PLAYOFF PREVIEW: A breakdown of all six classifications locally

West Ridge's football team has quite literally run wild back to the postseason. Two 1,000-yard rushers have helped the Wolves get to this point, a chance at a historic upset as West Ridge heads to Maryville for the opening round of the Class 6A playoffs. Ethan Amyx raised his area-best total to 1,467 yards with 18 rushing touchdowns in just nine games played, while sophomore quarterback Justice Hilton has 1,075 yards and 14 touchdowns to his name. The next most? Brody Fields at 342 yards. And it's a safe bet the Wolves will stick to their gameplan to try and keep Maryville's offense on the sideline. Dual threat quarterback Will Jones has torched opposing defenses in recent weeks, his favorite target easily being Bearden transfer Tory Beaufort while Cohen Babelay leads the ground game. Since a 28-21 opening loss at Alcoa, Maryville's closest win has been 42-17 against Farragut. West Ridge came up short against the Red Rebels in the second round of the 2021 playoffs, with Sullivan South falling at Maryville in the 2007 state semifinals. Class 5A David Crockett at Knox Central Junior quarterback A.J. Wynn showed against Cocke County he's valuable in more places than just the quarterback position. Now, he looks to lead the Pioneers to their first-ever playoff victory away from home. He's up to 945 yards passing, his top target Jaxon Overstreet sitting at 675 yards for the year. Wynn and Zeke Slone both have 336 yards rushing, second to Sam Casey (533). Central has tasted defeat only once since an opening setback against Dobyns-Bennett, having won four straight games by a total of eight points. Junior quarterback Kaden Long has hit 66.4% of his passes for 2,761 yards and 22 touchdowns with six interceptions, in addition to his 965 yards and 15 TDs rushing. Javaston Badgett, one of three Bobcats over 600 yards receiving, has 1,002 yards to his name. The teams have played twice, both in Knoxville for the 2018 and 2019 playoffs with Central winning both. Class 4A Gibbs at Elizabethton Elizabethton goes for its 17th straight playoff win at home this week, facing Gibbs in football for the first time ever. Freshman quarterback Brycen Blevins could potentially hit 1,000 yards if the Cyclones keep winning, as he's up to 703 with nine touchdowns and two picks. Zack Wallin has been the favorite target by far with 727 yards on 50 catches, matching Justius Wallin (26 catches for 385 yards) with six TDs. Sophomore 1,000-yard passer Keith Jones brings the Eagles to Citizens Bank Stadium after the Eagles' 31-28 win at Carter, with junior Tucker Ownby leading the ground game. Cherokee at Alcoa The Landon Jeffers-Lofton Hayes connection has been effective this season, but the Chiefs need to get Jayden Weston and their ground game going this week if they want their first playoff win since 2004. Alcoa, coming off 10 consecutive state championships in 3A before moving up, was 9-0 before a late collapse at Anderson County. Thomas Manu has 1,539 yards and 27 touchdowns passing with no interceptions — none — as well as 181 rushing yards. Jamir Dean (26 catches, 460 yards, nine TDs) has been Manu's favorite target, and Condis Cherry leads the ground game with 522 yards and six TDs. Cherokee and Alcoa have never met in football prior to Friday. Volunteer at Anderson County Bryson Christian and Lincoln Wilson got the Falcons going in the second half last week. And Volunteer will need a faster start this week against an Anderson County team which rallied past Alcoa for the Region 2-4A title. Freshman quarterback JD Gillum has 938 yards and 11 touchdowns in five games played. Three senior receivers — Deameion Leavell, Jayzon Thompson and Gabe St. John — have between 277-288 yards receiving. Thompson (1,438 yards) also averages 9.3 yards per carry. Friday will mark the teams' first gridiron meeting, Volunteer looking for its first playoff win since 2007. Class 3A Sweetwater at Unicoi County Kolby Jones and the Blue Devils are looking for their second straight