Tigers Stomp Hillwood 79-46

The Ensworth Tigers went on the road for the second time in three days on Thursday, but they were more successful this time around. In a game dominated by the Tigers' defense, Ensworth took home a 79-46 victory.

The story of this game was turnovers: Hillwood had 32 of them over the course of the game, including 28 in the first three quarters alone. Ensworth ended up with 15 steals in the game, and they capitalized with 32 points off those turnovers. Hillwood also only mustered 44 field goal attempts, converting on 13 of them, which is a 29.5% clip.

In addition to playing tight defense, the Tigers were able to dominate the low post. Daniel McFadden led the Tigers with 18 points, which was the game high. He combined with Keshonn Carter and Conor McDermott for a total of 36 points in the low post. Jacob Carter, in addition to McDermott, was the only other player in double figures for the Tigers, as all 14 players on the roster mostly split the playing time as coach Ricky Bowers subbed in 5 players at a time throughout the game. Corn Elder continued his solid play at the point guard position as a freshman, finishing the game with 5 assists.

Marques Walker led the Hilltoppers with 13 points. Max Ugboaja led Hillwood with 8 rebounds, but got into foul trouble early and only finished with 3 points, fouling out toward the beginning of the 4th quarter.

The Tigers take on Signal Mountain Saturday at home. The girls will start at 5:00 with the boys following at approximately 6:30.

Tigers Score Triple Digits EHS 102 USN 52

On Friday night everybody got a good look at this year's basketball team. Not only did all 14 players on the roster get into the game, they all scored. Leading the way was senior guard Daley Hill, who posted a team high 12 points. All 12 of Hill's points came from 3. Behind Hill was Freshman Corn Elder with 11. There were 4 others with 9.

USN's Meiko Lyles scored a game high 28 points in defeat.

For more stats click here

Tigers To Play On Big Stage

On Saturday after the Predators take on the Red Wings the Tigers will take on Blackman High

School. It will be a 10PM start time but could be later depending on what time the previous game ends.

Blackman is tied with Ensworth for 3rd place in the GNASH Blue standings with a 1-6-2 record. The Tigers will be coming in at 2-7.

DII's Top Prospects Meet in Championship Game

On Monday MUS four star quarterback Barry Brunetti won the Tennessee Mr. Football award in the "backs" category. When asked about what the award meant to him, he stated, "I think of it more as a team award than an individual award. It's a blessing to have a team like that." While this may be a response of a lot of players with a modest attitude like Brunetti's, he's not just trying to give his team thanks, he's just being honest.

While Barry has thrown for 21 touchdowns this season, rushed for 13 more, and gone turnover free throughout the regular season, he has had a lot of help on the offensive side of the ball from three star running back Keith McBride and two star athlete Stephond Allmond. Combined, they account for 1,407 yards rushing and 21 rushing touchdowns. Brunetti remains committed to WVU but told TNVarsity that Memphis and Mississippi State are still very interested, though he is still committed to the Mountaineers. McBride has received offers from Army, Navy and Princeton. Allmond has an offer from Army as well but is also interested in Memphis, Michigan State and Middle Tennessee.

While MUS may look like the favorite to win this year championship game on paper, MBA has been equally as impressive in the playoffs.

The Big Red knocked off Battle Ground Academy, a nationally ranked Ensworth team, and rival Brentwood Academy in overtime.
When sophomore linebacker and 2nd leading tackler James Kay was asked about momentum from the Ensworth game carrying over into other games he said, "A lot of momentum carried over from the game; many people told us to forget about the game so we could focus on BA, but Coach McGugin kept telling us to not forget and remember how good it felt. I think the game gave us a major boost of confidence also." Kay has yet to receive any interest from any DI schools but plans to camp this summer to get some exposure.

MBA is lead by seniors Fitz Lassing, Brad Bars and William Tanner.

Lassing is MBA's "do it all" guy. He plays linebacker, leading the team in in tackles with 84, running back, leading the team in rushing yards with 1291 and 15 touchdowns, and he is also the punter. In MBA's 42-41 overtime victory against Brentwood Academy, Lassing was responsible for 5 touchdowns, 2 passing and 3 rushing. So far, Lassing only has 2 offers from Furman and Wofford, but that may change as Vanderbilt is believed to be showing interest in the two star prospect.

Two star LB/DE prospect Brad Bars leads the Big Red with 6 sacks and 2 fumble recoveries. Bars so far has only been offered by Army but has impressed those who attended some of his camps last year. He too may be offered by the Commodores since Vanderbilt is trying to fill a need for a linebacker for their 2010 signing class.

William Tanner is MBA's number one receiver. So far, he has 442 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns. When asked about his offer from Murray State he said, "I am pretty interested in Murray State. I like the coaches up there, and they seem really cool; I just want to get up there for a visit and see what the student life is like and the social setting, but so far I am really interested in them; I just need to get up there for a visit."

When asked about this year's matchup compared to last year's, Tanner told TNVarsity, "This year is different because we are peaking at the right time. Everyone is playing well right now. We struggled a lot earlier this year, and that has helped make us more disciplined and a lot more mature. So overall, I feel like this team is more mature than the team last year, because we realize good things will happen as will bad things throughout the game."

Barry Brunetti was asked the same question about MBA, he said, "They're pretty much the same, they have a good defensive line and are very disciplined."

Important Note

In the MUS vs Father Ryan game Brunetti did sustain multiple injuries; he tore both of his groin muscles and strained his thigh. He told TNVarsity, "I was about 60% during the Father Ryan game but I am 80% now." Brunetti is expected to play on Thursday.

This year's game will be in Cookeville and will be played at Tennessee Tech at 7PM on Thursday Dec. 3.

Prediction

This is a hard one. MBA has caught fire in the playoffs, but it seems that MUS has been red hot for two years. It's really hard to bet against either team but, despite Brunetti's injury, MUS seems like the logical choice based on this year's results and last year's 35-7 stomping by the Owls over the Big Red.

Predicted Final: MUS 24 MBA 17

Big Red Upset: MBA 27 EHS 24

This post will not be like any other game recap I have ever written. It is almost too painful to look back on this game. I will not give any drive summaries or stats of any sort... just my subjective opinion.

If you read my previous post previewing this game you can read my prediction. In that prediction it lists all the things that the two teams had to do in order to keep their season alive. MBA did those things, Ensworth didn't. It's that simple.

Mistakes were made, by players and coaches alike but I'm still proud to be a part of this team. I would like to thank the coaches, specifically Jason Hiett who gave me the opportunity to be with the team. Without his dedication to the technical side of football I would have little to do for the team and could not be a part of the past two undefeated regular seasons. I also thank the rest of the coaches for treating me like they would treat each other, whether it was on the coaches office or at school. It was a very special feeling.

Secondly, I would like to thank the team. I was not treated like the stereotypical "water boy" or the kid that's always at our practices. They treated me like they treated each other (except when it came to mouthpieces). Everybody knew my name, even most of the freshmen that I have never met before, and even the ones who still don't actually know who I am. I feel blessed to have players to cover like Orleans and Antonio, and I feel the same about those who don't get the same kind of recognition. I would not trade this team for any other in the country.

Lastly, I would like to thank everybody associated with RUMBLE, broadcasting and stat gathering. I would like to thank Cindy Rose, Alex Boehm, Nathan Caplan, Alex Dean, Mark Zager, William Joy, Thomas Doochin and the EHS Broadcast Club for all their hard work. Whether it was calling the games, gathering and submitting stats, editing, or putting together a good webcast, I really appreciate the effort given to help promote and expose this team.

Hockey season has already begun and girls and boys basketball is just around the corner. RUMBLE has not ended; it will be very active in the following weeks. I will not be able to be everywhere at once so, please, if you are interested in contributing please email me and we will work something out.

Once again, thanks to all for the memorable season.

EHS VS MBA Preview: DII-AA Playoffs RD2

70 days ago it seemed like Ensworth had come away with MBA's most coveted game as the Tigers blew out the Big Red by the score of 50-21. But now it's time for part 2. However, the storyline has changed since these teams last met. The MBA lineup was shuffled around after numerous injuries were inflicted upon the Big Red. The most meaningful injury was to QB Luke Colbert after he took a hard hit on a goal line play against Ensworth. Colbert broke the C5 vertebra in his neck and was lost for the season. Coach Dan McGugin then pulled the plug on backup QB Van East after constantly struggling even against lesser opponents. After MBA lost to lowly BGA on their own homecoming, McGugin thought it was time for a change at QB and put sophomore Aaron Simonis in at QB. So far Simonis has led MBA over JPII and BGA convincingly.

In the last matchup the player of the game was Ensworth Mr. Football candidate senior RB Orleans Darkwa. Darkwa rushed for 341 yards and 5 TD's against the Big Red. It was apparent that the MBA D-Line was being pushed off the ball from the snap, and it would allow Darkwa to find gaping holes in the Big Red defense.

MBA has made defensive adjustments and will likely stack the box to hold Darkwa in check; however, the only team to successfully do so was Oakland in week 1 when Darkwa was held to 101 yards on the ground in a game that went to overtime. But keep in mind that Darkwa has sat for the last two weeks after sustaining a neck injury and turf toe, though he's been cleared to play and is feeling close to 100%.

If Darkwa is to come out of the game due to injury look for junior Rodney Anderson to take over the ground game for the Tigers. Anderson is the fastest player on the team and started in week 10 against BGA and rushed for 147 yards and 2 TD's.

Prediction

There is no doubt that Ensworth is the more athletic and skilled team. The last meeting between these two teams exposed that in the 1st quarter. However, this is a rivalry game and MBA has potential to really come out and score some points, and their defense has been solid most of the year. But as stated earlier, Ensworth is the better team hands down.

In order for MBA to win they have to cause turnovers and capitalize on all of their red zone opportunities. They really have to be mistake free and find ways to at least contain the Ensworth ground game.

As for Ensworth, the Tigers will have to do what they have been doing all year, and that's run until the scoreboard clock reads all zeroes. They will also have to limit their procedure penalties as they average 74 yards a game in penalties (leads DII).

Predicted Final: EHS 42 MBA 21.

Kuhn Scores 5 as Tigers Roll: EHS 9 Hume Fogg Beech 5

CENTENNIAL SPORTSPLEX- Last night was a night to remember for the Ensworth hockey team as they set a school record for most goals in a game (9), and Senior captain Andrew Kuhn scored 5, yes, 5 goals which is a team record for most goals in a game by a single player. It was also the first hat-trick in team history. Kuhn also had 2 assists.

The most notable play of the game occurred in a 7 goal 2nd period at 5:03 when sophomore Matt Peacock split 2 defenseman, dangled the puck through an opposing player's legs and deked goaltender Max Rollins and scored on the back hand shot.

Also tallying on the scoreboard was Senior Hunt Baker (1 G 2A) and Junior Lee Srebnick (1 G 1A). Baker now leads the GNASH in assists with 9.

Highlights:

Ice Tigers to take on Beech-Hume Fogg Wednesday

On Wednesday night the Tigers (1-4) will face Beech-Hume Fogg (0-3) at 6:40 PM at Centennial Sportsplex.

Last year the Tigers knocked off HB for the programs first win. Leading the way for HB is Beech forward #7 Wilson Reece who leads the team in goals with 3 and points with 5.

The game can be seen live at ensworthlive.com, and guess who's commentating! :D

After the game the Ensworth Live current events and politics show will be broadcast at 8 PM.

6 in 6 Part 6: Jack Allyn

Jack Allyn has been in goal for all three years of his high school hockey career. Jack has had to face more shots than almost any other goalie in the Nashville high school hockey system. Last week Jack recorded his second career goaltender win against Ravenwood/Brentwood.

Q: Jack, who is your favorite NHL player past or present and why?

A: Patrick Roy is probably my favorite NHL player. No particular reason, I just always remember watching him play in the Stanley Cup when I was younger and thinking that he was cool.

Q: I understand you wear Tomas Vokoun's old goalie pads, how did get your hands on them?

A: Yeah, they are actually his backup pads he used during the Olympics a couple years back for the Czech Republic. I got them during an auction held at the Sommet like two years ago, they cost a lot, haha.

Q: At what age did you start playing hockey?

A: I started playing hockey when I was 6 really, actually with my brother shooting pucks at me in the basement of our old house against my will. But it stuck, and I started playing ice hockey like a year later.

Q: What is the hardest part about goaltending?

A: The hardest thing about being a goalie is trying to read what a shooter is going to do, like deke, shoot high, shoot low, or pass.

Q; Most teams are at least two deep at the goaltender position but you're Ensworth's only goalie on the roster. Is there anyone that you think that can or will step in for you maybe later this season since you're involved with the fall play?

A: I've no idea really who would even want to do it, but William Decker has tried before. I'd probably want Miles Karro to play though.

Tigers To Face The Big Red

On Friday night the MBA Big Red came out with revenge on their mind as they avenged their homecoming loss against BGA earlier this year 45-10.

Changes have been made since Ensworth last played MBA at Tommy Owen Stadium in September, most notably at quarterback. Luke Colbert is now out for the season after sustaining a neck injury earlier this season against Ensworth. Sophomore Aaron Simonis took over the QB position after coach Dan McGugin made a change from the original back up Van East.

The game will take place at Tiger Stadium at 7PM Friday night, remember to buy tickets in advance since it is a playoff game.

6 in 6 Part 5: Neal Rice

Freshman Neal Rice will be a key part of Ensworth's ability to win games this season. He is already a top scorer and will continue to improve as the season moves along. This is nothing new for the Tigers as last year freshman Matt Peacock led the team in goals. Ensworth's season relies vastly on newcomers and underclassmen like Neal.

Q: Neal, who is your favorite NHL player past or present?

A: My favorite NHL player is probably Maxim Afinogenov of the Buffalo Sabres, because he is an all around good player. He can hit, he can shoot, he can pass, and he sees the ice really well, meaning he's a really good playmaker.

Q: At what age did you start playing hockey?

A: I started playing hockey when I was 6. After my first Predators game, I knew I wanted to play this sport.

Q: What differences did you first notice when you played your first high school game?

A: The game moves a lot faster, and the players hit a lot harder.

Q: Which game are you most excited about playing this year?

A: The game at the Sommet Center against Blackman High School.

Q: As a Freshman, you already have 2 points in 4 games, what are your goals specifically for this season?

A: My main goal is to keep trying hard, finish every shift tired, get more goals, and hopefully get more wins for the Tigers.

6 in 6 Part 4: Matt Peacock

Sophomore forward Matt Peacock made a huge splash last year in the Tigers' offensive attack. As a freshman Matt led the team in goals with 9 and was second on the team in points with 10.

