It’s officially playoff time for Tennessee high school football!
After a three-year absence, the Chuckey-Doak Black Knights (5-5, 2-3) are back in the Class 3A playoffs, but will face a tough challenge in the first round as the Black Knights visit No. 2 ranked Meigs County (10-0, 5-0) on Friday night.
The Black Knights have not appeared in the playoffs since 2023 and in that season Chuckey-Doak matched up with No. 1 ranked, and eventual State Champion, Alcoa. This year it’s along the same lines. It’s a privilege to play in November, but the Black Knights receive a tough challenge again.
“The opportunity is still the same. To play in the playoffs is a privilege. I’ve been a part of a lot of high school football teams over the last 20-plusy ears. Everybody doesn’t make the playoffs. It’s a special thing to have the opportunity to go play after the time changes. When you’re a coach and you have to start worrying about when it gets dark for practice and to turn the lights on, that’s a good thing,” Chuckey-Doak Head Coach Billy Kaylor expressed.
No. 2 Meigs County has won 20 out of the last 21 games. The only loss was to Gatlinburg-Pittman in last year’s Class 3A Quarterfinals. The Tigers have also won 18-straight home games and have not lost at home since a 35-16 loss to Stone Memorial on September 20, 2024.
“Obviously, it’s a very good football team,” Coach Kaylor stated. “Meigs is a very talented football team.”
Chuckey-Doak finished the regular season with an even 5-5 record and finished the season on a three-game losing streak. The Black Knights have been a streaky team this season with a three-game winning streak to begin the season followed by a two-game losing streak. A two-game winning streak happened next before the eventual three-game losing skid.
Meigs County averages 40.3 points per game on offense and only allows 11.2 points per game on defense. Coach Kaylor stressed how much Meigs County will attempt to run the ball on Friday night.
“They run the football very well and are good up front. They want to come out and run the football. The quarterback is a good player and they like to run the quarterback. The running back is very talented. Like I said, they are good up front. They will give you 12-14 different formations.”
Chuckey-Doak’s offense averages 28.6 points per game and the defense allows 26.2 points per game.
The Black Knights are led by junior quarterback Kiptyn Ball. Freshman Brody Myers poses a threat in many different areas on offense and plays multiple different positions. The four-back system of Brayden Greene, Marcus Britt, Zaiden Schacke, and Avery Parkey will attempt to establish the run game and open up the pass game for Ball to find wideouts Skylar Davis, Braxton Lowe, and Cobe Love.
Friday will be Chuckey-Doak and Meigs County’s first-ever meeting on the gridiron.
“You never know what’s going to happen. All you can do is prepare to go play good football teams,” