Top 10 Following Week 1

BY DANIEL SPARKMAN Several teams start the season in the hole with a loss in Week 1. Out of our Preseason Top 10 we lose The King’s Academy and Seymour and welcome Lakeway Christian and Grainger. Lakeway Christian is looking for a strong start in their 3rd season on the field and trying to improve on a 3-4 record from a year ago. Grainger finished last year even at 5-5 but didn’t manage to win any region games, they hope to improve that percentage this season.  Here is our Week 1 Top 10: Alcoa (1-0) Maryville (1-0) Sevier County (1-0) …

Frias

Morristown West uses early lead to take down East 24-7

CHRISTOPHER MALONEY Correspondent In the annual area high school “kickoff” game of the season, the 2022 version of the Kickoff Classic saw Morristown West come storming out of the gate and then cause problems with interceptions and stifling defense to beat Morristown East 24-7. Morristown East coach Caleb Slover also brought up their Achilles heel in 2021 continued, which was the inability to finish drives including in the final quarter when turnovers killed the Hurricanes’ chances to score. Morristown West coach Alvin Sanders, on the other hand, was very pleased with how his team played. It wasn’t perfect and there …

Carter

Carter falls to Webb in opener 46-21

BY BRIAN HAMILTON KNOXVILLE – Carter did not start the season the way Coach Justin Pressley had hoped after a solid showing in last week’s jamboree at Knox Central. The Hornets kept pace with Webb early, trailing just 19-14 at the half, but a 27-point second half by the Spartans sent Carter home with a 46-21 loss. Pressley was unable to coach the game however, as he served a suspension for being ejected during last season’s first round playoff loss to Elizabethton, as Carter assistant Dustin Dudley served as head coach for the game. “We’ve got a lot of stuff …

Grainger Grizzlies jog onto the field.

Grainger Wins Season Opener on Road at Cumberland Gap

BY DANIEL SPARKMAN CUMBERLAND GAP – Despite some big plays by Cumberland Gap, Grainger’s hard-nosed ground game wins the night with a 42-32 victory over the Panthers. Friday night started with an explosive play from Cumberland Gap’s sophomore running back Brayden Painter as he took the opening kickoff 80 yards to start the game with a six point lead. Panthers sophomore tight end Allen Brooks followed up with the two-point conversion to improve the score to 8-0. Grainger’s first drive of the game ended with a two-yard run into the end zone, the PAT was no good. Panthers keep the …

Jefferson County

Sevier County wins defensive battle 7-6 over Jefferson County

BY BRIAN HAMILTON SEVIERVILLE – If you like a lot of scoring and offensive firepower, then Thursday night’s game between rivals Sevier County and Jefferson County was not for you. It was a defensive slugfest, especially in the second half, as Sevier County scored on its first drive and Jefferson County scored in the second quarter, with the only difference being a blocked extra-point that gave the Smoky Bears a 7-6 season-opening win. “I’ve never heard of an ugly win,” Sevier County head coach Todd Loveday said. “I’ll never apologize to win any kind of game. Jefferson County is a …