Q: Who is your favorite NHL player past or present?

A: My favorite NHL player is probably Alexander Ovechkin. He's a really fun person to watch and led the league in goals last year. He's not the best team player, but he has the ability to score. He's really fast and plays physical. It's always interesting to watch him play because you're pretty much guaranteed to see a highlight reel goal.

Q: As a freshman last season your 9 goals was a team best. Why was the transition into high school hockey so seamless for you?

A: The transition to high school hockey was not that easy for me at first. I have played travel hockey for pretty much my whole life, but high school hockey feels completely different. I didn't score for the first half of the year last year because it took some time for me to get used to a new team and a new league.

Q: You were suspended for the first game of this season because of a carry over from last year; why exactly why does it seem that suspensions are so easy to come by in hockey?

A: I feel like suspensions are easy to come by because its a fast and physical game. Sometimes the refs see things differently than they really happened due to the speed of the game. Since there is so much contact involved, there are a lot more chances for questionable calls.

Q: Have teams keyed in on you in particular defensively since you were last season's leading scorer?

A: I don't feel like teams have really keyed in on me more than anyone else on my line. We are a fast line and all 3 of us (Andrew, Hunt, and I) have the potential to score. Hockey is a team sport and if you key in on one person, the rest of the team will take advantage of that.

Q: What are some areas that the offense can improve upon as the season goes along?

A: A major problem with our offense this year is that we only have 2 lines. Professional teams use 4 lines minimum in a game to keep their energy up. I feel like by the time we really get something started offensively we are already gassed. We are also getting much better at moving the puck as a team. This year we don't look as much like a bunch of individuals as we do a team.

6 in 6 Part 3: Lee Srebnick

This season will be Lee Srebnick's first as an Ensworth Tiger after playing two seasons at MBA prior to transferring; however, hockey is nothing new to the junior defenseman. Prior to enrolling at MBA, Lee attended the Ensworth middle school from 6th to 8th grade. Even though it's only his first year at Ensworth, Lee is expected to be the Tigers' top defensive scorer and one of the best all around players on the team as he recorded 15 points last season in 19 games. So far he has 2 G and 1A in 4 games.

Q: Lee, who is your favorite NHL player past or present?

A: Martin Erat. He’s a local Preds player and has been here for a while. He always seems to be in the middle of the action and getting the puck where it needs to be. He’s not the biggest guy on the team, but he brings a lot to the ice and never backs down. His leadership is displayed through his actions every time he goes on the ice.

Q: Coming from MBA, what would be some big differences you noticed when you first joined this team?

A: Coming into this season, I notice that our team has a lot of potential. Everyone on the team this year has a new level of dedication and sees that we have a real chance of being respectable. Our leadership behind Andrew Kuhn and Hunt Baker should give us an even better chance to excel. This should be an exciting year for us as a team and as a school, and we hope to see some more support out there.

Q: What would be one area that this year's defense can improve upon?

A: Our defense can improve in many areas this year. We have been practicing hard and trying to work as a unit with our forwards. Mainly focusing on getting the puck up the ice to our scorers. Yet, on the defensive end we really are starting to improve with communication. Communication is the key to our success this year as we strive to cut down on the amount of open shots the other team is getting from in front of our own net. It’s a work in progress but we are definitely improving after every game.

Q: I heard you had an Alexander Ovechkin like goal against MBA... take us through that play.

A: I started with the puck around center ice and saw an opening to take it up. One of my former teammates tripped me up and I just made a desperation play towards the goal. I got lucky that it trickled in between the goalie's legs, nothing too special or crazy; can’t say I would be able to do it again. Just need to put points on the board as a team, a goal's a goal.

Q: What will it take to finish over .500 this season?

A: Finishing .500 is just a minimum milestone we have set for ourselves this year. As we progress as a team in practice and in games we need to be able to skate start to finish with the same intensity and at the highest level we can, instead of playing down to lesser teams' levels. If we continue to work hard and stay close knit as a team this should be an achievable goal. But as we take each game one at a time we need to be able to learn from our mistakes and mature. With young talent on the team as we go into the season, things should only look better. I'm looking forward to see how close we can get to the Henry Hines Cup. The one thing that we need is support from our classmates. We’ve had good crowds this year and it seems to give the team an edge, so we look forward to seeing more and more people at the rink.

6 in 6 Part 2: Andrew Kuhn

After transferring to Ensworth from USN for his sophomore year, senior forward Andrew Kuhn has been an offensive fixture on this hockey team for all three years of its existence. So far this season in 4 games he has recorded 2 G and 1 A.

Q: Andrew, you grew up in Michigan, a state where hockey is very popular. If I'm correct your Dad worked with the University of Michigan's training staff and is now one of the Predators' team doctors. What is it like coming from a hockey background? How has that made you a better player?

A: Hockey is really popular up there; it's almost a religion. Growing up in Michigan, going to the rink, and watching so many games and practices with my dad helped me understand and become more passionate about the game. I think that my background has driven me to work harder and understand the game better.

Q: Who is your favorite NHL player current or past?

A: Gordie Howe, who played for the Detroit Red Wings in the late 40's. He was a tough, sturdy forward who could put pucks in the back of the net and set up plays. A Gordie Howe hat-trick is one assist, one goal, and one fight. He respects the game and is Mr. Hockey.

Q: How well do you think this team can play this season?


A: Our team has a ton of potential. We'll be pulling out a lot more wins. I think we may surprise some people this year.


Q: How have newcomers Junior Lee Srebnick and Freshman Neal Rice impacted this team?

A: They both have made an impact already, this early in the season. Lee is a two way defenseman who can score goals and play a great defensive game. Neal has that natural "hockey sense"-- he knows position, can move the puck quickly, and bury it.

Q: What are somethings you feel the team has to improve on this season?

A: Breaking out of our defensive end and neutral zone play, dump and chase.

Q: You are the captain of the team, what kind of responsibilities does a captain of a hockey team have?

A: We're there to assist the coaches. If any of the players need anything we're there for them too. A captain will lead the cardio before the game, get the team mentally prepared, take leadership on the bench during the game, and if there's a weird call, we get to stand outside of the ref's circle so they can tell us what the call is. We also get to lead the cheer.

TSSAA Division II-AA Brackets Released

The TSSAA announced its playoff brackets over the radio this morning. In years past, the bracket has been finalized by midnight of the last Friday of the regular season, but because of the new playoff system that the TSSAA is employing this year, things are a bit different. Amid all of the strange playoff shenanigans, all Ensworth fans need to know is that they have a first round bye and will face the winner of BGA at MBA. That second round game will be at Ensworth. The full brackets can be found here.

6 in 6 Part 1: Hunt Baker

Hunt Baker is a Senior assistant captain who has played hockey for Ensworth ever since the inception of the team in 2007.

Q: Who is your favorite NHL player of all time?

A: Jordan Staal because he is about the same size as me. He's a big guy and has good physciality, and he's a work horse. He had 7 short handed goals his rookie year. He's not really a superstar, he's not fancy, and he plays a simple game, but he is still effective for his team.

Q: What is the biggest change you see in this year's team compared to Ensworth teams of the past?

A: I would say we're all skating now by virtue of experience, and everybody has a lot of hockey sense. Lee Srebnick is also a big addition to the team.

Q: How does the team replace a player like Evan Chaberski?

