Gentry Bonds

Oakland senior JaCoby Stevens recently committed to LSU.

Predicted order of finish

1. Oakland

2. Blackman

3. Smyrna

4. Riverdale

5. Cookeville

6. Siegel

7. Coffee County

8. Warren County

Joeseph Sewell

Top returnees

Gentry Bonds, Sr., WR/S, Riverdale; Brendan Mathews, Sr., QB, Oakland; Tony Ochoa, Sr., LB, Blackman; Kaleb Oliver, Sr., S, Oakland; Lazarius Patterson, Sr., RB, Oakland; Casey Perkins, Sr., RB, Smyrna; Joeseph Sewell, Sr., TE, Blackman; JaCoby Stevens, Sr., WR/S, Oakland; Alontae Taylor, Jr., QB/WR/S, Coffee County; Master Teague, Jr., RB, Blackman; John Turner, Sr., QB, Smyrna; Marqwell Odom, Sr., WR/CB, Riverdale; Jacob Smith, Sr., K, Siegel

Top games

Blackman at Riverdale (Sept. 2); Oakland at Blackman (Sept. 16); Blackman at Smyrna (Sept. 30); Oakland at Riverdale (Oct. 14); Riverdale at Smyrna (Oct. 21); Smyrna at Oakland (Oct. 28)

Region football preview recap

Region tidbits

Region 2-6A went 6-2 in the opening round of the playoffs, with just Coffee County and Warren County losing. … Since 2009 when the TSSAA expanded to six classes, no Rutherford County 6A program has won back-to-back district/region titles. Oakland is the defending region champion. … Siegel defensive end Joseph Anderson (69) and Blackman wide receiver Trey Knox (84) were named to 247Sports’ initial Top 100 for the Class of 2019. … Three players in the region have committed to SEC programs in Oliver (Mississippi State), Stevens (LSU) and Taylor (Tennessee). … Turner, an MTSU commitment, threw for 2,077 yards as a junior. … Coffee County will share its kicker with the school’s girls soccer team. Mackenzie Anderson will kick PATs and field goals from inside the 20. Exchange student Pablo Sanz from Madrid will be the team’s kickoff specialist. … Cookeville senior Blake Ashburn has moved from receiver to running back to replace graduated Vic Johnson, who rushed for 1,923 yards in 2015. Ashburn, a three-year starter, last played tailback as a freshman.

Region football preview recap

Schedules

(2015 record in parentheses, * denotes region contest)

Blackman (10-3, 6-1, reached Class 6A quarterfinal): Aug. 26 at McCallie; *Sept. 2 at Riverdale; Sept. 9 vs. Shades Valley, Ala.; *Sept. 16 vs. Oakland; *Sept. 23 vs. Cookeville; *Sept. 30 at Smyrna; Oct. 7 at Jackson South Side; *Oct. 14 vs. Siegel; *Oct. 21 at Coffee County; *Oct. 28 vs. Warren County

Coffee County (3-8, 1-6, reached Class 6A first round): Aug. 19 at Tullahoma; Aug. 26: at Pope John Paul II; *Sept. 2 at Smyrna; Sept. 9 vs. Walker Valley; *Sept. 16 at Riverdale; *Sept. 23 vs. Oakland; *Sept. 30 vs. Cookeville; *Oct. 14 at Warren County; *Oct. 21 vs. Blackman; *Oct. 28 vs. Siegel

Cookeville (8-4, 4-3, reached Class 6A second round): Aug. 19 vs. Upperman; Aug. 26 at Livingston Academy; *Sept. 2 at Warren County; Sept. 9 vs. White County; *Sept. 16 vs. Siegel; *Sept. 23 at Blackman; *Sept. 30 at Coffee County; *Oct. 14 vs. Smyrna; *Oct. 21 at Oakland; *Oct. 28 vs. Riverdale

Oakland (12-2, 7-0, reached Class 6A semifinal): Aug. 20 vs. Jackson North Side; Aug. 26 vs. Hillsboro; *Sept. 2 at Siegel; *Sept. 16 at Blackman; *Sept. 23 at Coffee County; *Sept. 30 vs. Warren County; Oct. 7 at Haywood; *Oct.14 at Riverdale; *Oct. 21 vs. Cookeville; *Oct. 28 vs. Smyrna

Riverdale (6-6, 3-4, reached Class 6A second round): Aug. 20 vs. Ooltewah; Aug. 26: vs. Franklin; *Sept. 2 vs. Blackman; Sept. 9 at Hillsboro; *Sept. 16 vs. Coffee Co.; *Sept. 23 at Warren County; *Sept. 30 at Siegel; *Oct. 14 vs. Oakland; *Oct. 21 at Smyrna; *Oct. 28 at Cookeville

Siegel (3-9, 2-5, reached Class 6A second round): Aug. 18 vs. Ravenwood; Aug. 26 at Hendersonville; *Sept. 2 vs. Oakland; Sept. 9 at Wilson Central; *Sept. 16 at Cookeville; *Sept. 23 vs. Smyrna; *Sept. 30 vs. Riverdale; *Oct. 14 at Blackman; *Oct. 21 vs. Warren County; *Oct. 28 at Coffee County

Smyrna (9-4, 5-2, reached Class 6A quarterfinal): Aug. 19 vs. La Vergne; Aug. 26 at Stewarts Creek; *Sept. 2 vs. Coffee County; Sept. 9 vs. Independence; *Sept. 16 at Warren County; *Sept 23 at Siegel; *Sept. 30 vs. Blackman; *Oct. 14 at Cookeville; *Oct. 21 vs. Riverdale; *Oct. 28 at Oakland

Warren County (1-10, 0-7, reached Class 6A first round): Aug. 19 at DeKalb County; Aug. 26 vs. Lebanon; *Sept. 2 vs. Cookeville; *Sept. 16 vs. Smyrna; *Sept. 23 vs. Riverdale; *Sept. 30 at Oakland; Oct. 7 at Sequatchie County; *Oct. 14 vs. Coffee County; *Oct. 21 at Siegel; *Oct. 28 at Blackman

Reach Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Kreager.

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