The Wilson Post
LEBANON WEATHER

Wilson Co. football at a glance




Friendship Christian preseason all-stater Ryan JacksonTommy Bryan

Friendship Christian preseason all-stater Ryan JacksonTommy Bryan

FCS hosts Trousdale Co.; LHS visits Gallatin

The 2019 football prep football season opens in earnest Friday, Aug. 23 as all six Wilson County football teams will be in action.

Here’s a look at all six contests.

Trousdale Co. at Friendship Christian –

Two teams that played for state championships in their respective classifications last year, Friendship Christian and Trousdale County, square off in Friday evening’s 2019 season opener.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at renovated Pirtle Field. Live radio coverage can be heard on WTNK FM 93.5 beginning at 7 p.m.

The Commanders (10-3 in 2018) dropped a 39-27 decision to Davidson Academy in the Division II-A Blue Cross Bowl.

All-County wide receiver Camden Hayslip has moved to quarterback, but suffered a lower leg injury in last week’s scrimmage with Franklin Road Academy and will be on the shelf for the next few weeks.

The Commanders have had to make some changes in the offensive front in the wake of an injury to senior Lee Palmer Bridges in the Maplewood scrimmage. Bridges, too, is expected to be back in action later this season.

Lebanon High junior receiver Will SeatsSteve Wampler

Lebanon High junior receiver Will SeatsSteve Wampler

Senior Justin Seagraves will be a workhorse for FCS along with classmate Jaheim Robinson. Seagraves rushed for 919 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2018 while Robinson added 678 yards on 90 carries.

Head coach John McNeal is back for his 29th season at FCS and he’s compiled a won-loss record of 243-112 (.685 winning percentage) over that tenure.

Trousdale County finished 11-4 last season and fell 17-9 in the Class 2A state championship game.

Brad Waggoner, the coach who lead the Yellow Jackets to the Class 2A finals and a record of 19-8 in two seasons, resigned in late 2018 to take a coaching position in the state of Georgia.

He was replaced by defensive coordinator Blake Satterfield. Blake is the son of longtime TCHS head coach and current Trousdale County Director of Schools Clint Satterfield.

Wilson Central senior lineman Blaze HolderJennifer Lawrence Rippetoe

Wilson Central senior lineman Blaze HolderJennifer Lawrence Rippetoe

The elder Satterfield won five state titles and posted a 238-61 overall record — all at Trousdale County.

The series — Friendship Christian has won four of the last 10 meetings between the two programs with the most recent coming in 2017 — a 20-16 Commander victory.

Ryan Jackson declares — All Wilson County lineman Ryan Jackson made public his college commitment over the weekend, declaring to sign with Eastern Kentucky University of the Ohio Valley Conference.

Jackson (6-3, 290) also earned all-region and all-state accolades in 2018 while recording 14 tackles for loss , three quarterback sacks and intercepting a pass. He finished the season with a total of 40 tackles.

Lebanon at Gallatin –

Lebanon opens Year Three of the Chuck Gentry regime with a trip up Highway 109 to take on longtime rival Gallatin High.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Calvin Short Field with live radio coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. on WANT FM 98.9.

Watertown senior Deramus CareyWayne Reeder

Watertown senior Deramus CareyWayne Reeder

The Blue Devils are coming off an 8-3 finish in 2018 — the first winning record for the program since the 2006 team finished 6-5.

Lebanon’s last victory against the Green Wave came back in the 2007 season at Gallatin by a score of 24-10.

The Blue Devils will rely heavily on junior tailback De’Quantay Shannon who scored 14 touchdowns and ran for 1,076 yards (6.9 per) in 2018.

Brock Gann and Jackson Monette are returning starters in the offensive line while veterans Tyson Kelley and Jeremiah Hastings lead the receiving corps.

Battled tested returning starters Greyson Gregory (nose), Daniel Davila and Levi Sampson (linebackers) are players to watch on the defensive side of the football.

Gordonsville at Watertown –

All eyes will be on Watertown’s Deramus “D-Ray” Carey Friday night as the record-setting tailback returns for his senior year as the feature back in the Purple Tiger offense.

Watertown opens the season at home Friday, taking on Gordonsville. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Robinson Stadium with live cable TV coverage on DTC3.

In 2018, Carey ran for a school-record 1,923 yards on only 182 attempts — an average of over 10 yards per carry and led the Purple Tigers to a record of 12-1. He scored 33 touchdowns and played past the third quarter only twice.

