his team was prepared to travel to Little Rock in September and play the contest. The program had even raised money for travel expenses.

Pulaski Academy is the defending Class 5A Arkansas champion, beating Wynne in the championship game.

Oakland finished 12-2 this past season, losing to Maryville in a Class 6A state semifinal. Oakland is guaranteed a playoff berth under the new TSSAA Super 6 playoff system that gurantees all 32 teams in Class 6A a spot in the postseason.

Creasy said he has limited options to fill the Sept. 11 game, but has began a search to fill its 10th game. Ironically, Pulaski Academy was the 10th game scheduled by McDaniel prior to his resignation.

“Unfortunately, now we have to find another game,” Creasy said. “It’s very late to find out, which is frustrating.”

This marks the second time in two years that a Murfreesboro football team has been forced to scramble due to out-of-state programs.

Bowling Green, Kentucky, backed out of coming to Murfreesboro to play Blackman for the 2014 season, which led to the Blaze scheduling Hoover, Alabama, this past year.

Oakland could also fill the game with one during fall break Oct. 9. The Patriots have played during that break the past four years.

However, gate receipts are generally down that week due to school being out that week and families vacationing.

“We know how terrible it can be to have to play during your bye week during fall break,” Creasy said.

Creasy said he’s started a national search to find a 10th game. However, he’s not too optimistic that one will be found this close to the season.

“It’s going to be a challenge to find a 10th game now,” Creasy said.

Contact Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 or tkreager@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kreager.

Blackman running back Charlie Davidson is hit by Oakland’s Tyler Black, right, as Oakland’s Cameron Newman closes in on the left in the first half of the play-off quarterfinal Friday, Nov. 21, 2014 at Blackman. Oakland won 20-9.

Football

50 questions about new gridiron season

By Tom Kreager

The Daily News Journal

MURFREESBORO – Here are 50 questions for Rutherford County football teams before Siegel opens the football season at Ravenwood Aug. 20:

1. Which will be the top Rutherford County team in Class 6A in 2015?

The early favorites (in order) are Riverdale, Oakland and Blackman. Please note. No Rutherford County team has won back-to-back league titles since the TSSAA went to six classes.

2. How will bumping down to Class 5A help La Vergne and Stewarts Creek?

Stewarts Creek’s three wins in school history have come against teams that will be in 5A or lower in 2015. That bodes well for the third-year school, which should be beginning to build depth.

La Vergne is not only a playoff contender in 5A, but could make a serious postseason run with what it returns from last year’s 6A playoff team.

3. Who will be the leading rusher in Rutherford County in 2015?

Siegel senior Greedy Howse is the preseason favorite after rushing for 980 yards in just nine games in 2014. He is the leading returning rusher in the county.

Siegel’s Greedy Howse is the returning rushing leader in Rutherford County.

4. Who has the toughest schedule for 2015?

It’s probably a coin flip between Blackman and Oakland. Blackman’s non-region schedule includes Clay-Chalkville (Alabama), McCallie and Tucker (Georgia). Oakland’s non-region slate includes Hoover (Alabama), Pulaski Academy (Arkansas) and Hillsboro.

See complete article: Here

End of dead period means football season closer
High school football classic building momentum

High schools, teams prepare for competition

Blackman High School

Blackman’s newcomers ready for their turn

Oakland High School

Oakland QBs begin battle for starting role
Oakland, Pulaski Academy disagree on canceled game

Riverdale High School

Transfer competing for Riverdale QB job

Oakland junior Cody Miller is competing with Brendan Matthews for the starting quarterback position.

Oakland junior Cody Miller is competing with Brendan Matthews for the starting quarterback position.

Oakland junior Cody Miller is competing with Brendan Matthews for the starting quarterback position.

MURFREESBORO – Cody Miller and Brendan Matthews held backup quarterback roles in 2014.

That will change for one of the two Oakland signal callers this year.

Which one? It may take over a month for that decision to be made.

Miller and Matthews — both rising juniors — started what could be the biggest position battle for the upcoming season earlier this week with the start of practice.

Oakland junior Brendan Matthews, an Independence transfer, is competing with Cody Miller for the starting quarterback position.

“Competition is what makes the world go round,” Oakland coach Kevin Creasy said. “As long as there is competition, there are people that are going to have to fight for a job.

“The worst-case scenario is that we are going to have one guy shine over the other. But more than likely we are going to have two quarterbacks that can play — maybe three.”

Matthews and Miller took turns taking snaps on Tuesday during the Patriots’ passing drills. Both had their share of good moments. And both missed on passes at times.

But both showed they are feasible candidates for the starting role.

Oakland, which finished 12-2 in 2014, played three quarterbacks in 2014.

Christian Haffner began the season as the starter with Miller backing up. JaCorey Smith became the starter near halfway through the regular season after coming back from a broken collarbone. But Smith graduated and Haffner moved away.

Both Matthews and Miller have game-time experience.

Matthews, who transferred from Independence when his dad, Mike Matthews, was named an Oakland assistant, completed 25-of-38 passes for 397 yards with two touchdowns as a backup to Andrew Bunch. Matthews played at Father Ryan his freshman season.

And Miller, who has been a backup on the varsity at Oakland his first two years, completed 34-of-59 passes for 461 yards with five touchdowns.

“It’s always fun competing and trying to win the spot,” Miller said.”

Matthews didn’t arrive at Oakland until the last week prior to the dead period.

“I think we’re going to push each other,” Matthews said. “I think it could be a situation kind of like at Independence where we had the two best quarterbacks in the county on the same team.”

Time will tell.

The two quarterbacks also face the task of both learning a new offense. Creasy has moved Oakland from a spread offense to a Wing-T base.

“It’s a versatile Wing-T,” Miller said. “There are a lot of different attacking points that we can use.

“We’ve got a lot of athletes on offense. We’re just trying to space out and get them the ball in open space.”

Contact Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 or tkreager@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kreager.

Oakland, Pulaski Academy disagree on canceled game

Stewarts Creek’s Chris Dye passes the ball during the Bojangles 7-on-7 Passing Tournament at Riverdale on Thursday.

Riverdale’s Brandon Bea looks to pass the ball during the Bojangles 7-on-7 Passing Tournament at Riverdale on Thursday.

Oakland’s JaCoby Stevens jumps to make a catch as a Stewarts Creek defender tries to stop him during the Bojanbles 7-on-7 Passing Tournament at Riverdale. Oakland finished runner-up to Marshall County.

Blackman’s Darius Simple and James Brown (30) celebrate a catch and run during Thursday’s Bojangles 7-on-7 Passing Tournament at Riverdale.

MURFREESBORO – OK, let’s admit it.

This really isn’t football.

Sure there is a football involved. Helmets and cleats are needed. And on this day there were hundreds of football players on Riverdale’s campus for the annual Bojangles 7-on-7 Passing Tournament.

But that doesn’t make it football. And that’s all right with me.

The TSSAA allows for three weeks of 7-on-7 to be played before the real thing kicks off on July 27 for the first day of practice in full pads. Coaches say this is a period to work on their passing game, both on offense and defense.

Marshall County defeated Oakland at Tomahawk Stadium in the finals of this year’s Riverdale tournament. It marked the second straight year that the Patriots finished second.

But let’s be cautious on getting false hopes.

The folks in Lewisburg shouldn’t be reserving hotel rooms in December in Cookeville just yet. And one runner-up finish doesn’t equal a deep playoff run for Oakland High.

That doesn’t mean Marshall County and Oakland won’t have prosperous seasons. They may.

But all Thursday’s results mean is that both program’s passing attacks are off to a good start.

Not much more can be determined.

That doesn’t mean that 7-on-7 can’t be a good thing. Getting a chance to see how Oakland’s secondary matches up with Riverdale’s wide receivers in the preseason is notable.

And with Blackman, Oakland, Riverdale and Stewarts Creek all trotting out new starting quarterbacks in 2015, every pass can be dissected by coaches and fans.

So no, this isn’t football. But it’s the closest thing there is to it until later this month.

Tom Kreager is the high school sports writer for The Daily News Journal. Contact him at 615-278-5168 or tkreager@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kreager.

High School Football 2015

Brad Rohling, is the Coordinator of Athletic Training Outreach at NHC Rehabilitation and TOA.

MURFREESBORO – Lawrence County native Brad Rohling is often visible on the athletic sidelines.

But he is not a coach or athlete.

He is an athletic trainer at Central Magnet and is the coordinator of athletic training outreach for NHC Rehabilitation and TOA (Tennessee Orthopedic Alliance). Rohling took his undergraduate work at MTSU and graduate work at Auburn.

He worked with Auburn football for four years when Tommy Tuberville was the Tigers coach.

Rohling recently spoke with the DNJ about his role with Rutherford County athletics:

How many athletic trainers cover Rutherford County’s schools? And what are their responsibilities?

We have 10 that cover 10 high schools. All 10 have bachelor’s degrees. Five of them have completed their master’s. And five are currently enrolled in master’s classes.

They are responsible in covering any varsity, junior varsity or freshman sport.

What is your role, outside of being the athletic trainer at Central Magnet.

I oversee the other nine athletic trainers in the county. I oversee, manage and supervise and deal with any issues we have with any of those guys.

High school practices have begun across the state. What do you recommend athletes do to make sure they stay hydrated now?

It’s preparation. You have to pre-hydrate. You have to hydrate the day before, two days before going into it. You have to prepare yourself for what you are about to get into. You need to be smart and not practice in the middle of the day. There is the TSSAA heat policy that says we can’t go out if it is a certain temperature. And there is the recovery time. You need to get the proper rest and the proper food.

