BY MIKE BLACKERBY
So here they are.
The following 20 teams are the best of the best in high school football in the 5Star Preps coverage area since the inception of the TSSAA playoffs in 1969.
Since Morristown East (Class AAA) and Loudon (AA) won state championships in the inaugural playoff season 54 years ago, local teams have won 93 state championships.
One school that won a state championship – Class A Walland in 1975 – is no longer open.
Not surprisingly, two area teams with dominant histories over the past 20 years are well represented in our Top 20 list.
Alcoa, which has won a state-record 21 championships and is gunning for its ninth title in a row this season, has four teams in the Top 20.
So does Maryville, which has 17 state championships on its illustrious resume.
I’m fortunate to be able to say that I saw 19 of the 20 teams in the Top 20 play at least once.
The only team I didn’t see was Greeneville 2010.
Teams that played in seven different decades are represented in the Top 20 rankings.
subscribe to read full article