Seniors Preston Creswell and Braxton Swann will anchor the defensive front for Coach Gavin Webster who heads into his 15th season at Watertown, where he’s piled up a record of 97-58.

Class 1A Gordonsville went 9-3 in 2018, falling 27-14 to South Pittsburg in the second round of the playoffs.

Second year head coach Scott Clemons returns 13 starters (six on offense and seven on defense) but has been forced to replace all of his offensive backfield starters from a year ago.

Key returnees include: Justin Hancock (OL/DL, Sr.), Tristen Corthell (OL/DL, Sr.), Hunter Clemons (OL/DL, Sr.), Layton Cripps (OL/LB, Sr.), Jason Salisbury (OL/DL, Sr.), Wyatt Pemberton (WR/DB, Jr.), Lucas Carter (TE/LB, Jr.) and Treyson Davis (WR/DB, Soph.).

Mt. Juliet at Stewarts Creek –

A hungry bunch of Golden Bears take the field Friday, opening the 2019 season at Smyrna’s Stewarts Creek High.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Red Hawk Stadium.

Coach Trey Perry enters his eighth season as head coach at Mt. Juliet with a record of 46-23 and coming off a splendid 12-1 mark in 2018 — falling to eventual Class 6A state champ Oakland 14-7 in the third round.

Mt. Juliet’s mission this season will be two-fold. First, re-build a defensive unit that returns only two full- time starters from a year ago.

Second, figure out a way to get more offensive touches for Duke University-bound receiver Malik Bowen.

The speedy senior is coming off a 27-catch season in 2018. He piled up 633-yards (23.4 per reception) and scored nine times.

For his efforts, Bowen was voted the Region 4, 6A Offensive Player of the Year and All-Wilson County.

Look for him on occasion to line up at Wildcat quarterback and in the slot of Mt. Juliet’s Wing-T offense.

Other key offensive returners include: lineman Zach Delfendahl, tight end Sage Brawner and kicker / punter Tyler Johnson — all seniors.

Johnson connected on a 37-yard field goal as time expired to lift Mt. Juliet to a thrilling 10-7 victory over Beech Saturday in the annual Bears/Bucs Brawl at Elzie Patton Field.

A pair of seniors — linebacker Derek Miller and defensive back Devin Palmer return on the defensive side of the ball.

Stewarts Creek went 3-7 last season, but hope springs eternal with new head coach Bert Browne — a veteran coach who once led the Coffee County Red Raiders as well as teams in Kentucky, Georgia, Arkansas and Mississippi. Senior

Johnie Simms will helm the Red Hawk offense at quarterback.

Springfield at Wilson Central –

Wilson Central hopes to open the 2019 season on a positive note Friday against Springfield High.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Wildcat Stadium.

Coming off back-to-back 3-7 campaigns, Wilson Central is taking on a Class 4A Springfield club that went 11-3 in 2018 — but boasts only 10 seniors.

Athletic lefty Kevontez Hudson will run the Yellow Jacket offense and coach Dustin Wilson has led the Yellow Jackets to four straight state quarterfinal appearances.

Look for the Wildcats to operate out of a Shotgun Spread with Tristan Lewis (6-2, 195, Junior) at the quarterback position.

Brad Dedman enters his 10th season coaching at WCHS — hoping to get his squad back to the TSSAA postseason for the first time since 2016.

MJ Christian at Goodpasture –

Division II-A Mt. Juliet Christian Academy steps up a notch in classification in Friday’s season-opener, taking on Division II-AA Goodpasture.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Cougar Stadium in Madison.

The Saints of sixth year head coach Dan Davis are coming of a second consecutive trip to the TSSAA playoffs and an 8-3 record in 2018.

Key returnees for MJCA include: Gavin Forsha (LB/TE, Senior), Christian Link (QB/DB, Junior), Kolton Rhoades (OL/DL, Senior), Jack Crouch (DB/WR, Senior), Alex Keasler (OL/DL, Junior), Jamarion Thomas (DB/WR, Sophomore), Carter Branim (K/P, Junior) and Montrell Walker (LB/TE, Junior).

Goodpasture is coached by former Gallatin and Cookeville head man Jerry Joslin.

The Cougars went 2-9 in 2018, falling to 62-28 to Lausanne in the first round of the playoffs.

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