WestHigh4Life

Its what everyone thought would happen after the first battle ended - thoughts and predictions this time around - GO!

I knew Oak Ridge would play hard and give West their best shot which they did. As I watched the game and Im not trolling when I say this...how did this Oak Ridge team lose to Fulton? Either way Oak Ridge played their hearts out and if they have that much talent coming back and more coming into the program...they should be right in the thick of things next year and beyond. As for West - I was really disappointed in their tackling last night particularly in the first half. I knew Oak Ridge would get theirs passing the ball but I never thought West would allow that many yards on the ground. They cleaned it up in the second half, more so in the 4th quarter, but still needs to be tightened up for next week. The turnovers and penalties last night also will need to be cleaned up as well, otherwise Powell will blow them off the field next week. Positive - I will give credit to the tailbacks for West as they really played well last night and the receivers made some great catches along with yards after the catch. Anyway glad there were no injuries last night and onto next week. Go Rebels!

Im expecting nothing less than Oak Ridge's best shot tonight...by the way how is the health of that young man who plays QB for the wildcats..I heard he got injured last week, Hate that for any kid especially a senior.

Couldnt agree more...one point or twenty...as long as West is victorious is all that matters and on to Round 3! Go Rebels!

We shall see...at least you guys still got basketball

Powell by 20... If this game was at Rhea, i think it would be closer, but Powell just has way too many athletes and speed in this one.

Looking forward to this one...I see Oak Ridge as a very talented, but inconsistent football team just based on the scores and games they have played on there schedule. I know that Oak ridge will be ready to play and give West there best shot out there. As for West, they looked good against Walker Valley last week and a team on a mission to play Powell in a rematch. I think West will win, but Ill go 35-20. Go Rebels!

Ill do so for sure. Go West

That's why I was asking for someone going to the game to give this out of stater some updates throughout... Anyway hoping for a great injury free game. Go West!

It sucks this game isnt being streamed live online or via Radio. Any chance any posters who are going to the game can give updates for those that live out of state now? Hoping for a West win but I think Powell wins again...they just seem to have West's number especially when the game is at Powell. Go Rebels!

Keepitmoving... I don't live in the area anymore but I happened to be in town this weekend and caught the West vs HVA game last night. West was dominant from the first play housing the opening handoff for a Touchdown and scored on every possession they had the ball in the first half, but one I can think of. They were balanced on offense and the QB threw 2 passes that were perfectly thrown and caught by the receiver for TDs. The defense was its usually stout self with speed all over the field. Their kicker impressed me by making a 47 yard fg that could have been good from 52. Don't know much about Powell but their record but I'm sure that will be a great game....only sorry I won't be in town to see it.

I would have gone with Kevin Lane or Marc Giles. Lane because of his defenses always giving West a chance to win. The kids really loved him and played hard for him. Plus everywhere he has coached he has been successful. Giles was a West grad and played a couple of years before me and had been on staff for most of Cummings head coaching tenure. He ate, breathed, and slept West football. A great man of faith and a heckuva role model for kids.

The original poster makes a lot of interesting points. I'm not as up to speed with the Rebels anymore since I moved out of the area a couple of years back, but looking at box scores the offense is definitely not putting up the numbers they used to. This could be due to a drop in talent or rezoning or it could be the coaches that have been hired since Cummings left not fitting correctly at the school. I don't know the new Coach personally to judge if he is a good coach or not, but he seemed to have success at Morristown West. I dont know a thing about Morristown West, but I do know that Knox West was a very diverse school when I went there in the late 90's and although we werent very good in Football we had different types of kids on the team all with different types of backgrounds (ethnicity, income, culture, etc) and that could still be the case, Cummings was a West graduate and played there in the 80s and I personally believe that him being apart of the school as a player and an assistant helped him succeed with the players he inherited when he became head coach and then on. I was truly surprised when the guy from Loudon was hired when Cummings left because I was always told there were like four guys on staff wanting to be the head coach if he left. Whoever made these decisions must not have thought much of these guys to make them head coach and thats a shame. Either way I hope the new coach gets it turned around and West is back on top! Go Rebels!

Is this Derek Rang wanting the job himself? Sounds like it. If Rang got the job he'd be gone in two years if a better job opened up. I want a coach like Lane or Coach Marc Giles who will stay at West and keep the excellence of the program going for a while. Permanent not temporary is what the next coach needs to be!

I hope West makes the right choice this time. I really feel that article was just a giant excuse. Injuries and all that are part of the game and every team has kids leave their programs all the time...Truth is there was lots of talent there and he didn't know how to use it properly. I hope the next coach is hired quickly and has great success!