first-round win at Gentry Stadium. Those around him like receiver Avery Hatcher and running back Blaze Rice look for another explosive start, as Unicoi County looks to advance in the playoffs back-to-back years for the first time since 1984-85. Junior running back Ty Fitch leads the offense for the Wildcats, who enter the playoffs having won four of their last five games. It'll mark the first football meeting between the schools. Class 2A Tellico Plains at Happy Valley The first gridiron meeting between Happy Valley and Tellico Plains comes with the 10-0 Warriors trying for their first playoff win since 2017. They came agonizingly close last year against Polk County. But Happy Valley will remain at home as long as it keeps winning. Quarterback Gabe McDougald, Keelin Releford, Lane Parker, Tyler Bailey, Tyler Berry and the Happy Valley ground game squares off against the more pass-oriented attack of Tellico Plains. Senior quarterback Ike Hollinghead has 1,350 yards passing with 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. Trevor Kibler and Clint Moser both have at least 400 yards receiving, with sophomore Gio Carter (649 yards) leading the ground game. Class 1A Rockwood at Hampton Whatever halftime adjustments Hampton made against Cloudland, the Bulldogs need to keep it going for the Class 1A first round. Peyton Townsend did the work on the ground, but Connor McKinney and Brock Shelby connected four times for 174 yards. Jayden Davidson (1,211 yards) and Adrian Darby (836 yards) lead Rockwood's wing-T offense, while quarterback Aiden Amonett has thrown for 1,063 and 10 scores against three picks. The Tigers have won three of the four meetings since 2009, all in the playoffs. But Hampton won the latest, a 47-18 second-round decision at Rockwood in 2021, a step toward the 2A BlueCross Bowl that year. THURSDAY Cloudland at Coalfield Cloudland needs an even shorter memory than expected as it looks for its first playoff win away from Roan Mountain since the 2002 quarterfinals. Grayson Cole and Landon Barnette collide with Coalfield running backs Jaiden Bunch and Hadyn Hendrick in this first-round matchup. The Yellow Jackets lead the series 13-5, but Cloudland won the most recent meeting in the 2021 state quarterfinals, 22-21. Division II-A Providence Academy at Donelson Christian The Knights head to Nashville for their inaugural TSSAA playoff berth, freshmen Cam Blanton and Ty Puhr having carried the Knights to two straight victories. Ford Bowman and the PA defense will match up against junior quarterback Blake Holton, who's thrown for 912 yards and 11 touchdowns with seven picks. Running backs Riley Biddle and King Gardner have 910 and 878 yards respectively. Rye Cove at Twin Springs Fitting that this year's Scott County Super Bowl features at least one team playing for its life. The only way for Twin Springs (6-3, 3-1 Cumberland) to assure itself a postseason berth is to take down its arch-rival in Nickelsville. Clay Ross, Julian Pascual, Isaiah Kiser and the rest of the Titans' rushing attack will need to be in top form. Rye Cove (6-3, 3-1) regained its footing in last week's 40-7 win over Burton, Tyler Shupe hitting 4-of-6 passes including a 37-yard touchdown to Luke Jessee. Will Rollins (120 yards) and Carter Roach-Hodge (77 yards) did the most damage on the ground. Rye Cove has won the last three to take a 34-22 series lead. But Twin Springs had won 11 of 13 meetings before that. Gate City at Ridgeview In all likelihood, the No. 2 playoff seed hangs in the balance for Friday's battle at Clintwood. Walker Hillman is just shy of 1,000 yards for the season as he leads the rushing attack for Gate City (7-2, 4-1 Mountain 7). His counterpart Jaalan Deel accomplished the feat on Oct. 18, having scored a season-high 5 touchdowns earlier this year against Wise Central. Alex Grant has also scored in all three phases for the Wolfpack (8-1, 4-1). Ridgeview has won eight of the 10 meetings, including 42-6 at Gate City last year. But the Blue Devils won in Clintwood 28-0 the previous season.