What type of meals and how much rest should athletes be getting now with practice starting?

It’s a lot more food than what you think because athletes are burning so many calories and using so much energy during the day. Proper food — stay away from any fast food. Grilled chicken sandwiches and things like that are good. Drinking fruit juices, Gatorade and water. They need to stay away from sodas and Kool Aid. There is too much sugar in that.

And how much rest do athletes need now?

For sure, they need to get the proper amount of rest. I wouldn’t stay out all night. I can’t put a number on it.

Concussions are a big concern these days. If an athlete receives a blow to the head, how can an athlete and parents monitor their athlete to make sure there isn’t a concussion? What are the signs?

Part of the Rutherford County concussion policy gives parents information as to what to look for. If they are sleeping a lot more or a lot less. If they are irritable or sensitive to light or noise. If they have nausea and aren’t acting right, those are potential signs. We put a lot on the parents because they know their kids, they see their kids at night and after practice. That’s part of the education packet.

Is everyone doing baseline testing for concussions in Rutherford County?

Everyone but MTCS.

What is baseline testing, and how important is it to monitor concussions?

Impact testing is just that, a baseline test. It’s not a cure. It’s not going to prevent a concussion. It’s not going to help them get better. You get a baseline as where that kid is for short-term memory, long-term memory and reaction time. Then, if a kid receives a concussion, they can take the test and it measures the results against what the baseline test result was.

With so many practices and sporting events going on during the school year, how do athletic trainers cover all of the teams?

There have been studies done as far as rate of injury. Football has the most injuries. Football is the priority. But soccer is a priority over volleyball just because it is a contact, collision sport. It’s based on the rate of injury.

What are the most common injuries during a high school season?

There are a lot of ankle injuries and shoulder injuries during the season just because of how the body is and how the joint is. The more movement you have in the joint, the looser it is.

How important is it for an athletic trainer to get to know the high school athlete?

That is a crucial part of our job because I can tell if something is going on with that kid. Even with a concussion, you can tell if he’s not acting right. Or if there is something else going on, I know the kids. In our role, a lot of times they feel more comfortable telling us than they will their coaches. We kind of have to be the go between. We have to sometimes play the good-guy role and also sometime the bad-guy role. That is a huge part of our job — is getting to know the kids.

Overall, how good are the coaches in Rutherford County to work with?

I think we’ve got the best coaches in the state. They understand that we’ve got a job to do, and that is to protect those kids. With all of the concussion legislation going on, they are definitely going to defer to our opinion on things. We generally don’t have any issues with coaches getting upset.

What is the best part of your job?

The kids, the coaches and the level of competition in Rutherford County.

What is the worst part of your job?

The way our program is set up, a lot of times the people that work for me hit two years and go work somewhere else. I enjoy watching those guys grow. As soon as they get to be a high-level athletic trainer, they leave and go somewhere else.

Contact Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 or tkreager@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kreager.

Meet Brad Rohling

Who: Coordinator of Athletic Training Outreach for NHC Rehabilitation and TOA

Age: 38.

Family: Wife: Amber; daughter: Stella, six months old

Education: Lawrence County High School graduate. Bachelor’s in athletic training at MTSU. Master’s in higher education administration from Auburn.

Brad Rohling oversees athletic trainers at high schools in county.

MURFREESBORO – Lawrence County native Brad Rohling is often visible on the athletic sidelines.

But he is not a coach or athlete.

He is an athletic trainer at Central Magnet and is the coordinator of athletic training outreach for NHC Rehabilitation and TOA (Tennessee Orthopedic Alliance). Rohling took his undergraduate work at MTSU and graduate work at Auburn.

He worked with Auburn football for four years when Tommy Tuberville was the Tigers coach.

Rohling recently spoke with the DNJ about his role with Rutherford County athletics:

How many athletic trainers cover Rutherford County’s schools? And what are their responsibilities?

We have 10 that cover 10 high schools. All 10 have bachelor’s degrees. Five of them have completed their master’s. And five are currently enrolled in master’s classes.

They are responsible in covering any varsity, junior varsity or freshman sport.

What is your role, outside of being the athletic trainer at Central Magnet.

I oversee the other nine athletic trainers in the county. I oversee, manage and supervise and deal with any issues we have with any of those guys.

High school practices have begun across the state. What do you recommend athletes do to make sure they stay hydrated now?

It’s preparation. You have to pre-hydrate. You have to hydrate the day before, two days before going into it. You have to prepare yourself for what you are about to get into. You need to be smart and not practice in the middle of the day. There is the TSSAA heat policy that says we can’t go out if it is a certain temperature. And there is the recovery time. You need to get the proper rest and the proper food.

What type of meals and how much rest should athletes be getting now with practice starting?

It’s a lot more food than what you think because athletes are burning so many calories and using so much energy during the day. Proper food — stay away from any fast food. Grilled chicken sandwiches and things like that are good. Drinking fruit juices, Gatorade and water. They need to stay away from sodas and Kool Aid. There is too much sugar in that.

And how much rest do athletes need now?

For sure, they need to get the proper amount of rest. I wouldn’t stay out all night. I can’t put a number on it.

Concussions are a big concern these days. If an athlete receives a blow to the head, how can an athlete and parents monitor their athlete to make sure there isn’t a concussion? What are the signs?

Part of the Rutherford County concussion policy gives parents information as to what to look for. If they are sleeping a lot more or a lot less. If they are irritable or sensitive to light or noise. If they have nausea and aren’t acting right, those are potential signs. We put a lot on the parents because they know their kids; they see their kids at night and after practice. That’s part of the education packet.

Is everyone doing baseline testing for concussions in Rutherford County?

Everyone is.

What is baseline testing, and how important is it to monitor concussions?

Impact testing is just that, a baseline test. It’s not a cure. It’s not going to prevent a concussion. It’s not going to help them get better. You get a baseline as where that kid is for short-term memory, long-term memory and reaction time. Then, if a kid receives a concussion, they can take the test and it measures the results against what the baseline test result was.

With so many practices and sporting events going on during the school year, how do athletic trainers cover all of the teams?

There have been studies done as far as rate of injury. Football has the most injuries. Football is the priority. But soccer is a priority over volleyball just because it is a contact, collision sport. It’s based on the rate of injury.

What are the most common injuries during a high school season?

There are a lot of ankle injuries and shoulder injuries during the season just because of how the body is and how the joint is. The more movement you have in the joint, the looser it is.

How important is it for an athletic trainer to get to know the high school athlete?

That is a crucial part of our job because I can tell if something is going on with that kid. Even with a concussion, you can tell if he’s not acting right. Or if there is something else going on, I know the kids. In our role, a lot of times they feel more comfortable telling us than they will their coaches. We kind of have to be the go between. We have to sometimes play the good-guy role and also sometime the bad-guy role. That is a huge part of our job — is getting to know the kids.

Overall, how good are the coaches in Rutherford County to work with?

I think we’ve got the best coaches in the state. They understand that we’ve got a job to do, and that is to protect those kids. With all of the concussion legislation going on, they are definitely going to defer to our opinion on things. We generally don’t have any issues with coaches getting upset.

What is the best part of your job?

The kids, the coaches and the level of competition in Rutherford County.

What is the worst part of your job?

The way our program is set up, a lot of times the people that work for me hit two years and go work somewhere else. I enjoy watching those guys grow. As soon as they get to be a high-level athletic trainer, they leave and go somewhere else.

Contact Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 or tkreager@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kreager.

Meet Brad Rohling

Who: Coordinator of athletic training outreach for NHC Rehabilitation and TOA

Age: 38.

Family: Wife: Amber; daughter: Stella, 6 months old

Education: Lawrence County High School graduate. Bachelor’s in athletic training at MTSU. Master’s in higher education administration from Auburn.

Oakland quarterback Cody Miller throws a pass during the Ravenwood 7-on-7 Passing Tournament Saturday.

High School Football 2015

BRENTWOOD – One week later, the quarterback situation at Riverdale appears to be clearing up.

At rival Oakland, things remain up in the air.

The two Murfreesboro squads reached the semifinals of the Ravenwood 7-on-7 Passing Tournament Saturday.

Riverdale rising senior Brandon Bea, who moved in from Vancouver, Washington, continued to grow more comfortable in the Warriors’ offense while adjusting to a new playbook. The Warriors lost to eventual champion Independence in its semifinal game.

“We were real basic (Saturday),” Riverdale coach Ron Aydelott said. “We have a lot to improve on. But I felt we improved. We competed a little bit better.

“(Bea) has come miles. He’s a smart child. That’s good for all of us.”

Bea hadn’t practiced with the team until Monday when he was splitting reps with rising sophomore Christian Souffront. However, Bea has quickly taken command of the offense.

“He’s fitting in pretty well,” said Riverdale wide receiver Marquise Cantrell said. “He’s learning plays, learning his reads and progressing. He’s grinding every day.”

The competition remains fierce for Oakland at quarterback and appears to be far from having a favorite emerge as the starter.

Juniors Cody Miller and Brendan Matthews alternated snaps both Thursday at Riverdale and on Saturday at Ravenwood. Neither has separated himself as the clear favorite to start the season opener.

“Both quarterbacks are benefiting from getting snaps,” Oakland coach Kevin Creasy said. “We swapped them every single play. We made sure that they got equal number of snaps and had an equal opportunity.

“At the end of the day, we may do that in the season. We’re proud of both of them. We think both of them has a ways to go, but they are making progress. That’s all you can ask for in 7-on-7.”

