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Welcome to the 2008 Ooltewah Football Website.

I probably should leave playoff predictions to my co-worker Kelley Smiddie, who won this year’s pick’em box and therefore deserves the title of high school football guru. But then again, maybe I can salvage an otherwise forgettable year of picking games by nailing tonight’s TSSAA quarterfinal round.

* Farragut at Ooltewah: When these teams met in mid-October, Farragut’s Admirals were ranked No. 1 in Class 5A and had yet to be tested. They were toasted 31-3 as Ooltewah harassed and hurried quarterback Reese Browning all night, sacking him seven times and holding an Admirals offense that had averaged 38 points to 187 total yards.

While arguing what he felt should have been a roughing-the-passer penalty, Farragut’s frustrated coach Eddie Courtney was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, then ejected when he tossed the flag back at the referee. Star running back De’Andre Purty sat out the second half with an injury but has since returned to lead Farragut.

Purty’s return should help slow Ooltewah’s relentless pass rush, led by Mr. Football finalist Jacques Smith, but likely won’t be enough to stop the Owls from returning to the semifinals for the second time in three years. For the second straight week the Owls will dispose of a team they have already beaten soundly. Ooltewah 27, Farragut 14.

* Maryville at Rhea County: A coaching friend told me earlier this year that area 4A teams are tired of reading about the Rebels. I’m sure that feeling is shared throughout the state, but until somebody knocks them from their perch, they deserve every praise.

Most prep fans know Maryville brings a 72-game winning streak into tonight’s game, but George Quarles’ complete coaching resume is even more impressive. Since he became coach in 1999, Maryville has gone 135-9 and won seven state championships, including an unprecedented four straight. Consider, too, that the Rebels’ last loss came four years ago on the road in the semifinals, by three points in overtime.

Rhea County has held opponents to single-digit scoring in five of the last seven games, but that defense will be seriously tested tonight. Maryville has ended the Golden Eagles’ season six times this decade. Make it seven. Maryville 30, Rhea County 15.

* Marion County at Boyd-Buchanan: I’m fairly certain there’s a craftsman somewhere in Jasper already working on a statue of first-year Warriors coach Troy Boeck. Most of the current Marion players were still in diapers the last time the program was playing this late in the season, and the tractor whistle has been getting a workout.

When these teams played in early September, the Bucs held on for a one-point win after linebacker Seth Emery stopped Marion’s Joe Muir at the 1-yard line on a two-point conversion attempt with 43 seconds remaining. That yard is all that prevented the Warriors from claiming the region title and thus hosting this rematch.

That was the Warriors’ last loss and was also the game that led them to believe they could compete with anyone on their schedule. Two weeks later they beat Tyner and have carried themselves much more confidently ever since, winning 10 straight games.

Boyd-Buchanan ran 52 times in the first meeting because senior quarterback Nic Hughes missed the game with a sprained left knee. Hughes is healthy now and makes a huge difference in the Bucs’ offense. That, along with the fact that Boyd-Buchanan is hosting and its defense has gotten tougher each passing week should mean it will earn the right to host top-ranked, four-time defending 2A champion Alcoa next week. Boyd-Buchanan 20, Marion County 12.

* South Pittsburg at Trousdale County: Unlike last season, the Pirates haven’t exactly pounded every opponent to step on the field against them. They needed a touchdown pass with 16 seconds left to beat Tyner and stopped a Boyd-Buchanan two-point conversion attempt in the closing seconds for another narrow regular-season win. And they have been less than spectacular in their first two playoff wins.

As has been the case the previous five meetings between these two teams, this is basically the de facto 1A state championship and will be decided by two factors: Can Trousdale contain South Pittsburg’s speed? And can South Pittsburg handle the four-quarter pounding that the Yellow Jackets’ physical line will dish out?

It’s supposed to be a dry field, which means the Pirates should be able to make just enough plays to advance. South Pittsburg 22, Trousdale County 17.

It is not often that a one-loss football team gets the chance to avenge that blemish in the same season. Farragut is one that gets that chance tonight.

The Admirals came into their game at Ooltewah on Oct. 17 owners of a 7-0 record and the No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press Class 5A state poll. They left on the short end of a 31-3 result.

The rematch comes in the form of a TSSAA quarterfinal on the same field as last time. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

Each team is coming in off another rematch against a Region 2 opponent. No. 5-ranked Farragut (11-1) hosted and defeated McMinn County 28-10 on Sept. 19 and beat the Cherokees 17-7 last week.

The Admirals’ season has ended in a quarterfinal each of the last three years. They lost to Oak Ridge in 2005 after defeating Ooltewah and lost to Ooltewah in 2006 after beating William Blount.

“Weeks two and three in the playoffs, we expect to see the same people we’ve played before,” Farragut coach Eddie Courtney said. “That’s how strong our region is.”

No. 3-ranked Ooltewah (10-1) beat Soddy-Daisy 55-21 on Oct. 31 and won 17-6 again at Ooltewah two weeks later. Owls coach Benny Monroe said his team will have to compete better than it did last Friday.

“I think they learned a little bit this last week about being ready to beat somebody,” Monroe said. “Beating somebody handily before doesn’t mean that’s going to happen again. It just doesn’t work that way. It’s a sudden-death tournament now. For seniors this could be their last practice. Some of them will never play again.

“This time of year you don’t have a second chance. You lose, you hang it up. I think they realize that.”

Things started fine for the Admirals in the regular-season meeting. Brad Galloway’s 44-yard field goal gave them a 3-0 lead heading into the second quarter.

Then Farragut had several things unravel — not the least of which was its coach. Courtney was ejected with six seconds remaining in the third quarter after flinging the marker back at the official who had flagged the coach for unsportsmanlike conduct. Courtney’s gripe was that a roughing-the-passer call was not made on one of the Owls’ seven sacks of quarterback Reese Browning.

“Their front guys are pretty good,” Courtney said of Ooltewah defensive linemen Kevin Adams, Brandon Bruell, Que Jackson and Jacques Smith. “We’ve worked hard preparing for them and changed some things up this time. We looked at the tape and saw where we made some mistakes.”

Courtney also noted that his team must contain the Owls’ running game. Ooltewah tailback Matthew Polk is averaging 156 rushing yards per game and 7 yards per carry for the season.

Polk scored on an 8-yard run in the second quarter of the earlier game and added scoring runs of 12 and 6 yards in the last two quarters. He ended up running for 163 yards on 28 carries.

“The second half we started running better,” Polk said. “Our line blew them off the ball.”

Each coach has his opinion of what will be key elements this time around. Courtney believes third-down ratios and special-teams play will be determining factors. Monroe thinks seizing and sustaining momentum will be crucial.

Each team has tinkered with some things since playing each other five weeks ago, but it’s too late to change much.

All that’s left is to see which way the odd-shaped ball bounces.

“They know what we’re going to do. We know what they’re going to do,” Monroe said. “I’d say it’ll come down to the one who gets the breaks.”

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