Michael Murphy’s five takeaways from Week 8 of the high school football season:
Passing the test:East Nashville was unbeaten heading into Friday’s 10-AA showdown with one-loss Pearl-Cohn. There were still plenty of doubters, though, and rightfully so considering the team’s first seven opponents.
East Nashville had rolled to lopsided wins over Hillwood, Glencliff, Whites Creek, Westmoreland, Stratford, Ezell-Harding and Maplewood — teams with a combined 11-40 record — so it was fair to say that Pearl-Cohn was the team’s first true test of 2014.
There shouldn’t be many doubters left after Friday’s last-second win, though. As East Nashville running back LennoxMcAfee put it, “This was a test, and we passed it with flying colors.”
Pearl-Cohn running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn did his part, running for 137 yards and three touchdowns in the losing effort, but the running duo of McAfee and quarterback Isiah Upton, who combined for 247 yards and all six East Nashville touchdowns, was just too much.
The East Nashville defense’s scoreless streak is no more — Pearl-Cohn scored touchdowns in the 38-36 thriller — but the Eagles’ unbeaten streak is still intact.
East Nashville takes the field for their game against Pearl-Cohn on Friday.
Passing the test II: East Nashville wasn’t the only Class 3A unbeaten to put its record to the test in Week 8. Second-ranked Christ Presbyterian Academy played host to a one-loss Marshall County team.
The result, however, was rather one-sided as CPA rolled to a 42-14 victory. CPA, led by quarterback ZackWeatherly, piled up 341 yards and 17 first downs, while its defense limited the Midstate’s top passer – junior AshtonPosey – to 99 yards on 13-of-22 passing.
Weatherly threw for 114 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and the 6-foot-2 junior also ran for 71 yards and a score.
Barring a late-season letdown, CPA, which is off this week before traveling to 3-5 Cascade in Week 10, is poised for its third straight undefeated regular season.
Flipping the script: Ravenwood had been using its suffocating defense to secure its first seven wins of 2014. Like East Nashville, however, it was the unbeaten Raptors’ offense that captured win No. 8.
Franklin, winners of four straight since suffering an early season loss at McGavock, piled up 29 points, 449 total yards and 19 first downs against Ravenwood on Friday. Unfortunately for the Rebels, who ultimately suffered a 36-29 defeat, the Raptors’ offense was also in top form, with five touchdowns and a season-high 563 yards.
Ravenwood quarterback Cole Brown threw for 360 yards and a touchdown — 265 of which went to wide receiver Van Jefferson — while running back Seth Rowland ran for 131 yards and one of the Raptors’ four rushing touchdowns.
Ending the streak: It might have been for second place in District 9-AA, but Westmoreland’s win over White House had more riding on it than the standings.
Westmoreland, which hadn’t beaten White House since 1991, finally got the better of its Sumner County rival, winning 14-7 behind junior fullback Dylan Todd’s 199-yard, two-touchdown performance.
Westmoreland, currently second in the standings at 3-1, welcomes district foes Harpeth and Cheatham County in the final two weeks of the regular season.
Returning the favor: Just one week after suffering a 46-41 upset loss at Lewis County, Waverly bounced back with a huge win over district-leading Camden on Friday, forcing a two-way tie atop the District 11-AA standings.
Waverly (5-1 11-AA), which was aided by a pair of missed point-after attempts and a failed two-point conversion attempt by Camden, rounds out its regular season with games against Hickman County (4-2) and Fairview (4-3). Camden hosts Stewart County (1-5) before traveling to Creek Wood (4-2) for its regular-season finale.
Reach Michael Murphy at 615-259-8018 and on Twitter @Murph_TNsports.