Well, you really can't. It's kind of like a double-edged sword. He brought a lot of offensive fire power and intensity but now we have a lot more guys stepping up.

Q: What are your goals for this season?

A:We would like to get several wins, and we would like to improve as a team. We would like to win some games and have some people respect us as an athletic team. Also, we want to have more people outside the hockey team to be more interested and have more people show up at the games.

PERFECTION! EHS 35 BGA 9

AP: www.ensworth.com

Although the Ensworth Tigers were missing their leader in the backfield, another stepped up Friday night as junior Rodney Anderson took over and rushed for 147 yards and 1 TD on senior night at Tiger Stadium to put the exclamation point at the end of Ensworth's second consecutive undefeated regular season.

Both of BGA's first two drives ended in interceptions by Myers Beaird and Rico Watson (3rd INT in 3 career games).

After CJ Beathard's first interception at the BGA 23, Anderson ran the ball 3 times before Cody Tollison scored on a 9 yard TD run of his own. After the 2nd INT at the BGA 28, the Tigers ran 3 plays to the BGA 10 before Myers Beaird would take it to the end zone to put the Tigers up 14-0.

BGA responded with a 64 yard drive of their own; however, they only came away with three points on a 31 yard FG by Ben Butler.

After 3 and outs from both teams, Ensworth got the ball on their own 40 yard line. After two big gainers by Anderson, the Tigers found themselves at the BGA 22. During a 3rd down play that looked like it was going to be a disaster for Ensworth with the defense breathing down Tollison's neck, the senior QB bought just enough time to find Jacob Carter all alone in the end zone to put the Tigers up 21-3 and the score remained the same during halftime. If you have been keeping track, the first three TD's were scored by Seniors.

The next score would come in the 3rd quarter when Anderson burned the Wildcat defense with a 45 yard TD run.

In the fourth quarter Tollison would strike again, this time on 3rd and 21, and would find senior Corey Sacks for the 40 yard score. Tollison would finish the game 7-13 with 83 yards and 2 TD's.

The Tigers will have a bye week next week. They will play the winner of MBA VS BGA the following week.

Passing

Ensworth:
Cody Tollison 7-13 83 yards 2 tds
Wirth Campbell 2-5 20 yards 1 int
BGA:
C.J. Beathard 11-22 58 yards 2 ints

Rushing
Ensworth:
Rodney Anderson 11 carries 147 yards 1 td, 13.4 yards/carry
Cornelius Elder 3 carries 34 yards, 11.3 yards/carry
Myers Beaird 5 carries 30 yards 1 td, 6 yards/carry
Cody Tollison 4 carries 8 yards 1 td, 2 yards/carry
BGA:
Keenan Bass 7 carries 46 yards 1 td, 6.6 yards/carry
Josh Copeland 7 carries 37 yards, 5.3 yards/carry
Michael Moore 12 carries 34 yards, 2.8 yards/carry
C.J. Beathard 6 carries -26 yards, -4.3 yards/carry

Receiving
Ensworth:
Jacob Carter 4 catches 40 yards 1 td
Corey Sacks 2 catches 47 yards 1 td
Daniel McFadden 1 catch 16 yards
David Dingess 1 catch 4 yards
Rodney Anderson 1 catch -4 yards
BGA:
Jordan Smith 4 catches 45 yards
Josh Smith 2 catches 12 yards
Michael Moore 2 catches 7 yards
Owen Meadows 1 catch 4 yards
Michael Smith 1 catch 4 yards
Josh Copeland 1 catch -14 yards

Team
Ensworth:
219 yards rushing
103 yards passing
322 yards total offense
21:17 time of possession
BGA:
91 yards rushing
58 yards passing
149 yards total offense
26:43 time of possession

Ensworth VS BGA Preview

Once again the Ensworth Tigers (8-0) have another chance for the second straight year to finish the regular season undefeated. However, they will have to do it without their offensive workhorse.

The Tigers will have to face the Wildcats of Battle Ground Academy (5-4) to finish with a 9-0 mark. Without Orleans Darkwa it could end up being a tougher test for the No. 64 team in the country than some may think. The Wildcats feature leading rusher #30 Michael Moore with over 1,400 rushing on the season along with leading receiver #2 Kenny Bass.

How To Win

The Tigers have to establish the passing game with Cody Tollison under center to replace the lost yardage that comes with the injury of your best offensive threat. Players like Rodney Anderson, Quinn Hamilton and Corn Elder have to step up in the backfield in order to stay undefeated.

The Wildcats will have to control TOP with their running game if they hope to stay in it. On defense they will have to defend the pass and not give up big plays; without Orleans, this team has yet to prove that they can consistently start and finish drives.

Prediction

The Tigers in my mind are definitely the better team. They will find ways to run the hall behind Antonio Richarson and Keenan Crenshaw. So far Cody Tollison and Jacob Carter have been able to step up in the passing game. Tigers finish the regular season with perfection. EHS 28 BGA 14.

Coming Soon: Ensworth Live

Ensworth Live will be a series of web shows broadcast by the EHS Broadcast Club. The first episode premieres this Wednesday at 8 PM at www.ensworthlive.com.

The first episode is actually a political talk show. The political talk show will include Aubrey Moore, Nathan Caplan, Sam Devane and Edward Gore.

The sports show will premiere on Monday at 8 PM featuring myself, Aaron Crowe, William Joy and Nick Smith.

Keep up with Ensworth Live on Facebook and follow on Twitter.

Tigers Remain Unbeaten: Ensworth 29 Baylor 15

AP: www.ensworth.com

In an Ensworth offense that is ruled by the run, the pass took command for the first time this season.

The Tigers took an early lead when Senior RB Orleans Darkwa found a new gear and took the ball 79 yards to the end zone during the Tigers' second offensive play from scrimmage. From then on, Coach Bowers decided to open the playbook a bit with the pass. After 4 completions by Ensworth QB Cody Tollison, the Tigers found themselves 7 yards away from the Red Raider end zone. However, the Baylor defense stood strong on 3rd down, and the Tigers settled for 3 with Clayton McGlasson's 24 yard field goal.

Baylor then went on an 8:26 drive to the Ensworth 8 yard line before Junior LB Nantambu Fentress returned the favor. Fentress intercepted Jacob Huesman's pass in the end zone. Unable to put together a last minute drive with 1:24 left in the half, the Tigers took a 10-0 lead to halftime.

To the start the 2nd half the Tigers went to the air. On the second play of the half, Tollison hooked up with Senior WR Jacob Carter, who had been out for the past several weeks nursing a leg injury, on a 38 yard pass. The very next play Darkwa extended the lead by 6 on a 20 yard run.

Baylor's next drive ended with another interception; this time sophomore CB Rico Watson came up with the pick. The interception is his second in his last two games.

Unfortunately, on the Tigers' next offensive drive, Orleans Darkwa went down with a neck injury and did not return. Early indications are not serious, but he will get his neck X-rayed to take necessary precautions. Darkwa walked off the field under his own power. Darkwa finished with 133 yards on 11 carries and 2 TD's.

Baylor's next drive ended up being worth 8 points after driving the ball 51 yards. The touchdown and the two point conversion were both scored by Huesman out of the Emory and Henry formation.

The Tigers then added two more TD's with a 4 yard run by Tollison set up by his 18 yard pass to Jacob Carter and a 9 yard TD run by freshman RB Cornelius "Corn" Elder. Elder's TD is his first of what looks to be many at EHS.