Oakland played the entire Ravenwood tournament without rising junior JaCoby Stevens. Stevens, a Rivals.com top-100 college recruit for the Class of 2017, did not play due to a high ankle sprain sustained in the championship game of Riverdale’s 7-on-7 tournament.

That forced others to pick up their play at both receiver and at defensive back.

“It feels good that we have others in the secondary that can come in and put it together,” said Kaleb Oliver, Oakland rising junior receiver and defensive back, who already has a college offer from MTSU. “We didn’t have a fall off when we put in the seconds.”

Contact Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 or tkreager@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kreager.

Oakland’s Zarius Gamble pulls in a touchdown pass during a win over Stratford in Saturday’s Ravenwood 7-on-7 Passing Tournament. Gamble reached the semfinals of the tournament.

This isn’t football, but close enough
Oakland QBs begin battle for starting role
Transfer competing for Riverdale QB job

Thalia Townsend will be allowed to join the West Carroll Junior High School football team.

Thalia Townsend, the West Carroll middle school female student who wasn’t allowed to practice with the junior high football team earlier this year, will be allowed to play by the West Carroll Special School District, according to a news release by the ACLU.

Townsend was turned away from practice on May 11 by then-middle school football coach Chris Rich, reportedly because she was a girl.

Townsend’s mother, Michelle Larsen, contacted Superintendent Eric Williams, and he upheld the coach’s ruling in the interest of Townsend’s health and well-being despite there being a handful of girls playing varsity high school football across the country each year.

School district officials have now decided Townsend will be allowed to join the junior high team.

“I couldn’t be happier,” Townsend said in the release. “I love being outside and getting muddy, hanging out with my guy friends and being aggressive on the field.

“I am thankful to everyone who has believed in me and supported my family in this. Now I just can’t wait to get back out there and play for my school.”

The ACLU sent a letter to Williams in June urging him to change the ruling and allow Townsend to play.

“People should be allowed to work toward their goals and follow their dreams, no matter if they are a boy or a girl,” Larsen said. “We love our school district and are thrilled that they are now giving Thalia an equal opportunity to keep playing.

“We hope this shows all students – especially young girls – that if they believe in themselves and fight hard enough, they can do anything they set their hearts and minds to.”

Townsend, a rising seventh-grader at West Carroll Junior/Senior High School, has played left tackle in a community football league for two years.

Centennial linebacker Tyrel Dodson (right) closes down on a Kenwood route.

It wasn’t the bright lights and big-stadium atmosphere of the BlueCross Bowl games, but there was a big-game atmosphere at St. Thomas Sports Park Wednesday.

Twelve Midstate high school football teams took advantage of the indoor facility during the inaugural Tennessee Titans 7-on-7 passing tournament.

“I was amazed just to be out here seeing the bubble,” Oakland wide receiver Kaleb Oliver said. “That bubble is amazing once you get inside of it. You don’t think it’s that big until you actually get in there.”

Oakland went 5-1 overall and won the tourney title with a 23-12 win over Father Ryan in the final, but the biggest storyline with players was the size and quality of the Titans’ facilities.

“This one was so much fun because it’s our first time getting to play in the bubble and coming out here to see the Titans’ facility,” Clarksville Northeast wide receiver Alex Martinez said.

Centennial linebacker and running back Tyrel Dodson added, “It’s amazing. These facilities are so good. It’s an honor to play on these fields.”

Most players shared the experience via a SnapChat story or a picture message.

“We had a selfie stick running around for a minute so we got a kick out of that,” Oakland quarterback Cody Miller said.

On top of the 7-on-7 competition, each team was given the chance to attend a character seminar put on by former Titans fullback Casey Cramer.

“I told my story of how I got cut and played for four teams my first year and got cut eight times playing and really hated that,” Cramer said. “I wanted to leave the NFL, but what I didn’t realize was that those trials actually developed me as a person and developed my character.”

Most had the chance to showcase their talents for some current Titans. Delanie Walker stayed around for most of the day’s action, talking with coaches on the sidelines.

“It’s always good to see these kids out here striving to be better, looking at us and trying to get to the level we’re at,” Walker said. “And it starts right here.”

His presence provided hope and focus for some of the players.

“It really kind of puts it into perspective what you can be if you really push yourself,” Wilson Central’s Conner Walls said. “It motivates me.”

Reach Sam Brown at 615-259-8232 and on Twitter @SamBrownTN.

David Watson, the new head coach of the Blackman High School football team, tries to stay cool and out of the sun under his big straw hat as the Blackman Blaze competes in the 7-on-7 Bojangles Passing Tournament on Thursday, July 9 at Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro.

MURFREESBORO – This summer David Watson is getting his new team, the Blackman Blaze, ready for another season on the gridiron.

Watson, 43, said he has been teaching math and coaching football for 21 years, and he is still awed by the way his student-athletes grow and mature throughout their high school careers.

“Seeing the student-athletes enjoy being a part of something that enhances their lives, the camaraderie of high school football and the togetherness that they experience,” Watson said. “The memories, lessons and experience of high school football is so beneficial and worthwhile to the players.”

Being a football coach is about more than practicing and game time, Watson said.

“We spend a great deal of time game planning for opponents, studying new techniques and schemes in the off season, fundraising, tutoring students, maintaining and upgrading the facilities, and most importantly helping student-athletes become productive citizens, fathers and husbands,” he said.

Watson served as the offensive line coach and offensive coordinator for six years before taking over the team after Philip Shadowens resigned in February.

Weekly

Every Wednesday The Daily News Journal will feature a photo essay focusing on a job in Rutherford County. If you’d like to be featured, call 615-893-5860 or email news@dnj.com.

TSSAA logo

The TSSAA’s Legislative Council will vote Thursday on a potential public-private split beginning with the 2017-18 school year.

Here are the five plans the state high school athletic association’s Legislative Council is considering. A majority vote of the nine-person council is needed for the plan to be approved.

Total public-private split

All private schools would compete in Division II.

In Division I, there could be a reduction in football classes from six to five. In Division II, the TSSAA could keep two classes or go with three.

Schools can choose to go up in classification.

Keep current system

This plan would be the easiest to implement.

Schools that provide need-based financial aid compete in Division II. Those that do not can choose to remain in Division I. However, any school can elect to compete in Division II.

But there would be some changes:

Schools that charge tuition and employ parents, guardians or other family members of athletes and are not full-time educators or classified employees would have to compete in Division II.

Schools that charge tuition and employ athletes also would have to compete in Division II.

Tuition-receiving would include all private schools as well as any public school that charges a tuition for an out-of-zone student.

Postseason split

Public schools and private schools would compete together during the regular season, similar to the way it was prior to when Division II was created. In the postseason, public and private schools would split.

Schools must play all schools in their respective districts and regions during the regular season. In the public school division, seeding for postseason play would be decided by the schools within the district.

Seeding for football in the private school division would be determined by how teams did against each other within the division. A seeding format for other sports hasn’t been determined.

Success advancement

Schools would be divided into two divisions. One is an open division, which consists of any school that charges tuition for 10 percent or more of its students. That would include all private schools and some public schools that charge tuition for open-zone cases.

The rest of the schools would be split into three classes and would not use a success advancement component.

A school in the open division will advance one classification if one of these situations occurs during the first three years of a classification period in any two of the following sports: football, basketball, baseball and softball.

• The school has two or more appearances in the state championship game.

• The school has three appearances in a state semifinal.

Some schools that would be bumped up looking at the past three years include CPA, Knoxville Catholic, Fulton and Knoxville Grace.

Once a school is moved up in classification, there is a way for it to move back down after the next classification period.

If a school receives fewer than eight points during the first three years of a classification period then it will go back down in classification if it has gone up. Sports used in the point system include football, basketball, baseball and softball.

Regional tournament runner-up counts as one point; sectional appearance (2); state team tournament appearance (3); state team tournament runner-up (4); state team tournament championship (5).

If a school is moved up, the smallest school in that class will move down a class.

Notable open-zone schools that would be under the advancement component include Alcoa, Cleveland, Dyersburg, Gibson County, McKenzie, Maryville, Oak Ridge, Science Hill and Tullahoma.

Urban-Rural split

Schools would be separated based on whether they are considered an urban or rural institution, which would be determined by the population density of the area surrounding the school.

Those with a density of less than 400 people per square mile would be considered rural schools. The rest would be urban.

This system includes five classifications — Class A and AA for rural schools and AAA, AAAA and AAAAA for urban schools. All schools would be in the same division.

Three enrollment multipliers would be used. A 2.25 for private schools offering need-based financial aid, a 2.0 for all other private schools and a 1.25 for charter and magnet schools.

Alcoa coach Gary Rankin said it would be hard to re-zone open-zoned schools because of the number of schools that allow it.

John Olive

Gary Rankin of Alcoa

MURFREESBORO – Tullahoma football coach John Olive works at a school that offers an open zone for students.

In the past that’s brought standout athletes as well as outstanding students.

However, he believes if the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association approves a plan to move all open-zone schools — which includes all private schools — to their own division, it would hurt his program’s future success.

“If they decide to go that route, that would make life pretty rough on a school like Tullahoma,” Olive said. “We’re an open-enrollment school, meaning students outside our city limits can come here if they pay a tuition to go to school here.

“We’ve got a majority of our kids that come within our city limits. But we have some that may live on Tims Ford Lake and want to come in to Tullahoma to go to school. How many are athletes? Some are really good athletes. But we also get some that are very artistic and very good in our music programs and our art program.”

