Gordonsville Tigers lose to Trousdale County
The Gordonsville Tigers lost to the Trousdale County Yellowjackets 42-20, to bring their record to 2-2 (1-0) for the season. Gordonsville wasn’t able to get their offense going to start the game, which allowed Trousdale County to get an early lead that put them in the driver’s seat for the rest of the game.
Gordonsville received the ball to start the game, but an interception on the third play of the game set uP Trousdale County in good position. The Yellowjackets were able to drive down and score to take an early 7-0 lead.
Gordonsville’s next drive saw them take the ball down to the 22 to attempt a field goal, but the kick missed to the right. Three plays later, Trousdale was able to extend their lead to 14-0 following a 78 yard touchdown run. The Tigers were struck with a second turnover of the game when they turned the ball over on the following drive on a fumbled attempted pass.
The Tigers were able to create a turnover of their own for a touchdown on the next drive, when Lauren Cripps was able to recover a fumble and take the ball 70 yards for a touchdown to bring the score to 14-7.
An onside kick attempt didn’t make it 10 yards, setting Trousdale County up for a good start to their drive. They were able to run the ball in a few plays later to extend the lead to 21-7. A failed drive by the Tigers caused them to punt away to the 38 yard line. Trousdale County scored on the following play through the air to extend the lead to 28-7, which wrapped up the scoring in the first half.
Gordonsville was able to force a 3 and out on Trousdale County’s first drive of the second half, but an interception would cut the Tigers drive short. The Yellowjackets ran the ball down and scored to extend their lead to 35-7. The Tigers were able to respond with a touchdown when Skyshn Washer ran in for a 6 yard touchdown to bring the score to 35-14. Trousdale County answered right back with a score of their own off of a 12 yard touchdown run.
The Tigers scored just over two minutes later, with Skyshn Washer scoring his second touchdown of the night off of a 3 yard rush, but a missed PAT brought the score to 42-20. Neither team was able to score in the final eight minutes of the game.
What’s next?
Gordonsville hosts region opponent RePublic on September 14th for their Homecoming game.
J.M. Insurance Agency presents High School Football’s Beast of the Week 2018 – Week 3
Here are J.M. Insurance Agency’s picks for High School Football’s “Beast of the Week” for Week 3:
Smith County:
Braxton Washer and Seth Dillehay
Braxton Washer
#55 C/LB
Braxton made a total of 7 tackles and stepped in to play Center due to a player injury. Braxton displayed strong work ethic and discipline throughout the game that ended in a loss to the Upperman Bees.
Gordonsville:
Mac Petty, Matthew Thompson, and Seth Dillehay
Matthew Thompson
#36 LB/FB
Matthew racked up 10 total tackles and lead the team defensively to their victory over the Red Boiling Springs Bulldogs.
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Gordonsville Football wins big over Red Boiling Springs
The Gordonsville Tigers got the region schedule started on the right foot, beating Red Boiling Springs Bulldogs 44-14 on the road.
The Tigers were able to break away early, with Braxton Givens scoring in the first quarter, followed by three touchdowns in the second quarter. Taylor Thaxton and Givens both scored rushing touchdowns in the second, with the third touchdown of the quarter coming off of a Thaxton pass to Adam Brinkley to make the score 28-0 going into the half.
RBS struck first in the second half, but weren’t able to put together a comeback as the Tigers answered with a 22 yard touchdown run by Skyshn Washer and a two point conversion run by Taylor Thaxton to make the score 36-7. The Bulldogs were able to score late in the fourth quarter off of a 10 yard touchdown run with 4:20 left in the game to make the score 36-14, but the Tigers responded with a 21 yard Jaylen Brown touchdown followed by a two point conversion to wrap up the scoring at 44-14.
What’s Next?
The Tigers will host Trousdale County next week, September 7th.
Smith County Football drops region opener to Upperman
The Smith County Owls lost to the Upperman Bees, 36-12. In a game that started out in the Owls favor, they weren’t able to maintain momentum and couldn’t stop Upperman’s running attack.