Baylor scored once more on Huesman's 5 yard pass to RB Nelson Pinkstaff.

The Tigers finished with a season high 132 passing yards.

The Tigers will take on BGA next Friday. The Wildcats are coming off a 23-20 win over JPII.

More stats courtesy of Alex Boehm:

Passing:
Ensworth:
Cody Tollison 8-12 128 yds
Wirth Campbell 1-2 4 yds
Baylor:
Jacob Huesman 20-36 214 yds, 1 td, 2 ints

Rushing:
Ensworth:
Orleans Darkwa 11 carries 133 yds, 2 tds, 12.1 yds/carry
Cornelius Elder 2 carries 27 yds, 1 td, 13.5 yds/carry
Cody Tollison 7 carries 2 yds, 1 td, 0.3 yds/carry
Rodney Anderson 6 carries 0 yds
Baylor:
Sam Williams 11 carries 23 yds, 2.1 yds/carry
Jacob Huesman 13 carries 16 yds, 1.2 yds/carry
Nelson Pinkstaff 4 carries 7 yds, 1.8 yds/carry

Receiving:
Ensworth:
Jacob Carter 4 catches 85 yds
Sam Cooper 1 catch 27 yds
Corey Sacks 1 catch 9 yds
Myers Beaird 1 catch 5 yds
David Dingess 1 catch 4 yds
Rodney Anderson 1 catch 2 yds
Baylor:
Deosha McColley 7 catches 69 yds
Charbo Clark 5 catches 62 yds
Sam Williams 3 catches 42 yds
Michael Trundle 2 catches 15 yds
Josh Ernest 1 catch 17 yds
Nelson Pinkstaff 1 catch 5 yds
David Helton 1 catch 4 yds

Team:
Baylor:
46 yds rushing
214 yds passing
260 yds total offense
26:41 TOP
Ensworth:
162 yds rushing
132 yds passing
294 yds total offense
21:19 TOP

Ensworth VS Baylor Preview

AP www.ensworth.com

Last Friday the Ensworth Tigers were again pushed to their limit against a quality opponent in Father Ryan, but will the same fate lie ahead when the Tigers face Baylor? The Baylor Red Raiders will come into Nashville with an impressive 6-2 record including wins against arch rival McCallie and most recently a 51-7 win over JPII. Their only two losses came against MBA and Brentwood Academy.

Players To Watch

#14 QB Jacob Huesman- Great dual threat QB. He has passed for 1067 yards and rushed for 685 through 8 games.

#22 RB Nelson Pinkstaff- Leading Rusher at RB

#13 LB David Helton- Leading Tackler

#19 DB Channing Gordan- Leads the team with 3 INT's

Prediction

Baylor has played pretty good defense up to this point only giving up 15.5 points a game. The question is, can they stop Darkwa? The only team to come close was Oakland. I say that Ensworth will not commit as many errors as they have in their last few games against good teams, but they will not run away. EHS 35 Baylor 21

Tigers Hold On: EHS 35 FRHS 27

AP: www.ensworth.com

In Ensworth's first 2 seasons in Division II Father Ryan had always showed up to play, and this year was no different.

In the early going, it did not look like the game would be a mirror image of the close games in the past. Ensworth Senior Orleans Darkwa led the Tigers on a lengthy 85 yard drive and capped it off on a 13 yard TD run.

The Tigers forced a three and out on the ensuing Irish drive. Darkwa again drove the Tigers down the field and scored on a 2 yard TD run. Clayton McGlasson's PAT was blocked.

The Irish drive once more was halted on 4th down which forced another punt. Darkwa 'n' company again drove the ball all the way to the Irish 5 yard line. From that point, Darkwa would score his 3rd TD of the half. Cody Tollison's 2 yard pass to Malcom Grigsby was good for the 2 point conversion.

The Tigers were looking at a possible 28-0 lead before the half but Tollison's 70 yard pass to Daniel McFadden was called back due to an ineligible receiver downfield. The Tigers then had to punt from their goal line, but the snap went over McFadden's head and out the back of the end zone for a safety.

The Irish drove the ball after the free kick to the EHS 35 yard line. Irish kicker Nick Pollard set up for a 52 yard field goal and knocked it through the uprights. The score at halftime was 21-5 in favor of EHS.

The Irish drove the ball down the field 60 yards to set up a 9 yard TD run from QB Trey McPhail. The Irish's attempt at the two point conversion was good. They were down only 21-13 in the 3rd quarter. But the madness had just begun.

The Tigers responded with a TD drive of their of their own with a 1 yard TD run by Darkwa which was set up by a 43 yard dash by Darkwa. The score put the Tigers up 28-13.

On the ensuing kickoff WR Joe Francescon took the kick 90 yards to the house, but on the very next kick Darkwa took one 95 yards to paydirt. Darkwa finished the night with 364 rushing yards and 469 all purpose yards with 5 TD's. The 15 point advantage to the Tigers still stood at 35-20.

The Irish offense drove the ball down the field once again. RB Nick Bateman scored from 8 yards out to put the Irish within 8 points of a tie with the score at 35-27.

The Irish then went for the on-side kick and succeeded. The Irish received the ball at the 50 yard line but only went backwards from there and were forced to punt. However, Rodney Anderson muffed the return and the Irish got the ball back at the EHS 25. But, once more, the Irish could not convert. On 4th and 11 Sophomore DB Rico Watson intercepted McPhail's pass at the EHS 22.

Once more the Irish had an opportunity after forcing an Ensworth 3 and out. On 4th and 16 McPhail's pass to Alex Shoulders was less than one yard too short of the 1st down marker. From then on EHS ran out the clock and took the 35-27 victory.

The Tigers will take on Baylor next Friday at Ensworth. Baylor crushed JPII by the score of 51-7 on Friday night.

Here are some more stats from Friday's game...

Passing:
Tollison 1-4 3 yards 1 int
McPhail 12-21 122 yds 1 int 4 sacks

Rushing:
Darkwa 40 carries 364 yards 9.1 avg 4 tds (469 all-purpose yards and 5 total tds)
Bateman 17 carries 45 yards 2.6 avg 1 td

Receiving:
Alex Shoulders 5 rec 53 yards
Jackson Coursey 3 rec 22 yards

Returns:
Joe Francescon (kickoffs) 5 ret 165 yards (90 long) 1 td
Orleans Darkwa (kickoffs) 2 ret 105 yards (95 long) 1 td

Team:

Father Ryan:
11 first downs
37 rush yards
122 passing yards
159 total offense
3.1 yds/play
23:02 TOP

Ensworth:
18 first downs
384 rush yards
3 passing yards
387 total offense
7.7 yards/play
24:58 TOP

Ensworth vs. Father Ryan Preview

While the Father Ryan Irish haven't had the best talent on the field during the last couple of seasons, they have sure made a lot of games interesting. In 2007, the Irish defeated the favored Tigers in their own backyard. In that game Ensworth turned the ball over on 5 separate occasions. In last season's game, Ensworth star RB Orleans Darkwa was unavailable for the entire 2nd half and the Irish took a 1 point lead in the 4th quarter before former Tiger Tavarres Jefferson returned the ensuing kickoff almost all the way back before Ensworth took the lead back. Father Ryan could not answer as LB Myers Beaird returned an interception for a TD.