The TSSAA’s Legislative Council meets at 1 p.m. Thursday at the DoubleTree Hotel in Murfreesboro to vote on a potential public-private split. The council has spent the past month looking at five proposals presented by the TSSAA staff. One option is to put all open-zoned schools together in their own division.

TSSAA Executive Director Bernard Childress used a simple analogy when determining if a school is open zoned.

“We are seeing more and more county systems going to open enrollment,” Childress said. “What we say is when you walk out of your house and get on the bus, where does it take you? Does it take you to the school you are attending?”

Central Magnet is considered an open-zone school by TSSAA standards. If students qualify academically and reside in Rutherford County, they can attend the Murfreesboro magnet school. However, Principal John Ash does not consider his school open-zoned.

“We are not open any more than Oakland is open zone,” Ash said. “Any child in Rutherford County can go to Oakland.

“We can’t take anyone we want. We have such stringent academic requirements.”

Oakland offers an international baccalaureate program that all students in Rutherford County can apply to attend.

There are other situations statewide where students can receive permission to attend a school because of a course offered. But Childress said that doesn’t make those schools offering one program open-zoned.

However, Olive, as well as Alcoa football coach Gary Rankin, said those schools should be considered an open-zoned school.

“That is an open zone,” said Rankin, who won four state titles at Riverdale. Alcoa is an open-zoned school. “To do it right you would have to make sure nobody takes anybody from out of their zone and county. “But that wouldn’t be fair to kids.”

Among public schools considered open-zoned schools: Knoxville Austin-East, Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett, Dyersburg, Gibson County, Greeneville, Hume-Fogg Magnet, Martin Luther King Magnet, Maryville, McKenzie, Science Hill, Tennessee High and all private schools.

Alcoa and Maryville have had a high level of success on the football field over the years. Maryville has won 15 football state titles. Alcoa has won 13.

Childress pointed to a change in Nashville’s public schools that could lead them into falling into open zones.

Metro Athletic Director Roosevelt Sanders said Metro students can apply for schools out of their zone if there is an academy at another school the student is interested in attending. Students aren’t promised a spot.

“There are probably hundreds of open-zoned schools,” Rankin said. “I don’t know the exact definition. But I know coming out of eighth grade a student can go wherever they want.

“I know Maryville and Alcoa get attention when it comes to open-zoned schools. For 50 years, Alcoa has been open-zoned.”

Contact Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 or tkreager@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kreager.

Contributing: Sam Brown

TSSAA logo

Total Public-Private Split

DIVISION I BASKETBALL

Class A

District 1: Cloudland; Unaka; Hampton; US-Johnson City; Sullivan North; North Greene

District 2: South Greene; Clinch; Hancock Co.; Cosby; Washburn; Northview Academy

District 3: Tennessee School for the Deaf; Jellico; Oliver Springs; Coalfield; Oneida; Wartburg Central

District 4: Greenback; Tellico Plains; Harriman; Midway; Oakdale; Rockwood

District 5: Sunbright; Meigs Co.; Clarkrange; Sale Creek; Monterey; Van Buren Co.

District 6: Copper Basin; Chattanooga Arts & Sciences; Lookout Valley; Whitwell; Marion Co.; South Pittsburg

District 7: Pickett Co.; Clay Co.; Jackson Co.; Red Boiling Springs; Gordonsville; Trousdale Co.

District 8: Watertown; Westmoreland; Merrol Hyde; East Robertson; LEAD Academy; Jo Byrns

District 9: Huntland; Cascade; Moore Co.; Fayetteville; Community; Eagleville; Forrest

District 10: Cornersville; Culleoka; Richland; Santa Fe; Mt. Pleasant; Hampshire; Summertown

District 11: Loretto; Collinwood; Wayne Co.; Perry Co.; Frank Hughes; Decatur Co. Riverside

District 12: McEwen; Houston Co.; Big Sandy; Hollow Rock-Bruceton; Huntingdon; Carroll Academy; McKenzie; Gleason; Dresden

District 13: Scotts Hill; Clarksburg; West Carroll; Bradford; Madison Academic; Middleton; Humboldt

District 14: Greenfield; South Fulton; Peabody; Gibson Co.; Union City; Halls; Lake Co.

District 15: Memphis School of Excellence; Oakhaven; City University School; Hillcrest; Soulsville Charter; Memphis Middle College; W.E.B. Dubois; George Washington Carver

District 16: MAHS; Memphis Business Academy; Memphis Northside; Memphis Academy of Science & Engineering; Manassas; KIPP; B.T. Washington; Westwood

Class AA

District 1: Johnson Co.; Elizabethton; Sullivan East; Happy Valley; Sullivan Central; Sullivan South

District 2: Unicoi Co.; Chuckey-Doak; Greeneville; West Greene; Grainger; Carter

District 3: Gatlinburg-Pittman; Pigeon Forge; Claiborne; Cumberland Gap; Austin-East; Fulton

District 4: Union Co.; Alcoa; Sequoyah; Loudon; Sweetwater; McMinn Central; Kingston

District 5: Polk Co.; East Hamilton; Chattanooga Central; Tyner Academy; Brainerd; East Ridge; Howard

District 6: Scott; York Institute; Cumberland Co.; Bledsoe Co.; Livingston Academy; Upperman

District 7: Hixson; Red Bank; Signal Mountain; Sequatchie Co.; Grundy Co.; Tullahoma

District 8: DeKalb Co.; Smith Co.; Macon Co.; Cannon Co.; Central Magnet; Hume-Fogg

District 9: White House; White House-Heritage; Stratford; Maplewood; East Nashville; Greenbrier; Whites Creek

District 10: Page; M.L. King; Marshall Co.; Pearl-Cohn; Spring Hill; Giles Co.; Fairview; East Hickman

District 11: Sycamore; Cheatham Co.; Harpeth; Creek Wood; Montgomery Central; Hickman Co.; Lewis Co.; Stewart Co.; Waverly Central; Camden

District 12: Adamsville; Lexington; McNairy Central; Chester Co.; Liberty Tech; Jackson South Side; Jackson Central-Merry; Jackson North Side

District 13: Milan; South Gibson; Westview; Crockett Co.; Obion Co.; Dyersburg

District 14: Bolivar Central; Haywood; Fayette-Ware; Ripley; Covington; Millington

District 15: Power Center Academy; Craigmont; Sheffield; Raleigh Egypt; Douglass; Trezevant

District 16: Memphis East; Melrose; M.L. King Preparatory; Hamilton; Fairley; Mitchell

Class AAA

District 1: Tennessee; Science Hill; Daniel Boone; David Crockett; Dobyns Bennett; Volunteer

District 2: Cherokee; Cocke Co.; Morristown-East; Morristown-West; Jefferson Co.; Sevier Co.

District 3: Seymour; Heritage; South Doyle; Knoxville Central; Knoxville West; Maryville

District 4: Gibbs; Knoxville Halls; Powell; Bearden; Anderson; Karns; Clinton; Campbell Co.

District 5: Farragut; Hardin Valley; Oak Ridge; Lenoir City; McMinn Co.; Stone Memorial

District 6: Walker Valley; Cleveland; Bradley Central; Rhea Co.; Ooltewah; Soddy-Daisy

District 7: White Co.; Cookeville; Warren Co.; Coffee Co.; Lebanon; Oakland

District 8: Franklin Co.; Siegel; Riverdale; Shelbyville; Blackman; Lincoln Co.

District 9: Wilson Central; Gallatin; Smyrna; Mt. Juliet; Station Camp; Hendersonville; Beech; McGavock; Glencliff; Hunters Lane

District 10: Stewarts Creek; La Vergne; Cane Ridge; Antioch; Overton; Ravenwood; Hillsboro; Brentwood; Centennial; Hillwood; Franklin

District 11: Portland; Springfield; Rossview; Clarksville; Northeast; West Creek; Kenwood; Northwest; Henry Co.; Dyer Co.

District 12: Summit; Independence; Columbia; Lawrence Co.; Dickson Co.; Hardin Co.

District 13: Not enough schools geographically. One would have to be created that would be drastically spread out during the regular season.

District 14: Collierville; Arlington; Houston; Southwind; Germantown; Kirby

District 15: Brighton; Cordova; Bolton; Munford; Bartlett; Kingsbury

District 16: Ridgeway; Wooddale; Memphis Overton; White Station; Memphis Central; Whitehaven

DIVISION II BASKETBALL

Class A

District 1: King’s Academy; Berean Christian; First Baptist Academy; Concord Christian

District 3: Grace Baptist Academy; Boyd Buchanan; Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy; Richard Hardy Memorial

District 4: Friendship Christian; Mt. Juliet Christian; Hendersonville Christian; Donelson Christian Academy

District 5: St. Andrew’s Sewanee; Webb School; Middle Tennessee Christian School; Ezell-Harding

District 6: Franklin Road Academy; Davidson Academy; St. Cecilia; Nashville Christian; Columbia Academy; Zion Christian; Clarksville Academy

District 7: Sacred Heart; Jackson Christian; Trinity Christian Academy; Fayette Academy; Rossville Christian

District 8: Tipton-Rosemark; Hutchison; St. Mary’s; Memphis Catholic; Immaculate Conception

Class AA

District 1: Grace Christian; Knoxville Catholic; Christian Academy of Knoxville; Knoxville Webb

District 3: Silverdale Baptist; Notre Dame; McCallie; Girls Preparatory School; Chattanooga Christian; Baylor

District 4: Pope John Paul II; Goodpasture; University School of Nashville; Father Ryan

District 5: Lipscomb Academy; Brentwood Academy; Montgomery Bell Academy; Harpeth Hall; Battle Ground Academy; Christ Presbyterian Academy; Ensworth

District 6: University School of Jackson; Briarcrest; St. Benedict

District 7: Evangelical Christian; Christian Brothers; First Assembly Christian

District 8: St. George’s; Lausanne; Memphis University School; St. Agnes; Northpoint Christian; Harding Academy

DIVISION I FOOTBALL

Class 1A

Region 1: Cloudland; Hancock Co.; Jellico; Northview Academy; Tennessee School for the Deaf; Unaka

Region 2: Clay Co.; Coalfield; Gordonsville; Jo Byrns; Monterey; Oneida; Pickett Co.; Red Boiling Springs; Sunbright; Trousdale Co.

