Ryan Scott (15) and the West Rebels faced the Powell Panthers in a TSSAA Class 5A state semifinal on Hayworth Field at Scarbro Stadium on Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, in Powell, Tennessee. West won 28-21. (Photo by Danny Parker)
BY DAVE LINK
West football coach Lamar Brown saw plenty of memorable plays during his team’s run to a 15-0 record and the 2022 Class 5A state championship.
One play stands out.
Sixth game of the season. Rivalry Thursday at Alcoa. Both teams were 5-0.
Alcoa trailed by three. No timeouts left. The Tornadoes were inside West’s 10-yard line.
With time running out, West junior linebacker Ryan Scott made a leaping interception in the end zone, securing a 29-26 victory.
It was the only loss of the season for Alcoa (14-1), which won the Class 3A state championship.
“If it wasn’t the play of the year in the state of Tennessee, it has to be in the top three or four,” Brown said. “Just an unbelievable play by him in man coverage on the goal line on the tailback. Alcoa played it great, too. It was a great route, a great ball, and he just made an unbelievable play on it in the end zone to seal the victory for us.”
Scott, the 5Star Preps Defensive Player of the Year, vividly remembers the play.
“We were in a man defense,” he said. “I looked over, called the strength for us, and I saw the QB talking to the running back, and was like, ‘Well, that’s my guy, so I’ve got to make sure I’m covering him.’ He went, so I went, and the ball got put in the air, and I just went up for it and got it. Afterward, I was in shock.”
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Not for long.
Scott, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound middle linebacker, led the Rebels to shutouts in their next two games against Heritage and Cocke County before posting a 31-18 home victory over Class 6A power Maryville.
West capped its season with a 28-21 state semifinal win at Powell and a 47-13 victory over Page in the Class 5A Blue Cross Bowl.
“We came into this year, and we were really looking for a good year,” Scott said. “I trusted the guys around me. You can’t make it up, really. It was a great year for us. I didn’t really expect it to go that big.”
EMBRACING AN EARLY START
Scott moved into a starting role at linebacker in 2021 when current senior John Carlevato was hurt and quicky got comfortable in the position.
“He became the full-time starter and just took off from there,” Brown said. “His work ethic and his leadership skills are unbelievable. He’s a warrior out there on the field, just plays relentless every snap and never takes a snap off and is always around the football.”
Scott became the QB of the defense this past fall.
“This year he’s the leader of our defense,” Brown said. “He’s the one who makes all the checks and gets us lined up and makes sure we’re in the best possible look that we can be in against that formation. He does an unbelievable job for us. He’s a playmaker for us on defense.”
Scott led West in tackles (119.5) in the fall and had 15 tackles for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble, and two interceptions, including a pick-six against Cocke County.
His stats could have been better, too. In 10 of West’s games, there was a running clock, and Scott sat for the second half of those games.
“He’s a downhill linebacker,” Brown said. “He gets downhill into the line of scrimmage. He’s a good athlete who can run, and I think the thing that separates him is his film study. He drives you crazy with film, watching it, wanting to know everything about it and trying to figure out the other team’s offense.
“I think there’s half the time he knows what’s about to happen, and he’s right, and that comes from his film study and his work ethic.”
FOOTBALL BLOODLINES, FUTURE
Scott has always played football but stopped playing baseball. He also wrestled his first two years at West, didn’t wrestle this season, but plans to as a senior.
His father, Todd Scott, played football in high school, as did his older brother, Ethan, a 2021 West graduate.
Ethan Scott wore the No. 15 jersey, and Ryan chose to follow suit by wearing No. 15.
“My brother, he taught me a lot,” said Ryan, who wants to play college football.
During the offseason, Scott is working to get stronger and faster under the training of West strength coach Jamie Holbrook and renowned local trainer Charlie Petrone.
“Right now, I’m just working on those things to be a better player and working on taking on the leading role for this team,” Scott said. “Me and the (rising) seniors are really just doing the best we can to get ready for next year.”
Brown is confident Scott will be ready.
“We feel good with him in the middle of our defense,” Brown said. “He’s already putting on weight this offseason and getting bigger and stronger. Ryan’s one of those kids you don’t have to worry about if he’s doing the work in the weight room because he’s the one that’s challenging the other kids to get the work done.”
PAST 5STAR PREPS DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
2021 — Walter Nolen (Powell), 2020 — Grey Carroll (Alcoa), 2019 — Kalib Fortner (Central), 2018 — Xavier Washington (Central).