HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DATABASE

Tennessee Scores: Digging Deeper

2010-01-29T22:06:00.000-08:00

Historical Tennessee high school football scores have been the focus in the offseason. Be sure to check out your school to see what new scores have been added to the database.

2010 - What's New

2010-01-01T23:47:00.000-08:00

The year 2010 brings a large flurry of old scores coming on line, with a couple thousand entered into the database in the past few weeks. We need more, and you can help - old yearbooks, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings. etc., are excellent resources.

All-Americans

2009-06-17T17:37:00.000-07:00

Looking for historical high school All-American information for Tennessee and Kentucky? We have it for you now:

Historical Tennessee All-Americans
Historical Kentucky All-Americans

Happy New Year

2009-01-04T09:28:00.000-08:00

Wishing all of you a Happy New Year and prosperous 2009. Make the most of every day.

Please add a couple of resolutions to your personal list as it relates to HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DATABASE:

1) Dig up your old yearbooks, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, etc. and submit old scores (and any other relevant information) to the site.

2) Please consider a donation to the site. There are many sites out there worthy of pouring money into (CoachT would be one of them), and this site also is one of them. Despite other sites' claims of "exclusive" information, I think you will find that the information provided at HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DATABASE is fairly "exclusive" itself, with some scores, rosters, all-state teams, etc. that cannot be found anywhere else on the internet. Just keep up with the What's New page this month and you will see a glimpse of the breadth of exclusive data being provided.

To donate to the site, you can make your contribution here: Donate

Historical Haywood Scores

2008-11-23T21:36:00.000-08:00

Haywood's all-time historical scores dating back to 1912 can now be found online here. Haywood's 601 wins place the school currently at #5 in Tennessee in terms of all-time wins.

Historical Ezell-Harding Scores

2008-11-18T19:15:00.000-08:00

Ezell-Harding Christian School's all-time scores are now available. Click here for EHCS's all-time scores and here for the school's record versus all historical opponents.

Historical Chattanooga Central Scores

2008-11-15T19:56:00.001-08:00

They won nearly 400 games from 1907 to 1968.
They were recognized as state champions seven times.
They finished fifth in the 1962 National Sports News Service National Rankings.

Who are they?

The Chattanooga Central Purple Pounders. And you can now find their complete score history here.

Tennessee Composite Ratings (Week 10)

2008-11-04T20:43:00.000-08:00

Four third-party ratings services - CalPreps, Sonny Moore, Massey Ratings, and Rothman FACT Ratings - are averaged to show composite ratings of all Tennessee teams, regardless of classification. The composite ratings through Week 10 (October 31, 2008) can be found here.

Old School All-State Teams

2008-11-02T19:17:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Dr. Robert Rooks of Brownsville, Tennessee, our all-state list is growing quite nicely. We now have all-state teams online for six seasons prior to 1970:

1957 All-State
1959 All-State
1960 All-State
1965 All-State
1967 All-State
1968 All-State

I Played A Little Football, Too

2008-10-28T21:05:00.001-07:00

Not to be outdone below by his little brother Mack, Watson Brown now appears on HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DATABASE. Watson made both the 1967 AP and UPI All-State teams, which can be found here.

Congratulations, Mack

2008-10-26T20:29:00.000-07:00

Things couldn't be better for Mack Brown. His Texas Longhorns are atop the BCS rankings. And now his name shows up on HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DATABASE. Check out the 1968 All-State Football teams here (he appears on all three).

Huntingdon Rosters

2008-10-25T21:34:00.001-07:00

Looking for old Huntingdon rosters? We have 36 of them online currently, and more are on the way. You can find these 36 Huntingdon rosters, plus old rosters of many other Tennessee football programs, here.

Tennessee Composite Ratings (Week 8)

2008-10-21T21:29:00.001-07:00

Historical Goodpasture Scores

2008-10-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

Historical scores dating back to 1972 can now be found for Goodpasture Christian School. Check out the history of the Cougars here.

Also, check out the Cougar Chronicles, which has an even greater wealth of information on the history of Goodpasture Football. Quite a bit of hard work went into the Cougar Chronicles; be sure to show your appreciation!

Tennessee Composite Ratings (Week 7)

2008-10-16T20:54:00.000-07:00

Bowling, Anyone?

