Looking back: 10 best games of the 2024 high school football season

As we take this next week to catch our breath during the high school dead period, what better time to take one last look at the best games of 2024?Come Monday, July 7, high school football season will be on everyone's mind as teams return to their respective campuses. From there, it'll just be roughly a month and a half until opening night on Friday, Aug. 22.But now that we have some time to reflect, here's a list of the top 10 games from the 2024 high school football season.It should be noted the 10 games below aren't ranked in any particular order, except the date they happened. Several factors were considered, including team success and the impact of each particular game. Naturally, there's more at stake later in the season, which is why you'll find several games from October and November.Sept. 13 Happy Valley 19, Hampton 12ELIZABETHTON — Gabe McDougald scored two touchdowns and blocked a punt, as Happy Valley outscored the visitors 13-0 in the second half to end a four-game skid in the rivalry. Tyler Berry scored the Warriors' first TD, and McDougald ran for 92 yards as the Warriors didn't attempt any passes. Dominique Burleson led Hampton with 96 yards and two touchdowns.West Ridge 22, Lakeway Christian 16BLOUNTVILLE — Ethan Amyx ran for a 3-yard touchdown and 2-point conversion with two minutes left,rallying West Ridge to victory and a 3-1 start. Amyx ran for 54 yards and two touchdowns. Trey Frazier led the Wolves with 116 yards rushing and 130 yards passing, including his 15-yard scoring toss to Trent Tatum (3 catches for 48 yards, 1 sack, blocked PAT).Sept. 20 David Crockett 41, Cocke County 38NEWPORT — Zeke Slone scored the game-winning touchdown on a 2-yard run, his third TD of the night, and the Pioneers held on against their conference rivals when the Fighting Cocks missed a 42-yard field goal on the final play. A.J. Wynn connected with Lamarkus Dunn on passes of 42 and 47 yards to set up Slone's touchdown runs of 2 and 6 yards. Wynn also ran for touchdowns of 21 yards and 1 yard out. The other touchdown was a 32-yard throw from Wynn to Dunn.Cherokee 28, Northview Academy 21KODAK — Hayden Hook rushed for 78 yards, and his second 2-yard touchdown came with 1:44 remaining to help the Chiefs improve their playoff positioning. Hunter Larmer's interception moments later sealed it. Landon Jeffers threw for 147 yards and ran for 134, firing a 28-yard scoring toss to Lofton Hayes and scoring on a 32-yard run. Mason Phillips' 30-yard TD pass to Calvin Ferguson gave the Cougars a 21-14 lead with 9:12 left, before the Chiefs answered.Oct. 18 Gate City 42, Lee High 39BEN HUR — Zayne Reed fired three touchdown passes, the last covering 95 yards to Corey Byrd for a 42-13 lead in the third quarter. Brynnen Pendergraft rallied the Generals with a 26-point fourth quarter. He threw six touchdowns in the game, four of them going to brother Carder Pendergraft. Walker Hillman (3-run, 14-run), Kaden Houseright (17-pass from Reed), Ethan Ferguson (34-pass from Reed) and Gabe Johnson (45-fumble return) scored to give the Blue Devils a 35-7 halftime lead. Johnson recovered two fumbles and intercepted a pass while stopping a pair of 2-point tries and blocking a PAT.Nov. 1 Dobyns-Bennett 18, Science Hill 12JOHNSON CITY — Tegan Begley ran for 72 yards and two touchdowns, helping Dobyns-Bennett end a five-game skid against its arch-rival and win its first Region 1-6A crown in four years. His 4-yard TD with 11:04 left eventually lifted D-B to victory. Austin Sykes hit 11-of-22 passes for 102 yards, and his 11-yard completion to Peyton Franklin sealed the outcome. Cooper McLain's field goal gave D-B a 10-6 halftime lead. Aiden Perry ran for 161 yards, and his 3-yard TD gave Science Hill a 12-10 lead. Spencer Taylor threw for 128 yards with a TD to Zane Huff, but Science Hill had 106 penalty yards and came up short twice on fourth down.Unicoi County 10, Johnson County 7ERWIN — Emilio Soto kicked a 30-yard field goal with 2:53 left, breaking a 7-7 tie and lifting the Blue Devils to their second Region 1-3A championship in four years in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Bransan Salts (74 yards) scored on a 3-yard run for Unicoi County, before Jace Stout's 19-yard TD pass to Jack Csillag pulled the Longhorns even. Koda Cutlip's interception and return to Johnson County's 19 set up the go-ahead field goal.Nov. 8 (TSSAA playoffs) Science Hill 30, Cleveland 28JOHNSON CITY — Easton Miller's first career field goal attempt kept Science Hill's season alive. Miller drilled a 28-yard field goal with three seconds left to send the Hilltoppers into the second round. Baylor Necessary ran for a 1-yard touchdown and hit Zane Huff for another TD, with Spencer Taylor hitting Steven Famoyin and Huff for scores. Sam Sartin's 1-yard TD and Kason McGowan's ensuing 2-point conversion gave Cleveland a 28-27 lead with 4:17 remaining. Elijah Belnavis recovered a fumble in the final minute to set up Miller's winning field goal.Elizabethton 14, Fulton 13ELIZABETHTON — Justius Wallin ran for two touchdowns, seven and 13 yards, to rally the Cyclones from a 13-0 deficit. Will Bowers made both extra points to send Elizabethton to the second round. Wallin ran for 110 yards on 17 carries, while Jaiden "J-Bird" Wallin gained 68 yards. Albert Johnson ran for 111 yards and a TD to lead Fulton, which took a 13-0 lead when Travis Ballinger caught a 35-yard score from Derrick Smith after a lateral. Elizabethton kept the ball on the ground to drain the last seven minutes of the clock.Nov. 29 Rye Cove 26, Eastside 20 (Region 1D championship)CLINCHPORT — Luke Jessee caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Landon Lane with 25 seconds left, lifting Rye Cove to its second region championship in school history (first since 2000). The game featured three lead changes in the final 2:54, starting when Cole Barnette's 2-yard run made it 18-14 War Eagles. Luke Trent's 66-yard TD catch from Landon Pannell put the Spartans ahead 20-18 with 1:28 remaining. Blake Goins (82-kickoff return, 5-run) scored the first two TDs for Rye Cove, while Landon Lane hit 8-of-11 passes for 104 yards and rushed for 37. Keldan Hamilton ran for 176 yards and a TD to lead Eastside, which nearly avenged a 40-8 defeat from the regular season.