Jaden Apple-Gibbs got the Owls started off on the right foot, returning the opening kickoff to the Owls 44 yard line. Three plays later, Apple-Gibbs was able to break away for a 36 yard touchdown run to out the Owls up, putting the Owls up 6-0 only a minute and a half into the game. The PAT was no good.
Upperman was able to respond quick with a rushing attack of their own, scoring a touchdown and making the PAT to go up 7-6.
The Owls second drive saw them go 59 yards, with Cameron Spivey finding both Eli Martin and Isaac Dick through the pass game for crucial first downs before Spivey ran the ball in for the touchdown from two yards out. The PAT was no good, bringing the owls lead to 12-7 late in the first quarter.
Upperman was quick to make their way back to the endzone, putting together a drive that started with good field position from their kickoff return. A 24 yard touchdown run a few places later put Upperman back in the lead 14-12 just a minute into the second quarter.
The Owls were forced to punt on their next drive. A deep punt from Smith County saw Upperman start at the 14 yard line, but a 69 yard Upperman run a few plays later put the Bees on the 21 yard line. A couple plays later, Upperman was able to run it in from the two yard line on 3rd and Goal to go up 21-12 with just under four minutes left in the first half.
Another forced punt by Upperman allowed them to drive down and on the verge of scoring a touchdown before the half, but the Owls were able to hold Upperman to a field goal to go into the half down 24-12.
Upperman got the second half started with a series of runs that saw them score a touchdown just two minutes into the half. The Bees missed the PAT, putting their lead at 30-12.
Eli Martin returned the following kickoff to the 48 yard line to put the Owls in great position. The Owls weren’t able to get anything going and turned the ball over on four downs.
Upperman’s running game tore through Smith County’s defense and was able to drive down the field. An Upperman 20 yard rushing touchdown put the score at 36-12 halfway through the third quarter.
On Smith County’s next drive, Spivey went down with an injury causing the Owls to play with Apple-Gibbs in the quarterback position. Smith County was able to move forward after the injury, but was forced to punt.
The rest of the game and entirety of the fourth quarter saw both teams struggle to get anything going.
What’s Next?
The Owls have a bye week coming up, but will look to bounce back from their two game losing streak in two weeks on September 14th when Smith County hosts region opponent York.
Smith County Owls sing alma mater after 36-12 loss to Upperman High School
J.M. Insurance Agency presents High School Football’s Beast of the Week 2018 – Week 2
Here are J.M. Insurance Agency’s picks for High School Football’s “Beast of the Week” for Week 2:
Smith County:
Jaden Apple-Gibbs and Seth Dillehay
Jaden Apple-Gibbs
#4 RB/SS
Jaden racked up 22 rush yards, 4 catches for 30 yards, 2 kicks for 52 yards, and accumulated 11 total tackles despite their hard loss to Gordonsville.
Gordonsville:
Mac Petty, Braxton Givens, Seth Dillehay
Braxton Givens
#28 RB
Braxton surpassed Gordonsville’s all-time rushing record during their victory over Smith County with a total of 30 carries for 207 yards and 3 Touchdowns.
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Gordonsville Football breaks streak against Smith County
The Gordonsville Tigers won 20-12 over the Smith County Owls, beating the county rivals for the first time since 2013 and for the first time in Carthage since 1998.
Braxton Givens got a touchdown on the first drive of the game for the Tigers, running the ball in from the 5 yard line. The score came after a 60 yard drive in which Givens had 31 yards on 6 carries. Late in the drive, a defensive pass interference penalty on the Owls gave the Tigers a second chance after the Owls had held them to 4th and 9.
The next two drives saw both teams fail to get any offense going, but the Owls were able to string together a few big plays on their second drive of the game at 5:03 left in the 2nd Quarter, which saw John Ross Hord run the ball in from 17 yards out. The Owls failed to convert the PAT, leaving the Owls down one, 7-6.
The Tigers bounced right back, following a series of runs by Givens that culminated in a touchdown run just two minutes after the Owls had scored to go up by eight, 14-6.