Region 3: Copper Basin; Greenback; Harriman; Midway; Oakdale; Sale Creek

Region 4: Fayetteville; Huntland; Lookout Valley; Moore Co.; South Pittsburg; Whitwell

Region 5: Collinwood; Cornersville; Mt. Pleasant; Richland; Summertown; Wayne Co.

Region 6: Gleason; Hollow Rock-Bruceton; Huntingdon; McEwen; Perry Co.; West Carroll

Region 7: Dresden; Greenfield; Lake Co.; Peabody; South Fulton; Union City

Region 8: B.T. Washington; George Washington Carver; Humboldt; KIPP; Memphis Northside; Middleton

Class 2A

Region 1: Cosby; Hampton; Happy Valley; North Greene; South Greene; Sullivan North

Region 2: Alcoa; Austin-East; Cumberland Gap; Gatlinburg-Pittman; Oliver Springs; Rockwood; Sweetwater; Wartburg Central

Region 3: Bledsoe Co.; Brainerd; Marion Co.; Meigs Co.; Polk Co.; Tellico Plains; Tyner

Region 4: Cascade; Community; Eagleville; East Robertson; Forrest; Jackson Co.; Watertown; Westmoreland

Region 5: Camden; Gibson Co.; Harpeth; Houston Co.; McKenzie; Waverly

Region 6: Adamsville; Decatur Co. Riverside; Hickman Co.; Lewis Co.; Loretto; Scotts Hill

Region 7: Douglass; Halls; Manassas; M.L. King Preparatory; MAHS; Trezevant

Region 8: Fairley; Hillcrest; Mitchell; Oakhaven; Westwood

Class 3A

Region 1: Chuckey-Doak; Claiborne; Elizabethton; Johnson Co.; Unicoi Co.; West Greene

Region 2: York Institute; Kingston; Loudon; Pigeon Forge; Scotts Hill; Union Co.

Region 3: East Ridge; Grundy Co.; McMinn Central; Red Bank; Sequatchie Co.; Signal Mountain; Howard

Region 4: Cannon Co.; DeKalb Co.; East Nashville; Pearl-Cohn; Smith Co.; Stratford; Upperman

Region 5: Cheatham Co.; East Hickman; Fairview; Greenbrier; Marshall Co.; Sycamore; White House-Heritage; Whites Creek

Region 6: Dyersburg; Liberty Tech; Milan; South Gibson; Stewart Co.; Westview

Region 7: Bolivar Central; Crockett Co.; Fayette-Ware; Jackson Central-Merry; Jackson South Side; McNairy Central

Region 8: Covington; Hamilton; Melrose; Raleigh Egypt; Sheffield

Class 4A

Region 1: Cherokee; Greeneville; Sullivan Central; Sullivan East; Sullivan South; Volunteer

Region 2: Anderson Co.; Carter; Fulton; Gibbs; Grainger; Karns; Knoxville Central

Region 3: Chattanooga Central; Clinton; Cumberland Co.; East Hamilton; Hixson; Livingston Acad.; Sequoyah; Seymour; Stone Memorial; White Co.

Region 4: Kenwood; Macon Co.; Maplewood; Northwest; Portland; Springfield; White House

Region 5: Giles Co.; Hillsboro; Hillwood; Page; Spring Hill; Tullahoma

Region 6: Creek Wood; Hardin Co.; Lawrence Co.; Lexington; Montgomery Central; Obion Co.

Region 7: Chester Co.; Dyer Co.; Haywood; Jackson North Side; Kirby; Millington

Region 8: Craigmont; Kingsbury; Ridgeway; Ripley

Class 5A

Region 1: Cocke Co.; Daniel Boone; David Crockett; Morristown East; Morristown West; Tennessee

Region 2: Heritage; Knoxville Halls; Powell; Sevier Co.; South Doyle; Knoxville West

Region 3: Campbell Co.; Cleveland; Farragut; Lenoir City; Maryville; McMinn Co.; Oak Ridge; Ooltewah; Rhea Co.; Soddy-Daisy; Walker Valley

Region 4: Cane Ridge; Franklin Co.; Independence; Lincoln Co.; Shelbyville; Stewarts Creek; Summit

Region 5: Beech; Brentwood; Centennial; Gallatin; Glencliff; Hendersonville; Hunters Lane; Station Camp

Region 6: Brighton; Clarksville; Henry Co.; Northeast; Rossview; West Creek

Region 7: Bolton; Columbia; Dickson Co.; Munford; Memphis Overton; Wooddale

Region 8: Memphis Central; Southwind

Class 6A

Region 1: Bearden; Dobyns Bennett; Jefferson Co.; Science Hill; William Blount; Bradley Central; Hardin Valley

Region 2: Coffee Co.; Cookeville; Oakland; Warren Co.; Blackman; La Vergne; Riverdale; Siegel; Smyrna

Region 3: Antioch; Overton; Lebanon; McGavock; Mt. Juliet; Wilson Central; Franklin; Ravenwood

Region 4: Arlington; Collierville; Cordova; Houston; Germantown; White Station; Bartlett; Whitehaven

DIVISION II FOOTBALL

Class A

District 1: King’s Academy; Grace Baptist; Friendship Christian; Middle Tennessee Christian School

District 2: Mt. Juliet Christian; Ezell-Harding; Donelson Christian Academy; Franklin Road Academy

District 3: Davidson Academy; Nashville Christian; Columbia Academy; Zion Christian; Clarksville Academy

District 4: Jackson Christian; Trinity Christian Academy; Fayetteville Academy; Rossview Christian; Tipton-Rosemark; Memphis Catholic

Class AA

District 1: Grace Christian; Christian Academy of Knoxville; Silverdale Baptist; Boyd Buchanan

District 2: Notre Dame; Chattanooga Christian; Goodpasture; Battle Ground Academy; Christ Presbyterian Academy; Ensworth

District 3: University School of Jackson; St. George’s; Evangelical Christian; Lausanne

District 4: Memphis University School; Northpoint Christian; First Assembly Christian School; Harding Academy

Class AAA

District 1: Knoxville Catholic; Knoxville Webb

District 2: McCallie; Baylor; Lipscomb Academy; Brentwood Academy

District 3: Pope John Paul II; Father Ryan; Montgomery Bell Academy; Briarcrest Christian

District 4: St. Benedict; Christian Brothers

Advance Component

PUBLIC DIVISION

Class A

District 1: Cloudland; Unaka; Hampton; Sullivan North; North Greene

District 2: Clinch; Hancock Co.; Washburn; Northview Academy; Cumberland Gap

District 3: South Greene; Cosby; Gatlinburg-Pittman; Greenback; Oliver Springs

District 4: Tellico Plains; Harriman; Midway; Oakdale; Rockwood

District 5: Jellico; Coalfield; Wartburg Central; Sunbright; Clarkrange; Monterey; Gordonsville; Watertown; Trousdale Co.; East Robertson

District 6: Copper Basin; Meigs Co.; Sale Creek; Bledsoe Co.; Lookout Valley; Van Buren; Whitwell; Marion Co.; South Pittsburg

District 7: Clay Co.; Jackson Co.; Red Boiling Springs; Westmoreland

District 8: Huntland; Cascade; Moore Co.; Community; Eagleville

District 9: Forrest; Cornersville; Culleoka; Richland; Santa Fe

District 10: Mt. Pleasant; Summertown; Loretto; Collinwood; Wayne Co.

District 11: Hampshire; Hickman Co.; Lewis Co.; Perry Co.; Waverly

District 12: Jo Byrns; McEwen; Houston Co.; Big Sandy; Gleason; Frank Hughes

District 13: Decatur-Riverside; Scotts Hill; Adamsville; Middleton

District 14: Dresden; Greenfield; South Fulton; Halls; Lake Co.

District 15: Douglass; Trezevant; Memphis Northside; Manassas; B.T. Washington; Oakhaven

District 16: Hillcrest; George Washington Carver; Mitchell; Westwood

Class AA

District 1: Johnson Co.; Sullivan East; Happy Valley; Sullivan Central; Unicoi Co.

District 2: Sullivan South; Volunteer; Chuckey-Doak; West Greene; Grainger

District 3: Claiborne; Carter; Gibbs; Union Co.; Fulton; Scott

District 4: Pigeon Forge; Seymour; Knoxville Central; Anderson Co.; Clinton; Sequoyah; Loudon; Sweetwater

District 5: McMinn Central; Polk Co.; East Hamilton; Chattanooga Central; Brainerd; East Ridge

District 6: Kingston; York Institute; Stone Memorial; Cumberland Co.; Livingston Acad.; Upperman; DeKalb Co.; Smith Co.; Cannon Co.

