High School Sports Saturday with Tate Mathews

In this October 10th episode of High School Sports Saturday on 104.5 The Zone, Tate breaks down the latest fall sports action and previews a lineup of local sports leaders:

• Week 8 Football Roundup: A comprehensive recap of Friday night's game scores, highlighting Brentwood Academy's 42-7 win over Briarcrest, Antioch's tight 34-31 victory over FRA, and Ensworth's 28-17 defeat of CPA.

• Kirkwood Cobras Football: Head Coach Chad Watson joins the show to discuss the Cobras' impressive 7-1 season, their dominant region victory over Creek Wood, and a standout 296-yard, 5-touchdown performance from quarterback Miles Reding.

• Page Patriots Golf Championship: Williamson County Schools District Athletic Director Patrick Whitlock stops by to celebrate the Page boys golf team's massive victory in the AA state championship.

• TSSAA Insights: Tom Kreager from The Tennessean makes a guest appearance to provide expert analysis on the local high school sports landscape.

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Tate is joined by Tom Kreager to break down the latest high school football action and upcoming classification shifts.
Here is a summary of the key segments from their discussion:

• Antioch vs. FRA: Antioch secured a tight 34-31 comeback victory over FRA in a highly entertaining matchup. Andre Adams delivered a Mr. Football-caliber performance, while Matthew Coleman was a major factor with 162 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
• Brentwood Academy vs. Briarcrest: Undefeated Brentwood Academy dominated Briarcrest with a 42-7 blowout win. Larry Saunders led the charge for Brentwood, racking up 195 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 21 carries.
• New Classifications: Enrollment-based classification changes will see East Nashville move down to Class 1A and Pearl-Cohn shift to Class 2A next year. This realignment sets the stage for a potential East Nashville versus South Pittsburg matchup in the 1A playoffs.
• College Football Outlook: The segment closed with a quick look at college football, noting that an Indiana Hoosiers win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers would set them up to host Ohio State as an undefeated team.

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Tate sits down with Patrick Whitlock, Athletic Director for Williamson County Schools, to break down the week’s local sports highlights and preview a big college football matchup.

State Golf Champions: The Page Patriots boys golf team claimed the AA state championship at Sevierville Golf Course, finishing 11 strokes under par as a team. Jake Ikoff took the individual title in a playoff against teammate Reed Bosselman after the two tied at five under par. The Patriots’ two-day total also tied for the second-lowest in TSSAA history.

High School Football: Most Williamson County teams are on fall break, but Nolensville stayed sharp, improving to 8-0 with a 31-0 shutout of Centennial. Tate and Patrick also look ahead to the Week 11 showdown between Nolensville and Page, with a regional championship on the line.

Vanderbilt vs. Ole Miss: The conversation wraps with a preview of Vanderbilt’s home game against the Ole Miss Rebels. Heavy rain and wind could throw off both passing offenses, and the hosts predict a close 28-24 win for Ole Miss, though they’re pulling for a Vanderbilt upset.

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Tate is joined by Coach Chad Watson, the head football coach for the Kirkwood Cobras.

• Season Performance: The Cobras are currently 7-1 overall and 3-0 in their region, coming off a 45-7 Thursday night victory over Creekwood. The junior varsity team is also undefeated with a 7-0 record.
• Player Spotlight: Watson praised quarterback Miles Reding for his leadership and dedication to early-morning film study. Reding recently threw for 296 yards and five touchdowns in the first half against Creekwood.
• Weather Challenges: Coach Watson noted this has been the hottest football season of his 20-plus-year career, which forced the team to hold morning practices in week five due to the heat index.
• Upcoming Schedule: The team will rest during fall break before facing Clarksville Northwest and Henry County in their final two region games.
• Weekend Plans: Coach Watson plans to spend his Saturday watching Austin Peay State University ("the Govs") play Tarleton State and grabbing a meal at Johnny's Big Burger.

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This episode of High School Sports Saturday on 104.5 The Zone, hosted by Tate Matthews, features headlining guest Coach Ed Cunningham, Head Coach of the Lincoln County Falcons, alongside mentions of upcoming show guests Charles Pulliam (from the Williamson Herald and High School Power Hour) and Tom Kreager (high school sports reporter for The Tennessean). The primary live interview focused on Coach Ed Cunningham following Lincoln County’s dominant 40–7 victory over Tullahoma, which elevated the Falcons to an undefeated 6–0 record and earned them their first region win of the season. During the discussion, Coach Cunningham praised his team's flawless offensive performance—highlighting touchdown drives of 95 and 98 yards, key goal-line defensive stands early in the game, and individual contributions from multi-sport athlete Clint Quick and star quarterback Dason Ogle, who logged five total touchdowns while maintaining the top academic rank in his class.

In addition to the segment with Coach Cunningham, host Tate Matthews provided a comprehensive breakdown of Week 7 high school football action across Middle Tennessee, sponsored by Jimmy Kelly’s Steakhouse. The broadcast detailed score recaps and notable individual statistics for top-ranked programs—such as Brentwood Academy's 63–14 win over Memphis University School and Battle Ground Academy's 56–7 victory—as well as historic milestones like Nashville Collegiate Prep’s first-ever program win. The host also shared travel warnings for listeners heading toward poor weather conditions in Knoxville, promoted membership details and liability insurance updates for the Tennessee Athletic Coaches Association (TACA), and previewed further high school sports coverage with scheduled appearances by Charles Pulliam and Tom Kreager

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Tom discuss recent reclassification news and scheduling dynamics in Tennessee high school football under the TSSAA. The main discussion centers on Nashville Christian School choosing to move up to Division II-AA, which heightens competition in that division alongside teams like BGA and FRA, while opening up opportunities for frontrunners in D2-A like Davidson, Friendship, and USJ. They also examine the fallout surrounding non-region (independent) schedules, highlighting the financial and logistical strain placed on Division II-AAA programs that must now travel out-of-state or pay non-conference opponents to fill out their schedules.

