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By JESSE SMITHEY

Just three teams from the 5Star Preps coverage area reached Championship Week this year.

Alcoa in Class 3A.

Elizabethton in Class 4A.

Powell in Class 5A.

More in-depth previews on those three BlueCross Bowls will be available on 5StarPreps.com later in the week.

But for this Monday morning, here’s a little appetizer on each to whet your appetite.

CLASS 3A: Alcoa (13-1) vs. East Nashville (10-4)

Kickoff: Friday at 11 a.m., Finley Stadium, Chattanooga

The Skinny: The one is a classic David versus Goliath tale. East Nashville lost three of its last five regular-season games only to construct an unforeseen run to the state title game, reaching this round for the first time in school history. Meanwhile, Alcoa has the state’s all-time winning coach in Gary Rankin, and it is shooting for a seventh Class 3A state championship in a row. The Tornadoes lead TSSAA members in all-time state football championships won with 19. East Nashville’s top offensive talent is senior running back Amarion Ford (5-9, 205), who rushed for 296 yards and four TDs in a second-round win. Alcoa has shut out 31 of its last 56 opponents — including its last two opponents in BlueCross Bowl finals. East Nashville had never made it past the second round of the playoffs until this season, even stunning an unbeaten Dyersburg team in the semifinals.

 

CLASS 4A: Elizabethton (12-1) vs. Tullahoma (14-0)

Kickoff: Saturday at 11 a.m., Finley Stadium, Chattanooga

The Skinny: Elizabethton entered the the season on a 30-game win streak and as the two-time defending state champions in Class 4A. But after Greeneville trounced them 42-12 on Sept. 3, the Cyclones took a backseat to the Greene Devils in the 4A contender conversation for much of the fall. That was until Elizabethton avenged the loss to Greeneville, 13-7, in the 4A state quarterfinals and snatched back its contender status. An underdog mentality has served this team well, as has the leadership of senior dual-threat QB Bryson Rollins. He is 42-1 as a starting quarterback and leads the team in rushing (1,420 yards, 21 TDs) this fall. He can air it out still, too: 1,645 yards passing and 22 touchdowns. Tullahoma is led by a dual-threat QB, as well, in Ryan Scott and nearly reached last year’s 4A championship but fell by one point in the quarterfinals. This season, the Wildcats have been dominant on both sides of the line. They average 38.1 points per game, and not one team has scored more than 21 points against them. Scott threw for 269 yards and three scores and also rushed for a TD in Tullahoma’s win over Haywood last week. Tullahoma’s offensive line passes the eye test, having three starters at 6-foot-4 or taller.

 

CLASS 5A: Powell (12-2) vs. Page (13-1)

Kickoff: Friday at 7 p.m., Finley Stadium, Chattanooga

The Skinny: Oddly enough, both of these teams suffered first-round playoff defeats in 2020 only to bounce back with state finals appearances this fall. This week will mark the third time Powell has played in a state championship game, having finished runner-up in 1991 and 2011. Page, though, is in the season finale for the first time — and needed a miraculous comeback in the semifinals to do so. Page trailed by 17 points midway through the fourth quarter to Henry County (8-6) but rallied behind QB Jake McNamara — brother of Michigan starting QB Cade McNamara. He threw seven TDs in the game, including one with roughly 10 seconds to play for the win. McNamara wound up with 442 yards passing and 94 yards rushing. Conversely, Powell has a great dual-threat QB, too, in junior Jordyn Potts (3,500 yards passing; 33 TDs; 12 rush TDs) and has been much more dominant in its road to the BlueCross Bowl, outscoring opponents 153-27 in four playoff games. Since allowing 50 points per game through the first two weeks of the season, Powell’s defense has allowed just 9.3 points per game in its last 12 outings.

BLUE CROSS BOWL SCHEDULE

Chattanooga, Finley Stadium

Thursday, Dec. 2

DIVISION II-AA: Lipscomb Academy (11-1) vs. Christ Presbyterian (11-2), 11 a.m.
DIVISION II-A: Nashville Christian (11-2) vs. Donelson Christian (11-1), 3 p.m.
DIVISION II-AAA: McCallie (12-0) vs. MBA (9-3), 7 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 3

CLASS 3A: Alcoa (13-1) vs. East Nashville (10-4), 11 a.m.
CLASS 1A: South Pitt (10-2) vs. McKenzie (14-0), 3 p.m.
CLASS 5A: Powell (12-2) vs. Page (13-1), 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 4

CLASS 4A: Elizabethton (12-1) vs. Tullahoma (14-0), 11 a.m.
CLASS 2A: Hampton (10-2) vs. Westview (13-1), 3 p.m.
CLASS 6A: Oakland (14-0) vs. Summit (14-0), 7 p.m.