hokies931

Any high school team can be beaten but dafuture4all's comments struck me wrong. You said neither team was up to their caliber? If I recall Smyrna was in many people's preseason top 10s and still a pretty good football team. They have one player that signed with UT and one who Missouri is after, so I wouldn't say Smyrna was that undermanned. The main difference in Riverdale this year and last year is offense. Last year their defense carried them and again is good. Offensively they struggled alot, but now with another year behind Thomas and Miller they are perhaps the most explosive Riverdale team I have seen in 12 years of watching them. As far as Lincoln County beating them, well I doubt it. I have nothing but respect for Lincoln County though, they always seem to give Riverdale a great game, but this year, just to many weapons. Riverdale 51 Lincoln County 14. The best chance someone has to knock them off would be a team out east in the Semis, but if I recall since Riverdale played at Oak Ridge last year, if they made it to the Semis, they would host them. Rankin never praises his football, he always talks them down, which he is doing again this year but not to the same extent. You can sense he knows this team is very special.

I am not sure how many people in here were lucky enough to catch the Riverdale, Smyrna game last night, but judging from no topics that I saw about the game, i am guessing not many. My question for everyone is, is there anyone out there who thinks Riverdale is not the best team in the state of Tennessee? I have heard a few people say that Christian Brothers in Memphis could hang. All I know is Smyrna is the toughest team on the Riverdale schedule(supposedly) and if Rankin had kept his starters in through the third quarters, they might have had a shot to break 100 points. I have been watching Riverdale play now since about 1990, and the only other Warrior team even close to this one was the 94 with Fernando, Duke, Peebles, etc. But not even that team had the ability to score on any play at any given time like this Riverdale team did. I am realistic though, I know upsets are always a possibility, but just trying to start a conversation up. Anyone you think in the state could beat them, and Will anyone give them a run at the 5A Championship??? Also, anyone know anything about the DE at Riverdale Perkins and if anyone has offered him a scholarship. He chased down Smyrna's QB last night (who probably himself could run in 4.5 range, maybe slightly lower or higher) in a foot race from behind that sure grabbed my attention. Hopefully Middle might give him a call after seeing that game on film.

Also, This is the fourth year Riverdale has played on its own field at Tomahawk Stadium so the only players with experience on the turf our players who played some in the last three championship games which is probably not many. Rankin may have a better idea how to game plan on it, but the only advantage to playing at MTSU is being in the Boro. Expect 10 to 15 thousand Warrior fans loud on Saturday since UT is not in the SEC Championship game

It was so funny reading last week how great all the Oak Ridge people said their tailbacks and they scored a whopping 13 points on the Warriors. Now I hear from someone that Germantown will be able to dominate upfront. If Lincoln County with their line cannot dominate Riverdale upfront, no one can. Riverdale's offense is semi explosive but not enough to put up 30 points, but this should be the beginning of back to back titles in Murfreesboro for the Warriors Riverdale 20 Germantown 13

I say Maryville is a REAL team cause they are there year in and year out. I didn't like using the term REAL team but one of the CATS made me mad saying Riverdale was playing a real team this week. Look back at games from the past 15 years you want when it comes to the SEMIS and games between Middle and East Tennessee. I am pretty sure the East has a pretty commanding lead. There are many of your so called REAL teams in the Middle area. When Oak Ridge can put together more than one good year every so often than come back and argue with me. Riverdale is not even that talented this year. They have some good athletes but not compared to some of the teams in the past. Hands down they are the best coached team in the state. I am sure I will make someone mad, but I think Lincoln County was alot more talented than Riverdale, yet Rankin pulled it out. Rankin has gotten better each year. I can remember earlier in his career he struggled with alot better teams but now he knows how to win the big games. Oak Ridge has a great chance to win, no doubt, great tailbacks, tough environment to play in, 3 hour drive to the game. Its gonna take more than a run game to beat Rankin, OR's quarterback better bring his A game tomorrow night or it will be four straight Blue Cross Bowls for the Warriors.

Watch out now, Oak Ridge made the Semifinals back in 1996, dang lets see thats what 7 years between trips. Go ahead and ramble all your stats back in the 70s and 80s like Alabama fans do with Bear Bryant and all their titles, but we are in the 2000s, not the 80s, not the 70s, last time I checked Riverdale made it to the Blue Cross Bowl three years in a row. The semis are great yeah, but why even mention a year you made it to the semis because in Riverdale terms is disappointing unless you make it all the way to the Championship game. So yeah telling me you made in 1996 does not matter to me cause you made it this year, the question is after this year how many years again will it be before you are back. Every year some schools fans talk about how great their team is, the thing is every year one of the teams always change. It could be Dobyns-Bennett, could be Oak Ridge, could be McMinn County, who knows, but the one constant is Riverdale. Year in and year out the past ten years we are always in contention. Oh and by the way, I believe it was Knoxville Faragut, don't quote me on that, but they DID water the field the day of the game. There had been no rain all week and when game time came the field was muddy as can be. Maybe Oak Ridge should pray for rain to slow down the Riverdale defensive speed cause they are for real. Not just real this year, last year, the year before, the year before, and next year. The question I have is next year come Semis time who I will be arguing with. I can pretty much guarantee it will not be Oak Ridge, it will be someone else rising up for their one good year out of ten. Go Warriors!

