615 Preps Small Class 2026 Overview: Area dominates Division II-A, but can the public schools finally find gold again?
2
0
The fourth installment of our 2026 preview series turns to the “weight classes” in our coverage area, starting with the small schools. We classify them as the teams in Division II-Class A and Class 1A, 2A and 3A, since that splits our 14-county area into somewhat equal thirds. Those classes consist of 29 programs playing TSSAA football this year.
Previous preview content:
Aug. 14: Who are some of the area’s notable transfers on defense this offseason?
Aug. 13: Who are some of the area’s notable transfers on offense this offseason?
Aug. 12: 615 Preps’ week-by-week guide of games to attend in 2026
How they finished 2025
In Division II-Class A, Nashville Christian repeated as state champs with a 59-7 romp over USJ in the title game. If one of the teams from our coverage area wins the state title in 2026, it’ll mark the 10th consecutive gold ball for the area in that class. Lausanne was the last one outside the area to win a DII-A title in 2016.
Providence Christian made school history by reaching the state semifinals for the first time after a double-overtime win against Friendship Christian. The Commanders were joined by Donelson Christian Academy and Middle Tennessee Christian School in the quarterfinal round, where all three bowed out.
Things weren’t so rosy on the Division I side in 2025. No area team reached the semifinals in 1A, 2A or 3A. Gordonsville and East Robertson (who were both undefeated at the time), as well as East Nashville, all were wiped out in the 2A quarterfinals by 17 points or more, and only Jo Byrns and Eagleville managed to escape the first round in Class 1A. In 3A, four teams (Sycamore, Fairview, Westmoreland and Maplewood) won their first-round games but saw their seasons end in the second round.
It’s been 11 years since an area team from one of 1A, 2A, or 3A won a state title. Six teams have reached the state championship since 2015, when Nashville Christian won as a 1A team. CPA’s 2014 title came as a 3A team, and Trousdale County took the last 2A title in 2013. That’s probably a good place to start the next segment.
Five questions that will shape 2026
Can the public school drought finally end in 2026, and which team has the best chance to do it?
The best shot for that comes from East Nashville again in 2A, as the Eagles have plenty of firepower returning following what was an up-and-down 2025 campaign. Dallas Covington is one of the area’s more experienced quarterbacks coming back and another year of maturity can only help “Out East.” If they can somehow get by Huntingdon, there’s no reason East Nashville can’t make their fourth trip to Chattanooga in six years. Let’s not leave out Gordonsville, who has won at least one playoff game in nine of the last 10 seasons.
Is there a 3A team that could emerge as a state threat?
Westview’s the main roadblock until Graham Simpson graduates. Other teams such as Covington, Dyersburg, and Melrose in addition to the aforementioned Chargers, will make it very difficult for any area team to get to Chattanooga. One team to watch, however, is Whites Creek – the Cobras started 6-0 last year before dropping three region games and backsliding out of the playoffs altogether. Maplewood faces a postseason ban this season, which means the other four teams in Region 5-3A will make the playoffs. Watertown doesn’t have it any easier on the eastern half of the bracket, especially with increased travel.
Are any of the 1A teams in position to make a deep playoff run?
In 1A, there’s only four area teams even in that class, so the odds are already stacked in favor of the field. The eastern half of that bracket goes through South Pittsburg and Coalfield, and Jo Byrns was the only local team in Region 4 to get a first-round win last year. Eagleville has the western half to contend with, and the Eagles would likely be the team that could contend for a deeper run, though McKenzie is always a contender there.
Is it Nashville Christian’s class again in Division II-A, or will another contender emerge?
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more dominant season than the one the Eagles put up in 2025 – they outscored opponents 686-191 (52.7-14.7 points per game). The law of averages says they’ll come back a little bit from those numbers, but other teams will have to step up to challenge them. That’s where Friendship Christian comes in. The Commanders have the area’s winningest active head coach (John McNeal with 307) and have received several impact transfers during the offseason that should help close the gap. Don’t be surprised if they’re right behind (or even ahead of) Nashville Christian in the rankings when those two teams tangle on Oct. 30.
How have transfers affected the small schools during the offseason?
That’s a mixed bag of answers, depending on your perspective. Mt. Juliet Christian has just 14 healthy players due to outgoing transfers and is in danger of not being able to field a team if more attrition happens. We mentioned Friendship Christian getting several incoming transfers, and keeping talent will be a challenge going forward for the smaller Division I schools.
Notable numbers
307 – Career victories for Friendship Christian head coach John McNeal, far and away the most of any active head coach in our coverage area. Kevin Creasy’s next, but he’s 77 back. Oh, and all of McNeal’s wins have come on the Commanders’ sideline, too.
189 – Career victories for new Providence Christian head coach Marty Euverard, who returns to the sidelines after a year away following his tenure at Montgomery Bell Academy. PCA marks his sixth stop in his head coaching time, and his victory total ties him for fourth with Pearl-Cohn’s Tony Brunetti among active area head coaches.
188 – Career victories for Nashville Christian head coach Jeff Brothers, who’s sixth on that list after factoring in his tenure at JPII before taking over as the Eagles’ leader in 2010.
150 – A career wins milestone reachable by two area head coaches this year, Watertown’s Gavin Webster (143) and Fairview’s Chris Hughes (141).
23 – Current winning streak for Nashville Christian, the area’s longest active winning run.
New head coaches this year
Eight teams welcome new head coaches in 2026, most notably Euverard and Franklin Christian’s David Pack, who has 100 career wins but was last a head coach in 2011 at Franklin Road Academy. Chris Keylon takes over at East Robertson, while Brett Ridenour (Mt. Juliet Christian), Jamie Graham (Nashville Collegiate Prep), Michael Tirjan (Red Boiling Springs), Jerald Cook (Stratford), and Andrew Gerhardstein (Sycamore) are the other head coaches manning new sidelines this season.
