How Germantown upset No. 1 seed Ravenwood in TSSAA football playoffs after midseason lull

Germantown started the season 5-0, then lost two games, fell out of AP state high school football rankings after getting as high as No. 4 and gained skepticism in Class 6A.  

Then Friday night happened.  

That’s the beauty of the TSSAA football playoffs where one win can change your season, and the Red Devils did that, upsetting No. 1 seed Ravenwood 30-20 on the road to advance to the second round.  

"Anytime we take a road trip to a team that’s used to being there, you know what you’re up against,” coach Gene Robinson said after the big win. “The guys stood together and played Germantown football.” 

Sure, Ravenwood was without 3-star quarterback and Mississippi State football commit Chris Parson, but Germantown (9-2) still managed to pull off its biggest win of the year.  

And like it has all season, it used every weapon on offense. Jamarion Morrow grabbed a touchdown pass to kick off his big night. BJ Blake added a rushing touchdown. Robinson also credited quarterback Isaiah Tate for his decision making.  

Germantown didn’t trail and allowed just two touchdowns.  Morrow finished with 144 receiving yards and a touchdown with 10 catches, Blake had 15 carries for 146 yards and two touchdowns and Tate had more than 200 all-purpose yards with the one passing touchdown.

“If we get out of our own way, I think we have a chance to be really, really good,” Robinson said.  

And the Red Devils will see a familiar team on the road – Houston – next week in the second round. Here’s what else we learned from Memphis-area teams in the first round of the TSSAA football playoffs. 

TOP FOOTBALL PERFORMERS:Memphis-area high school football top performers from Week 12

TSSAA FOOTBALL BRACKETS:TSSAA football brackets for 2022 playoffs: Tennessee high school second-round pairings

PLAYOFFS SCOREBOARD:TSSAA football playoffs scores 2022: West Tennessee high school first-round results

Damon Sisa’s big night leads Houston 

As Houston coach James Thomas always says: “Anytime you hand the ball to 10, good things happen.” 

That was once again true as Damon Sisa carried the Houston offense to a 27-10 win over Independence.  

"In big games, the kid loves to perform,” Thomas said.  

Sisa, who totaled over 1,400 yards and 20 total touchdowns in his junior season, was once again ready for the spotlight. Thomas said he was locked in all week in practice, and it showed Friday night, when Sisa rushed for 194 yards and two touchdowns.  

“The bigger the game, the better it is for him,” said Thomas. 

Thomas isn’t quite ready to guarantee a playoff run similar to the 2019 state semifinalist team. But with Sisa in the backfield, the Mustangs (9-2) have shown just how dangerous they can be in the state.  

Memphis-area top seeds advance 

Almost every Memphis area No. 1 seed in Division I advanced to the second round, though Melrose and Sheffield suffered upset losses in the first round. MASE (11-0) added its ninth shutout of the season, beating West Carroll 50-0 on Friday night.  

Bartlett won in a shootout against Centennial, winning 46-28, Munford survived Northeast (Clarksville), winning 36-18 and Fairley dominated Camden 62-33 in the first round. Every No. 1 seed that won finished in the AP state rankings top 5 in its class, except for Bartlett, which was ranked No. 7.  

MUS defense is still good 

Memphis University School held Father Ryan (2-9) to 10 points in their 17-10, first-round win on Friday night. It was yet another strong defensive performance from the Owls (8-3), which relies heavily on its defense.  

Coach Bobby Alston said it's been a long time since he had a senior class that hasn’t played for a state title and this year being the class of 2023’s last chance. If the defense can continue to dominate, the Owls could be playing in Chattanooga. That said, the path to a state championship won’t be easy. 

Contenders after first round  

Munford (11-0) is in the second round of the playoffs for the third time in six years. The Cougars haven’t made it past the second round any of those three seasons. So, can they do it again this year? Is this Munford team different than year’s past? All signs are pointing to yes.  

MASE (11-0) got another dominant win, but it was also against an inferior team. That’s been the biggest knock on the Phoenix all season. When will they get that marquee win? For me, they don’t need one, they have nine shutouts. They have the best defense, numbers wise, of any team in Memphis. They’re still a contender in my eyes.  

Covington (9-2) dominated Hamilton, winning 42-6. I doubted the Chargers after their Week 1 loss to Munford, then they went on to win seven in a row before losing to Haywood. It should win the next two games, having seen all three opponents (Millington, Ripley and Dyersburg) left in their part of the bracket this season and winning by a margin of 120-7 this season. The Chargers have a clear shot at playing for a 3A state title this season.  

Reach Wynston Wilcox at wwilcox@gannett.com and on Twitter @wynstonw__.