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Spring Arrives on Monday Bowman Earns Another Honor : : Jay Brunner : :05.6.2011: : Senior Asa Bowman and Junior Stephen Brent represented Cougar Football last night at the Daily News Journal 18th Annual All-Sports Banquet. Bowman walked away with the Travis Weber Courage Award, the first MTCS recipient. Asa's work with his mother garnered him the honors. The award is named after former LaVergne student Travis Weber, who succumbed to cancer in 1998. Stephen Brent was named the Football team's Most Valuable Player for his efforts at running back and linebacker. Other MTCS athletes receiving team MVP honors were: Devan Welker-Volleyball; Reece Richardson and Cathy Throneberry-Cross Country; Sara Sims-Girls Soccer. Congratulations to Asa and Stephen, who have become two of the most decorated Cougars in program history. Another huge congrats to all the other Cougars who contibuted to their team success in 2010-2011! The end of another school year is fast approaching, and that means Spring Football drills are upon us. Starting Monday, May 9, Head Coach David Peden will run his players through their paces, getting them set for summer workouts and, eventually, the 2011 season. As with any other year, there are holes on the roster that will be filled and questions that will be answered. For MTCS, the end of 2010 left a few more holes than normal with the departure (in a few weeks) of 18 seniors from the squad. The immediate question for this fall focuses on the trenches: Who will man the line on both offense and defense? Steven Barker will return as a senior at tackle and defensive end, but who else will fill out the depth chart? Sophomore Carl Mathis and junior Zach Brandon leap to mind. Come out next week and see the 2011 Cougars begin their fight for a 4th-consecutive playoff berth! At the end of the year, Coach Peden will tie Eddie Bassham for the longest tenure for a head coach in program history (3 years)! GO COUGARS!!!
Odds, Ends, and Awards Futbol Begins, Football Team Earns more Honors : : Jay Brunner : :03.9.2011: : From MTCSCougars.org: "Congratulations to senior Asa Bowman for receiving the Joe L. Worden Courage Award as well as being recognized as a Charles W. Hawkins III High School Scholar-Athlete at the 45th Annual Awards Dinner of the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame at the Nashville Airport Marriott on Monday, March 7th. "Bowman was one of 57 high school scholar-athletes named and only one of five to receive an additional award. He is only the second recipient of the Joe L. Worden Courage Award from Rutherford County. "The award is presented to a student-athlete who has overcome obstacles and fought back to succeed. The award is named in the honor of Joe Worden, who served Vanderbilt University as its athletic trainer for nearly four decades. As a permanent captain of the 2010 MTCS Cougar football team, Bowman was also named to the 9-A All-District team and the TSWA 1-A All-State team as a linebacker." Congratulations from us here at ThisIsCougarFootball.com to Asa Bowman! Yet more deserved honors for a great Cougar. The 2011 MTCS Men's soccer team is about to start their season, and preseason action has already begun. Mark your calendars for the regular season opener at Riverside Christian on March 24. See head coach Rick Chambliss and senior Trevor Brunsvold lead the Cougars on the pitch. MTCS will go up against some old foes in 2011, including Cascade, Forrest, Eagleville, and Moore County. You can't pack any more action into 90+ minutes! Go Cougars!
2011 Football Schedule Released Crucial Stretches, a Long Road Trip, and a flock of Eagles : : Jay Brunner : :02.21.2011: : Cougar Football 2011 is still months away, but the coaches have already decided where and when each game will be played. The District games will feature the same opponents, at least for the next 2 years, but the non-district contests feature a variety of foes, old and new, as well as 4 games against teams with the Eagle as their mascot. The season opens at Throneberry Stadium on August 19 against an old Region 5 nemesis, the Nashville Christian Eagles. It will be the first regular-season meeting between the two teams since a 28-14 Cougar victory in Week 3 of 2008. The first road game of the year sees a renewed series with the Ezell-Harding Eagles. MTCS dropped the 2 previous games with the Antioch school by a combined 9 points, and 2 more chances at revenge are just what the doctor ordered. Week 2 finds the Cougars back at home for the first District game of the year, against the dangerous Cascade Champions. MTCS has never beaten Cascade, but the home crowd will be hungry to see their team pull out the victory. The bye week comes early the next 2 seasons, in Week 3, and hopefully will find the Cougars with at least 2 wins to their credit. Week 4 is another home game, this time against the Raiders of Moore County, last year's surprise team who made a nice run to the playoffs. Someone will need to step up and try to duplicate the departed RJ Miller's performance against the Raiders the last time they came to Murfreesboro. In Week 5 the Cougars will be making possibly their longest trip in program history, a 5-hour voyage to the Smokey Mountains to play the Eagles of Cosby High School. A combined 6-14 the last 2 years, Cosby is looking to regain their prominence in District 1-A. Hotel rooms, anyone? Week 6 begins possibly the most crucial stretch of the season, with 3 straight District games against Community, Forrest, and Eagleville. A road game at Community starts it off, and the Cougars will look to continue their dominance of the Vikings. Last time in Unionville, MTCS blanked Community 48-0. Back at home for Homecoming in Week 7, the Cougars welcome in their most bitter rival of the past few seasons, the Forrest Rockets. The home team has won this game each of the last 3 years, so it looks good for MTCS, and another huge District win would go a long way in deciding the final standings as the season winds down. In Week 8, in-county rival Eagleville will host the Cougars at Talon Field for the 3rd time in the last 4 years. The Cougars have won this matchup every year since 2008, by an average of 9 points per game. Head coach Steve Carson of Eagleville always has his squad ready to play against the Cougars, so we will get another great chapter in this rivalry. Taking a break from District play in Week 9, the Cougars travel for the last time in 2011, up to Mount Juliet to play the Mt. Juliet Christian Saints. This will be the third meeting between the two private schools, and the first since 2006. Each team won at home against the other, Mt Juliet Christian 19-14 in 2005 and MTCS 35-6 in 2006. MTCS will finish up the season at home on October 28 against the Huntland Hornets. Hopefully by this time the District standings will be clear and we will know whether or not the Cougars will be playoff-bound for the fourth consecutive year. The season will be here before we know it! Reports from Spring Training will be coming in May, so be sure to log on to ThisIsCougarFootball.com often to keep up with the Cougars! BRUNSVOLD RACKS UP MORE HONORSNumber 9 on Rutherford Reader Top 10 : : Jay Brunner : :01.18.2011: : Senior Trevor Brunsvold has earned another honor for his 2010 performance on the football field. The Rutherford Reader has named the 2-time All-State punter as Number 9 on their list of Top 10 County Football players for last season. Click HERE for the article in the Rutherford Reader. Congratulations once again to Trevor Brunsvold for an outstanding season on the gridiron! Make sure to keep up with Trevor as he and the MTCS soccer team look to capture another Region Title this spring. Coverage of Spring Drills for football will be coming in May as well. BRUNSVOLD, BOWMAN NAMED ALL-STATE TSWA Hands Out Year-end Honors : : Jay Brunner : :12.7.2010: : Trevor Brunsvold and Asa Bowman were named to the 1A All-State First Team on Tuesday, setting up a very Merry Christmas indeed for their families, fans, and school. The Tennessee Sports Writers' Association gave out the honors to all those players in all classifications who best represented their programs on the field. Bowman becomes the fourth Cougar to earn the All-State title, while Brunsvold makes it 2-for-2 in his last 2 years at MTCS, becoming one of the most decorated Cougars in the short history of the program. The two seniors join Sammie Harris and Devin Brunsvold on the Cougar All-State list.
