First round of football playoffs is 'awesome' for 2 Williamson teams, Lebanon senior

Opening night of the high school football playoffs.

It was extra special for two Williamson County football programs.

Franklin Grace and Nolensville each won their respective first-round playoff games on Friday night. Grace handily beat traditional 1A power Wayne County 64-24 while Nolensville edged Livingston Academy 21-14 in the Class 4A playoffs.

Both did it in their first playoff appearance.

It gets better.

Nolensville's win came with not a single senior in the school and in the Knights' first varsity season.

"It's pretty amazing to be honest with you," Nolensville coach Will Hester said. "We've sold out all week that it's a new season. We're 0-0. We're not varsity rookies anymore.

"It's just football now."

Hester has won before. He led Ravenwood to the Class 6A state title over Maryville in 2015. He left after that season to open Nolensville, which is now 4-7 for the year and travels to Maplewood next week in the second round.

Grace's first playoff win comes in Year 3 of 11-man football. 

"I'm almost speechless," said GCA coach Rusty Smith, who has been at the school the past four years and as the head coach the last three.

Smith, a former Titan quarterback, remembered the days of having to help set up rented lights "in a cow pasture" to play home games. It was 8-man football and they would set up the lights on Thursday nights. 

"Now you fast forward," Smith said. "They play hard and work hard. They rely on each other.

"I'm lucky to be their coach and ecstatic for them. It's awesome."

Here is what else is awesome.

Oakland and Lebanon made it possible for Lebanon senior Ashton Fidler to score a touchdown in his final game.

Fidler is a special-needs student at Lebanon. A time out was called prior to the last play to set it up where Fidler was allowed to scored.

Then both teams emptied the sidelines to celebrate the score.

How is that for awesome?

Reach Tom Kreager at tkreager@tennessean.com and 615-259-8089 or on Twitter @Kreager.