2008-10-13T20:31:00.001-07:00

While no longer the spectacles they used to be, Tennessee high school bowl games have a long and illustrious history in the Volunteer State. Check out our Tennessee High School Bowl Game History often - we're fast approaching 600 all-time results.

Something that even "Alfred" Einstein could appreciate.

Thanks, Jeff

2008-10-12T19:53:00.001-07:00

I'm running a little behind, but I want to send a thank you shout-out to Jeff Lockridge at The Tennessean for his article last month regarding high school football helmets in Tennessee. The article is located here.

Tennessee & The NFL Draft

2008-10-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

A Tennessean from the 2008 NFL Draft Class cracked the scoring column last week. Know who it is? Check out all Tennesseans drafted in the National Football League in the last 20 years here.

Hittin’ Ya Back, Girl: Thanks

2008-10-09T15:02:00.001-07:00

The economy is in a tailspin. Better check your 401(k) – it may be a 201(k) by now.

The financial markets are in a major state of turmoil. What should we expect – there are babies out there making online trades on a Blackberry.

And yet, high school football remains in a bull market. The popularity of this great sport remains high, and we certainly know that at HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DATABASE.

As HSFD enters its fourth year of operation, we want to extend a sincere “thank you” to the visitors to and users of the site. Website traffic is at all-time high levels, and user input and data submissions are becoming slightly tedious to keep up with on a daily basis – a nice problem to have, because it means people care.

Thank you for your support. And yes – we’ll still take your donations!

Clinton Football: Historical Scores!

2008-09-30T20:38:00.001-07:00

Historical scores are what we focus on at HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DATABASE, and we now have a nice history online for Clinton High School. Check out scores dating back to 1960 (and more on the way) here.

Tennessee vs. The World

2008-09-29T20:46:00.000-07:00

Halfway through the 2008 season, Tennessee TSSAA high schools maintain a 25-23 edge over out-of-state competition, including winning records versus Canada, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia. See the results here.

Impacted Moeller: Big Red Rolls in Cincinnati

2008-09-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

21

6

Montgomery Bell Academy represents Tennessee football admirably, upending Cincinnati Moeller 21-6 in the Kirk Herbstreit Football Series at Paul Brown Stadium.

The Tennessean Coverage
Cincinnati Enquirer Coverage

National Sports News Service Polls

2008-08-21T20:11:00.000-07:00

We have been collecting some of the older national polls in the offseason and now have 22 of the old National Sports News Service polls online. Some of the years contain partial polls; most contain full polls. The years we currently have are as follows:

1959-1962
1964-1965
1968-1972
1974
1976-1977
1979
1991
1993-2000

Visit these and other historical polls on HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DATABASE's Prep National Rankings page.

Kentucky Helmet Project

2008-07-30T12:50:00.000-07:00

With our Tennessee High School Helmet Project complete, it's now time to start focusing on other states. The Commonwealth of Kentucky, along with the state of Mississippi, are next on the list. Please consider sending in Kentucky helmet images so we can get your helmet on the site!

Kentucky Helmet Project

Mississippi Helmet Project

2008-07-30T12:40:00.001-07:00

With our Tennessee High School Helmet Project complete, it's now time to start focusing on other states. Mississippi is our next focus. Please consider sending in Mississippi helmet images so we can get your helmet on the site!

Mississippi Helmet Project

Carter 2008 Preview

2008-07-13T20:46:00.000-07:00

Chris Layton at PrepTennessee.com previews the 2008 season for the Carter Hornets. Read the full preview here.

Franklin 2008 Preview

2008-07-13T20:44:00.000-07:00

Chris Layton at PrepTennessee.com previews the 2008 season for the Franklin Rebels. Read the full preview here.

Loudon 2008 Preview

2008-06-29T20:51:00.000-07:00

Chris Layton at PrepTennessee.com previews the 2008 season for the Loudon Redskins. Read the full preview here.

Germantown 2008 Preview

2008-06-29T20:50:00.000-07:00

Chris Layton at PrepTennessee.com previews the 2008 season for the Germantown Red Devils. Read the full preview here.