A Merry Christmas and a Happy and Blessed New Year to all the players, coaches, families and fans in the Cougar Football family. Spring training is just around the corner! DISTRICT HONORS HANDED OUT Brent Earns Top RB Award : : Jay Brunner : :12.7.2010: : The postseason accolades continue to pour in for the Cougars. Last night Junior Stephen Brent added another honor to his long list this season, earning District Running Back of the Year for his performance in 2010. Brent's 1,199 yards set the MTCS single-season record for rushing yards, with 13 touchdowns added in. he became just the second Cougar to rush for 1,000 in MTCS football history, and was a member of the first Cougar team to win a playoff game. Cougars that were named to the All-District team include Brad Brown, Christian Barrett, Trevor Brunsvold, Brad Chambers, Stephen Brent, Thomas Byrd, Tyler Williams, R.J. Miller, and Asa Bowman. Congratulations, Cougars, you all deserve it. After an historic season, more District and Region honors will be handed out over the coming days, so stay tuned for the news as soon as it happens. MORE PLAYING TIME FOR ONE COUGAR Brunsvold To Kick in All-Star Game : : Jay Brunner : :11.25.2010: : Happy Thanksgiving Cougar Fans! We at ThisisCougarFootball.com hope you have a great day and a blessed day. For Senior punter Trevor Brunsvold, each bite today should taste even sweeter. This morning Trevor was selected to play in the TACA East-West All-Star Game as punter. This game combines all 6 playoff classes, and the top 100 players in the state (as voted on by the coaches) get to suit up one more time in 2010. The game will be played on Saturday, December 11 at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City. Kickoff will be 11:30 CST. Congratulations to Trevor for making the prestigious list of players in this game! GO COUGARS!!! 2010 IN THE BOOKS Cougars Eliminated After Historic Season : : Jay Brunner : :11.18.2010: : Coach David Peden stood on the field at Gordonsville after the game last Friday night talking with parents and fans, receiving condolences and congratulations in equal amounts. While the final score may not have been the greatest testament to the 2010 season, there was nothing but praise from the Head Coach. "I'm just so proud of these guys," Peden said. "Their leadership was what got us here. They could have given up when we were 1-3, but they didn't and they got us here. I'm so proud of them." The MTCS community definately has alot to be proud of in this team. A record-setting season saw the Cougars win their first overtime game, their first playoff game, and put new names atop several categories in the MTCS football Record Book. Stephen Brent became the all-time leader for rushing yards in a single season with 1,199, passing Dillon Wade. He added 12 touchdowns. That's right at 100 yards and one score per game! R.J. Miller set a Cougar record for longest kickoff return, a 98-yard touchdown scamper to end the first half and tie the score against Forrest. A record that will never be broken? November 5, 2010, when the Cougars won their first ever playoff game, 24-7 over Cornersville. This edition of Cougar football can walk away knowing that no one can ever take that away from them. They were the first. Ivey Starling had his best season throwing the ball, tossing 8 touchdowns to only 5 interceptions. It will be great to see him under center again in 2011. We're looking forward to a great offseason, and we know you are, too. Stay tuned to ThisisCougarFootball.com throughout the year for updates on the team and possible broadcasts of other Cougar sports! GO COUGARS!!! CAN LIGHTNING STRIKE TWICE? Cougars At Tigers In Round 2 - Another Chance At Revenge : : Jay Brunner : :11.9.2010: : The Cougars come prowling into the second round of the playoffs, having made history last week and looking to make more. In their way stands a familiar foe: the Gordonsville Tigers. Last time, it didn't turn out so well for MTCS, as the Tigers were able to come back from a halftime deficit and eliminate the Cougars 34-20 at Throneberry Stadium. The Tigers play in District 7-A, along with teams such as Friendship Christian, Watertown, and the defending 2A State Champions Trousdale County. They finished second in that group with a record of 8-2, but a look at the rest of Gordonsville's District tells a story the Cougars would like to hear. Out of the 9 teams in District 7-A, only 4 had winning records this season. Red Boiling Springs is a team that's improved by leaps and bounds, but has won 4 games in the last 8 years, two in 09 and two in 2010. Pickett County is a young program that fielded a total of 12-14 players this season. Watertown was shut out by the Cougars in Murfreesboro for their first win of the year. The bottom 5 teams in the District ended 2010 with a combined record of 14-36. The Tigers have scored an average of 36 points per game this year while giving up just over 9 points per game. A very potent offense is led by well-known playmakers, so something has to give. Two very good defenses will certainly put on a show, so it will be up to the coaches to call the right plays at the right times, and up to the players to execute. Practically everyone in the Cougar stable is healthy, and they proved it last week. Brad Brown returned from a right arm/elbow injury and caught a touchdown pass. Chris Beasley played lights-out in the secondary. It's the best possible scenario for a Cougar win. Here are the Tiger playmakers. You'll recognize the names. PLAYERS TO WATCH SR CHAZ SMITH (QB): Out of all the dual-threat QB's the Cougars have faced, Smith has done the most damage. It helps when you have big-time playmakers around you, and Chaz certainly has those. He racked up over 1,100 yards of offense by himself last season and led the Tigers to the State Quarterfinals, earning All-District honors. SR CODY WOODMORE/JR KEATON CASON (RB): These two took over the game in the second half in 2009, especially the big, bruising Woodmore. They combined for over 1,600 rushing yards in 2009, and nothing seems to be stopping them this year. The Cougars were able to keep Woodmore bottled up for most of the first half in the playoff game last season, when it was the speedy Cason that did the damage. JR VINCENT JACKSON (WR): Jackson is the deep threat. He hit the Cougars with several key catches in 2009 and stretched the field with his blazing speed. He led the Tigers in the yards-per-reception category in 2009. FRIDAY STAT TRACKER: Woodmore has rushed for 21 touchdowns this year, an incredible number. Chaz Smith has added 9 more rushing scores plus 7 through the air. Between them, Smith and Woodmore have accounted for a whopping 62% of the Tigers' total points scored! While neither team will want to catch themselves looking ahead to next week, a daunting task faces the winner of this game. A trip to South Pittsburg to face the 4-time state champion Pirates seems likely, if Coach Vic Grider can get his team past the dangerous Moore County Raiders this week. To put it in perspective, after beating MTCS in 2009, Gordonsville played South Pitt in the quarterfinals. The Pirates shellacked the Tigers 46-7. PREDICTIONS Jeremy Smith: It looks like Jay is going with a defensive gameplan, but I figure offense will win the day. It could be a shootout, and Ivey Starling is more confident than ever. Add that to "The Perfect Storm" and we could be in for as many as 60 points or more. MTCS wins 35-28. Jay Brunner: The competition is stiff, and why not? It's the playoffs! What a chance for the Cougars to make their first Quarterfinals appearance! This game should be low-scoring, but if one team can get a couple of touchdowns back-to-back, it could get blown wide open. MTCS should come in riding their playoff success and ride out of Gordonsville with a win. Cougars prevail 21-20. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 pm, from Gordonsville, located just off I-40 near Carthage. We will see you there, and GO COUGARS!!!
HISTORY MADE Cougars Win First Playoff Game, Face Tigers in Round 2 : : Jay Brunner : :11.6.2010: : The third time was the charm last night at Throneberry Stadium, as the MTCS Cougars rode some big performances from key players to their first ever football playoff win. The names on the score sheet are very familiar to Cougar fans this year: Miller, Starling, Brown, Brunsvold. While it took a while for the offense to get going, there was no lack of fireworks in Murfreesboro. Can a team have too much focus for a game? If you asked Coach David Peden, he'd say yes. "The guys were excited, they were focused, and we came out flat," Peden said after the game. "As far as play-calling, we didn't do anything different in the second half, the guys were just more relaxed and got to work." In a mirror image of the first half versus Eagleville a week ago, both the Cougars and the Bulldogs came to play on defense, and punts and 3-and-outs dominated the first 24 minutes of play. Brunsvold got the Cougars on the board first with a 30-yard field goal in the second quarter. They were the only points of the first half. The second half was a different story. Getting the ball to start the 3rd quarter, the Cougars drove 67 yards and gave R.J. Miller the ball at the Bulldog 12. Miller did the rest, scampering to his right to extend the lead to 10-0 after the PAT. Stephen Brent had 7 carries on the drive for 48 yards. He ended the first half with just 31 yards on 12 carries, but finished the game with 26 runs for 123 yards. He is just 29 yards away from breaking the record for most rushing yards in a single season. Quarterback Ivey Starling had a great night, completing his first two passes of the game for a total of 49 yards. He finished with some impressive marks: 5/7 for 101 yards and a touchdown, a beautiful touch pass to Brad Brown in the back corner of the endzone. It was his 8th TD pass of the year. Miller iced the game away as the freezing rain began to fall, scooting to the right for 12 more yards and a TD late in the game to push the score to 24-7. Miller ended with 6 carries for 45 yards and the 2 touchdowns. The high-powered passing attack of Cornersville never really got going, as QB Joe Stocstill was forced to beat the Cougar defense with his legs. Apart from the Bulldogs' one scoring drive in the fourth quarter, it was a losing battle for the Dogs' QB. Stocstill also threw an interception, which was corralled by R.J. Miller. The celebration won't last long, as it's back to work on Monday. The Cougars advance to the second round for the second straight year, and will face a familiar foe: The Gordonsville Tigers. All of the playmakers return for the Smith county team, including QB Chaz Smith, running backs Cody Woodmore and Keaton Cason, and receiver Vincent "Nike" Jackson. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 pm next Friday. We will see you there as the Cougars look to make even more MTCS Football History. GO COUGARS!!! PLAYOFFS ROUND 1: #3 COUGARS VS #6 BULLDOGS MTCS Has Best Chance For First Playoff Win : : Jay Brunner : :11.2.2010: : The Cougars charge into familiar territory Friday night, playing their second-straight home playoff game in their third-straight postseason appearance. This time MTCS welcomes in the 4-6 Cornersville Bulldogs, a team that the Cougars played in their first preseason game this year. The Dogs play in District 11-A with such teams as Perry County, Wayne County, and Columbia Academy. Five out of the 8 teams in that District averaged over 30 points per game this season, but Cornersville was not one of them. The Dogs averaged just over 16 points per game, despite a high-powered offense led by a senior quarterback. MTCS comes in averaging 23.5 points per game, second in District 9-A behind Forrest. The Cougar defense is tops in the District, allowing less than 12 points per game! That's the fewest points ever given up by a Cougar defense. If MTCS can score 28 points or more on Friday, they will set the record for most points in a season, passing the 262 racked up in 2006. Cornersville travels to Murfreesboro with a 1-4 road record, having lost 4 straight road contests. Their last win in hostile territory came in Week 4 at Loretto. The Cougars, however, are 4-1 at home this year, with the only loss coming against Ezell-Harding. MTCS has beaten opponents at Throneberry Stadium this year by an average score of 24 - 10. They have 3 home shutouts. Last week, Stephen Brent ran 23 times for just 70 yards, but he became the second Cougar EVER to reach 1,000 yards in a single season. He ended the game at 1,023. If Brent gains 152 yards or more Friday night, that would pass Dillon Wade's 1,174 for most rushing yards in a season. Brent's season and career high for yards in a game is 180. While we don't have any 2010 stats for the Bulldogs, we know who to look for Friday night. PLAYERS TO WATCH JOE STOCSTILL (QB) - Senior Josh Pope's 2009 stats are impressive: 78/151 for almost 1,100 yards and 8 touchdowns, but apparantly there has been a changing of the guard this year. The Bulldogs have handed the keys to the offense over to Joe Stocstill, and he has put on a performance this year. He averages 133 passing yards and 61 rushing yards per game in 2010. He has 16 total touchdowns, which account for 60% of the total points scored by the Dogs this year. It is unclear whether Stocstill has gone all the way at QB this season or if there was an injury to Pope that forced a change. JR JONATHAN DOUGLAS/SO BRANDON LOWE (WR) - Pope's two main targets down the field, they combined for 17 catches and 224 yards last year. Pope completed a long pass to Douglas in the Cougars' preseason game with the Dogs this year. SR TAYLOR ROGERS (RB) - In 2009, Rogers did it all out of the Bulldog backfield. He ran for 565 yards and 7 scores and caught 316 yards' worth of passes. Fellow senior Tyler Henry should split carries with Rogers, making for a dangerous one-two punch. This matchup of the #3 and #6 seeds will be hard fought, as both of these teams are looking for their first-ever playoff win. Last year's trip to the postseason for Cornersville was their first since 1994. Friday's winner will travel to play #2 seed Gordonsville. With that said, here's how the game should go. PREDICTIONS Jeremy Smith: A team with a 4-1 record at home versus a team with 4 straight road losses? Should be a simple equation. If the Cougar secondary can play lights-out (And what better time than in the playoffs?), the nail-biters should be sitting on their hands Friday. MTCS wins 28-14. Jay Brunner: Something's gotta give. With not a single playoff win between these two teams, someone's postseason disappointment will continue through to 2011. It won't be the Cougars. The seniors will get one more chance to shine at Throneberry Stadium and will make more MTCS football history. Cougars win 38-20 It's the Cougars, it's the Bulldogs, it's the Playoffs from Throneberry Stadium! GO COUGARS!!! COUGARS HOST CORNERSVILLE IN FIRST ROUND : : Jay Brunner : :10.30.2010: : The TSSAA has released the playoff brackets, and the Cougars will host their second straight playoff game, welcoming Cornersville to Throneberry Stadium next Friday. The winner of the game will travel to play Gordonsville in the second round. A total of 5 District 9A teams are in the postseason. Moore County will host Eagleville, with the winner traveling to play 1A power South Pittsburg. Cascade and Forrest made the 2A Bracket. The Champions will host Jackson County, and the winner will face unbeaten Trousdale County. The Rockets will be on the road to play Dresden, and the winner of that game will play Riverside. Get to the field early and enjoy the playoff atmosphere in Murfreesboro! Kickoff for all playoff games is 7:00 pm! GO COUGARS!!! COUGARS WIN, COUGARS IN Brent Reaches 1,000 yards, Seniors Deliver on Senior Night : : Jay Brunner : :10.29.2010: : To get a win over your arch rival is sweet. To do it three years in a row is sweeter. But to shut them out? That's perfection. The Cougars fought hard tonight, lead by 18 young men who grabbed hold of this game and never let go. It was a victory, yes. It was THEIR victory. It was THEIR night. For fans of defensive football, it was also the perfect night. Both punters were active early and often. It was the type of game where you hear the phrase "It'll all come down to turnovers." That particular battle was won by MTCS. Stephen Brent sacked Eagles Quarterback Bryan Smith, forcing a fumble. Senior Brad Chambers gathered in the loose ball and took it to the Eagleville five. Two plays later, Brent punched through for the first (and game-winning) score. Senior Asa Bowman was all over the field tonight, racking up 10 tackles in the first half alone. He finished with 14 and a sack. Were there any tackles left for the other Seniors? Oh yes. Byrd, Brunsvold, Kile, Miller, Wair, Chambers, McCarver, Burgess, and Lowe all got their names on the defensive stat sheet. There were highlights from other classes tonight. Junior Stephen Brent became the second player in Cougar Football History to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a season. He finished the game with 23 carries for 70 yards and a touchdown. Congratulations to Stephen! Freshman Britt Roberts stepped up big again when he stepped in front of a Smith pass, picking it off and returning it inside the Eagle 35. From there, the Cougars maneuvered down to the 3, where Ivey Starling blasted through to make it 13-0. Now for the questions....We know the Cougars are in the playoffs for the third straight year. Who will they play? Will they play at Throneberry Stadium? The TSSAA hopes to have the brackets finalized by Noon tomorrow, and 104.5 The Zone will have a special 1-hour show starting at 6 pm tomorrow to annouce who is playing where. Tune in to find out the Cougars' future! As another regular season of Cougar football comes to a close, we at ThisisCougarFootball.com would like to say a HUGE THANK-YOU to everyone who made the year memorable. Players, coaches, parents, and fans, you all helped contribute to a great season. It's not over yet! The playoffs are ahead. A winning season is behind. What does the "Undiscovered Country" hold for MTCS? Whatever it is, this team will charge in together. GO COUGARS!!! Week 10 - Down To The End, Down To The Wire Senior Night Win Should Put You In : : Jay Brunner : :10.25.2010: : Many things hang in the balance this Friday at Throneberry Stadium, as the Cougars welcome their biggest rival, the Eagleville Eagles. The chances for a winning season and a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time since 2008, and a third-straight playoff berth are on the line in Murfreesboro. It's also Senior Night, a chance to celebrate the high school careers of some special players. Coming off the bye week, the Cougars are in a state of flux. Who will be healthy, who will be out? Did the 2-week break give leaders like Asa Bowman, Chris Beasley, Christian Barrett, and Tyler Williams a chance to fully heal? TUESDAY UPDATE: Coach Peden says that those 4 plus Kody Philips and Brad Brown are all questionable. Time will tell....
MTCS is currently in 4th place in the District after Week 9 wins by Cascade, Eagleville, and Forrest. Cascade all but cemented themselves in the number one spot, riding a 5-game win streak to what will be their 3rd-straight District crown. So, the scenario is complicated, but at the same time straightforward: Win, and you're most likely in. Cougar wins over 2A teams Forrest and Community give them an excellent chance at the playoffs. The Cougars are the Rockets' biggest fans this week, because a Forrest win over Moore County and a Cougar win over Eagleville would put MTCS in second, and in the playoffs, guaranteed. If Moore County wins, they would take the second spot and MTCS would be third. The Cougars would earn a wildcard spot in the playoffs, and most likely a first-round road game as well. Exciting times in Week 10 of High School Football! So with all that said, let's focus on this week's Rivalry Game, and look at the Eagleville Eagles. PLAYERS TO WATCH QB Bryan Smith - The junior took over for the departed Will Duke this year, and has run the Eagles offense well. Despite throwing more INT's than touchdowns, Smith is the ideal dual-threat QB. Last week in the Eagles' win over Huntland, Smith threw for 2 TD's and ran for one more. RB's Chris Hale & Jordan Siler - The Cougars have faced some good one-two running back teams this year, but these two Eagles may be the best. After a season-ending injury robbed the Eagles of their starter Nathan Jernigan, freshman Chris Hale stepped in, and stepped up to the challenge. Hale has put on a show every Friday, and last week racked up 150 yards on 22 carries. He also cuaght a short Smith pass and turned it into a 69-yard score. Siler is the compliment back, and had 17 carries for 74 yards against Huntland. Eagles Receivers - Andrew Jernigan caught a 47-yard touchdown from Smith last week. While the Eagles may not have a "go-to guy", the team's pass catchers benefit from heavy doses of the run, which sets up the bomb on play-action. Players like Hale can also catch passes out of the backfield and turn them into big plays. The Cougars have won the last 2 matches between these county rivals. In the rain and mud in 2008, a Jordan Watson pick-6 and a Dillon Wade TD gave the Cougars the edge 13-7. In 2009, Jordan Watson again made a big play, catching an Ivey Starling TD pass in the late stages of the game to give the Cougars the win 17-10. Nathan Coats made the final tackle on the last Eagle drive to seal it. Look for another great chapter in this great Rutherford Rivalry. PREDICTIONS Jeremy Smith: This will be another hard-fought game between these two teams. It will come down to the wire once again since these teams really play the same schemes on both sides of the ball. But in the end, the Cougars will want it more. MTCS wins 17-10. Jay Brunner: After all the great things that have been accomplished this year, the Cougars are still not a lock for the postseason. Until Friday. No one has to tell these players to get fired up this week. It's Eagleville, and they know what's at stake. Stephen Brent gets his 1,000 yards and leads MTCS into the playoffs for the third straight year. Cougars win 35-17. Trumped By Champs Cascade Takes Top Spot in District : : Jay Brunner : :10.16.2010: : The win streak is over. The injuries are piling up again. It was a long drive back from Bell Buckle for MTCS. Things went from bad to worse Friday night as the Cougars fell 25-7 to a surging Cascade team, who now take over the number-one spot in District 9-A. Asa Bowman re-injured his left ankle, and Brad Brown had to leave the field with his right arm held out gingerly in front of him. The bright spots of the night were Ivey Starling's passing and Trevor Brunsvold's punting. Starling ended with good numbers, going 8/13 for 105 yards. Trevor showcased his punting skills yet again, booting it 5 times, including a 61-yarder. R.J. Miller caught 4 passes for 60 yards, including a 41 yard play where reacted to a tipped ball, tipping it again to himself and adding some yards after the catch. He also ran 3 times for 15 yards and the lone score. Coaches and fans were left wondering what could have been last night, and now can only look ahead to the bye week and the last regular season game on October 29. Now (however painful this may be) the Cougars become the Champions' biggest fans. The Champs need to run the table and secure the top spot in the District so that the Cougars can battle Eagleville for the other guaranteed playoff spot in two weeks. With 5 wins on the year, the odds of MTCS making it 3 straight trips to the playoffs are still good. The peace of mind that comes from being one of the top two teams in the District is still not within the Cougars' grasp. The next two weeks will be full of anxiety. But they will also be full of excitement. GO COUGARS!!!