District 7: Hixson; Red Bank; Signal Mountain; Sequatchie Co.; Grundy Co.

District 8: Macon Co.; White House; White House-Heritage; Stratford; Maplewood; Greenbrier

District 9: Page; Marshall Co.; Pearl-Cohn; Spring Hill; Giles Co.; Fairview; East Hickman

District 10: Whites Creek; Hillwood; Sycamore; Cheatham Co.; Harpeth

District 11: Creek Wood; Montgomery Central; Kenwood; Stewart Co.; Obion Co.

District 12: Camden; Lexington; McNairy Central; Chester Co.; Westview

District 13: Jackson South Side; Jackson North Side; Bolivar Central; Crockett Co.; Haywood

District 14: Fayette-Ware; Ripley; Kirby; Craigmont; Millington

District 15: Covington; Raleigh Egypt; Memphis East; Melrose; Hamilton

District 16: Sheffield; Fairley

Class AAA

District 1: Daniel Boone; David Crockett; Cherokee; Morristown East; Morristown West

District 2: Cocke Co.; Jefferson Co.; Sevier Co.; Knoxville Halls; Knoxville West

District 3: Heritage; South Doyle; William Blount; Bearden; Farragut

District 4: Powell; Karns; Campbell Co.; Hardin Valley; McMinn Co.

District 5: Walker Valley; Bradley Central; Rhea Co.; Ooltewah; Warren Co.

District 6: Soddy-Daisy; White Co.; Cookeville; Franklin Co.

District 7: Oakland; Riverdale; Shelbyville; Blackman; Lincoln Co.

District 8: Lebanon; Wilson Central; Siegel; Gallatin; Mt. Juliet; McGavock

District 9: Smyrna; Stewarts Creek; La Vergne; Cane Ridge; Antioch; Glencliff

District 10: Portland; Station Camp; Hendersonville; Beech; Hunters Lane; Springfield; Rossview; Clarksville; Northeast; West Creek; Northwest

District 11: Overton; Ravenwood; Hillsboro; Brentwood; Centennial; Franklin; Independence

District 12: Summit; Columbia; Lawrence Co.; Dickson Co.; Hardin Co.

District 13: Henry Co.; Dyer Co.; Brighton; Bolton; Munford

District 14: Collierville; Arlington; Houston; Southwind; Germantown

District 15: Bartlett; Overton; White Station; Kingsbury; Memphis Central

District 16: Cordova; Ridgeway; Wooddale; Whitehaven

OPEN DIVISION

Class A

District 1: US-Johnson City; King’s Academy; Tennessee School for the Deaf; Berean Christian; First Baptist Acad.; Grace Christian Acad.

District 2: Concord Christian; Grace Baptist; Silverdale Baptist; Boyd Buchanan; Chattanooga Girls’ Leadership Acad.; Girls Preparatory School

District 3: Richard Hardy Memorial; St. Andrew’s-Sewanee; Webb School; Middle Tennessee Christian School; Fayetteville; Columbia Acad.

District 4: Friendship Christian; Mt. Juliet Christian; Hendersonville Christian; Merrol Hyde; Ezell-Harding; Donelson Christian Academy

District 5: Goodpasture; Franklin Road Academy; Davidson Academy; St. Cecilia; Battle Ground Academy; Nashville Christian; Zion Christian Academy; Clarksville Academy

District 6: Hollow Rock-Bruceton; Huntingdon; Clarksburg; Carroll Academy; West Carroll; Bradford; University School of Jackson; Humboldt

District 7: Sacred Heart; Jackson Christian; Trinity Christian Academy; Fayetteville Academy; Rossville Christian; Tipton-Rosemark; St. Mary’s

District 8: Lausanne; Hutchison; Memphis School of Excellence; St. Agnes; Northpoint Christian; First Assembly Christian; Memphis Catholic; Immaculate Conception; Memphis Academy of Science & Engineering; Soulsville Charter School; W.E.B. Dubois

Class AA

District 1: Tennessee; Eliizabethton; Science Hill; Dobyns Bennett; Greeneville; Austin-East

District 2: Maryville; Alcoa; Knoxville Catholic; Christian Academy of Knoxville; Knoxville Webb; Oak Ridge; Lenoir City; Oneida

District 3: Cleveland; Tyner; Notre Dame; McCallie; Chattanooga Arts and Sciences; Howard; Chattanooga Christian; Baylor

District 4: Tullahoma; Central Magnet; Pope John Paul II; East Nashville; University School of Nashville; Hume-Fogg; Lipscomb Academy; M.L. King; Father Ryan; Brentwood Academy; Montgomery Bell Academy; Harpeth Hall

District 5: McKenzie; Milan; South Gibson; Peabody; Gibson Co.; Union City

District 6: Christ Presbyterian Academy; Ensworth; Liberty Tech; Madison Academic; Jackson Central-Merry; Briarcrest Christian

District 7: St. George’s; Power Center Academic; Memphis University School; Christian Brothers; Harding Academy; GRAD Academy

District 8: Dyersburg; St. Benedict; Evangelical Christian; MAHS; M.L. King Preparatory; KIPP

Urban/Rural Split

Class A (rural): Clinch; Carroll Academy; Richard Hardy Memorial; Frank Hughes; Big Sandy; Hampshire; Rossville Christian; Clarksburg; Zion Christian; Bradford; Washburn; Ivy Academy; Gleason; St. Andrew’s-Sewanee; Sunbright; Coalfield; Oakdale; Cloudland; Moore Co.; Red Boiling Springs; Lookout Valley; Greenback; Hollow Rock-Bruceton; Greenfield; Columbia Academy; Fayette Academy; Santa Fe; Webb School; Huntland; Copper Basin; Lake Co.; Van Buren Co.; South Fulton; South Pittsburg; Pickett Co.; Culleoka; Humboldt; Clay Co.; Collinwood; Hancock Co.; Midway; Unaka; Cornersville; West Carroll; Clarkrange; Sale Creek; McEwen; Fayetteville; Gordonsville; Wayne Co.; Monterey; Harriman; Middleton; Richland; Huntingdon; Jo Byrns; Perry Co.; Mt. Pleasant; Whitwell; Dresden; Trousdale Co.; Jellico; Oneida; Northview; Peabody; Union City; Summertown; Houston Co.; Oliver Springs; Cosby; Hampton; McKenzie; Watertown; Eagleville; Halls; Wartburg Central; North Greene; East Robertson; Decatur Co. Riverside; Jackson Co.; Tellico Plains; Gibson Co.; Rockwood; Loretto; Community; Scotts Hill; South Greene; Westmoreland; Meigs Co.; Marion Co.

Class AA (rural): Madison Academic; Forrest; Cascade; Adamsville; Hickman Co.; Waverly; Lewis Co.; Gatlinburg-Pittman; Cumberland Gap; Bledsoe Co.; Happy Valley; Polk Co.; Sweetwater; Harpeth; Camden; Smith Co.; York Institute; Westview; Milan; Cannon Co.; East Hickman; Cheatham Co.; Jackson Central-Merry; Chuckey-Doak; Stewart Co.; White House-Heritage; Fairview; West Greene; Johnson Co.; Sequatchie Co.; Pigeon Forge; Signal Mountain; McMinn Central; Grundy Co.; South Gibson; Kingston; Loudon; Upperman; Sycamore; McNairy Central; Jackson South Side; Liberty Tech; Scott High; Covington; Fayette-Ware; Dyersburg; Unicoi Co.; Elizabethton; Claiborne; DeKalb Co.; Bolivar Central; Greenbrier; Union Co.; Crockett Co.; Marshall Co.; Chester Co.; Giles Co.; Haywood; Creek Wood; Greeneville; Livingston Acad.; Carter; Grainger; Ripley; Sullivan East; Chattanooga Central; Macon Co.; Page; Lexington; Obion Co.; Sullivan Central; Spring Hill; Jackson North Side; Sequoyah; Montgomery Central; Cumberland Co.; Tullahoma; Anderson Co.; Stone Memorial; Gibbs; Seymour; Volunteer; Clinton; Lawrence Co.; Hardin Co.; Portland; Springfield; Cherokee; Dyer Co.; White Co.; Tennessee

Class AAA (urban): First Baptist Academy; Tennessee School for the Deaf; Sacred Heart; Hendersonville Christian; Berean Christian; Concord Christian; Chattanooga Girls’ Leadership Academy; Immaculate Conception; Grace Christian; Mt. Juliet Christian; Memphis Catholic; Grace Baptist; W.E.B. Dubois; Ezell-Harding; Memphis School of Excellence; King’s Academy; Nashville Christian; Clarksville Academy; Tipton-Rosemark; Middle Tennessee Christian School; Donelson Christian Academy; Friendship Christian; Davidson Academy; Jackson Christian; Merrol Hyde; Memphis Academy of Science & Engineering; Trinity Christian Academy; Franklin Road Academy; St. Cecilia; George Washington Carver; St. Mary’s; University School; Boyd Buchanan; Collegedale Academy; Hutchinson; Memphis Northside; Silverdale Academy; Goodpasture; Grace Christian; Northpoint Christian; First Assembly Christian School; Soulsville Charter; Battle Ground Academy; GRAD Academy; KIPP; B.T. Washington; MAHS; Oakhaven; Westwood; Chattanooga Arts & Sciences; Manassas; Hillcrest; Sullivan North; Power Center Academy; Douglass; L&N STEM Academy; Mitchell; Austin-East; Alcoa; Trezevant; M.L. King Preparatory; Fairley; Tyner; Brainerd; Memphis East; Stratford; Hamilton; Raliegh Egypt

Class AAAA (urban): Lausanne; University School of Jackson; Girls Preparatory School; St. Agnes; Harding Academy; Evangelical Christian; University School of Nashville; Harpeth Hall; Notre Dame; Christ Presbyterian Academy; St. George’s; Christian Academy of Knoxville; Chattanooga Christian; Memphis University School; Ensworth; Knoxville Webb; Brentwood Academy; Lipscomb Academy; Montgomery Bell Academy; Briarcrest Christian; Pope John Paul II; Howard; Knoxville Catholic; East Nashville; Whites Creek; Melrose; Red Bank; Central Magnet; Sheffield; East Ridge; Pearl-Cohn; Fulton; Hixson; White House; Sullivan South; Hume-Fogg; M.L. King; Millington; Maplewood; Craigmont; East Hamilton; Kirby; Knoxville Central; Kenwood; Hillwood; Kingsbury; Northwest; Ridgeway; Hillsboro; Karns; Wooddale; Cocke Co.; South Doyle; Lenoir City; Knoxville Halls; Shelbyville; Soddy-Daisy; Memphis Overton; Northeast; Beech; Lincoln Co.; West Creek; David Crockett; Campbell Co.; Munford; Summit; Powell; Clarksville; Knoxville West.

