1-RIVERDALE
2-BRENTWOOD
3-MARRYVILLE
4-ALCOA
5-CLEVELAND/ MBA
In the 90's no contest Brentwood Academy, Riverdale, Cleveland was the most dominate teams. In the 2000's Marryville, Alcoa has dominated. It is not the question about records as much as consistantcy and different coaches. Cleveland had GREAT coaching and the best ATHLETES in the state bar none in the 90's. Their coaching left and they have been rebuilding ever since. What was a Dynasty has easily been forgotten or most of you simply was not old enough to truly know how good Cleveland really was in the 90's. Marryville in the 2000's reminds me of how Riverdale was in the 90's. They didn't have the best athletes in the state but played as a team, knew their roles and willed and coached themselves to win. When Riverdale got beat in the 90's it was to some of the best individual high school football players this state has ever seen playing unbelivable games against them. I remember a Red Bank running back that had a game of a lifetime one year. Brentwood i don't know much about except no one wanted apiece of them, Cleveland or Riverdale in the 90's. Alcoa, Marryville is now who people don't want to play. As far as winning Rankin had one school he was willing to leave Riverdale for, and that was Cleveland in the 90's. Blount County pays more and has great athletes so he leaves Riverdale for Alcoa and they become a power house. Marryville becomes a power house when Quarles takes over. Brentwood could pick whatever player they wanted to play for them so they dont get the #1 spot. The bottom line is that all of these teams had GREAT coaching while they were winning and to separate the schools you have got to look at how the schools did when the coaching and/or (RECRUITING) was not there. Cleveland had the best 3 teams in the past 20 years sorry Alcoa you have had great players and teams but NO ONE in 5 states wanted a piece of Cleveland during the 90's and especially during those 3 years and what was impressive was they were all zoned for that school no transfering to play ball. They would beat every team in this list by 3 touchdowns the most amazing high school athletes i have ever seen, yes Alcoa I have seen COBB they had 3 of him. But when coaching and discipline left the program they fell back to above average to average but not Great anymore, so they don't belong as the best. Alcoa and Marryville both have arguments but maybe this will clarify the #1 spot. RIVERDALE lost their coach to Alcoa who turns around and wins gold ball after gold ball. Why did he leave? Maybe because he seen the writting on the wall? Riverdale has had 3 6A schools move in on them and take their athletes. He goes to Alcoa where Now every kid around the Knoxville area wants to go play there or Marryville you don't have to battle Blackman, Oakland, Siegel, Smyrna all 6A powerhouses for players. Now I am not really wanting you to focus on the coach here (HE IS THE BEST IN THE STATE). What I do want you to see is Cleveland, Alcoa, Marryville have all had ups and downs depending on coaching. Riverdale has went through more than just lossing their coach they have lost MULTIPLE players to powerhouse new schools and still over the past 20 years in the 90's or 2000's when the time comes in the playoffs you don't want to see your next game is against Riverdale. CONSISTANTCY. Just imagine if they had Blackman, Siegel, Smyrna players now like they did in the 90's. How good would Alcoa and Marryville be if you put Farragut, Oak Ridge and CAK in the middle within a 5 mile radius of them. How good would Alcoa, Marryville be? Take away Rankin and Quarles and put these schools in and put them all in the same division would they survive like Riverdale has? I know there would not be as many gold balls. Start a list this year and keep it going for the next 20, I think Signal Mountain will be #1 in 20 years from now mark it down.
OH Trousdale, S. Pitt and a few others much respect but overall in all divisions not apples to apples.
Just ask yourself who do you not want to play in the playoffs regardless of 1-6A and make a list of the top 5 teams, do it for 20 years and all 20 will have one name RIVERDALE.
P.S. I can't stand Riverdale but they have my respect over the years.