PrepTennessee.com Hitting on All Cylinders

2008-06-24T21:31:00.001-07:00

If Tennessee's Scout.com website has fallen off of your radar, you may want to revisit what's going on at PrepTennessee.com. With rejuvenated leadership and new initiatives planned for the future, PrepTennessee.com should become a bookmark of any Tennessee high school football fan.

Chris Layton, an Oak Ridge High School and Maryville College graduate, is injecting new life into Scout.com's Tennessee high school football website. In addition to all of the latest in high school recruiting in the Volunteer State, PrepTennessee.com features a steadily growing message board and 2008 team previews. Layton's Q&A sessions with different coaches have given various high school football fans insights to the prospects of various teams throughout the state, from the state's all-time wins leader (Dobyns-Bennett) to new programs like Arlington High School in the Memphis area. Visitors should look out for new features coming on line in the near future, some of which will pique the interest of those with a longer-reaching, historical slant on Tennessee high school football.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DATABASE applauds Chris Layton and the excitement and passion the new PrepTennessee.com publisher is bringing to the website. Check out the website at PrepTennessee.com.

Maryville 2008 Preview

2008-06-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

Chris Layton at PrepTennessee.com previews the 2008 season for the Maryville Rebels. Read the full preview here.

MUS 2008 Preview

2008-06-24T20:58:00.000-07:00

Chris Layton at PrepTennessee.com previews the 2008 season for the MUS Owls. Read the full preview here.

Maplewood 2008 Preview

2008-06-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

Chris Layton at PrepTennessee.com previews the 2008 season for the Maplewood Panthers. Read the full preview here.

Columbia Central 2008 Preview

2008-06-16T21:11:00.000-07:00

Chris Layton at PrepTennessee.com previews the 2008 season for the Columbia Central Lions. Read the full preview here.

Pigeon Forge 2008 Preview

2008-06-16T20:30:00.001-07:00

Chris Layton at PrepTennessee.com previews the 2008 season for the Pigeon Forge Tigers. Read the full preview here.

MBA 2008 Preview

2008-06-11T18:27:00.000-07:00

Chris Layton at PrepTennessee.com previews the 2008 season for the reigning Division II-AA champions, the MBA Big Red. Read the full preview here.

Arlington 2008 Preview

2008-06-10T20:17:00.001-07:00

Chris Layton at PrepTennessee.com previews the 2008 season for the Arlington Tigers. Read the full preview here.

Dobyns-Bennett 2008 Preview

2008-06-09T19:43:00.000-07:00

Chris Layton at PrepTennessee.com previews the 2008 season for the state's all-time wins leader, the Dobyns-Bennett Indians. Read the full preview here.

BGA 2008 Preview

2008-06-07T15:19:00.001-07:00

Chris Layton at PrepTennessee.com previews the 2008 season for the BGA Wildcats. Read the full preview here.

Wilson Central 2008 Preview

2008-06-07T15:13:00.000-07:00

Chris Layton at PrepTennessee.com previews the 2008 season for the Wilson Central Wildcats. Read the full preview here.

McMinn County 2008 Preview

2008-06-07T15:06:00.000-07:00

Chris Layton at PrepTennessee.com previews the 2008 season for the McMinn County Cherokees. Read the full preview here.

MBA (TN) vs. Moeller (OH) - 2008 Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Football Challenge

2008-03-01T21:20:00.000-08:00

Read about MBA-Moeller, and other 2008 Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Football Challenge matchups, at Cincinnati.com: High school sports: Herbstreit '08 matchups set

Cookeville Football

2008-02-29T21:25:00.000-08:00

Historical Cookeville Football Scores (1928-Present)

Memphis University School Football

2008-02-24T15:38:00.000-08:00

Historical MUS Football Scores (1957-Present)

MUS Facts & Figures

Maryville Football

2008-02-24T15:36:00.000-08:00

Historical Maryville Football Scores (1926-Present)

Maryville Facts & Figures

Super 7/SuperPrep All-Decade Team (1997-2006)

2008-02-24T11:14:00.000-08:00

All-Decade Offense
All-Decade Defense

Tennessee All-State High School Football Teams

2008-02-17T18:34:00.000-08:00

McCallie Football

2008-02-09T17:32:00.000-08:00

Historical McCallie Football Scores (1905-Present)

McCallie Versus Opponents (1905-Present)

McCallie Facts & Figures

Montgomery Bell Academy Football

2008-02-09T16:41:00.000-08:00

Historical MBA Football Scores (1899-Present)

MBA Versus Opponents (1899-Present)

MBA Facts & Figures

2006 NFL Draft: Double Shot for MBA?

2006-02-03T22:07:00.000-08:00

Montgomery Bell Academy alumni Ingle Martin and Moses Osemwegie hope to give Tennessee a rare double shot in the 2006 NFL Draft, as the two former Big Red stars should appear on quite a few draft boards later this year.