I think the game should be a great game. I think the key is gonna be Oak Ridge's ability to pass the football. Riverdale's defense against the running game is unbelieveable. I know Oak Ridge fans will say they have not played a tandem of backs that they possess but Lincoln County had a tailback and running back that I would say are at the very top of their class at their respected positions. I have never seen Oak Ridge play, I have only read about them. Their quarterback better be on and ready to air it out because with the speed this Warrior team has, it will be super hard for Oak Ridge to sustain a drive on the ground. I wish I knew more about this Oak Ridge team, how good their punter is because Thomas can be pretty electrifying if he punts line drives and gives him a chance. My prediction: Riverdale 20 Oak Ridge 14

I have been trying to read these messages with an open mind and not open my mouth but one statement made by Cats baffles me. He said "Come up here and play a REAL team." Hmmmm, pretty sure Riverdale has played some real teams buddy. Pretty sure Lincoln County was number 1 in the state and we played them twice already, oh yeah and they played a pretty good Dickson County team and Smyrna team as well. Yeah Oak Ridge has a great history, a history that was good from what the 50s to the very early 90s. I have been following Riverdale since I was a young kid in the early 90s and yes I have heard of Oak Ridge and their great stadium but can't even remember the last time your team made it this far. It should be a great game, it really should be, I hear you have two great tailbacks. The bottom line is Riverdale has played teams that are REAL, maybe you should look in the mirror because over the past 10 years Riverdale has faired pretty good against teams in the east, I can only remember a few times we lost to teams out east, one being a team in Knoxville that decided to water the fields all afternoon before the game to try to slow them down and if there is another I cannot recall right now. The only REAL team in east Tennessee the past 5 years has been Maryville. The question I have for Oak Ridge fans, is this a one good year and done deal, or will you even be in the playoffs next year. This was suppose to be a down year for the Warriors and look where they are. Oak Ridge starts 18 seniors I hear, yeah you better get the Warriors this year cause the prospects don't look to bright for next especially considering the East team has to travel to Middle Tennessee. GO WARRIORS!

I am a graduate of Riverdale, yet I never was a big fan of Coach Rankin. I thought sometimes they were good cause of the talent he had. This year was different. He lost his defensive coordinator who had been there for years. He lost the state record holder in td's in Ralph King. He lost 10 starters on defense. Then after losing his first game of the year, he lost all-state performer Taron Henry for the year during the game. I don't care if people think, oh its Riverdale they always win, he should not be considered. This team is not as talented as past teams. He has lost many many talented players to with the opening of Blackman and by the looks of it many good ones. His coaching job this year has been unbelieveable, with play calls never seen before from Rankin. If he wins the state championship, I am sure the first one he won will always be special, but deep in his heart this will be the most rewarding because of the circumstances

It was very interesting to read alot of you talk about different things regarding this big game. I myself am a Riverdale graduate and have seen Riverdale play about 10 or so games this year. Speaking on behalf of almost all Warrior fans we are very excited to be playing against Coach Crawford and the wonderful job he has done with Brentwood. He was a great coach and well respected person at this school who everyone misses. Most people knew he would be the air apparent to Rankin whenever he stepped down. Okay enough of emotional talk, what about the game. This Riverdale is different than any other one they have had in the past 10 years. This Riverdale team lacks the running game of years past, and since Henry's injury they lack most of their big play capability. Someone said Riverdale played bad the last two weeks. I disagree, I think they have overachived and this has by far been the best coaching job Rankin has done since being here. Last week he faced a better team and left the game in the hands of perhaps the state's best defense who just seems to make plays when they have too. I have never seen Brentwood play this year, I have heard they are a very good team early and struggle late. If that is true the winner might be determined early cause Riverdale is not gonna be a team that can overcome a big deficit. This will be a great game. Rankin does not want to lose a state championship to a close friend and you can be sure this game will be loaded with trick plays you thought you would never see from a Riverdale team. If Riverdale wins, I think its gonna be because of QB Stephen Britton. The kid is as tough and as competetive as they come and has been playing safety on defense the past few weeks during most of the games. What a game this will be? I liked the predictions some of you had except the one that had Riverdale blowing them out. heck I want RHS to win and I will tell you they will not blow out a Crawford coached team. Great game, one of the best state championship match-ups I have ever see. Prediction: Riverdale 21 Brentwoood 20

When Riverdale lost to Lincoln County earlier in the year, and star wideout/defensive back Taron Henry was lost for the season everyone counted them out. No offense to Gallatin but I really don't think there district is anywhere near the competion of the Warriors. The Warriors have one of the best, if not the best defense in the state of Tennessee. Getting to play the weakest district in the first two rounds will make even easier as the Warriors should easily be in the third round. I am unsure, maybe someone can tell me but I think Riverdale plays in the west so that should set up a great match up in the semis between the Warriors and Germantown. If they do meet, mark my words, the winner will win 5A. Sorry Gallatin fans, your honeymoon will be over soon.

I agree that opening up the new schools in Rutherford County has made the teams a little less talented but lets get the record straight right now. They all might be in a little slide right now but just wait untill playoff time comes around and this district will probably win all four first round games like it did last year leaving with a four team all district final four match-up with the winner in the state semis. Riverdale may have lost to Lincoln County(Taron Henry injurty only reason), Blackman to Franklin for some odd reason, and Oakland to a Lebanon team that runs a very complicated offense, but all three of these teams are all very talented, and oh Oakland will not lost to Lincoln Cty, Book It as Plaster would say. Next year though Oakland will take a huge hit with Siegel cause that school is only located about 3 miles from Oakland. Welcome to what Riverdale went through with Blackman, and how did they respond, a state title and runner-up in back to back years. Do not compare them to Oak Ridge, no Oak Ridge team has been in the state championship game in years. The best football in the state is in Rutherford County hands down and will be for awhile. [Edited by hokies931 on 9-22-02 11:46P]