The Irish are lead by QB Trey McPhail, RB Nick Bateman and WR Joe Francescon. However, their top DI prospect is the kicker Nick Pollard, who can hit easily from 50+ yards. The Irish are definitely an offensive minded team but are coming off a heart breaking 7-3 loss against long time rival MBA. They are 5-2 on the season with their other loss coming against Overton High School.

The Tigers are definitely the favorites in this game, but Ryan has given them trouble in the past. Ensworth should be able to use their running game to keep them in control, but Darkwa has been limited in games so far this season. The Irish are definitely going to give it their best like they have in the past, so who knows? But also, I'm not one to compare scores but Father Ryan only held off JPII by a 7 point margin (the same team the Tigers beat last Friday 42-17). Discounting any injuries or any other irregularities Ensworth should roll in this one. EHS 49 FRHS 14.

The game is at 7PM at EHS. Live webcast can be found at ensworthlive.com.

Karro's Recruitment Tracker: October Edition

The Junior DL standout sent shock waves through the college football recruiting world when THE Miles Karro recorded one tackle against JPII, a career first. The last time someone named Miles Karro made a tackle against a high school team with a Knight as their mascot was in 1969 when Sacramento School for the Blind Donkeys gave the I.P. Freely High Knights a 70-0 blow out loss. Miles Karro went on to play college football at intramural powerhouse Bob's Tire College in Wasilla, Alaska .

After achieving the amazing feat offers from all over the country started to pile up in the Karro household's mailbox. Most notably Penn State University and University of Florida have extended offers to the upcoming superstar on his 17th birthday. After Georgia's blow out loss to Tennessee this past weekend UGA head coach Mark Richt gave a verbal offer to Karro Monday morning in desperation since they obviously need improvement along their defensive line. When asked about the verbal offer Richt responded,"What! I didn't do that! Get off my lawn!" I guess he didn't want this to come out quite yet but you guys are first know.

Miles told RUMBLE after the offers came in, "I'm still waiting on that Tennessee offer, I wait to meet Layla...I mean...Lane Kiffin."

Handler Noland Moorer said, "I just want the best for this kid. He his a perfect example of a leader on and off the field."

Tigers Trample Knights 42-17

As many anticipated, the Tigers rolled in this one, and the charge was led by #10.

The Tigers got out to a fast start. On their first possession, when the Tigers were backed up on 3rd and 16 from their own 14 yard line, when the Knights thought they had the Tigers pinned, Orleans Darkwa broke an 86 yarder for the score. The touchdown put Ensworth up 6-0 after Clayton McGlasson missed the PAT. That run also put Orleans in the top ten all time for most career rushing yards in the state of Tennessee; we’ll have more on that later.

JPII then responded with a 28 yard Michael Colello TD pass to Tyler Tinker right before the end of the 1st quarter. Unfortunately, that would be the only score for the Knights until the 2nd half.

Darkwa then went on to lead another drive that took 9 plays to go 80 yards capped off by a 13 yard TD run by Darkwa. He then converted on the 2 point play to put the Tigers up by 7.

The Tigers would score once more after facing a 3rd and 9. Rodney Anderson would take the ball from the JPII 44 to the house to put the Tigers up 21-7.

Darkwa would lead yet another drive with a 31 yard run down to the Knights' 4 yard line. Darkwa would take it in himself 2 plays later from only 1 yard out to put the Tigers ahead 28-7 at the half. Darkwa finished the game with 256 yards rushing and 3 TD's.

Cody Tollison and Malcom Grigsby both added 15 yard runs on the Tigers first two possessions of the second half.

Game Notes

THE Miles Karro recorded his first career tackle in the 4th quarter. There are rumors that Penn State and University of Florida have already sent in written offers to the junior DL standout.

The Tigers finished with 417 Rushing yards but only 17 yards passing.

The Tiger defense held JPII to only 38 rushing yards on 30 attempts and picked off two passes.

On Friday the Tigers will take on the Father Ryan Fighting Irish at Ensworth. The Irish are coming off a heartbreaking 7-3 loss against longtime rival MBA.

RUMBLE Gallery: EHS Hosts Special Olympics

Gallery

Tavarres Jefferson Scores First TD as a Blue Raider!

Former Tiger great and MTSU Blue Raider freshman Tavarres Jefferson showed up Tuesday night against Troy with 7 REC, 79 Yards, and 1 TD. Not bad for a freshman, but unfortunately, the rest of the team didn't come to the party as MTSU dropped this one to Troy 31-7.

Tigers Escape from Eagles 15-9

Friday night was Ensworth's homecoming and they did not dissappoint the visiting Tiger alums as they beat Brentwood Academy for the first time in school history.

The game began with an Ensworth 3 and out, and after a long BA punt return the Eagles had great field position. Cody Nelson hooked up with Lucas Brooks for a 13 yard touchdown reception and took the lead 6-0 after a failed PAT by Nathan Renfroe.

The Tigers then drove down the field to take the lead after Orleans Darkwa took one in from 11 yards out.

The Eagles responded right before halftime with a 24 yard field goal by Renfroe. The score at the half was 9-7 with the Eagles leading.

Once more, the Tigers found a way to win in the second half. Orleans Darkwa led the Tigers on an 85 yard drive capped off by a 10 yard touchdown of his own. Cody Tollison converted the 2 point play with a 2 yard run. Orleans finished the game with 308 rushing yards and 2 TD's.

After Ensworth turned the ball over on downs at the Brentwood 20, the Eagles took over, and Brentwood quarterback Cody Nelson completed three consecutive passes to move the ball to the Ensworth 40. On Nelson's 4th pass he was intercepted for the second time by Corey Sacks at the 2, who took it out to the 30 yard line.

The Tigers will take on JPII next week in Hendersonville. JPII is coming off a 20-13 loss against Father Ryan.

11 in 38,748,237 Part 11: Teddy Reeve

Finally we have reached the final interview of the 11 in 11 series. We end with Senior center Teddy Reeve. Teddy is as consistent as they come. He has started at center for the past two seasons for an offense that averages over 30 points a game. If the Tigers need their team to be anything right now, they need to be consistent to say the least against Brentwood Academy this Friday.

Q: Teddy, how big of a role does the offensive line play in this year's rushing attack?

A: The offensive line plays a huge role in the rushing attack this year. Coach Caudill has put in a game plan that allows for us to be successful and use our strengths to the fullest. We just make the holes, and with a high-caliber back like Orleans, we are able to capitalize. We have only scratched the surface of what this offensive line is capable of.

Q: What are some areas do you feel that the offensive line can improve on?

A: Communication: when we are all on the same page we are unstoppable; when we are all over the place we tend to make mistakes and not get the job done. If we can be on the same page we can go far this year.

Q: Are you looking to walk on and play college football next year?

A: If I have to I will walk on, but at the moment I'm not looking to go that route. I have been in contact with many D1-AA and Ivy League schools, and I plan on playing for one of them this time next year.

Q: How big is this year's BA game?

A: This game is the biggest game this year for us, and the biggest BA game thus far. They have kept us from the title game two years running, and this time it's the regular season, but we are treating it like the playoffs. To be the first Ensworth team to beat BA would be huge and would give us confidence that we can build on as the season rolls along.

Q: What does the offensive line have to do against BA to have a shot at beating them for the first time on homecoming?

A: We just have to work as a unit, if we are together, BA will have their hands full tomorrow night.

