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Week 9 is here and so is the ‘Backyard Brawl’.
Blackman hosting Riverdale is our Spotlight Game this week as a top-two spot in Region 3-6A is up for grabs. That’s not the only massive showdown set to go on this week.
Fall Break is wrapping up and cooler weather has finally arrived. WIth that in mind, get out to a game Friday night as we inch closer and closer to the end of the regular season.
Here’s a look at our top 10 games for Week 9 and a little background on each.
Spotlight Game: Riverdale (6-1, 2-0 Region 3-6A) at Blackman (4-3, 1-1)
The Backyard Brawl has some massive stakes this year as both teams have a real shot at securing a top-two spot in the region. Riverdale needs this win to stay in contention for the No. 1 spot.
Blackman’s the sneakiest 4-3 team around. The Blaze lost to Ravenwood by seven and were a blocked field goal away from upsetting Oakland. Since giving up 35 to Stewarts Creek, Blackman hasn’t given up more than 14 points in its last five.
Riverdale’s also been stout defensively this season. Over their last five games the Warriors have given up 21 total points and have posted back-to-back shutouts.
Centennial (5-2) at Brentwood (6-1)
They may be in different classes but this this is a great Williamson County showdown. Can Centennial crack Brentwood’s stout defense?
Centennial got back on track against Glencliff with a 64-0 win but the Cougars struggled on offense the two weeks prior to that. They managed seven in a win over Springfield and then lost to Nolensville 10-6.
Brentwood’s leaned heavily on its defense but the Bruins can also put a ton of points on the board quickly. They enter this game off of a 17-9 win over Franklin and winners of five straight. The Bruins are averaging just over 30 points during this run.
Franklin (4-3, 2-1 Region 6-6A) at Ravenwood (7-0, 3-0)
Franklin’s bid at a top-two spot in the region took a shot with the loss to Brentwood but the Admirals could still cause some chaos by beating Ravenwood.
This was a high-scoring affair last season that Ravenwood won 41-28. Both teams are vastly improved since that game but Ravenwood is viewed by most as one of the best overall teams in the state.
Aside from the seven-point win over Blackman, the Raptors haven’t been tested. Ravenwood’s won its last three games by a combined score of 130-0 and are winning by an average of 32.5 points.
Hendersonville (5-2, 2-1 Region 7-5A) at Portland (4-3, 1-2)
This game suddenly got much more interesting thanks to how each team fared in Week 7. Portland beat Henry County and Hendersonville beat Springfield.
Those wins mean a playoff spot could be on the line. The winner likely secures it playoff spot while the loser is on the outside looking in.
While Hendersonville still has Henry County remaining on its schedule, this game is even bigger for Portland. The Panthers have the win over Henry County but have already suffered losses to Beech and Springfield putting them in a must-win spot.
Hillsboro (4-3, 1-1 Region 6-5A) at Page (7-0, 2-0)
Page’s defense has likely been stewing over since giving up its first points of the season to Lawson. Good luck to Hillsboro.
The Burros are a quiet 4-3 and solidified their postseason spot a few weeks back with the win over Lawson. This will by far be their biggest challenge of the season though.
Through their first seven games, the Patriots have outscored their opponents 268-6. For reference, their defense is allowing a mere .86 points per game. Pretty good.
Lawson (2-5, 0-3 Region 6-5A) at Nolensville (5-2, 3-0)
Could Lawson spoil Nolensville’s perfect run through the region?
The Lightning are winless in region play but have the weapons to put points on the board at any time. They were the first team to score on Page even if that game ended in a blowout loss.
Paul Derrick’s Knights are quietly putting together another solid season. A win here would certify their spot in the equation for the region title in Week 11 against Page.
McCallie (5-2) at Father Ryan (5-2)
There’s no denying that Father Ryan is much better than they were last year. The Irish are just in the hardest part of their schedule.
After leading Ensworth 7-3 at the half, Father Ryan was outscored 21-0 in the second half en route to a 24-7 loss. Things don’t get easier this week.
McCallie was embarasssed by Baylor the last time they took the field. The Blue Tornado had a full week to sit and stew on that. They may just take some of that frustration out on Father Ryan this week.
Mt. Juliet (7-0, 4-0 Region 4-6A) at Lebanon (3-4, 2-2)
This old-school Wilson County rivalry looks like it should be a one-sided affair. However, whenever these teams get together, fireworks are bound to happen.
Lebanon jumped out to a big lead last season before the Golden Bears rallied and won 38-31 in double overtime.
This is also a homecoming of sorts for Harrison Edwards. The Mt. Juliet transfer is coming off of his best game of the season the the Blue Devils’ 41-6 win over Wilson Central.
Smyrna (4-3, 2-0 Region 5-6A) at Stewarts Creek (6-1, 2-0)
Is this the year Stewarts Creek finally gets past Smyrna and wins its first region title? The opportunity is there for the taking.
Beating Antioch a few weeks ago, the Red Hawks just need a win over their crosstown rival to clinch that goal. Stewarts Creek won five straight since its Week 2 loss to Blackman and are one of the area’s highest scoring teams at 32.4 points per game.
Smyrna’s gone on a roll since starting the season 1-3. The Bulldogs have won three straight but escaped East Nashville 36-33 the last time they took the field.
Station Camp (2-5, 2-2 Region 5-4A) at Creek Wood (5-2, 2-2)
This game could ultimately decide a playoff spot for one team and leave the other on th eoutside looking in.
Colton Overby has the Bison offense humming now after it struggled early in the season against a brutal schedule. Station Camp’s won two of its last three games, the loss coming by. one to Pearl-Cohn, and averaging 35.5 during those three games.
Creek Wood was on a roll before Marshall County came to town and left with a 35-13 win. The Red Hawks have been one of the better surprises around this season but in losses, have given up a ton of points.
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