Smith County looked as if they were going to bounce right back with a score of their own, following a face mask on the kickoff return to give them good position. A few big plays out the Owls at 3rd and 5 with 54 seconds left in the half, but a dropped snap pushed the Owls to 4th and 10, which they weren’t able to convert.
The Tigers started the second half off with an onside kick, which they recovered to start off on the 43 yard line. Gordonsville was able to make it to the 5 yard line, but a missed field goal attempt gave the Owls their first opportunity of the second half.
Smith County went on an eight minute drive, but a failed fourth and goal attempt gave the Tigers the ball back on the 3 yard line.
The Tigers were able to drive 97 yards and score off of a Givens touchdown to make the score 20-6 with only a minute and a half left, but the Owls weren’t ready to give up without a fight.
The Owls were able to score in two plays following a big 45 yard run by Cameron Spivey followed by a 20 yard touchdown pass to Hord. The Owls decided to try and go for two, but were not able to convert making the score 20-12 Tigers with 1:14 left in the game.
The Owls weren’t able to covert the onside kick, allowing Gordonsville to run the clock out of the game for the win.
Braxton Givens received the DTC Player of the Game
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J.M Insurance Agency presents High School Football’s Beast of the Week 2018 – Week 1
JM Insurance Agency presents High School Football’s Beast of the Week, Week 1 Selections:
L to R: Seth Dillehay, Tanner Marshel
Smith County High School:
Tanner Marshel #21
RB/CB
Tanner racked up 3 Touchdowns and accumulated 184 rush yards during the Owl’s season opening win against Macon County.
L to R: Mac Petty, Nathan Herd, Seth Dillehay
Gordonsville High School:
Nathan Herd #19
DE/TE
Despite the tough loss to Watertown, Nathan accrued 6 tackles and 1 Sack in the Tigers season opener.
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Smith County Owls 2018 Football Preview
2018 Smith County Owls Football Team
The Owls, led by Head Coach Mike Dickerson, had a big season last year, going 7-3 in the regular season before getting knocked out in the third round of the playoffs to Red Bank. While it’s not out of the question for the Owls to replicate last season’s success, they will have to do so with a roster that looks quite a bit different than it did a year ago. With only seven seniors on the roster, the team will have plenty of opportunities for younger players to break out this season.
Junior Cameron Spivey is one player that is hoping to have a big season, taking over the role of starting quarterback after playing last season at safety. Spivey will be doing so behind three returning starting linemen. (Chris Ray, Greg Bass and Austin Williams)
The Owls have a lot of potential, but they will need a number of players to step up following the graduations of nearly all of the big playmakers from last season.
Juniors John Ross Hord and Jaden Apple-Gibbs may be the players to look at to break out for the Owls. Hord has shown abilities to play on both sides of the ball, tying for the second most total tackles on the team last year as well as running for 295 yards and seven touchdowns on 65 carries.
Apple-Gibbs was the Owls leader in tackles last season with 90 as a sophomore, and will look to follow-up with another big season.
Schedule
(* signifies Region 4-3A matchup)
August 17 – Macon County
August 24 – Gordonsville
August 31 – Upperman*
September 14 – York*
September 21 – @ Livingston Academy
September 28 – @ Sequatchie County*
October 5 – DeKalb County
October 12 – @ Cannon County*
October 19 – @ Watertown
October 26 – @ Grundy County*
Games to Watch
Gordonsville – August 24
A matchup that most players and fans will look forward to all year, “Carthage – Gordonsville” should live up to the hype this season following the Owls 48-26 victory last season. The tables may have turned with Gordonsville now having the experience over a Smith County team that looks a lot different. Expect this game to feature passion from both sides, which should mean a very good game to watch.
York – September 14
York is entering the season as the favorite in region 4-3A and this midseason matchup will help to show just how competitive Smith County will be this season. Coach Dickerson will have had time to work with players and make any adjustments needed to make sure that his team is able to stay competitive in this game.
@ Sequatchie County – September 28
Sequatchie finished the season middle of the road last season, going 6-5. (3-2 in region 4-3A) The Indians will have higher expectations this season, and with the size and experience they have it’s easy to see why. This won’t be an easy matchup for the Owls, but this matchup is one they will need to win if they want to have a chance at winning the region.