11 in 11 Part 10: Daniel McFadden

Senior TE/DE and punter Daniel McFadden is one of the reasons that Ensworth was able to pull one out against Smyrna Friday night as he pulled in a 9 yard touchdown pass from Cody Tollison in overtime. The previous week Daniel missed the McCallie game due to injury but obviously seems to be feeling better. Keeping players like Daniel healthy is a must for the Tigers to have a shot at winning it all.

Q: Daniel, you had a big touchdown catch against Smyrna in overtime. How did you get that wide open?

A: Well, we had run the same play previously, but handed the ball off to Orleans. Then we ran the same type of play, but it was play action. Coach Bowers told the tight ends to really sell our block out on that play, and as I faked my block and went into the endzone, there was no one around.

Q: You play both defensive end and tight end; is it an advantage for you to play both so that you get a better understanding of what you're going up against?

A: Yes it does. Because I play both positions, I know how the offense or defense is thinking when I'm on the opposite side of the ball. It gives me a big advantage.

Q: Have you received much interest from colleges?

A: Yes I have from various schools, but the ones most interested are Brown University, Vanderbilt, Tennessee Tech, and Kentucky.

Q: What will Ensworth have to do to get their first win over Brentwood Academy?

A: Being healthy is the main thing. Other than that, we will have to come out and do what we are taught to do every snap: take no plays off, play as hard and as low as we can and as we know we can. And just play Ensworth Football.

Now on twitter!

Follow us @EHSRUMBLE for in game updates, scores and new posts!

Smyrna Highlights

Rivals

Tigers Get Away With Murder EHS 36 Smyrna 34 OT

After the thriller that had just taken place between two exhausted teams, I sat down on the team bus with junior lineman Miles Karro, and he said, "Brad, can you interview me about the game?????" Sure, Miles, but first let me tell you what I know.

After trailing by 14 points in the fourth quarter Orleans Darkwa who had been out of the game for the entire 3rd quarter after rushing for 196 yards and 2 TD's in the first half scored on a 27 yard option play but failed to convert the 2 point conversion.

After Smyrna missed a 30 yard field goal attempt the Tigers put together a 70 yard drive to tie the game with 18 seconds left with a 10 yard run by Cody Tollison. Orleans then ran over the Bulldog's offensive line for the 2 point play.

In overtime Cody Tollison connected on a 9 yard pass to Daniel McFadden and once more the Tigers converted the 2 point play with another run by Darkwa.

Orleans finished the game with 300 yards on 31 carries and 3 TD's.

However, the Bulldogs answered on their first play in overtime when Steve Wilson connected with Dakota Brown on a 10 yard pass play. But the Bulldogs needed 2, and Wilson's pass fell short of the intended target giving the Tigers the 36-34 OT win.

Prior to all that madness, Smyrna wide receiver Andrew Jenkins scored twice from 60 and 75 yards out on from passes by Steve Wilson to give the Bulldogs the 14 point edge.

Also note than Ensworth turned the ball over 4 times on 3 fumbles and 1 INT giving Smyrna great field position all 4 times.

The Tigers will take on Brentwood Academy next week for homecoming, make sure you're going to be there for that one!

Ensworth @ Smyrna Preview

The Tigers (3-0) will travel to Smyrna to take on the Bulldogs (2-2) Friday night.

This game is a battle between one of the State's top defenses and one of the top offenses. If you are unfamiliar with Bulldog football, they play a very physical game, much like Oakland. Smyrna so far is holding their opponents under 20 points a game and they are coming off a 20-0 win over Siegel.

If you want in game updates, follow me on twitter @ bradhardcastle (linked in the side bar).

11 in 11 Part 9: Malcom Grigsby

Malcom Grigsby has started at linebacker and fullback so far this season. Grigsby is one of the hardest hitters on defense and a reliable rusher on offense. He sat out hurt for the McCallie game, but it looks like he will back on the team in the near future. Malcom's presence will be very important for the Tigers if they want to go farther in the playoffs this season.

Q: Malcom, you were out for the McCallie game, when do you think you'll be back?

A: I think I should be back this Friday against Smyrna. If not, I will definitely be back for Brentwood Academy.

Q:Like many guys on this team, you are a two-way player. Do you like playing on both sides of the ball or do you strongly prefer one?

A:I prefer to play defense but playing offense has become more fun, so going both sides has been a good opportunity.

Q:What do you think the defense can improve on this season?

A:Making more big plays and really shutting teams down from scoring. If we can do that, we will be a dominant defense.


Q:At linebacker you play alongside Myers Beaird and Nantambu Fentress. How big a part of the defense are they?


A:They are a very big part of the defense. They are both versatile and hard working and they make my job a lot easier to know they will make big plays.
Q:At full back do you like fighting for the "tough yards"?

A:Of course. Its always fun to fight inside against those big lineman and linebackers for that extra yardage.

Q:What will Ensworth have to do to beat Smyrna?

A:Be solid on defense and keep our assignments and make running and passing lanes for Cody and Orleans to have a good game.

Tigers Beat Tornadoes 28-13

With two undefeateds going head to head, one would think that a close game would be expected, but the buzz coming into this game did not reflect that. However, this game was not decided until the 4th quarter.

From the appearance of the Tigers’ first drive, it would appear that they would have this one in hand by halftime. The drive was kept alive on 3rd down when Cody Tollison found Corey Sacks on a desperation pass that just happened to find its target 34 yards downfield. Orleans Darkwa, who finished the game with 254 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns, took one in from 4 yards out to put the Tigers ahead 7-0. On the Tornadoes’ first drive, they went 3 and out. It looked like all was going well for the Tigers until Orleans Darkwa suffered a shoulder injury and had to come out for 2 series in the 1st quarter.

After the Tigers’ second touchdown, which came from Rodney Anderson when he scored from 10 yards out towards the end of the 1st quarter, the Tornadoes gained wind. Trent Lusk and T.J. Kemp marched the ball down the field and scored on a 15 yard screen pass to John Burkus to cut the Tigers’ lead in half in the second quarter.

Late in the 2nd quarter, the Tigers forced a McCallie punt after a 3 and out from their own 12 yard line, giving Ensworth good field position at the McCallie 44. The Tigers drove the ball all the way to the 8 yard line to set up a 25-yard field goal from Clayton McGlasson. The Tigers didn’t end up capitalizing on the drive, however, since the field goal was pushed wide right. The Tigers only led 14-7 at the half.

Fortunately for the Tigers, the scoring picked up in the 3rd quarter when Nantambu Fentress gave them a short field following an outstanding diving interception. Ensworth drove the ball 36 yards to set up a 4 yard touchdown pass from Cody Tollison to Corey Sacks. Before his touchdown, Sacks had dropped 2 would-be touchdown grabs, but he redeemed himself when he put the Tigers up 21-7 in the 3rd quarter.

McCallie answered back at the beginning of the 4th quarter on their next drive when they got the ball at the Ensworth 39 yard line after Darkwa’s fumble. Trent Lusk hooked up with Keenan Hale for a 10 yard score wide open across the middle. Hudson Brock missed the extra point attempt wide right, which kept the score at 21-13.

Orleans Darkwa led the next Ensworth drive, which culminated in a 27 yard touchdown run on 4th down, widening the gap to 28-13.

With 4:54 left to go, the Tornadoes drove the ball down to the Ensworth 16 yard line before turning the ball over on downs, which ultimately sealed the victory for the Tigers. The final score was 28-13.