Class AAAAA (urban): McCallie; Baylor; Christian Brothers; St. Benedict; Father Ryan; Daniel Boone; Henry Co.; Columbia; Independence; Brighton; Morristown East; Oak Ridge; Cleveland; Glencliff; Sevier Co.; Ooltewah; Morristown West; Dickson Co.; Franklin Co.; Gallatin; Rossview; McMinn Co.; Bolton; Hendersonville; Rhea Co.; Station Camp; Walker Valley; Heritage; Maryville; Memphis Central; Hunters Lane; Cane Ridge; Southwind; Farragut; Stewarts Creek; Brentwood; Centennial; La Vergne; Riverdale; Coffee Co.; William Blount; Franklin; Siegel; Smyrna; Warren Co.; Bradley Central; Lebanon; Overton; Wilson Central; Whitehaven; Blackman; Germantown; Hardin Valley; Cordova; Oakland; Houston; Bearden; Mt. Juliet; Antioch; Ravenwood; Arlington; Dobyns Bennett; Science Hill; Collierville; Cookeville; Jefferson Co.; McGavock; White Station; Bartlett

POSTSEASON SPLIT

No potential districts or postseasons have been drawn up.

The TSSAA’s Legislative Council will vote Thursday in Murfreesboro on a potential complete public-private split. Below are what the classifications could look like depending on the Council’s decision. The TSSAA presented five options, including leaving things mostly as they are, at its June meeting. However, the exact number of classes will be determined by the TSSAA’s Board of Control at a later date. Information was provided by the TSSAA.

The TSSAA Legislative Council meets at the DoubleTree to vote on the private-public split Thursday, July 16, 2015.

MURFREESBORO – After a year and a half of debating, not much changed after Thursday’s Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association Legislative Council vote on a potential public-private split.

A potential landmark decision that would have moved 24 private schools statewide into Division II where need-based financial aid is allowed was diverted by a narrow 5-4 vote.

In its place, the council gave the high school athletic association two more months to hammer out tweaks to its constitutional bylaws that TSSAA staff believe can address concerns of a perceived non-level playing field.

“It’s taken (15 months) for them to identify specific concerns,” TSSAA Executive Director Bernard Childress said. “In month one, we as a staff were saying, ‘Tell us what the issues are and give us the opportunity to address those in the bylaws.

“It took us 15 months to get that question answered. Now that we’ve got that question answered, we feel pretty confident that we can address some of those concerns, or probably all of those concerns in our bylaws.”

However, some are not convinced that a deal will be approved in September.

“Sixteen months is a long time,” said Matt Rigsby, Cannon County’s boys basketball coach. “We need a plan in place. We’ve got a lot of people asking questions, a lot of concerns on both sides. Those concerns need to be dealt with.

“Somebody has to make a decision and stand by it and be behind that decision as a governing body.”

Any changes approved will not go into effect until the 2017-18 school year.

At issue, Childress said, were at least four items that the TSSAA staff was looking at addressing in the bylaws.

Those included:

•Student employment. Public and private schools that have tuition and offer employment for any athlete or parent, guardian or immediate family member of an athlete. That doesn’t pertain to athletes’ parents who are full-time certified teachers or certified employees.

Currently student employment is not considered need-based financial aid by the TSSAA.

•Tuition for athletes’ siblings. Currently athletes can’t receive aid in Division I schools. However, siblings of athletes can receive aid if they are not athletes.

•Recruiting issue. Childress pointed out that recruiting is difficult to prove. But that doesn’t apply to only private schools. Childress said the last eight recruiting violations that the association has been able to prove came from public schools.

•Non-faculty coaches: Private school coaches have told the TSSAA that they feel they have an advantage in the number of coaches they hire because they can employ a larger number of classified employees or non-certified teachers who work 30 hours per week or more at the school.

Proposal denied

Council members Dan Black (Bradford), William McAdams (Hardin County), Greg McCullough (Memphis Central), Ron Woodard (Maplewood) and Michael Reynolds (Knoxville Central) voted against a split. Dan Gilbert (Soddy-Daisy), Jeff Luttrell (Watertown), Mike Tatum (Lewis County) and Keith Turner (Science Hill) were in favor of the split.

“The issue is not over,” said Tatum, whose school was listed with Trousdale County on the proposal to split the public and private schools. “There are a lot of problems out there. But, at some point we will get together and resolve it.”

Middle Tennessee Christian School, a Murfreesboro-based private school competing in Division I, would have been one of the 24 schools affected by a split. MTCS President Phil Ellenburg said he was happy to see the association get more time to act before approving a plan.

“It gives time to address real issues,” Ellenburg said. “Frankly, as we’ve said before, we like where we are. We like the rivalries we have. But that does give time to get into some of the issues.”

But that doesn’t mean a plan will be in place after September.

If the TSSAA’s proposed changes to its bylaws are not approved, the council can’t immediately vote again on a split. The council would likely have to wait until December to vote on other public-private plans, Childress said.

Woodard, who is the principal at Maplewood, said he believed it was imperative to look at bylaw tweaks before voting on such a large decision as a complete public-private split.

“When you try to do what’s right you won’t always be popular, but it’s the right thing to do,” Woodard said.

However, there were several school administrators disappointed with the decision on the split as well as pushing any bylaw changes back two more months.

“I think that there’s no doubt that private schools have certain advantages, and I don’t think that is disputed,” Creek Wood athletic director Chuck Daniel said. “I was a proponent of the split as were most of our coaches at Creek Wood, and it didn’t happen so we’ve just got to … get busy and try to find ways to beat the CPAs, the David Lipscombs.”

White House soccer coach Mark Lamberth agreed with Daniel’s assessment. The school’s boys soccer team has reached the Class A/AA tournament five times since 1997, advancing to the semifinals on four occasions.

The Blue Devils have appeared in sectional matches in six other seasons, suffering a 3-2, sectional loss to eventual state champion Christ Presbyterian Academy in a penalty-kick shootout in May.

In those 11 seasons, White House has been eliminated by a private-school program eight times and once by a magnet school.

“From a spring sports standpoint, I don’t think we’ve been put out (by a public school) at the substate or state level since Lenoir City (the eventual state champion) in ’98,” Lamberth said. “That’s a lot of years. Do I think there should be a complete and total split … yes I do.

“We’ve been having to do it so long. We have an even record over the years with CPA and some others. It just seems like it’s always a private school to put us out. At some point, we have to learn to be mean enough or tough enough to push through it.”

CPA athletic director Mike Ellson said he didn’t feel like the split was targeted at his school despite its recent success. This past year CPA won the Class 3A football title, Class AA baseball title and reached the Class AA boys basketball semifinals.

“We don’t feel like that internally because our focus is loving kids,” Ellson said. “Define success. …

“Championships are not going to define CPA. Making sure our coaches are loving our kids … it’s transformational leadership. Are we transforming young people’s lives so that when our students graduate from CPA, they’re making a difference?”

Contact Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 or tkreager@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kreager. Contact Michael Murphy at 615-259-8262 or mfmurphy@tennessean.com. Follow him on Twitter @Murph_TNsports. Contributing: John Bailey, Craig Harris

TSSAA Legislative Council Meeting
Kreager: Time for public-private decision is now

Blackman running back Charlie Davidson is hit by Oakland’s Tyler Black, right, as Oakland’s Cameron Newman closes in on the left in the first half of the play-off quarterfinal Friday, Nov. 21, 2014 at Blackman. Oakland won 20-9.

Football

Murfreesboro places four in 6A preseason poll

50 questions about new gridiron season

By Tom Kreager

The Daily News Journal

MURFREESBORO – Here are 50 questions for Rutherford County football teams before Siegel opens the football season at Ravenwood Aug. 20:

1. Which will be the top Rutherford County team in Class 6A in 2015?

The early favorites (in order) are Riverdale, Oakland and Blackman. Please note. No Rutherford County team has won back-to-back league titles since the TSSAA went to six classes.

2. How will bumping down to Class 5A help La Vergne and Stewarts Creek?

Stewarts Creek’s three wins in school history have come against teams that will be in 5A or lower in 2015. That bodes well for the third-year school, which should be beginning to build depth.

La Vergne is not only a playoff contender in 5A, but could make a serious postseason run with what it returns from last year’s 6A playoff team.