With only roughly three dozen former Tennessee high school stars appearing in the NFL during the past two seasons, very few Tennessee high schools can claim at least one alum on an NFL roster. MBA looks to add two in the same draft come April.

Martin served as quarterback for MBA's back-to-back state title teams in 1999 and 2000, and the high school All-American ultimately signed scholarship papers with Steve Spurrier and the Florida Gators. However, Spurrier's ultimate departure from his alma mater, and the emergence of another high school All-American - Chris Leak - later led to Martin's transfer to I-AA Furman. Martin had a stellar two-year career for the Paladins, passing for roughly 2,800 yards and 22 touchdowns as a junior, and another 20 touchdowns and over 2,900 yards as a senior. Martin also rushed for another eight touchdowns over his two years at Furman.

Osemwegie had an equally successful college career, playing linebacker for Vanderbilt. Martin's high school teammate was a major contributor for the Commodores in each of his four years, registering 53 tackles as a freshman, 126 stops as a sophomore, 94 hits as a junior, and another 118 as a senior, giving him almost 400 tackles over his career. The All-SEC performer also contributed four interceptions over his college career and continued a tradition of fine linebacker play by MBA alums playing for the Commodores, most recently accomplished by Hunter Hillenemeyer, who currently is a third-year linebacker for the Chicago Bears.

Where Martin and Osemwegie end up in the 2006 NFL Draft remains to be seen. Martin was in the top 10 of quarterback prospects going into the 2005 season, and while his stock may have dropped somewhat with the emergence of some other fine quarterbacks, most notably Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler, Martin's tremendous will-to-win and gritty scrambling ability likely will earn him consideration from some NFL clubs. Osemwegie, at roughly 6' 0", 230 pounds, will have to convince scouts that size isn't everything, but given Vanderbilt's solid tradition of producing hard-nosed linebackers (Hillenmeyer, Shelton Quarles, Jamie Winborn), Osemwegie should be able to garner interest from a variety of clubs seeking defensive help.

The 2006 NFL Draft should, once again, find its way into the homes of a few Tennesseans. Martin and Osemwegie aren't the only former Tennessee high school stars who will get looks from the pro ranks - Hollow Rock-Bruceton's Patrick Willis from Ole Miss is one of a handful of others who should rank favorably on NFL Draft boards - but these two former stars give MBA fans a shot at doubling the excitement of watching NFL dreams potentially come true later this April.

Read this commentary and more at HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DATABASE.

Tennessee Making the Most out of Out-of-State Scheduling

2005-12-23T20:44:00.000-08:00

As high school football takes on more of a national flavor, we'll see more and more matchups between schools from different states, and if one takes the time to look at Tennessee high school football schedules, one will find that Tennessee programs not only are riding the wave of intra-state scheduling, but also are taking on some of the best teams other states have to offer.

A look at the composite national rankings for 2005, based on polls from six outlets who provide national rankings for high school football, shows four programs in the national Top 7 who have played Tennessee teams at some point during the past five seasons. Independence (NC), #4 in the 2005 composite rankings, appeared on Austin-East's schedule in 2001. The two teams tied for #5, Byrnes (SC) and St. Xavier (OH), have taken on two Tennessee private schools - MBA (vs. Byrnes in 2005) and Brentwood Academy (vs. St. Xavier in 2002). The nation's #7 team, South Panola (MS), took on two Tennessee schools in 2005 - Germantown and G.W. Carver.

