The TSSAA football championships continue with Page against Sevier County in the Class 5A state championship game on Friday in Chattanooga.
Sevier County leads 27-13 in the fourth quarter, with the turning point a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown on the final play of the first half.
Sevier County (14-0) has had the most eventful path to the BlueCross Bowl in the TSSAA football playoffs, winning 25-24 over Powell and 24-17 in overtime against West before last week’s 24-17 semifinal victory over Oak Ridge.
Page (14-0) is in the Class 5A state title game for the fourth straight season and is still searching for its first championship.
Follow the TSSAA football championships live updates below, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT:
Page’s next drive ends on a 4th down interception by Sladon Hickman. The Smoky Bears are 6:07 away from a state title.
Sevier County drains some clock with the short field and settles for a Taylor Madison 28-yard field goal.
Page has a lot of work ahead to get back into the game.
Page’s defense gets the stop and Sevier County punts the ball away. But on the first play of the next drive, a bad snap results in a fumble recovered by Sevier County in Page territory.
It was close, but William Wiebush is judged to score on a 1-yard touchdown run, his second of the game. Two-point conversion attempt is no good.
Page is within 11, but can its defense get a stop?
Page may have been fired up coming out of halftime, but Sevier County is simply playing better. The Smoky Bears eat up 6:05 on an 11-play, 85-yard drive, capped by a Cooper Newman 4-yard touchdown pass to Jude Costner. PAT good.
The key part of the drive: Sevier County lined up for a 38-yard field goal on 4th and 7, but Page jumped offsides to set up 4th and 2. The Smoky Bears brought the offense back out to go for it, and Page jumped offsides again.
Jonathan Baba’s 46-yard field goal attempt is blocked by Bryson Headrick, who returns the loose ball 62 yards for a touchdown as time expires in the second quarter.
What a stunning finish to the first half. PAT good. Halftime score: Sevier County 17, Page 7.
Page, certainly the favorite and with three years’ worth of BlueCross Bowl losses to avenge, will need to regroup. The Patriots had a long TD pass taken off the board by an illegal formation penalty earlier in the drive.
Sevier County takes the lead after a long drive capped by Jude Costner’s 4-yard touchdown catch. PAT good.
The drive was keyed by Roman Gibbons’ fourth-down catch to move the chains and set up 1st and goal. This is a season-high for points allowed by Page.
Sevier County’s offense gets going, helped in part by a Page defensive pass interference penalty, but has to settle for a field goal try. Taylor Madison’s 31-yard field goal is good.
That’s no small feat, given Page’s defense came into the game by allowing just 31 total points.
Page is stopped on fourth down in Sevier County territory, but gets the ball back with good field position after a bad snap on the Sevier County punt.
The Patriots elected to go for it again on a fourth down in the red zone, and William Wiebush sprinted through the right side for a 10-yard touchdown run. PAT good.
The championship games will be televised across the state on these stations (channel numbers over the air, cable channels can be found here):
- Nashville: WUPX MyNetwork TV Channel 30
- Memphis: WMC-TV+ Channel 5.5
- Knoxville: WKNX Channel 7
- Chattanooga: WFLI MyNetwork TV Channel 53.2
- Jackson: Jackson Energy Authority E+ broadband Channel 6 (not OTA)
- Tri-Cities: WCYB.2 CW Network Channel 5.2
All times Eastern; Games in Chattanooga
Thursday, Dec. 5
Friday, Dec. 6
- Class 3A: Alcoa (12-1) vs. Westview (13-0), 11 a.m.
- Class 1A: South Pittsburg (12-2) vs. MASE (12-1), 3 p.m.
- Class 5A: Sevier County (14-0) vs. Page (14-0), 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 7
- Class 4A: Macon County (12-2) vs. Melrose (10-3), 11 a.m.
- Class 2A: Marion County (12-2) vs. Milan (13-1), 3 p.m.
- Class 6A: Oakland (13-1) vs. Houston (12-2), 7 p.m.