Week 8 - How Does That Target Feel? Revenge Would Be Sweetest Against Cascade : : Jay Brunner : :10.12.2010: : The hunters are becoming the hunted. After a head-scratching loss to Moore County in Week 2, the Cougars have responded with some gaudy numbers in their record-tying win streak. They now sit atop the pile in District 9, and the bullseye has appeared on the MTCS jersey. This week, the biggest revenge game awaits, as the Cougars travel down Highway 231 to Bell Buckle and the surging Cascade Champions. To some, a win in this game would be the biggest in program history. And there is definately some history to draw on if you need to get fired up for this one. In each of the last 2 years, the Cougars led the Champions at halftime. In each of the last 2 years, the Champions won. In each of the last 2 years, Cascade went on to win the Region/District title. Both the '08 and '09 chapters in this rivalry leave impressions on the mind. In 2008, a mental mistake by Eric Compton, a bad pass interference call, and a punt return TD spelled doom for the Cougars. In 2009, a season-ending injury to Stephen Brent started off a terrible second half, with MTCS gaining only 10 yards on offense and not converting any 3rd downs in the last 24 minutes. But back to the good. The numbers this year for MTCS have been mind-boggling. Here's the breakdown: In 8 games so far, the Cougars have outscored opponents 214-91. That's an average game score of 27-11. In their last 4 games, the Orange and White have put up an unbelievable 166 points, while allowing just 43. That's an average game score of nearly 42-11! The defense has pitched the shutout 3 times this year as well. This week, however, it will be extremely tough to keep the Champions out of the endzone. After a 7-6 surprise win over Eagleville and a 52-0 romp over Community, the Champs seem to be hitting ther stride, and at just the right time. With that in mind let's look at the opponent's playmakers. PLAYERS TO WATCH #10 QB Jared Carkuff - A Cascade team without a Carkuff under center is like a bicycle without a front wheel. It doesn't work very well, and it's not something you see often. Jared, a junior, is well on his way to living up to the reputation of his brother, who ran the Champ offense until 2009. Jared Carkuff has impressed the last two weeks, gaining 206 yards through the air. He also ran in a pair of TD's last week vs. Community. He's the kicker, too! WR Shawn Watson - The deep threat. Watson caught a 77-yard pass from Carkuff at Eagleville, setting up the winning touchdown. He scored last week on a 25-yard toss. #6 LB Christian Edmonson - The leader of the defense, without question. He added a pick to 5 tackles against Eagleville. He will also line up at receiver and catch passes. MTCS has scored 42 points against Cascade in the last two meetings, all of them in the first half. The Champions were giving up 34 points per game in their first 4 contests, but have given up only 22 total points in their last 3 games. PREDICTIONS Jeremy Smith - There comes a time where you know a team so well, you know them too well. That's the case with the Cougars and Champions. They've played good games the past 2 years, and each one knows what the other will do. We could be in for a shootout if the Cougars get the run going and if the Champs can set up the pass. MTCS wins 42-35. Jay Brunner - It's time for the Cougars to get over the hump against Cascade. If not now, it may be a while before another great chance to beat them comes along. The big players make the big plays, and they will again this week. Cougars get a hard-fought win 35-31. A MTCS win this week and a win over Huntland next week by Eagleville would set up a Cougars-Eagles District Championship Game at Throneberry Stadium on October 29. The big question will be whether the Cougars can fight back the urge to look ahead at what might be and focus on the task at "The Stable" Friday night in Bell Buckle. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm. We'll see you there, and GO COUGARS!!!
Where Did The Time Go? Cougars Dominate Hornets, Finish Game in Under 2 Hours : : Jay Brunner : :10.8.2010: : The Mercy rule kicked in again during an MTCS football game, this time early in the third quarter as the Cougars rolled to their fourth straight win. It was done in convincing fashion. After racking up 30 points in the first half, thanks in part to a Brad Brown blocked punt and an Asa Bowman strip and run, Stephen Brent went to work early, blasting through the middle for 42 yards and his second score. His first came on a 6-yard romp after the blocked punt. He finished with 15 carries for 105 yards and 2 TD's. The junior is now just 142 yards away from his first 1,000-yard season. A special Congratulations goes to freshman Dakota Vaught, who scored his first Cougar touchdown tonight. He finished with 6 carries for 39 yards and the score. Here's to many, many more, Dakota! Ivey Starling had a great game as well, throwing for two more TD's, bringing his 2010 total to 7. Both tosses (51 and 34 yards) were to R.J. Miller, who was the only Cougar to catch a pass on this night. He finished with 3 catches for 97 yards and the two scores. Trevor Brunsvold added his second field goal of the year, a beautiful 35-yarder. His leg was busy all night, as the senior booted the field goal, punted once, kicked off 8 times, and went 4-6 on PAT's. Some astonishing numbers have appeared so far this season. During the Cougars' current 4-game win streak, they have outscored opponents 166-43. That's an average of 41.5 points scored and 10.25 points allowed per game! They have scored a total of 214 points this year, which is just 48 points shy of tying the all-time record for points in a season: 262 in 2006. A quick game calls for a quick game review, so now the Cougars move forward, guaranteed to finish no worse than 5-5 this year. They shoot to the top of the standings in District 9-A, topping Eagleville by way of points scored. Their next opponent? The Cascade Champions in Bell Buckle, a team that MTCS has never beaten. They are two-time defending Region/District champs, and are hitting their stride after back-to-back wins over Eagleville and Community. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 as the Cougars look to stretch their win streak to a record 5 games and get revenge on the Champions. We will see you in Bell Buckle! Week 7 - Avoiding the Sting of the Hornets Cougars Look for Fourth Straight Win : : Jeremy Smith : :10.6.2010: : The Cougars are coming off of what can be called the "Greatest Game in Cougar Football History." A 41-35 double overtime win over Forrest had the players, fans, and even the broadcasters jumping in jubilation. The Cougars have now won three in a row and sit 3rd in the District. Next on the slate is a long road trip down to Huntland to take on the Hornets. The Hornets have won their last two games, including a 37-13 win last week against Community. The Hornets come in 3-3 and still alive in the District race. It's up to the Cougars to put them away and put themselves among the elite in District 9. THURSDAY UPDATE TO DISTRICT STANDINGS: Both the TSSAA website and Murphy Fair are listing the Cougars at second in District 9, ahead of Moore County and behind Eagleville. We have updated our standings accordingly. This means that if the playoffs started today, the Cougars would be guaranteed a spot! Huntland QB Clay Robertson had an impressive night last week going 20-35 for 301 yards and two touchdowns. Some other players to keep an eye on are Jonah Bradley and Bobby Stubblefield, who will make an impact on both sides of the ball. MTCS is playing better than they have all season and are finally (for the most part) healthy. In their last three wins, MTCS has outscored their opponents 125-43! Very impressive for a three game stretch. Overall this year the defense has been superb despite the injuries, giving up only 13 points per game. Every game remains a must-win with the District standings being as tight as they are. The Cougars will need a full team effort again to pull out a win on the road and continue their march to the postseason. Key Stats from the 2009 win over Huntland: R.J. Miller: 12 car. 109 yds. TD Stephen Brent: 16 car. 68 yds. Rushing Attack: 317 yds. 4 TD PREDICTIONS Jeremy Smith - The Cougars are more confident in themselves than they have ever been. They're finally looking like the team everyone expected. They won easily over the Hornets in 2009, but this year they have to take the long road trip. They could possibly start slow, but look for MTCS to win big in the end. Cougars win 35-14. Jay Brunner - The biggest question for this week is whether there will be any let-down after last week's emotional win. A few big plays early would put any doubts to rest, and the Cougars have shown District 9 that they are certainly capable of the big play. The Hornets may not be ready. MTCS wins 38-21. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm this Friday at Huntland. The Cougars look to win their 4th straight game and improve their record to (5-3) and continue their march for the postseason. A fourth straight win would also tie the longest win streak in program history. We hope to see you at the field and GO COUGARS!!!
THRONEBERRY THRILLER Miller, Brent, Bowman Lead MTCS in OT Win : : Jay Brunner : :10.02.2010: : "A total team effort" was how coach David Peden described the play of his Cougars Friday night, as MTCS starts October with a game for the ages. After holding the potent Rocket offense to 2 straight 3-and-outs, R.J. Miller lit up the scoreboard with a 55-yard punt return for a TD. It would be the first of many big plays, and it gave the Cougars an early 7-0 lead. The return of Asa Bowman brought with it the unveiling of the Wildcat at Throneberry Stadium. After giving up 14 unanswered points to Forrest, Bowman ran the offense to perfection, scampering 19 yards for a tying score midway through the second quarter. Big players make big plays, as it's often said. The Rockets took a 21-14 lead with 17 seconds left in the first half, and looked to have all the momentum heading into the locker room. But on this occasion, one of the big players for MTCS went to work again. R.J. Miller, in his second special teams play of the night, streaked 98 yards with the ensuing kickoff and tied the game as time expired. The opening kickoff of the second half stuck a dagger into the hearts of the Cougars, as Senior Chris Beasley was injured on the return. The preliminary report is either a dislocated elbow or a broken arm, which means that Beasley may be lost for the season. If it is just a dislocation, he may be able to return for the final game vs. Eagleville. The second half was a back-and-forth affair, with Forrest taking a 28-21 lead late in the 3rd quarter. It appeared that the Rockets would ride their playmaking tailback Zach Ray to a win. But once again, the Cougars would not be denied. After another grat punt return by Miller, the offense took over at the Rocket 46. Big runs by Brent and a key pass to Brad Brown got the ball inside the 5 yard line, and 1 play later, Asa Bowman tied the game with 36 seconds left. The Rockets weren't interested in trying to end the game in regulation, and MTCS headed into it's first ever overtime game. In an electric atmosphere in Murfreesboro, the Cougars took to overtime like seasoned pros, running only 2 offensive plays and scoring 13 points. The Cougars got the ball first, as, according to rule, each team got a possession starting at the 10. Stephen Brent took the handoff straight up the middle for the score. The defense forced 3 straight plays for short Rocket gains, and on fourth down, Rocket QB Dane Leonard found a wide open receiver in the endzone to tie the game. The Rockets went on offense first in the second overtime, and were stuffed by the Cougars, losing 5 yards and setting up kicker Angel Reyes for a field goal. Reyes could not deliver, missing his second field goal of the game. The Cougars took advantage. From the stacked goal-line formation, R.J. Miller got the call, running left with blockers. One cut-back later, Throneberry Stadium erupted and Miller was mobbed by his teammates in the corner of the endzone. Victory. Here are the stats for the night: R.J. Miller: 7 car. 22 yds. 1 TD; 55 yd. punt ret. TD, 98 yd. KO ret. TD; 201 All-Purpose yds; 5 tkl, 1 TFL Stephen Brent: 13 car. 123 yds. 1 TD; 1 rec. 3 yds.; 12 tkl, 2 TFL. Asa Bowman: 7 car. 34 yds. 2 TD; 9 tkl, 2 TFL, .5 sackThomas Byrd: 6 tkl, 2 TFL Tyler Williams: 6 tkl, 1 TFL Trevor Brunsvold: 9 tkl, 1 TFL; punts: 58, 50, 35 Now, it's back to business. The longest road trip of the year awaits next Friday as the Cougars head to Huntland, TN to play the Hornets. Let's hope that MTCS can bring the momentum with them as they look to win their fourth straight contest. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm. We will see you there! GO COUGARS!!!
