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QUOTE(UPSGregg @ May 25 2007 - 08:45 PM) 826467289[/snapback]I played in the early/mid 90s and Farragut was the only team from Knoxville that I remember being in the rankings then. I had never heard of Bearden's soccer team until after 2000. Back then there was no seperate divisions for private schools. They were in the same districts/regions as everyone else. Farragut, Oak Ridge, Science Hill, Dobyns-Bennet and Chattanooga teams were always the ones from East Tenenssee in the rankings then. Middle Tennessee had Brentwood, Franklin, Hendersonville, Father Ryan, and sometimes BGA. West Tennessee was mainly just CBHS, Germantown and Houston. It was amazing how good Houston was because they were a brand new school. Their National Championship teams are still the best I've ever seen in Tennessee.

There were teams from the Knoxville area between 1985-1995 with talent; Bearden, Oak Ridge, Farragut, and Webb.

All these teams shared in one way or another club team members, off-season competition, but not on the level it exists today.

The way the regions were set up during this period only allowed for one Knoxville area team to advance.

The reason Farragut won their first title in the 80s, and thus early state wide notoriety, was a Brazilian transfer student who carried the team with 20+ goals. (See Brandon Tarr, CAK)

From 1995 moving forward to the early 2000s, Bearden and Farragut saw the benefits of improved club soccer and better coaching. Webb moved to a different division, and Oak Ridge faded slightly.

Most recently, West Knoxville has shown that developing a great feeder system in club soccer, excellent fields, and tough competition at young ages, can lead to one of the two teams in the AAA Final tonight winning the title for 6 of the last 7 years and CAK winning 5 in a row.

While other parts of the state are catching up, it is finally to good to see the best teams in the state play for the title rather than one sit home due to their geopgraphic location. For now Tennessee's best soccer resides in West Knoxville.

Congratulations to all the teams.

QUOTE(NedNatterjack @ May 26 2007 - 06:00 PM) 826467720[/snapback]I heard 6 goals in the last 15 minutes and 3 goals in the last 6 minutes. The game was tied at 4-4 with a 1:30 left and Farragut hit a shot in the upper 90. Probably the best game of the year as it should be.

Bearden Soccer Alumni here, just got a call from current Farragut student in Colorado just to give me the score!!!!..............let the bragging begin.

This game should have been played in West Knoxville.

Congrats to both teams.