Granted, Tennessee did not fare well in the five aforementioned matchups - 0-5 to be precise - but Tennessee schools have fared well in other out-of-state matchups with top flight regional and national programs over time. MBA holds a 2-1 series lead over Louisville Trinity, including a 17-13 victory over the Shamrocks in 2003 when Trinity entered the game as the #4 team in America according to USA Today. The Big Red also scored a 26-21 victory over highly-rated Jacksonville Bolles in 1999; Bolles is a perennial Florida power, coached by the state's all-time wins leader in Corky Rogers, and was rated the number one team in the country a few years prior to the matchup with MBA in 1999. Christian Brothers scored a nice win over the aforementioned South Panola in 1995, when the Tigers were just two years removed from their first final Super 25 USA Today ranking. Brentwood Academy has also played numerous out-of-state powers, highlighted by a 6-0 victory over Pascagoula in 1988, during a period in which Pascagoula was cracking national rankings with future NFL stars in Terrell Buckley and Shane Matthews.

The previous matchups just scratch the surface when it comes to out-of-state teams played by Tennessee schools. In addition to previously mentioned states, teams from Texas, Ohio, Missouri, Arkansas, North Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, and Alaska have made their way onto Volunteer State schedules. And while it is fully reasonable to expect a mixed bag, in terms of wins and losses, when unfamiliar foes are challenged, it is not unreasonable to think that such clashes on the gridiron only help put Tennessee on the national map.

Read this commentary and more at HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DATABASE.

Williamson County, TN: More Than Just Where Eagles Soar

2005-12-08T20:48:00.000-08:00

There was a time when, if a conversation were taking place about Williamson County, Tennessee football, the talk would center around Brentwood Academy, and few others - if any others at all.

Times have certainly changed.

While Brentwood Academy still remains the king of the county in terms of head-to-head matchups - the Eagles are 20-0 all-time versus county rivals - the emergence of three other programs now makes Williamson County more than a one-pony show.

Three of the past four Division I-5A championship games have included three different schools from Williamson County, and two of those schools have taken home the gold ball. Brentwood High School was the first of the current Division I-5A schools in Williamson County to make the finals, with the Bruins upending the mighty Riverdale Warriors 10-7 in the 2002 finals. Two years later, it was Franklin High School's turn, although Riverdale was able to turn the tables on the Rebels in the 2004 title game matchup, taking the crown 35-7. Most recently, the Ravenwood High School Raptors, in just its third year of varsity football, shocked the I-5A world, outlasting Oak Ridge in the 2005 I-5A finals in a tight, 14-7 contest.

Four other schools round out Williamson County - Independence and Centennial in I-5A, Page in I-3A, and Fairview in I-2A. While these four schools have yet to achieve the lofty status of the other four programs, hopes remain high at these schools. Independence and Centennial, like Ravenwood, are relatively new schools (Independence just fielded its first varsity football team in 2005, and Centennial opened its doors in 1996), and Page and Fairview, while having been around longer than Ravenwood, Independence, and Centennial, are still competitive in their regions, both having compiled overall winning records over the last five years.

It remains to be seen the impact the success that the three Division I-5A public schools is having on Brentwood Academy's football program. While Brentwood Academy now has gone nine years without winning a state championship in football, the Eagles have still appeared in six Division II title games, and interestingly enough, provided the only blemish on Brentwood High's 2002 state championship team, as well as Ravenwood's 2005 state title team. Nevertheless, the Bruins, Rebels, and Raptors are proving that there is room for more than one powerhouse in Williamson County.

Read this commentary and more at HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DATABASE.

CoachT.com: The 800-Pound Gorilla of TN Message Boards

2005-12-07T21:37:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't found it yet (and if you haven't, we'd love to see the sites you're surfing), there is an 800-pound gorilla in the Tennessee high school sports message boards space. And considering how Jim Thompson has cornered the market, this internet operation by no means should be considered monkey business.

Thompson's website, CoachT.com, is the Cadillac of high school sports talk in Tennessee. With upwards of 50,000 registered screen names, and over 1,000,000 posts on the site, there is no other place to go to talk Volunteer State high school athletics that has the reach that CoachT.com has.

Want to trade barbs with rivals from your most despised team? Feel like dropping a note of congratulations to first-time football state champions Davidson Academy, Livingston Academy, and Ravenwood? CoachT.com is the site where you will find an audience - and perhaps a little smack talk in return if you're not nice (and sometimes even if you are).