Week 6 - "The Hunt For October" Game With Forrest Begins Crucial District Slate : : Jay Brunner : :9.28.2010: : The last two weeks have been good to the Cougars. They've posted back-to-back wins for the first time since 2008. They've outscored their last two opponents 84-8. And they've looked good doing it. Perhaps the best thing to happen to this team entering Week 6 of 2010 is the injury report. Apart from Tyler Brent's knee and Christian Barrett's collarbone, the Cougars are healthy! Senior Clay McCarver was given his medical clearance to play Monday morning, and should be suited up this Friday, looking to provide depth in the trenches. Asa Bowman should be back to start-of-season form after being limited in last week's win. Kody Phillips should also make it back into the lineup. All things considered, MTCS is in the best possible position to make another run at the playoffs, and it couldn't come at a better time. With nothing but District games remaining in 2010, the last 4 contests will decide who's in and who's out. The Cougars face their toughest test of the year this Friday as they welcome the Forrest Rockets to Murfreesboro. Forrest is another team that has been hit hard by graduation. In May they bid farewell to Taylor Abrigo and the Quezaire brothers, 3 players who torched the Cougars in Chapel Hill last year, and were the main leaders in that 37-7 rout. However, quarterback Dane Leonard remains, and he has rallied a young inexperienced Rocket team. PLAYERS TO WATCH #10 ZACH RAY (RB): Ray is the force on the ground for the Rockets this year. He had a field day against Cascade several weeks ago, rushing 36 times for 281 yards and 4 touchdowns. He's listed at 6'0, 172 pounds, and hits like a linebacker. DANE LEONARD (QB): One of the left-over players from last year's 9-1 Rocket team, Leonard has galvanized his teammates, and his leadership is what has propelled his team to a 4-1 mark this year. Look for him to use play action after they set up the running game with Ray. #17 JONATHAN ANDERSON (LB): He's one of many leaders on defense for Forrest. His sack of Jared Carkuff in the Rockets' rout of Cascade was one of the turning points in that game. Here are the key stats from last year's loss at Forrest: R.J. Miller: 15 car. 63 yds.; punt ret. TD Starling: 6/12 30 yds Defense allowed 410 yards and 5 TD on the ground. Stephen Brent: 5 tackles, 2 for loss PREDICTIONS Jeremy Smith - A few weeks ago, I could ask you to give me the name of a senior, and I would have probably said "Out for tonight's game." Now, the injury list is almost non-existent, and this Cougar team is playing like they wanted to all year. Too bad, Rockets. Cougars win 28-21. Jay Brunner - The Cougars are primed and ready to make a big run as we count down the last weeks of 2010. Home field advantage and being healthy, as well as the ability to stuff the run will mean a tough time in the ol' town for Forrest. But don't expect the Rockets to be as easy as the last two opponents. MTCS wins 35 - 24 Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm this Friday at Throneberry Stadium. Every game is a must-win to ensure a third consecutive trip to the playoffs. We hope to see you at the field and GO COUGARS!!!
Cougars Dominate Lions Starling Strikes Again...And Again...And Again : : Jay Brunner : :9.24.2010: : The Cougars made the short trip to Woodbury, and laid the wood to the Cannon County Lions. MTCS gathered up points in bunches and improved to 3-3 on the year, winning 49-8. They got revenge against another team that beat them in 2009. They also racked up the program's first consecutive wins since late in 2008. It was another game where the entire team played, and played well, from the top of the depth chart to the bottom. Here are the stats from the win: IVEY STARLING - Our Player of the Game had a career night, throwing 3 touchdown passes to 3 different receivers. He finished with 86 yards on 4-of-8 passing. R.J. MILLER - 6 car. 42 yds, 1 TD.; 1 rec. 16 yds, TD.; 40-yd punt ret. TD. He's baaaaaaaaccccckkkkkkk.... STEPHEN BRENT - 13 car. 88 yds. Another solid performance from the leading rusher. TREVOR BRUNSVOLD - 2 pass deflec., 7-7 PAT; 2 punts: 44 yds, 53 yds.; 1 INT ret. for TD. The senior just keeps making plays. BRAD BROWN - INT ret. for TD; A breakout game for the senior. Several other stats for various players include Brent Hofbauer's first pass completion to Kyle Howard for 26 yards, Britt Roberts' second INT of the year (to go along with 4 tackles), and Brad Chambers' 4 stops. An all-around great game. Roberts' INT set the Cougars up at the Lion 40 yard line in the first quarter, and Ivey Starling made the home team pay a few plays later, on fourth down. He lobbed a beautiful pass 30 yards to Christian Kile, the second time those two have hooked up for a score. After a couple of possessions for each team, The Cougars got the ball and drove to the Lion 40. Starling aired it out again, this time to Chris Beasley who had to fight his defender down the field and in the air to come down with it, but made a great turn to shed the tackler and raced to the end zone. After forcing a 3-and-out on the next Lion possession, R.J. Miller took the ensuing punt to the house from 40 yards out. Miller also ran one in from 28 yards with less than a minute to go in the first half. The half ended 28-0 in favor of MTCS. The Cougars got the ball to start half 2, but went 3-and-out and Trevor kicked it 53 yards and pinned the Lions at their own 15. Quarterback Heath Simons had a pass picked off by Brad Brown, and the senior returned it for a defensive score. With that, the Mercy Rule kicked in, and the Cougars added a Starling-to-Miller TD and a Trevor Brusvold pick-6. The Cougars are now at .500 for the year, but it doesn't get any easier. The last 4 games of 2010 are all District games, and the team will have to run the table to ensure a third straight trip to the playoffs. Standing in their way are the Forrest Rockets, Huntland Hornets, Cascade Champions, and Eagleville Eagles. No pressure, right? Now it's time to rest and get ready for crunch time. The Cougars welcome in the Forrest Rockets to Throneberry Stadium next week, and the atmosphere will be electric. We hope to see you there!
Week 5 - Halfway Home, Except They're Away John Bragg Highway Brings Jungle Cats Together Again TUNE IN EARLY - KICKOFF AT 7:00 PM : : Jeremy Smith : :9.21.2010: : The Cougars are coming off an impressive 35-0 win over Community in which Stephen Brent had a career night rushing: 180 yards on 17 carries and three scores, to be exact. In the last 2 games, number 34 has racked up 335 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns. Those 4 scores equal his total for all of 2009. He has 531 yards so far, which means he's on pace to reach 1,000 rushing yards for the year, and would be the first Cougar to do so since Dillon Wade in 2008. He has 6 touchdowns. Fans also witnessed RJ Miller return to full time action at receiver, returner, and running back. He scored his first touchdown of the season last week. Quarterback Ivey Starling had his best performance of the year, throwing for 94 yards and his second TD of the season. Christian Kile caught that pass for his first career TD. Now it's back on the road to finish up the non-district slate for 2010. The season is half over. Where did it go? In 2009 the Cougars fell to Cannon County by a final of 26-6. It was a sloppy game in which rain and turnovers did the Cougars in. The "Jungle Battle" between the Cougars and Lions is one that MTCS will look to get revenge in this year. They played well through one half a year ago being down only 14-6 at the break, but turnovers and miscues led to their defeat. The Lions had an impressive 2009 campaign. They finished 6-5 with a first round playoff loss to Harpeth 29-20. The Lions enter this game with a mark of 0-5. This has a lot to do with losing eight offensive and seven defensive starters from the 2009 playoff team. There are no stats available for their loss last week to York Institute, but two weeks ago in their loss to D.C.A., quarterback Heath Simmons went 11/23 for 77 yards. Their starting tailback Gabriel Walkup had 23 carries for 115 yards and a touchdown. Along with being their number one guy at running back, last year Walkup recorded 116 tackles on defense. This is the Cougars' last non-district game, but winning and getting to .500 is a must for this team to have confidence going forward. They should be favored in this game. The possibility of Asa Bowman's return is exciting and would only add depth to the all-important running back and linebacker positions. FRIDAY UPDATE - Asa Bowman has been cleared to play, but only on offense. Coaches may still decide to sit him one more week in order to prepare for the last 4 district games. Running back Stephen Brent is questionable for tonight's game after having a small growth removed from one toe. If he can't go, we should see R.J. Miller get the bulk of the carries, as he, Dakota Vaught, and Keith Pickard would be the only fully healthy running backs. We've listed Simmons and Walkup already, so they are our PLAYERS TO WATCH for this week. Key Stats from the 2009 loss to Cannon County: Stephen Brent: 30 car. 90 yds. Ivey Starling: 10/23 - 75 yds. 3 INT Running back Christian Barrett fractured his collarbone in the loss to Ezell-Harding, and was in a sling last week. We originally listed him as out for the season, but it appears that he may be able to return in 2010, thanks to some luck and a clean break. PREDICTIONS Jeremy Smith - The Cougars lost last year due to mistakes, and the rain played a part as well. But the Cougars are feeling good about themselves coming off of a win, and facing the winless Lions should give them confidence to get back to .500. Cougars win 28-10 Jay Brunner - Lions' coach Joel Shrenck brought the spread/pistol offense to Woodbury last year, and his team took to it like ducks to water. Or lions to...high grass.... The loss of so many starters has hampered this team, but when you run the spread, you're always dangerous. The Cougars got complacent a few weeks ago and were defeated. Let's hope this game is not a repeat of that. MTCS wins 31-27. Stephen Brent was already the leading rusher for MTCS going into tonight's Homecoming matchup against Community. After his performance, he may be on track to be the first Cougar to reach 1,000 yards since Dillon Wade in 2008. Brent carried 17 times for a career high 180 yards and 3 touchdowns, as the Cougars pounded the Vikings 35-0. His former rushing high? That would be 177 yards set last year at Community. His second TD run was a whopping 90-yarder, which fell only 3 yards shy of setting the record for longest run from scrimmage in Cougar history. The offense got back on track, racking up 333 total yards, behind