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Gordonsville Tigers 2018 Football Preview
When the Tigers take the field on August 17th they will be led by a new coach, Scott Clemons. Clemons became the head coach of the Tigers this offseason following the resignation of Ron Marshall.
Clemons and the Tigers will have a target on their backs following last season’s 6-0 run in Region 4-1A. While Gordonsville fell to Whitwell in the second round of the playoffs, there is a lot of skill and leadership returning for the Tigers that will give them hope for a deeper run this season.
The Murphy Fair Coaches Poll has the Gordonsville Tigers sitting just outside of the top 10 teams in 1A, as one of only two other teams to receive votes. The coaches within region 4-1A also predict the Tigers to repeat.
One player that the Tigers will look for big contributions from is 2017 Mr. Football finalist, Braxton Givens. The senior running back will be looking to improve on already impressive numbers from last season. ( 338 carries/ 2,269 yards / 23 touchdowns)
Senior Taylor Thaxton will be taking over as the quarterback, and will have a lot of returning talent to pass to this season. Senior Bill Washer is likely to be the top target for Thaxton after his performances last season.
With nearly 20 seniors on the roster, the Tigers will hope for the leadership and experience on both sides of the ball to help the team make a deep run in the playoffs.
Schedule
( * signifies Region 4-1A matchup)
August 17 Watertown
August 24 @ Smith County
August 31 @ Red Boiling Springs*
September 7 Trousdale County
September 14 RePublic*
September 28 @ Monterey*
October 5 Pickett County*
October 12 @ Jo Byrns*
October 19 @ Jackson County
October 26 Clay County*
Games to Watch
Watertown – August 17
The Tigers lost to Watertown 20-0 last season, but with more experience and a new head coach, expect this game to be a little bit closer this year. With both teams picked to be near the top of their respective regions, Gordonsville will be hoping to start the season off on the right foot, while also using this early test to look for any changes that may need to be made.
@ Smith County – August 24
This matchup is one that has had a lot of big moments for each team throughout the years, and there is no reason to expect this year to be any different. The “Carthage – Gordonsville game” is a game that draws out a lot of passion from both sides, which almost always evens the playing field.
@ Jo Byrns – October 12
Gordonsville was able to beat Jo Byrns last season 21-14, but this late season matchup could have implications towards where each team finishes in Region 4-1A. The Jo Byrns Red Devils finished last season second in 4-1A, going 4-2 in the region. With both teams relying on a large number of seniors as a foundation, don’t expect a blowout in this matchup.
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15/16 year-old Senior League All-Stars to compete in Southeast region tournament
Front Row (L to R): Seth Bingham, Tanner Coleman, Ethan Young, Evin Graber, Kobe Jones, Ashton Phillips, Cody Antoniak
Back row (L to R): Barry Preston- Coach, Matther Jones, Layton Cripps, Cody Williams, Cole Huddleston, Robert Preston, Chris McClanahan- Manager, and Tracy Mofield- Coach
The 15/16 year-old Senior League All-Stars from Smith County are preparing to compete in the Southeast region tournament for the second year in a row. The tournament is set to be held in Safety Harbor, Florida, on July 20-25, 2018.
The All-Stars’ journey began when they won the District 2 tournament, which took place here in Smith County. They then travelled to Clarksville, Tennessee, for the state tournament, where they also emerged victorious.
The scores of the state tournament games are as follows:
Game 1 (W)-
Smith County: 8
Maryville: 4
Game 2 (L)-
Smith County: 4
Lexington: 7
Game 3 (W)-
Smith County: 23
Bluff City: 1
Game 4 (W) –
Smith County: 7
Maryville: 1
Game 5 (W)-
Smith County: 21
Jefferson City: 1
Game 6 (W)-
Smith County: 4
Lexington: 3
Championship Game (W)-
Smith County: 19
Lexington: 7
The Smith County Senior-League All-Stars always appreciate donations, especially as they now prepare for regional play. To make a donation to the team, please contact Tracy Mofield at (615) 735-7926 or Chris McClanahan at (615) 489-9724.
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