The Football Boards remain the most popular destination on the site, but boards exist for practically all sports, including bowling and lacrosse, which have a smaller audience but still have a niche of fans who need a place to talk shop.

CoachT.com even offers a board to discuss (bicker about) the infamous "Public/Private Debate". Be warned: come to this board with thick skin, and just remember - whichever side you support is the wrong one!

The site is free to all users, although off-season boards are limited to Plus Members at a nominal fee of $12 annually. A Plus Membership also provides users with, among other items, a Private Message feature and access to the Open Discussion Board - a relatively obscure yet highly informative section of the site.

Yes, there are other Tennessee high school sports talk sites on the internet - each with their own merits - but CoachT.com is the 800-pound gorilla with a stranglehold on Tennessee high school sports message board activity. And with no signs of letting up any time soon, Jim Thompson just might be driving the competition bananas for some time to come.

Read this commentary and more at HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DATABASE.

Division II-AAA: Parity, Not Parody

2005-12-07T21:32:00.000-08:00

Memphis University School captured its second state title in Division II-AAA, triumphing in the finals with a revenge-laden, 31-27 victory over archrival Christian Brothers. The victory and state championship give the Owls back-to-back 11-1 records and two gold balls in the highly competitive "Super 7" (nominations still being taken to account for the addition of Briarcrest in 2005) since 2004.

However, detractors still exist, questioning the "validity" of a state title earned in a league of only eight teams.

Yet, a closer look at league data suggests that Division II-AAA, while short in numbers, is long in talent and parity, and, despite a relatively short road to championship glory, is no laughing stock.

During the past four years, the Division II-AAA champion has suffered at least one regular season loss, compared to the first five years of the league, when four of the five champs finished with undefeated records. While some may point to a deterioration in the quality of the league, others will point out the league is becoming much more balanced, with the perennial leaders coming back to the pack a notch, and the teams annually near the bottom of the pack stepping up their level of play. And all the while, the teams are still keeping pace - and then some - with their Division I counterparts.

Father Ryan, which has struggled since capturing the inaugural "Super 7" title in 1997, is showing signs of improvement, and with former Oak Ridge coach Bruce Lussier now at the helm, the Fighting Irish, despite going winless in Division II-AAA in 2005, still managed some quality non-league wins, including an impressive victory against defending Division I-5A runner-up Franklin. Baylor, the only member of the original "Super 7" not to have appeared in a "Super 7" championship game, flexed its muscles in the 2005 playoffs, avenging a Week 10 loss to five-time champion MBA with a 16-7 win in the 2005 quarterfinals over the Big Red.

On the top end of the league, MUS became the ninth state champion in nine years of the league to sweep its Division I opponents. Overall, the league has performed admirably against its upper level Division I brethren, winning over 75% of its games versus opponents from Division I-5A and Division I-4A. The list of opponents defeated include three Division I-5A champions and one Division I-4A champion - and all by "Super 7" teams which did not win the title in that given year.

All said, despite the emergence of an undefeated champion since 2001, Division II-AAA is still holding its own. And while the road to the Division II-AAA state championship is still a short one - there are only so many bracket possibilities with only eight teams - the quality of the teams in the league is measured by its results on the field, and those results continue to be impressive.

Read this commentary and more at HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DATABASE.

The Best High School Football Program in Tennessee is...

2005-12-07T21:23:00.000-08:00

After hours upon hours of painstaking research, the results are in. We've looked at the all-time records, we've looked at state titles - mythical and otherwise. We've looked at every piece of information available to analyze. And the answer is now clear.

The best high school football program in the state of Tennessee is...

Brentwood Academy.

And Dobyns-Bennett.

And Maryville.

And MBA, Oak Ridge, and Riverdale for that matter.

OK, so much for waffling, but when it comes down to picking the "best" program in the state of Tennessee, it's just too difficult to do.

Sure, in all reality, there are probably 300 or so programs that could be eliminated from contention for one reason or another, but the point remains there are easily five to ten programs worthy of serious consideration for top billing - each with its own positive and negative attributes.

