BY MIKE BLACKERBY Powell has so many ways it can hurt you, but the Panthers had to muster all of their bountiful resources Friday to rally past visiting Anderson County, 48-36, in a wild non-region shootout. Powell, down 27-12 early in the third … [Read more...]

BY MIKE BLACKERBY GATLINBURG – Gatlinburg-Pittman’s Bryce Akey got a heads up from coach Derek Rang during practice this week. Rang told his star running back to expect a busy workload Thursday night against The King’s Academy. He wasn’t … [Read more...]

By Mike Blackerby If Week 1 is a harbinger of things to come, the 2019 high school football season promises to be a wild ride in the 5Star Preps coverage area. Class 5A powers Oak Ridge and Fulton both suffered rare opening-game defeats at the … [Read more...]

By Mike Blackerby It was a great season-opening win against a traditional powerhouse, but you got the feeling that South-Doyle was already looking at the big picture following its 42-3 win at Fulton Friday in the 5Star Preps Kickoff Classic. It was … [Read more...]

By Mike Blackerby OAK RIDGE – It was only fitting that standout defensive end Jaylen Moore came up with a sack on the game’s final play Friday night as Hardin Valley Academy took down Oak Ridge 13-6 on Blankenship Field. … [Read more...]

Senior Bailor Hughes answered the call and then some for Powell in its season-opening showdown against visiting Greeneville Thursday night at Scarbro Stadium. With junior standout Fernando Frances sidelined (knee), Hughes stepped in at running back … [Read more...]

BY MIKE BLACKERBY The countdown to the start of the high school football season is just hours away for most teams in the 5Star Preps coverage area. At Lakeway Christian Academy in White Pine, they’ll have to wait until 2020. … [Read more...]

By Mike Blackerby Webb coach David Meske has won state championships with all types and styles of teams. Blue collar works just fine for the longtime leader of the Spartans’ football program. “Our strength is on our offensive and defensive … [Read more...]

By Mike Blackerby Central football coach Bryson Rosser said there are worse things than getting it handed to you by Maryville in a preseason scrimmage. “We needed a wake-up call,” said Rosser, whose defending 5A state champion Bobcats open the … [Read more...]