Beyond administrative developments, the conversation shifts to top individual game performances from Friday night across the mid-state region. Key highlights include Battle Ground Academy quarterback Bo Bryan throwing seven touchdown passes, as well as Kirkwood's Miles Redding, who also scored seven total touchdowns, including two rushing touchdowns. The host and Tom conclude by recognizing the high level of talent in local high school football as the season progresses.

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 Tate is joined by Eddie Cunningham, head football coach of the Lincoln County High School Falcons.

In the broadcast, Coach Cunningham recaps the Falcons' dominant 40–7 victory over Tullahoma, detailing how the offense scored on all six of its possessions—including long scoring drives of 95 and 98 yards—and praising a goal-line defense that made two critical fourth-down stops near the goal line. The interview highlights several key playmakers, most notably converted linebacker and top-ranked student Dace Nogle, who threw for 150 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 111 yards and two additional scores. The coach and host also discuss wide receiver Clint Quick's big-play efficiency and two-sport athleticism, alongside the versatile play of twin running backs Carson and Colton Carter.

Looking ahead, the segment covers the Falcons' undefeated 6–0 record as they enter an open bye week coinciding with fall break. Coach Cunningham notes that the time off will allow injured players to recover and give the coaching staff extra time to game-plan for a crucial region battle against Columbia Central and their star quarterback. The interview concludes with a look at the growing community enthusiasm in Fayetteville, with rising crowd energy and high expectations surrounding the program's strong season.

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 Tate is joined by Charles Pulliam, sports editor for the Williamson Herald and co-host of the High School Power Hour.

In the broadcast, host Williamson Herald and guest Charles Pulliam review recent Middle Tennessee high school football action across Williamson County. They highlight Ravenwood High School’s 63–28 road victory over Independence, which marked their fourth consecutive win behind quarterback Brooks Brown’s 10-for-11 passing performance for 205 yards and 5 touchdowns. They also recap Brentwood High School’s 55–0 victory over Coffee County, driven by quarterback Gavin Strang’s 4 touchdown passes and sophomore running back Parker Kates’ 119 rushing yards, earning Brentwood back-to-back shutout wins.

The conversation turns to two undefeated programs having impressive regular-season runs: Nolensville High School and Fairview High School. The Nolensville Knights reached 7–0 with a 36–6 win over Hillsboro under Coach Scott Stidham, led by multi-sport stars Jackson Uselton, Ryan Newell, and Tristan Lithmysi. Meanwhile, the Fairview Yellow Jackets also advanced to 7–0 following a 35–0 victory against Harpeth, continuing a dominant season where their defense has allowed just 36 points while outscoring opponents 268 to 36

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This week’s show dives straight into the aftermath of massive Week 5 high school football action, featuring postgame reactions and strategic breakdowns from two top head coaches. First, East Robertson head coach Chris Keylon joins to discuss the Indians' hard-fought 29–21 victory over an undefeated, explosive Kirkwood squad. Keylon details how his defense stepped up to contain Kirkwood’s dual-threat quarterback, highlights the steady leadership of four-year starter Cason Young under center, and praises standout freshman running back Isaac Prince Jr. and senior wideout Brody Perry for their explosive plays and crucial downfield blocking. Then, Ravenwood head coach Ricky Rodriguez breaks down the Raptors' dominant 56–0 shutout win against Franklin. Rodriguez applauds defensive coordinator Anthony Brown’s game planning, the defensive unit’s suffocating performance, and the versatile spark provided by all-purpose back Caden Pace as Ravenwood gears up for region play and a trip to "The Den" to take on CPA.

In the final segment, Tom Kreager of The Tennessean steps in to tackle the off-field buzz surrounding Tennessee high school football governance and potential seismic shifts in Division II Class AAA. Kreager and host Tate unpack reports of several private school programs exploring an independent schedule rather than competing under the TSSAA's current postseason umbrella. They explore the root causes driving the frustration—including modern transfer rules, NIL dynamics, and roster imbalances—and break down the potential domino effects on division realignment if schools opt to play independent football and forgo traditional playoff contention

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Tate is joined by Tom Kreger of The Tennessean to unpack the mounting controversy surrounding Tennessee’s Division II Class AAA (D2-AAA) football classification. Kreger discusses recent reports and rumors indicating that several programs are deeply dissatisfied with the current landscape, which has been reshaped by relaxed residency rules, one-time transfer allowances, and NIL policies that have effectively created "super teams on steroids". Rather than participating in a system they believe no longer reflects traditional high school football, anywhere from three to six schools within the 12-team division are actively exploring options to step away from playoff eligibility and play an independent schedule—potentially capping their seasons with separate bowl games instead.

The discussion highlights the growing frustration among member institutions regarding the TSSAA’s perceived reluctance to address structural inequities, including debates over whether financial aid and boarding school advantages should play a role in classification alongside raw enrollment figures. Tate and Kreger note the potential domino effect facing the league: current bylaws dictate a 12-team roster for D2-AAA, which could force lower-division programs into the bracket if teams opt out unless the governing rules are amended. With official classification commitments looming in the coming days, Kreger emphasizes that the impending choices of these programs could mark a pivotal turning point for the future of private school football across the state.

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