Orleans Darkwa broke the school record for career touchdowns with his second of the night, which put him at 49 for his career, 1 ahead of Tavarres Jefferson. The Tigers will take on the Smyrna Bulldogs at Smyrna next Friday.

Ensworth @ McCallie Preview

Sorry guys; I've been sick all week with make-up work to do. We will finish the 11 in 11 series next week.

Last year this was a close one, but this time the Tigers want this one to be over before halftime.

Last year when the Tigers traveled to McCallie the game went to two overtimes and the score did not become final until the tying extra point was missed by the Tornadoes.

McCallie (4-0) has yet to play a top tier opponent but is there any better opportunity to show the state what they're really made of by beating Ensworth (2-0)?

Ensworth had an open week this past week since Tuscola (NC) canceled their game with the Tigers due to economic reasons. The Tigers have been preparing for this game for about two weeks now.

The keys to this game will be for Ensworth to run and for McCallie to stop it.

Orleans Darkwa may be the best running back in the state after coming off a 341 yard and 5 TD game against MBA.

McCallie isn't so bad themselves, putting up an average of 237.5 yards a game. However, dual threat quarterback Keenon Rush, who gave Ensworth fits last year, is out for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. Stepping up will be senior T.J. Kemp, who will be attending UNC on a lacrosse scholarship. Kemp is averaging 83.2 yards a game on the ground.

Quaterbacking for McCallie will be Trent Lusk, who is averaging less than 100 yards passing but has thrown two touchdowns.

My Take

Ensworth takes it on the ground and will run over the Big Blue 54-21.

11 in 11 Part 8: Myers Beaird

Senior linebacker Myers Beaird will be one of the key players on defense this season. He led the team in tackles last year and he seems to be on pace for that to happen again this season. He had a game-sealing pick 6 against Father Ryan last year to put the Tigers up for good. Can he make he make those same plays this year to help give Ensworth a shot at the state title?

Myers, what are some goals you and the defense have set for this year?

Our goals as a defense are to be the most physical and dominating defense in the state.

Have you received interest from any colleges yet?

I've gotten letters and been in contact with some Ivy League schools and some smaller schools up North.

Have you considered playing safety in college because of your size?

I can see that being a possibility, but I am up for playing whatever they want me to. I need to make it to the next level before I worry about what position I will play.

Do you like being a two-way player?

I love being a two-way player. It's great to be on the field the whole game and help the offense and defense get the job done. You just have to make sure you're well conditioned.

Would you consider our linebacking core as the hardest hitting in the state?

Our defense as a whole and especially our linebackers take pride in punishing the opposing team. Coach Ski and our other defensive coaches have done a great job instilling that mindset in us.

Which of our remaining games do you think will be the toughest to come out on top?

It's impossible to say. Division II is the toughest division of football in the state because every team has talent and great coaches; any of the teams we play can beat us if we don't do our job. We also play Smyrna who is a powerhouse in Division I 6A. We are just taking the season one game at a time. Right now it's McCallie.

No Way!

For the first time ever the Ensworth football team is ranked in the top 25 in the program's third year of DII-AA by Maxpreps.com. But, are we that good? No. The Freeman rankings are pretty much the BCS rankings of high school football; it's all numbers. In a separate poll, Maxpreps Xcellent 25, which is like the AP poll of high school football because it adds the human element of the ranking process, Ensworth is nowhere to be found in the Xcellent 25, and that does not surprise me one bit.

As a football team I say we are one of the elite in the state, but in the country? If you look at the Xcellent 25 ranked number 1, St. Thomas Aquinas High School, they have 18 D1 prospects on their team. That would be like having everyone with say Orleans Darkwa's or Sam Cooper's potential all the way down the depth chart until it reaches Miles Karro... just kidding Miles! In all seriousness you're probably at about 35th, but that's OK. There will be seniors leaving next year, that's how football works. Anyhow, they're good.

Ranked 2nd is Byrnes High School in Duncan, SC. If that name sounds familiar you probably saw them play MBA in the Clinic Bowl at Vanderbilt Stadium before the inception of EHS. If you think we whipped MBA, you have to go back and watch this one. MBA was down nearly 50 points in the 3rd quarter.

Ranked 16th is Don Bosco Prep. The New Jersey prep school is pretty much the Oak Hill Academy of football. Enough said.

Personally I don't think Ensworth stands a chance against any of these schools.

Also, another school that is nowhere to be found in the X25 is Memphis University School (MUS). Again, if you think ending MBA's 15 game home winning streak was impressive, MUS just beat South Panola (MS) at home; it was South Panola's first home loss since 2001. In the Freeman rankings MUS is ranked as the 9th best team in the country.

It will be interesting to see if MUS and EHS can meet up in Cookeville for the game of the year. Many are already saying on the Coacht.com message boards to go ahead and cancel the rest of the season so that the teams are still healthy for the title game. We'll see what happens in December.

Link to rankings

11 in 11 Part 7: Antonio Richardson

Antonio Richardson stands at approximately 6-6 300lbs, yet he seems to have an even larger impact on this Tiger team. Last year Antonio transferred from Mt. Pleasant, TN to become a Tiger; however, he still had eligibility issues and was unavailable for the entire 2008 season. So far, Antonio has been a force. He helped neutralize University of Kentucky commit DL Tim McAdoo to lead Ensworth over Oakland 22-20 in overtime. This week he opened up massive lanes (well... more like highways) for Orleans Darkwa to run through as he picked up 341 rushing yards and scored 5 touchdowns against the Big Red. He is looked upon as the state's number one prospect for the class of 2011. Can Antonio lead the way for the Tigers to their first ever Division II football state title?

Antonio, congratulations on the MBA win. What does that mean to you and the rest of the team?

The win means a lot to us as a team because of the fact that they are our rival, and they do not respect us. I believe that we made a statement to them. The win means a lot to me even though I did not have my best game, because MBA made some very crazy statements about me, so the fact that we beat them felt good.

How hard was it to sit out all of last year with eligibility issues? Were there any positives to taking a year off?

Last year it was hard for me to sit out. I love the game of football, and I want to take it as far as I can, so it was very hard watching my teammates play. On the positive side, it made me a better teammate. I had to be the hype man for the team last year and some what of a water boy, but I enjoyed helping my teammates get better in practice and helping any way that I could. It also gave me time to get stronger, faster, and be devoted to my academics, which are always first.

If you had the choice to go college on a football scholarship anywhere you wanted, where would you go and why?

Right now I have like 20 plus colleges who have sent me letters letting me know that they are giving me looks. I have some that I like, but right now I prefer not to say which ones I like. But I really like the SEC. That is where I want to play, mostly because almost everybody in the SEC is giving me looks, and there are like 4 that I really like.

Which do you like playing more, offense or defense? Which would you rather play in college?

I love playing defense way more than offense. I would rather play defense in college.

As a defensive lineman, are you more comfortable stuffing the run or getting in the backfield?

I am comfortable stuffing the run and getting in the backfield. I can do either one. It's just a thing of being in good condition. Playing both sides of the ball with not much rest can be tiring at times.

On offense, are you a better run or pass blocker?

On offense, I'm good at both, but I don't think I'm as good on offense as I am on defense. It might just be the fact that I love defense more.

What game are you most looking forward to during the remainder of this season?

Now that we have gotten past Oakland and MBA, the game I believe I am looking forward to is Brentwood Academy. It will be a physical game.