Let's take an alphabetical look at six programs that we have isolated as worthy candidates (and this is certainly not a be-all, end-all list, but these six programs boast a list of accomplishments not easily rivaled by any other six programs in the state):

Brentwood Academy. With an all-time winning percentage over 82% and nine TSSAA state football titles since the program's inception in 1970, Brentwood Academy remains one of the state's most talked-about programs, on a variety of levels. Detractors will point out the school's relative lack of success in Division II since 1997 (0 titles, but 6 championship game appearances), but the Eagles' accomplishments on the field prior to 1997, which includes impressive wins over quality out-of-state competition, may serve the test of time. A Division II football title would certainly serve the Brentwood Academy program well, and with Carlton Flatt - the state's all-time wins leader - at the helm, that elusive Division II title may come very soon.

Dobyns-Bennett. Forty-five years. That's how long it's been since the Indians captured its last state title in 1960 (excluding a 1964 title claimed by the school), one of 13 titles the school claims. However, the school's recent lack of success in the state championship department by no means diminishes what Dobyns-Bennett has accomplished in 84 years of football. Dobyns-Bennett remains the state's all-time wins leader with 682 wins, and has a significant cushion over the field. With a prideful, well-supported program and what are still quality teams being produced on an annual basis, the Indian program rightfully can lay its claim as one of the Volunteer State's best.

Maryville. The superlatives are endless for the Rebels. Maryville just captured an unbelievable sixth state title since 1998, and tenth overall (including a 1964 title claimed by the program). The program will enter its 80th year of football in 2006, and has logged enough wins over its impressive history to rank fourth in the state in all-time wins. George Quarles, who has orchestrated five state titles of his own since 1999, is widely regarded as one of the finer offensive minds in the state. Tireless questions about the benefit of open zones and the school's desire to play up to the Division I-5A level continue to follow the program, but the Rebels have demonstrated tremendous discipline and will-to-win that would likely benefit them on any level of Tennessee high school football.

Montgomery Bell Academy. One has to go all the way back to the 19th century (1899) to find the origin of the Big Red football program. Such longevity has led MBA to eight TSSAA-recognized state titles (plus five the school claims from the early 20th century) and 633 wins, which places the school in second place in all-time wins in Tennessee. MBA had a significant dry spell (0 titles) between the implementation of the playoff system in 1969 through the 1996 season, but five Division II titles and a very difficult schedule over the years (MBA is the only Tennessee school to have played Valdosta (GA), the nation's all-time wins leader, and the Big Red scored impressive wins over nationally-ranked programs in Bolles (FL) and Trinity (KY) in 1999 and 2003, respectively) solidifies MBA's place as one of the state's elite programs.

Oak Ridge. Eight state titles, including a mythical national championship in 1958, and over 540 wins place the Wildcats among the state's top programs. Oak Ridge needs just one state championship over this decade to give the Wildcats at least one state championship in every decade since the 1950s. Oak Ridge just missed out on an opportunity to extend the championship-every-decade-since-the-1950s streak with a loss to upstart Ravenwood in the 2005 Division I-5A finals, and the Wildcats' current 14-year drought of state titles is the longest in the school's history since the 1950s, but with what is always a solid nucleus of talent, Oak Ridge is always a threat to add a ninth state title to the ledger.

Riverdale. Murfreesboro keeps growing and growing, and the wins keep piling up for the Warriors, despite the opening of various new schools in Rutherford County over the past couple of decades. As with Brentwood Academy, Riverdale has been playing football only since the early 1970s, but still has managed to amass 309 wins and a 75% all-time winning percentage. Riverdale's nine state title game appearances over the past 13 years is unprecedented on the Division I-5A level, and the Warriors have four state titles to their credit over that period and recognition from various national rating services. Coach Gary Rankin has been instrumental in the success of the program and will ensure that the Warriors remain among the state's high-profile programs in the years to come.

Of course, there are plenty of other programs in the state with impressive credentials; for example, Alcoa (7 titles) and Trousdale County (6 titles) proved their merit once again in 2005 in the lower levels of Division I and have programs that are certainly worth mentioning when discussing the state's best.

So, take your pick on which program is the "best". There's really no wrong answer, and regardless of your answer, Tennessee has quite a few programs of which to be proud.

Read this commentary and more at HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL DATABASE.