Happy Valley looking to take the next step in Region 1-2A

ELIZABETHTON — The past three seasons on Warrior Hill have seen Happy Valley football continue to make jumps in the growth of the program.After a two-win campaign in 2022, the Warriors ripped off a seven-game winning streak on their way to hosting a first-round playoff game in 2023. The momentum continued last year, going 7-1 in the regular season to finish second in Region 1-2A.However, they fell heartbreakingly short of advancing in the postseason, losing by one point to Polk County.Warriors head coach Jason Jarrett said the defeat has been a motivator for him and his 13 seniors."We've got to find a way to get that extra win," Jarrett said. "To get that conference championship that we've been so close to getting again last year. Find that extra point that we needed in the playoffs to move on down the road."Defense was the key to Happy Valley's success last year and will likely be the case again in 2025.The Warriors allowed just 58 total points in 2024, the top mark by a wide margin in all of Northeast Tennessee. The next-best total came from Greeneville, who allowed 80 points in the regular season.It was a group led by its defensive front, as both Jayden Walls and Mason Norman tied for the area lead with nine sacks each. While Walls has graduated, Norman is back to lead the Happy Valley defense rich in tradition."We've played great defense up here for as long as I can remember," Jarrett said. "I started here back in '97, Coach (Greg) Hyder was our defensive coordinator my freshman year, which was his first year of coaching football as a full-time gig. So he's instilled that here since the late '90s. It's kind of continued to build and develop. As a defensive coordinator, he's one of the best I've ever been around."On the offensive side of the ball, expect Happy Valley to lean on its run game, just as it had last season. All four of its running backs averaged at least 5.3 yards per carry, and three of them return.Who will get them the football remains a question. Both seniors Aiden Paul and Gabe McDougald have had reps at the starting quarterback spot in camp.Paul went into 2024 as the starter, but suffered an injury. McDougald then stepped into the role and led the Happy Valley offense.Whoever is taking the first snap will be asked to keep things on schedule and allow for playmakers to make plays."Our system, again, offense, defense, special teams, we try to keep things very simple," Jarrett said. "We're not thinking while we're out on the field, we're reacting. We've got some good athletes up here and we don't want those guys thinking so much. We just want them playing fast."Happy Valley's schedule is one of the more unique ones in the area, as they are just one of four teams in Region 1-2A, along with South Greene, West Greene, and Cumberland Gap.While that means the Warriors are guaranteed a postseason spot, Jarrett said he still wants his team to feel like they earned their standing in early November."We obviously know we're going to play an 11th game in the playoffs," he said. "You've got to find ways to get those guys to stay motivated to go try and find ways to win that. Being able to go play playoff football has always been a reward in my eyes. It's something that's special. These guys know that and know they're already in. But, if they want to accomplish some things that we have the potential to do, then we don't look past that."The Warriors open up the season on Aug. 22 at Unaka before debuting their turf field to their home fans on Aug. 28 against Cloudland.No. Name Class1 Lane Parker Jr2 Keelin Releford Sr.3 Jayden "J.P." Powell So.4 Mason Belt Sr.6 Gabe McDougald Sr.7 Tyler Bailey Sr.8 Ethan Honeycutt So.9 Landon Keller Sr.10 Aiden "A.P" Paul Sr.11 Artee Bahn Jr.12 Ron Paul Parker Sr.13 Kayden Esterline Fr.16 Greyson Ensor Fr.17 Zachary Dykes So.20 Javier Carrillo Fr.23 Jonathan "John John" Williams Jr.24 Jeremiah Capps Fr.30 Ashton Guinn So.32 A.J. Rangel Sr.33 Eli Archer Fr.34 Tony Gibbons So.43/51 Mason Norman Jr.44 Tyler Berry Jr.50 Jordan Collins Jr.52 Jameson Reece Sr.54 Carlos Lopez Sr.55 Bentley Bowden So.58 Korbyn Davis So.59 Lakota Malone Sr.60 Andrew Ellis Sr.61 Kendrick "Kenny"Releford Fr.62 Jace Dunn So.63 Mario Alberto Jr.65 Dalton Pate Jr.66 Kameron Holder So.67 Bryson Killen Fr.68 Gabe Worley Fr.70 Gabe Coram Fr.71 Nic Primeau Sr.74 Elijah Guy Fr.75 Ashton Miller Fr.76 Josiah "Jethro" Carver Jr.79 Jayden Wilson Fr.80 Aiden Williams So.88 Isaac Scott Fr.Head coach: Jason Jarrett.Assistant head coach: Greg Hyder.Assistant coaches: Eli Ayers, Randy Ferrell, Austin Hicks, Brandon Mottern, Bryton Westmoreland.Managers: Adrienne Lopez, Kaylyn Simply, Bailee Jarrett.