While I'm sure Maryville does indeed have the mental edge over Alcoa, they looked like they had a pretty commanding physical edge as well from my vantage point. The statistical edge in the first half couldn't be all mental, could it?
The abscence of Brandon Warren has been discussed ad nauseum but I believe Maryville still would have won the game convincingly if Warren had played. Maryville is simply better than Alcoa and by quite a margin, even with Warren, imo.
Alcoa's players, coaches, and fans should swallow their collective pride and admit that they are weaker than Maryville when it comes to mental toughness, teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship. Games cannot be won by Alcoa against Maryville on some perceived advantage on paper in athletic ability. If Alcoa would emulate Maryville in these areas, the results on the field would be much better for the Tornadoes. Until they do, as long as Coach Quarles is at Maryville, Alcoa will continue to struggle mightily against the Red Rebels, imo.