3. Who will be the leading rusher in Rutherford County in 2015?

Siegel senior Greedy Howse is the preseason favorite after rushing for 980 yards in just nine games in 2014. He is the leading returning rusher in the county.

Siegel’s Greedy Howse is the returning rushing leader in Rutherford County.

4. Who has the toughest schedule for 2015?

It’s probably a coin flip between Blackman and Oakland. Blackman’s non-region schedule includes Clay-Chalkville (Alabama), McCallie and Tucker (Georgia). Oakland’s non-region slate includes Hoover (Alabama), Pulaski Academy (Arkansas) and Hillsboro.

See complete article: Here

Riverdale QB settles in as Oakland battle intensifies
Q&A: Rohling leads county athletic trainers
This isn’t football, but close enough
End of dead period means football season closer
High school football classic building momentum

High schools, teams prepare for competition

Blackman High School

Blackman’s newcomers ready for their turn

Oakland High School

New Wing-T? No problem for Patriots
Oakland QBs begin battle for starting role
Oakland, Pulaski Academy disagree on canceled game

Riverdale High School

Transfer competing for Riverdale QB job

Siegel High School

Year later, Siegel’s Middleton more confident

Jason Piercey

Jason Piercey, the boys basketball coach and athlectic director for MTCS, listens in on the TSSAA Legislative Council meeting at the DoubleTree Hotel in Murfreesboro on Thursday.

Ricky Bowers

MURFREESBORO – Private schools are guaranteed representation on the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association’s two governing bodies — the Board of Control and Legislative Council.

However that representation won’t start until December — more than two months after the current Council meets again to discuss and vote on tweaks to their bylaws that could affect them.

Private schools will have one representative each in the TSSAA’s three Grand Divisions — East, Middle and West — on both the Legislative Council and the Board of Control. Both the Council and the Board will each have 12 representatives after the elections. The private school representative can come from Division I or Division II, which offers need-based financial aid.

The Council voted 5-4 on Thursday against a public-private split.

TSSAA Assistant Director Matthew Gillespie said the delay for those elections is because they are always held during the TSSAA’s regional meetings, which are held in November.

During the regional meetings, member schools will also vote for one other legislative council and one board member as each Grand Division has one term expiration. That leaves a possibility of multiple private school administrators being voted in, but it’s unlikely.

Former Franklin Road Academy administrator Steve Harris is the most recent Legislative Council member to come from a private school, and his original term began when he was at Hillsboro. He held a spot from 2003-12.

Private school representation is important for the association, Ensworth athletic director Ricky Bowers said.

“It would be presumptuous and inappropriate for a group of independent schools to understand the nuances of public school issues. And vice versa,” said Bowers, who is also the school’s boys basketball and football coach. “We have a healthier organization now.”

Councilmen Keith Turner of Science Hill, Ron Woodard of Maplewood and William McAdams of Hardin County all have their positions up for election. It is not known if any of the three are seeking re-election. McAdams was completing the term of Huntingdon’s Mike Henson.

Of the three that are up for re-election, McAdams and Woodard voted against a public-private split during Thursday’s Legislative Council meeting.

Board of Control members Tommy Layne of Sequatchie County, Jerry Mathis of Tullahoma and Ike White of Memphis Westwood have their spots up for election. White said in June that he won’t seek re-election.

The East Regional meeting will be held Nov. 2 at 1 p.m. at Hardin Valley Academy. The West Regional Meeting is at 1 p..m., Nov. 4 at University School of Jackson. And the Middle Regional meeting is slated for 10 a.m., Nov. 5 at Hillwood.

Gillespie said candidate nominations will be made at each regional meeting. He said sometimes administrators campaign for votes via email. Other times administrators are shocked when asked to run for election.

Regardless of who the private school representation is, MTCS athletic director Jason Piercey said he was simply happy to have someone from private schools representing on his behalf.

“Now we have a voice and a vote,” said Piercey, who is also the Murfreesboro private school’s boys basketball coach. “That’s a pretty good line. We trust the Council and the Board to do the right decision. But a lot is out of your control.

“We feel that now someone understands what we go through in our type of school. It’s a very good step forward for the organization.”

Contact Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 or tkreager@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kreager.

Oakland quarterback Cody Miller looks downfield during Saturday’s 7-on-7 tournament at MTSU. Oakland finished runner-up to Marshall County.

Oakland coach Kevin Creasy is entering his first season at the Murfreesboro school after winning multiple state champions at Trousdale County.

MURFREESBORO – New coach.

New offense.

New quarterback.

Oakland High and first-year coach Kevin Creasy Saturday reached the finals of their third of four 7-on-7 passing tournaments .

I guess the ole Wing-T offense must not be that bad afterall.

Oakland finished runner-up to Marshall County, falling 21-14 at Floyd Stadium in its final 7-on-7 tune-up before putting on shoulder pads Monday to begin work in helmets and shells to get acclimated to the heat per TSSAA rules.

Here are five things to take from the Patriots’ 7-on-7 success.

Winging it

Creasy, who won three state titles at Trousdale County before coming to Murfreesboro to replace Thomas McDaniel, has quickly implemented his offense.

If the past two weeks are any indication, fans shouldn’t be concerned with the new offense.

Creasy has found ways to get his top athletes the ball. Oakland quarterbacks Cody Miller and Brendan Matthews have taken turns finding Oakland’s receivers for big plays over the past two weeks.

Granted, the next week fans will see a heavy dose of the run game at practice prior to practice in full pads July 27.

QB tandem

Matthews had moments where he looked like the clear cut favorite to win the quarterback battle at MTSU. His deep ball to Mark Pruitt against Shelbyville was a beautifully placed ball.

However, Miller had two big TD passes against New Hope, Alabama, in their quarterfinal win.

Both are competing for the starting job. Miller was a backup the past two years. Matthews was a backup at Independence a year ago.

So far, neither appears to have separated themselves despite swapping snaps at tournaments at Riverdale, Ravenwood, the Titans complex and MTSU.

Perhaps a two-quarterback system could work during the season too.

Injuries mounting up

JaCoby Stevens, Kaleb Oliver and Quintavious Boyd each didn’t play at MTSU because of injuries. All three are key components of the Patriots’ receiving corps and defensive backfield.

Others such as Lazarius Patterson and Zarius Gamble stepped up on both sides of the ball as did Pruitt.

However, is sustaining injuries in one-hand touch a bad sign? Maybe.

But several were held out for precautionary reasons. Creasy said had it been real games those injured may have been able to get on the field.

Room to improve

Don’t go ahead an crown the Patriots the Region 2-6A champs just yet because of a little passing success.

Smyrna beat the Patriots 14-7 in a pool play, but didn’t make it to the top bracket in single elimination. While the Bulldogs struggled early, quarterback John Turner rallied his team for the upset.

In the hunt

Despite some disappointments, such as falling to Marshall County in three tournaments the past two weeks, the Patriots have shown it will be a region player this season despite having a new head coach with virtually a brand-new coaching staff.

Will it be better than Riverdale and Blackman? Who knows? However, they are the top three teams to beat in the county entering the season.

Contact Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 or tkreager@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kreager.

High school football classic building momentum
50 questions for 50 days before high school kickoff
Oakland QBs begin battle for starting role
Oakland, Pulaski Academy disagree on canceled game
Q&A: New Oakland coach works for perfection

George Quarles

MURFREESBORO – Maryville and Oakland met a season ago at Ray Hughes Stadium the day after Thanksgiving.

Coaches statewide believe that matchup could happen again in 2015.

Maryville and Oakland were ranked first and second, respectively, in the Class 6A preseason coaches poll published in the Murphy Fair’s annual preseason high school football preview book. The coaches poll is the only one conducted in the state prior to the season.

Maryville defeated the Patriots 26-14 in last year’s semifinals before going on to win its 15th state championship and second consecutive. Maryville coach George Quarles returns 11 of 22 starters.

Oakland is one of four Murfreesboro teams to be ranked in the 6A poll. Joining the Patriots from the ’Boro are Blackman (fifth), Riverdale (sixth) and Siegel (10th).

This season Class 6A has been coined the Super 6. It consists of the top 31 enrollments in the state along with Maryville. Maryville asked to be moved up from 5A to 6A and was granted their request by the TSSAA when La Vergne agreed to drop down to 5A.

The TSSAA allowed only schools in 6A to drop down a class in order to keep the state’s largest classification to just 32 teams.

All 32 teams in the classification advance to the playoffs no matter their record.

The rest of the 6A poll includes Whitehaven (third), Ravenwood (fourth), White Station (seventh), Science Hill (eighth) and Cordova (ninth).

No other Rutherford County team was placed in the top 10 in its classification. La Vergne received votes in the Class 5A poll. However, Independence — which will compete in Region 5-5A with La Vergne and Stewarts Creek — was ranked 10th.

The preseason favorites in the remainder of the classes include Henry County (5A), Knoxville Fulton (4A), Alcoa (3A), Adamsville and Trezevant (tied in 2A), Union City (1A), Brentwood Academy (Division II-AA) and Battle Ground Academy and Knoxville Webb (tied in Division II-A).

Contact Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 or at tkreager@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kreager.

TOP 10 PRESEASON POLL

(Coaches poll from Murphy Fair’s annual preseason football preview book)

1. Maryville

2. Oakland

3. Whitehaven

4. Ravenwood

5. Blackman

6. Riverdale

7. White Station

8. Science Hill

9. Cordova

10. Siegel

New Wing-T? No problem for Patriots