One of the state’s most anticipated high school football matchups every year features Maryville and Alcoa.
The two teams will square off at 7 p.m. Friday at Maryville and can be streamed live on the NFHS Network.
Both teams ranked among the top nine teams in the USA TODAY Sports Network’s statewide Super 25 ranking entering Week 10 of the TSSAA season. Alcoa (5-1) sits at No. 9 while Maryville (8-0) is ranked No. 6.
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Two teams with a strong pedigree
These two teams represent the elite of high school football in Tennessee. Combined, Alcoa and Maryville have won 39 football state championships. Maryville has not finished a season with a losing record since 1963. The Rebels have been 5-5 four times during that span and went 26 straight seasons (1997-2022) with double-digit wins.
Alcoa has had double-digit wins in 20 of its past 21 seasons, its last losing record coming in 2002, and it has two state championship winning streaks (both in 4A), 2000-02 and 2004-07.
Both teams also boast legendary coaches. Gary Rankin, who now coaches Boyd Buchanan, spent 16 years at Alcoa and won 13 state titles. He’s the state’s all-time leader in wins (492) and has 17 total state championships (four of them at Riverdale in Murfreesboro).
George Quarles led Maryville for 18 seasons and amassed 250 wins during his time with the program (1999-2016) and won 11 state championships. Quarles is now the tight ends coach at Austin Peay.
Alcoa’s last hurrah in Class 3A
This season is the last for Alcoa in 3A. The program will move to 4A starting in 2025. Alcoa’s enrollment of 677 correctly places it in Class 3A but the move to 4A will allow the Tornadoes to find a home with more region opponents, making scheduling easier for a team not many non-region schools are willing to play.
The Tornadoes have won the past nine straight 3A state championships, a state record in football. They also have the second-most consecutive state titles, but in Class 2A (7, from 2004 to 2010).
Maryville’s advantage in a storied rivalry
These two teams have played 95 times. Maryville holds the overall advantage 65-27 and there have been three ties. Alcoa has only four wins against Maryville since 2001, its last coming in 2022 in a 27-14 win.
Maryville struggled against Alcoa from 1985 to 1993. The Rebels lost six of nine games during that period. But since 1993, they have winning streaks of six or more games against Alcoa three times.
3 Alcoa players to know
QB Eli Graf. Graf has done a bit of everything for the Tornadoes. He has thrown for 897 yards with 11 TDs, rushed for 418 yards and four TDs, and leads the team with 1,418 all-purpose yards.
TE Eli Owens. The Michigan commit has 20 receptions for 281 yards and three TDs. He’s the No. 15-ranked player in the state of Tennessee for the 2025 class, according to 247Sports Composite.
RB Micah Jones. Jones has carried the ground game with 72 rushes for 379 yards and six touchdowns.
3 Maryville players to know
QB Will Jones. Jones is 102 of 132 for 1,316 yards and 17 touchdowns with just three interceptions. He’s completing an impressive 77% of his passes this season.
RB Price Davis. Davis is one of the more dangerous backs in East Tennessee. He has 140 carries for 832 yards and 15 touchdowns. He averages 104 yards a game.
LB Matthew Covert. Covert has been a disruptive force on Maryville’s defense with 54 tackles, seven for a loss, one interception, two forced fumbles, a blocked field goal, a safety and a defensive touchdown.
Reach sports writer George Robinson at georgerobinsontheleafchronicle.com and on the X platform (formerly Twitter) @Cville_Sports.
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