Brent's rushing and Ivey Starling's passing. The junior field general had his best night of the year, going 5-of-13 for 94 yards and a touchdown, his second TD toss of the season. Christian Kile turned in the best game of the receivers, with 2 grabs for 58 yards and a score. The senior tight end added a sack on defense as well. The orange defense played lights out, getting two turnovers and committing none. Vikings' freshman QB Quin Frost was under duress all night, and the Community running backs Taylor, Lees, and King never got going. Byrd and Brunsvold turned in the best defensive performances, with 5 tackles piece. Byrd also forced a fumble and recovered another. The Mercy Rule went into affect midway through the third quarter after Brent's third score made it 35-0. The clock ran continually for the rest of the game, so the contest ended relatively early. The biggest thing the Cougars will need to work on next week is cutting down on penalties. They were called 10 times for 85 yards. The killer is that a Starling TD pass and 79 yards worth of R.J. Miller runs were negated by penalties. However, the refs seemed to be flag-happy tonight. At one point, one of your broadcasters was heard to say, "I haven't seen this many flags since Memorial Day." The Cougars improve to 2-3 on the year, and 1-1 in District play. Their last non-District game comes next Friday, and will find the team on the road in Woodbury, facing the Lions of Cannon County. We will see you there as MTCS looks to improve to .500 on the year. GO COUGARS!!!!! At a record of 1-3, it can be said that MTCS has not lived up to expectations so far in 2010. They have a chance to get back in the win column this week as the Cougars host the Vikings of Community at Throneberry Stadium. A 48-0 victory in Unionville last year gave the Cougars their second win of the year, and they look for that same mark again in Week 4. There isn't much info on the Vikings so far this year. They didn't return a survey for Murphy Fair's Tennessee High School Football Magazine, and there aren't a lot of stats from their 3 games, either online or in the newspapers. What we do know is that they are still looking for their first win of 2010, and are currently on a 20-game losing streak stretching back to Week 3 of 2008. We know that their head coach is Johnnie Frost. We know that they are a very young team that operated with a freshman quarterback last week against Columbia Academy, and that his name is Quinn Frost. The Vikings have given up a combined 627 rushing yards to their last two opponents, games that saw Community outscored 83-7. PLAYERS TO WATCH #8 RB ROSS TAYLOR - He carried 9 times for 63 yards and one TD last week, getting the Vikings on the board late for their only score. He was a key factor in a preseason tie with Watertown. The Purple Tigers had to rely on 2 fourth quarter TD's to pull even in that one. Taylor will share carries with Jamison King and Austin Lees. #4 QB QUINN FROST - The freshman made his first career start at quarterback last week, going 4-of-12 for 20 yards. #73 OL/DL A.J. HARRIS - Another freshman making plays for the Vikings. He had 4 tackles for loss last week. The top performers against Community last year: STEPHEN BRENT - 22 car. 177 yds. 2 TD TREVOR BRUNSVOLD - 3 tackles, 1 for loss Ivey Starling threw his first career touchdown pass in Unionville last year, one of two in 2009. Stephen Brent had a career night, and leads the team in rushing this year. After the injuries to R.J. Miller, Asa Bowman, and Tyler Williams, the Cougars have had a rough couple of weeks. But Tyler and R.J. practiced this week and look ready to go. Asa is out of his boot and appeared to be walking and running normally. He is currently looking to get his clearance to play Friday. PREDICTIONS Jeremy Smith - If the coaches choose to keep R.J. Miller on the sidelines (as they did at Community last year), Stephen Brent should have another career night. The Cougars should run away with this one early and not look back. MTCS wins 42 - 0. Jay Brunner - The Cougars need a win. Badly. Not just because Community is a District opponent or because overall wins are very important to a team’s playoff hopes, but because the team needs to put the last troubling weeks behind them and get their confidence back. No offense to the Vikings, but it will probably be a long night. The Cougars may put up 48 points in the first half. MTCS wins 56 - 0. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm Friday at Throneberry Stadium. Be sure to come out and support the Cougars! The Cougars came out and started quickly in their Week 3 matchup against Ezell Harding by scoring on the first drive of the game. Stephen Brent led the way with five carries for 50 yards and the score and the Cougars were off and running. Or so we thought, as the Eagles answered later in the quarter with a score of their own to even up the game. The remainder of the first half was filled with punts for both sides, but also two failed 4th down conversions for the Eagles. As the game approached half the Cougars had a chance to take a 10-7 lead on a Trevor Brunsvold 37 yard field goal. But as he got the kick away it side-winded and hit off the left upright and left the score tied at halftime. R.J. Miller did return, but saw limited action on only punt returns and three carries on offense. The absence of Tyler Williams was apparent on this night. He along with Asa Bowman, who remained out, left a void in the middle of the Cougar defense that quarterback Blake Mitchell took advantage of. Over half of the plays run were designed QB draws from Mitchell and at the end of the night his numbers were staggering - he finished with 215 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Those two touchdowns were enough as the Eagles got by the Cougars 14-7 and left the home folks scratching their heads yet again. MTCS stands now at 1-3, the same mark they posted at this point last season. The only difference is their District record being 0-1 instead of 1-0. Luckily for the Cougars they can try to fix some mistakes this week at home as they host Community in another District game which can be called a Must Win. Here are some key stats from the Week 3 loss: STEPHEN BRENT: 21 car. 155 yds. TD, 3 Tackles BRAD CHAMBERS: 9 Tackles THOMAS BYRD: 9 Tackles STEPHEN BARKER: 9 Tackles Brunsvold had another great night punting as he got off two punts of 55 and 59 yards to really reverse field position. The Cougars went 1/10 on 3rd downs on the night and 1-for-2 on 4th downs. They totaled 45 yards in penalties and finished the game with 176 total yards of offense. Compare that to the 215 yards rushing they gave up to Mitchell by himself. MTCS will definitely need to get back to work in order to get a much needed win this week at home vs. the Community Vikings. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm at Throneberry Stadium. We hope to see you there and as always GO COUGARS!! The Cougars are coming off a disappointing 20-7 loss to Moore County and now head back home to face off against Ezell Harding. The Cougars fell just short of a win on the road last season in a back and forth affair in which they lost 12-10. RJ Miller went out of the game with an injury after getting an interception on the first play of the game. It was one of those performances where defense and turnovers came into play. Last week at Moore County, Ivey Starling’s turnover problem crept back up on him as he had two interceptions. The Eagles are coming off of a (5-5) season in which they missed the playoffs in Division II. New head coach Jeff Philips inherits a pretty veteran team which returns nine starters on defense and eight on offense. Senior middle linebacker Rodney Courtard will be a force to reckon with as he comes off a season in which he had over 100 tackles. After beating Eagleville in Week zero, the Eagles have lost two straight including a 37-0 loss to Knoxville Webb last week. Senior quarterback Blake Mitchell returns to lead the offense for the Eagles. His deep threat Corey Teague is back as well after having a season where he only had 13 catches but five of them went for touchdowns. Mitchell is a lot like Hunter Case from last week in the sense that he can beat you two ways. He doesn’t quite have the speed that Case does, but in ’09 he threw for just under 700 yards and ran for just over 600. PLAYERS TO WATCH BLAKE MITCHELL: A two way quarterback with great leadership on both sides of the ball. A guy that the Cougars will need to be disciplined to stop unlike the problems they had with Case last week. RODNEY COURTARD: Fullback on offense, but does most of his work on defense as middle linebacker. He put up a great junior campaign with over 100 tackles. Cougar runners will need to be aware of where he is at all times. COREY TEAGUE: In just nine games as a two way lineman and tight end, Teague was credited with more than three-dozen tackles, seven sacks and two fumble recoveries. Here are some key stats from last season's loss vs. Ezell Harding: R.J. Miller: 10 carries 52 yards (71 all-purpose yards) Stephen Brent: 21 carries 81 yards Ivey Starling: 2/13-14 yards. 3 INT MTCS Defense: Only allowed 178 yards and 12 points With the status of Asa Bowman, RJ Miller, and Clay McCarver still up in the air, the other Cougars will need to step up and help the team to a much needed win to even up their record at (2-2). PREDICTIONS Jeremy Smith - The Cougars lost a tough game last year on the road. Look for defenses to dominate again this year and it will be a tough one yet again. In the end the Cougars know how badly they need this win and they come out on top 17-10. Jay Brunner - This game will hinge on how well the Cougars practice their tackling this week. If MTCS can hold the Eagles on third downs, they can win this game. If R.J. Miller can return to the lineup, it can only help. MTCS wins 23-10. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm this Friday at Throneberry Stadium. The Cougars look to even up their record at (2-2) and get their season back on track. We hope to see you at the field and GO COUGARS!!! For each of the past 2 seasons, MTCS has played "that game" that left parents, coaches, and fans alike scratching their heads and wondering just what happened. In 2008, it was a 33-0 loss at McEwen. In 2009, a 37-7 loss at Forrest. Tonight's 20-7 loss to Moore County may count as "that game" for 2010. Let's hope the Cougars got it out of the way early. After a scoreless first quarter, Trevor Brunsvold punted a ball that was muffed by the Raider return man. Taylor Wair recovered at the 6 yard line, and Stephen Brent scored his second touchdown of the year 3 plays later. That was as far as the Cougars got on offense. Ivey Starling threw 2 picks and would have thrown a 3rd if not for a pass interference call. Brent, Barrett, Pickard, and Beasley all got carries, but totalled just 106 rushing yards between them. Add that number to Starling's 44 passing yards, and you get 150 total yards of offense. Tyler Williams went down with an apparant thigh injury early in the second half, and did not return. Thomas Byrd ended up limping through the majority of the second half, and Taylor Wair was taken to the hospital by ambulance. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Wair family. On defense, Trevor Brunsvold led the way with 15 - that's right - 15 tackles. He was everywhere, and was a major reason the score was not more lopsided. Byrd, Brent, and Chambers each added 4 tackles, and Brad Chambers forced a fumble. That makes 3 straight games in which Chambers has either caused or recovered a loose ball. Whatever strange vibe was in the air, it caused 94 yards in penalties to the Cougars tonight. Thirty of those came on two back-to-back unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties after some chippy play led to words being exchanged. Expect the Cougars to be running those yards off in Monday's practice. The Cougars look to get back on track next Friday, as they return home for the first of two matchups at Throneberry Stadium. The opponent is the Eagles of Ezell-Harding, who beat MTCS 12-10 last year in a close fight. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30. We'll see you there! The Cougars are coming off an impressive 32-0 win over Watertown and now head back on the road. The destination this week is Lynchburg, where they will open District play at Moore County. The Cougars got the best of the Raiders last year in a 30-7 thrashing at Throneberry Stadium. It was R.J. Miller's first game back from an illness and he put on a record performance, rushing for 246 yards on 21 carries and really exciting the crowd every time he touched the ball. The Raiders are coming off a 4-6 season in which they missed the playoffs. Coach Steve Matthews departed for the offensive coordinator position at Siegel, so in comes Scott Smith. Smith led Ezell Harding to a state title in 2001. The fastest player on the team, Hunter Case, was projected to be the starter at QB, but stats from last week's loss to Cornersville show that Case threw only three passes, while Justin Durm went 3/12 for 41 yards and three interceptions. Case did rush the ball 8 eight times for 48 yards. It is unclear what forced him into such a limited role, but if he's injured and can't go this Friday, then his presence will definitely be missed. Asa Bowman left the action early in the second quarter last week with an ankle injury. A Tuesday doctor's visit will shed more light on the severity. WEDNESDAY UPDATE: Doctors have diagnosed Bowman with a high ankle sprain. His status is questionable for this Friday. R.J. Miller left the game yet again and didn't return, due to what sources close to the situation deemed a concussion. Hopefully these two playmakers can get back on the field because they're vital pieces to what the Cougars can and will do in 2010. Montrelle Berry, who was the go to guy on the ground last season, has graduated, but the Raiders still have Daniel McGee. McGee, however, only had four carries for seven yards on Friday. The leading Raider rushers were Case and J.P. Evans with 36 yards on 15 carries. PLAYERS TO WATCH HUNTER CASE: Even though he may be injured, if he is playing and starting at QB, as is still expected, then he can definitely be dangerous. He's extremely athletic and has a great throwing arm. J.P. EVANS: He had the most carries for the team last week with 15, even though he only averaged 2.4 yards per carry against Cornersville. DANIEL McGEE: He was the number two guy on the ground in '09 behind Berry, but only had four carries last week. Despite that fact, expect him to be used and to be a factor in the Raider offense. Here are some key stats from last season's win over Moore County: R.J. Miller: 21 carries, 246 yards, 2 TD Stephen Brent: 11 carries, 65 yards, 2 TD MTCS Defense: allowed 247 yards, but only 7 points BIG STAT: Through two games in 2009 the Cougars had been outscored by a combined 72-3. This season the Cougars are outscoring their opponents 32-14. The Cougars have to be feeling good after the Week 1 shutout win and now have a great chance to push their record above .500 for the season. The Raiders were outmatched in every way in 2009 and the Cougars look even better this season. PREDICTIONS Jeremy Smith - The Cougars won in a runaway last season and they're even better this year. The Raiders lost several players to graduation so don't look for this one to be close even if Miller and Bowman don't play. Cougars win 42-14. Jay Brunner- Coach Smith will have the Raiders ready for MTCS this year. However, comparing the talent on each roster sheds light on some startling gaps between these two teams. As fans saw last week, the Cougar depth chart can burn you from top to bottom, and the Raiders may have trouble keeping up. It will be close early, but look for MTCS to pull away in the second half. Cougars win 38-10. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm this Friday at Moore County High School. See you there as the Cougars look to push their record to 2-1 and get a win in their first District game. If Revenge is a dish best served cold, then the Tigers of Watertown got a chilly send-off tonight from Throneberry Stadium. MTCS took care of business and earned the shutout, with help from every part of the depth chart. Here's the extensive list of notable stats for the home opener. CHRISTIAN BARRETT - 6 car. 96 yds. TD STEPHEN BRENT - 15 car. 77 yds. TD DAKOTA VAUGHT - 6 car. 52 yds. IVEY STARLING - 2/12 41 yds. TD, INT R.J. MILLER - 4 car. 31 yds., Fumble Recovery CHRIS BEASLEY - 1 rec. 30 yds. TD
TREVOR BRUNSVOLD - 9 tackles, 54-yd. punt BRITT ROBERTS - INT return for TD Nor was that all. Eight different Cougars carried the ball tonight, and 20 different names were called for making defensive plays. Brad Chambers recovered a fumble, Kody Phillips had a sack, and Ty Hageman had a wicked strip of the ball and an apparent fumble recovery, but he was ruled out of bounds. The reasons for so many of the younger players getting their shot on the field were both good and bad. By the end of the 3rd quarter, the Cougars were up comfortably, and Coach Peden started rotating in his second and third-string players. Others, like Britt Roberts, were called upon to fill the shoes of injured starters. R.J. Miller was sidelined again, this time early in the second quarter, and did not return. Asa Bowman went down with what appeared to be an ankle sprain about midway through the second quarter, and did not return. Tyler Williams and Taylor Ware both went to the bench hobbling, but they returned to action later. After a sluggish, back-and-forth first quarter, Watertown punter Cody Lipski had a snap go over his head. He kicked the ball out of the back of the end zone, resulting in a safety - The Cougars' first points of the season! When all was said and done, the Cougars scored on offense, defense, and special teams, counting the safety on a punt. How can the Cougars improve after such a sound defeat of their opponent? The offensive line needs to focus and improve. The team was called for multiple holding penalties that negated big gains. Without those penalties, the score would have been even more lopsided. After the game, Coach Peden was quoted as saying simply, "We've got A LOT of stuff to work on." The Cougars will hope to have "a lot of stuff" fixed by next Friday, as they open District play on the road against the Moore County Raiders. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm in Lynchburg. See you there, and GO COUGARS!!! The Cougars, who are coming off of a 14-0 loss to Friendship Christian, look now to avenge another loss from '09 as they face off against Watertown in the home opener. The Cougars fell to the Purple Tigers last year 25-0 in Stephen Brent's first game. He missed Week 0 with a hip injury last year. The Purple Tigers are coming off a successful season in which they went 7-3 in the regular season and lost in the 1st round of the playoffs to East Robertson. Watertown also fell in Week 0 to White House Heritage 26-13, just as they did last season, but the difference is the Cougars have them at home this Friday trying to even their record up at 1-1. What the Cougars will see is a new starting quarterback after the departure of Dalton Phillips, who now plays for Murray State. Freshman Ty Jobe got the start in Week 0 over seniors Jacob Anderson and Andrew Jennings, who were predicted to be battling for the job. Both were solid in the receiving corps last season. Anderson had 26 catches for 282 yards and Jennings caught eight for more than 100 yards. Anderson caught a TD pass last week in the loss to Heritage. No matter who lines up under center on Friday, this looks to be a very talented and fast Watertown team. PLAYERS TO WATCH ANTONIO HUDDLESTON - One of the hardest hitters on the team who started at LB in '09, and expects to see action at RB this season as well. T.J. HALL - Returning starter at both center and linebacker, and a total team leader who plays both positions with authority. ANDREW JENNINGS/JACOB ANDERSON - One of these guys was slated to start at QB, but head coach Gavin Webster instead started freshman Ty Jobe last week. The youngster threw 2 TD passes along with 3 interceptions. Jennings did catch one of Jobe's TD tosses in Week 0. Here are some key stats from last season's loss to Watertown: STEPHEN BRENT: 20 car. 79 yds. IVEY STARLING: 8/25 68 yds, INT 2 Forced Fumbles and 301 yards allowed Despite losing 14-0 to Friendship, there are many positives to take into this week. MTCS only committed 3 penalties while coming out even in the turnover department. The defense played well in Week 0 and with the addition of a more consistent passing game the Cougars can come out on top. BIG STAT: The Purple Tigers defense allowed nearly 250 rushing yards and 4 TDs on the ground to Heritage's QB and RB last week. The mystery as to why R.J. Miller didn't see the field after halftime was solved earlier this week. Trainers said he looked "dazed" and decided to keep him out. The Cougars will need him to do his part in the loaded Cougar backfield. PREDICTIONS Jeremy Smith: If the Cougars can finish drives and convert them into points when the opportunites are there, they can win this game. Getting the Purple Tigers at home will help a great deal as they win 21-14. Jay Brunner: MTCS had something to prove in Week 0, but couldn't get it done. Now they're at home still looking for their first points of 2010 and looking for someone to take out their frustration on. Unfortunatley for the Tigers, they're in the crosshairs. This could get ugly. Cougars win 35-10. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm this Friday at Throneberry Stadium. See you there! The Cougars thought they could win. The Cougars KNEW they could win. In the first two series of 2010 Football for MTCS, that knowledge sparked the team to several big runs. The Commander defense looked on its toes, and the Cougars looked poised to take advantage. But it was not to be. A costly muffed punt by R.J. Miller sent the senior to the sidelines. Ivey Starling waited 10 throws into the game to get his first completion, and Commander QB Kyle Neal shredded a tired Orange and White defense time and time again. Here are the stats of note for the night: ASA BOWMAN: 8 car. 62 yds., 10 tackles STEPHEN BRENT: 11 car. 42 yds., 6 tackles, 2 rec. 25 yds. IVEY STARLING: 4/22 37 yds. 18% TYLER WILLIAMS: 5 tackles The Cougars went 5/14 on 3rd downs, or 36%. They converted one 4th down out of 4 tries. The offense gained a total of 189 yards on the night. Trevor Brunsvold put on a punting clinic, sending 3 of 4 inside the 20 yard line. One ended up inside the 2 yard line, and his long was an incredible 54 yards. He missed his one field goal try from 39 yards. Penalties were light on both sides. MTCS ended up with 3 for 20 yards. Turnovers were even at one apiece. Brad Chambers stripped the ball right out of a Commander running back's hands and had a nice return. The Cougars must put this game behind them quickly, as the Watertown Purple Tigers invade Throneberry Stadium next week. The Tigers are coming off a 26-13 loss to White House-Heritage, and will be looking to rebound. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30. We will see you there! Less than 5 days to go until MTCS gets their best shot at revenge for a 47-3 defeat in 2009. Eight turnovers and a sophomore quarterback making his first ever start were key factors in the loss. A wide talent gap was also very noticeable. Turn the page to 2010. The Cougars are deeper, more experienced, and ready to meet expectations, which are higher than ever before. This Cougar team knows that this year will be their best shot ever at achieving great things, with graduation set to take away 17 seniors after the campaign is finished. The Commanders lost 3 huge playmakers to their graduation in Lee Maasen, Jon Markham, and Parker Teeter, 3 talents that accounted for 48% of FCS's regular season scoring in 2009. Teeter was a 2006 All-State pick in his freshman year, and Maasen got the All-State honors for last year's efforts. Interestingly, Maasen's lone interception in the regular season came courtesy of Jordan Watson at Throneberry Stadium. PLAYERS TO WATCH RB #26 Dekolas Reeves - 77 carries, 680 yards, 10 TD in 2009. Reeves was able to contribute almost 700 yards on the ground as a sophomore while backing up Jon Markham, and had some success against the Cougars last season. He looks to be the go-to guy in the Commander backfield this year. If Reeves gets into the open field, Chris Beasley will be the only Cougar with a chance to run him down. WR #11 Brennan Swindoll - The 6'3 Swindoll, a sophomore, replaces the towering 6'5 Parker Teeter as Friendship's deep threat. While not catching any passes last year, Swindoll was active in the secondary. QB #7 Kyle Neal - Neal, a senior, remains the fastest player on the FCS roster, and should get the nod to replace Lee Maasen as the signal-caller. If he does start against MTCS, it will be his first ever start at QB. An interesting twist to the Commander QB search: Junior Tallon Mehlhoff is in the mix to start as well. The Cougars have seen Mehlhoff before, punting and playing safety for Gordonsville in the playoff match last year. He transferred to FCS this year. PREDICTIONS Jeremy Smith - If the Cougars can avoid the turnover bug and can run the ball successfully, they can win this game. But stopping the Commander offense will be no simple task. When the final whistle blows, however, the Cougars will have their revenge, 34-28. Jay Brunner - The situation is good for MTCS in 2010. They are catching several good teams in rebuilding mode this year, including Friendship, Watertown, and Forrest. With all the senior leadership present for the Cougars and the lack thereof for the Commanders, FCS is as beatable this year as they're likely to ever get. MTCS wins 35-31. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm this Friday at Friendship Christian in Lebanon. See you there as Cougar Football 2010 begins! The Friday night lights shone down on Eagle Field as Stephen Brent and Asa Bowman took the Cougars to a 23-0 win over Nashville Christian. Here are the top performers for the evening: STEPHEN BRENT - 11 car. 75 yds. 2 TD, Long:39, 2 tkl. ASA BOWMAN - 5 car. 31 yds. 1 TD, 6 tkl. IVEY STARLING - 4/8 40 yds. BRAD BROWN - 2 rec. 18 yds. After a slow first quarter, with no scoring for either team, junior Stephen Brent broke two straight runs for touchdowns. The second came at the end of a punishing 39-yard scamper which left two Eagles seeing stars. Senior R.J. Miller added 62 yards on 13 carries. Freshman Dakota Vaught impressed once again, gaining 38 yards on 9 carries. His future looks bright, and his vision while running is amazing for a young ball carrier. Senior Trevor Brunsvold had a great night in special teams, making 2-of-3 PAT's and converting a 30 yard field goal for the Cougars' final points of the night. He also has a great directional punt that rolled out of bounds at the 5 yard line. The team will need to work on ball handling, as several fumbles occurred tonight. In 2009, MTCS lost 8 turnovers to Friendship Christian in Week 0, and lost 47-3. Next Friday in Lebanon, reducing that number will go along way toward improving the Cougars' chances for a huge win. See you at Friendship Christian next Friday for the opening of COUGAR FOOTBALL 2010!!! The Cougars finished up their second preseason scrimmage yesterday against Mt. Pleasant, and were victorious once again. The offensive fireworks started early, when on the very first play, R.J. Miller rumbled 80 yards for a touchdown. Asa Bowman and Taylor Wair added second half TD runs of 70 yards and 10 yards, respectively. See all three MTCS scores on Youtube, by clicking on the links below! The last preseason scrimmage is scheduled for 7:00 pm Friday the 13th at Nashville Christian. See you there! R.J.'s Run
Asa's Run
Taylor's Run When we heard that the Cougar offense would be the "most exciting ever" in 2010, we took it with a grain of salt. After tonight, Jeremy and I are close to being believers. Of course, you can't judge how good a team is by one scrimmage, and these Cougars definately have work to do to be ready for Aug. 20, but they are living up to parents' and fans' expectations on offense. Here are the offensive stats for the night. R.J. MILLER: 12 car. 121 yds, TD DAKOTA VAUGHT: 4 car. 42 yds ASA BOWMAN: 3 car. 23 yds. STEPHEN BRENT: 3 car. 10 yds. KEITH PICKARD: 1 car. 1 yd. IVEY STARLING: 3/6 68 yds. 2 TD CHRIS BEASLEY: 1 rec. 38 yds. TD TAYLOR WAIR: 1 rec. 20 yds. TREVOR BRUNSVOLD: 1 rec. 10 yds. TD Adrenaline was the word to describe the Cougars tonight. Several scuffles broke out between players, and there were some big hits on both sides. The final score was determined to be 20-13 in favor of MTCS. The biggest concern was the center-quarterback exchange, which cost the Cougars 4 fumbled snaps, and 3 of them were lost. The defensive secondary also needs some improvement, as they got beat deep on a few occasions. But remember: this is one scrimmage, and one scrimmage does not a season make. The next preseason matchup is scheduled for next Saturday, Aug. 7, at Mount Pleasant. Kickoff at 10 a.m. GO COUGARS!!! It's time to gear up for the 2010 football season in Murfreesboro. The Cougars are coming off back to back playoff berths and look to make it three in a row in 2010. For the first time since the 2006-2007 seasons, the Cougars have the same head coach for two consecutive years. David Peden did a great job with this team in 09, taking them back to the postseason and to a near upset win over Gordonsville. Also staying for a 2nd season is Defensive Coordinator/QB coach Steve Williams. The team may lose coaches Andrew Park and Owen Barker due to their recent college graduations, and those two may pursue coaching opportunities elsewhere. The road will be even tougher in 2010 because the TSSAA has tweaked the playoff system yet again, making total number of wins a key factor in making the playoffs. Last year the Cougars made it not by being one of the top two teams in the District but by being one of the top two 1-A teams. Starting in 2010, only the top two teams in the district at the end of the season automatically qualify for the playoffs. With this change, every game, not just District games, becomes important. Coach Peden has labeled these changes as a "knee-jerk reaction" to the problems of last year and he believes this will "hurt the odd classifications." Nevertheless the Cougars seemed poised to have a great year behind some offensive stars. We saw one born before our eyes in R.J. Miller and if he can avoid the injury bug in his senior season, he looks to be outstanding. He and Stephen Brent lead yet another stacked Cougar backfield in 2010. Christian Barrett, Keith Pickard and Adam Parker may also see time in the backfield along with Oakland transfer Asa Bowman. During the offseason several Cougars earned a multitude of honors, both in football and other sports. With talented leaders like these, it's no wonder why Cougar Football has enjoyed success in the past few years. Departed RB Nathan Coats received the following honors: Defensive MVP for District 9A, 2nd Team All-Area, Daily News Journal School MVP, Scholarship from the Mid. TN Chapter of the National Football Foundation. Trevor Brunsvold: 2009 TN Sports Writers' Assoc. 1A All-State Punter, 2nd Team All-Area, 2009 All-District Honorable Mention, 2010 Murphy Fair's Preseason 1A All-State Punter. Trevor becomes the third Cougar to earn All-State honors, joining Sammie Harris in 07 and Devin Brunsvold in 08. To have 3 All-State performers in just 5 years of Cougar football is truly amazing. In addition, 11 other Cougars earned various honors in football, baseball, and track and field. With athletes like these, it looks like the team is positioned to build on their success! Coach Peden expects 40 plus names to be on the roster in 2010. So these names could and probably will change as we get closer to the start of the season. Game 1 (Week 0) is on the road at Friendship Christian on August 20th with the first home game coming the following Friday against Watertown. We look forward to starting off the season on the right foot and we know you are too. GO COUGARS!!! |
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