With the high school football regular season halfway over games are going to start meaning a lot more, and that begins tomorrow night for each of the three Tipton County teams.
The Covington-Dyersburg game might not get as much attention locally as the Munford-Brighton game, but it could have even more playoff ramifications.
Covington coach J.R. Kirby and Dyersburg coach Bart Stowe will never say this publicly, but the winner of this game will almost certainly win the Region 7-3A title.
The Chargers and the Trojans are both 5-0 overall and 2-0 in region play. Covington is ranked second in this week’s Associated Press Class 3A state poll and Dyersburg is ranked fifth.
While each team will have two more region games to play after this one, there is definitely a talent drop off between Dyersburg and Covington and the other four teams in the league.
Dyersburg and Covington have one common opponent so far this season. Covington beat Munford 41-8 and Dyersburg beat the Cougars 27-24.
The Brighton-Munford matchup Friday in Brighton has more complicated ramifications in Region 8-5A.
Munford (4-2 overall, 2-0 region) can still win the region title outright, and that’s the stated goal of the team.
“I’ve been telling them all year the biggest game is the next one,” Munford head coach Slade Calhoun said. “The biggest game of the year was the last one vs. Dyer County and now this is the biggest one. Our goal is to be region champs and to do that we feel like we need to win them all and control our own destiny. Of course you can win it other ways, but we want to win it outright so we need to win this one.”
Brighton’s (4-2, 1-1) path to a region title is different. The Cardinals lost to undefeated Memphis Central in Week 5, but if they win the rest of their region games they could still get there.
Munford plays Central in the regular season finale.
Like Calhoun, Brighton head coach Mike David said Friday’s game is no more or no less important than the other nine.
“It’s going to be a great game,” he said. “We’re trying to treat this as any other game. We’re going to try and do what we do best and not make a lot of changes. They are a very good football team, very-well coached, play hard.”
Week 7 Previews
What: Brighton (4-2) vs. Munford (4-2)
Where: Brighton
When: Friday at 7
Players to watch: Brighton – QB Nick Harvell, RB Braxton Sharp, DL Jacob Rodriquez, RB Ty Stark; Munford – RB Auvic White, QB Jordan Bell, WR Icarius Hodgin, LB Ben Cerniglia
One thing to know: Braxton Sharp has been battling an injury the last two weeks. Brighton head coach Mike David said Sharp’s status for Friday’s game is questionable.
What: Covington (5-0) vs. Dyersburg (5-0)
Where: Dyersburg
When: Friday night at 7
Players to watch: Covington – RB Jamarion Dowell, RB Jalen Fayne, LB A.C. Mason, LB Christian Barbee
One thing to know: Both teams are ranked in the top 10 of the Class 3A Associated Press state poll, Covington is ranked second and Dyersburg is fifth.
What: Tipton-Rosemark (3-3) vs. Jackson Christian (4-2)
Where: Rosemark
When: Friday at 7 p.m.
Players to watch: Rosemark – QB Payne Fullen, OL Gibson Phillips, WR Sam Cannon, WR Tyler Byrd
One thing to know: Jackson Christian defeated Rosemark 40-0 last season.
