Football
From Pearl-Cohn’s TSSAA football title to Blades Brown, ranking biggest stories in 2023-24 season
With the 2023-24 TSSAA sports season over, it’s time to take a look back.
From football to softball, we ranked the top 10 most intriguing moments that grabbed our attention this year.
1. Lipscomb Academy, Brentwood Academy and 2023 TSSAA football misfortune
Going into the 2023 season, there was considerable excitement surrounding Division II-AAA East Region with the arrival of defending two-time DII-AA champion Lipscomb Academy and Class of 2025 5-star quarterback George MacIntyre of Brentwood Academy. But what transpired left much to be desired. The Eagles finished a disappointing 2-10 and first-year coach Jacob Gill resigned at season’s end. Lipscomb Academy was placed on a two-year postseason ban by the TSSAA just a week before the playoffs began after violating a recruiting rule. Lipscomb and first-year coach Kevin Mawae mutually agreed to part ways after the season concluded.
2. Pearl-Cohn’s TSSAA football championship snaps long drought
The Firebirds’ 36-27 win over Upperman in the Class 4A final secured Pearl-Cohn’s first 15-0 unbeaten season, the first state title for longtime coach Tony Brunetti, the first title for Pearl-Cohn since 1997 and the first TSSAA football championship for Metro Nashville Public Schools since 2008. It created a buzz among the Nashville high school football community and beyond. And the Pearl-Cohn postgame celebration in the rain at Finley Stadium was legendary.
3. Kaylor West’s perfect day for Liberty Creek in TSSAA softball state championship
Liberty Creek pitcher Kaylor West saved her team’s state tournament in the winner’s bracket final, staving off elimination in the if-necessary game with a win over Westview to advance to the Class 2A state softball championship last week. But West saved her best day for the last one, as she pitched a perfect game to lift the Lady Wolves to the school’s first state title in the school’s second year. West struck out six and got help from her defense as Liberty Creek knocked off Jo Byrns, 1-0. It was the first perfect game in the TSSAA state tournament since 2016 and first in a state championship.
4. Brentwood Academy’s Blades Brown wins third straight TSSAA golf title, ties records
Brown tied the TSSAA boys golf state tournament two-day scoring record, shooting a 6-under-par 66 at Sevierville Golf Club to finish at 14-under 130 for the tournament, clinching his third consecutive Division II-AA state title. That tied the TSSAA record for most individual state titles and kept him on pace to break the mark next year when he becomes a junior. It was business as usual for Brown, who broke a Bobby Jones record in the 2023 U.S. Amateur and shot 10-under in his PGA Tour debut in May.
More: Meet The Tennessean’s All-Decade 2000s high school boys basketball team
5. Jett Montgomery lifts Independence to program’s first TSSAA basketball state title
The Southern Miss signee vowed to return to the Class 4A state basketball title game when his team lost the 2023 championship to Memphis Overton. Montgomery’s 28 points delivered Independence its first state title, beating Cookeville, 53-44 in March. Indy coach Mark Wilkins became the latest Wilkins to win a TSSAA title, joining his father, Mitch (Gibson County girls) and brother, John (McKenzie girls).
6. Houston spoils Oakland’s bid for 4 straight TSSAA football state titles
Houston abruptly ended Oakland’s reign, defeating the Patriots 24-9 in the Class 6A state championship. Nine points was Oakland’s lowest point production in the coach Kevin Creasy era since the program was shut out 12-0 by Maryville in the 2019 Class 6A semifinals. Houston’s Damon Sisa finished with 30 carries for 179 yards and scored a TD. More than that, Houston’s defense bullied the Patriots, who had long done the same to other teams.
7. Claire Stegall, Abby Faith Cheeseman continue TSSAA dominance
The two best long distance runners in the state, and two of the most dominant runners in state history, continued to dominate competition in 2023 and 2024. Webb School Bell-Buckle’s Abby Faith Cheeseman captured a fourth cross-country state title in November and won the TSSAA Division II-A girls 800, 1,600 and 3,200 state titles last week during Spring Fling. Stegall who has set several state records during the last three years won the Class AAA 800 and 1,600 races.
More: How Tennessee’s best distance runners Abby Faith Cheeseman, Claire Stegall inspire each other
8. TSSAA girls basketball moves on without Ensworth star Jaloni Cambridge
The former Ensworth star electrified the TSSAA girls basketball state tournament for four years before transferring to Montverde Academy (Florida) in the 2023 offseason, leaving a void in her place. Cambridge, a McDonald’s All-American who signed with Ohio State, graduated high school as ESPN’s No. 2 player in the 2024 class. She tied the TSSAA individual state tournament game scoring record with 41 points against Knoxville Catholic in the 2023 DII-AA finals. She led Ensworth to state championships in 2020, 2022 and a runner-up finish in 2023.
9. Nashville makes splash in Division I TSSAA baseball state tournament
Six Nashville area high school baseball teams advanced to the TSSAA state championship game in Division I last week. Two classifications showcased two area team in the title game. In Class 2A, Loretto knocked off Huntingdon and in 3A, Tullahoma knocked off Station Camp. Class 1A Eagleville dropped University School of Johnson City while Nolensville advanced to the 4A title game, losing to Farragut.
More: Why Nolensville, Loretto are No. 1 in final Nashville area Large, Small Class baseball rankings
10. Station Camp, Liberty Creek win TSSAA girls soccer titles
Sumner County girls soccer owned the 2023 season. Liberty Creek won the school’s first state championship in just its second year of existence, defeating two-time defending champion Merrol Hyde 2-1 in the Class A state final behind Adalyn Medina and Maddie Ray’s second-half goals. And Station Camp won its first girls soccer title by dominating the Class AA state tournament. Ayden Wood scored five goals and assisted two others in the Lady Bison’s 9-2 rout of Greeneville in the championship. Liberty Creek, Merrol Hyde and Station Camp all reside in Sumner County.
Reach sports writer Tyler Palmateer at tpalmateer@tennessean.com and on the X platform, formerly Twitter, @tpalmateer83.
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