Jefferson Middle School quarterback Jack Replogle (18), an eighth-grader, runs against CAK on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015. (Photo by Heather Hartman)
The Jefferson Middle School Eagles are undefeated, and the 5-0 team will play Webb at home on Thursday. It will be one of the last few games of the football season.
“It’s going to be a competitive, tough game,” said Brian Wilson, Eagles football coach and JMS physical education teacher.
The Eagles will play the Robertsville Middle School Rams on Thursday, October 1.
The Tennessee Valley Athletic Conference will have its league championship on Thursday, October 8, although it’s not clear yet who will play. The team that is ranked number one will host it. That will be the end of the middle school season.
The Eagles beat CAK 48-6 on Thursday, September 10. Jefferson Middle has also defeated Lenoir City, Clinton, Grace Christian, and Norris. Grace Christian, which is also at the top of the league, has only lost one game and that was to JMS, Wilson said.
“We’ve done well, but we have still a steep hill to climb as a city and to get to a league championship,” Wilson said.
He said the game this Thursday has a 6 p.m. kickoff. It’s also Armed Forces Recognition Night.
Wilson said one of the team’s strengths is its eighth-grade leadership. The Eagles are heavy on eighth-graders.
“Our eight-grade leadership has been really strong and a key to our success,” Wilson said. “They’re the ones that really provide the leadership.”
He said JMS went through “tough knocks” last year and grew this year. The Eagles have a learning system and philosophy that includes a focus on four phrases: discipline, hard work, teamwork, and a never-quit attitude.
“The players have really bought into that philosophy this year,” Wilson said.
It’s the second year for the eight-team Tennessee Valley Athletic Conference, or TVAC, and three of the teams are new this year: Norris, Clinton, and Grace Christian. The other teams are Robertsville Middle School, Webb, CAK, Lenoir City, and JMS.
“This is just a real competitive league from top to bottom,” Wilson said.
He said team records can be thrown out for the city championship game between JMS and RMS.
“It’s always a big game,” Wilson said.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
Carrying the ball above is Isaiah Johnson (20) of Jefferson Middle School, who had a great game at CAK on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015. (Photo by Heather Hartman)
Jonathan Ellis of Jefferson Middle School (23), a leader on defense, makes a tackle against CAK on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015. (Photo by Heather Hartman)
Jefferson Middle School JV quarterback Mitchell Gibbons (17) runs with the ball as Matthew Swigert (15), also a JV player, blocks on Thursday, Sept. 2015. They were put in for the final series of downs and scored. (Photo by Heather Hartman)
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