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August 4, 2012

Stump Martin
TnVarsity.com

Coach Vic Grider and his South Pittsburg Pirates are accustomed to winning.

The five state championships in 1A are more than any other school in that classification.

The Pirates' success is evident dating back as far as 2002. In the past 10 seasons, only three teams remaining in Class 1A have stopped South Pittsburg from carrying the state championship hardware back home.

A strong Wayne County team defeated the Pirates 27-14 for the state championship last December and Union City denied South Pittsburg in the finals 31-29 in 2009.

However, Gordonsville stopped the Pirates march for the Gold Ball in 2002, 2004 and 2006 and the two teams could be in store for a showdown sometime during the 2012 season.

The South Pittsburg offense was high-octane in 2011 as the Pirates outscored playoff opponents 142-50 to reach the championship game.

Senior Demetric Johnson and junior Jujuan Lankford are back to put more fear in the lives of 1A coaches who must figure out a way to stop the dynamic duo in a way other than hijacking the Pirates team bus.

The all-state selections supplied most of the yardage in 2011.

Lankford rushed for more than 2,100 yards and 29 touchdowns and Johnson delivered more than 1,800 all-purpose yards and scored 22 touchdowns.

South Pittsburg will be fast to the ball on defense and hungry to claim another state title.

Gordonsville is primed to return to glory.

The Tigers ended their season with a loss to South Pittsburg 32-14 in 2011.

Peyton Watson returns at quarterback and Class A Mr. Football Lineman finalist Tyler Coen is back to lead the Tigers.

Watson ran and passed for more than 1,000 yards in 2011. Coen was a force on defense with 95 tackles for the season.

If Gordonsville can survive playing 3A Smith County, defending 2A state champion Friendship Christian and 2A Trousdale County in the first three games the Tigers are capable of winning the remainder of their regular-season games and rolling through the playoffs.

The Union City Tornadoes will likely ride the strength of running back Keylon Hyde. The exciting senior recorded more than 1,800 yards rushing in 2011 could exceed that total this season.

Coach Darren Bowling directed the Tornadoes to a 31-29 state championship victory in 2009 and the team could be strong enough to make a run at the title in 2012.

Greenback returns nine starters from a team that was 9-2 and lost to Grace Christian and South Pittsburg,

Coach Justin Ridge's troops outplayed South Pittsburg in the first half in a playoff loss to the Pirates last season.

The two teams could meet again this fall with the loser hanging up the gear for the season.

Running back Richard Seymour had more than 100 yards rushing and a touchdown against South Pittsburg in 2011.

The Cherokees will also get a boost from 6-4, 238-pound tight end Landon Disney.

At one point in the 2011 season, the Huntingdon Mustangs looked like the team to beat in 1A.

With wins over 2A runner-up Dresden and 3A runner-up Milan Coach Eric Swenson's Mustangs were the talk of the state in 1A.

Warning, Huntingdon has five offensive and six defensive starters returning in 2012.

Here's a look at the TNVarsity.com Class 1A Preseason Top 10.

Class 1A
1. South Pittsburg
2. Gordonsville
3. Union City
4. Greenback
5. Huntingdon
6. Lake County
7. Lookout Valley
8. Moore County
9. Coalfield
10. Eagleville

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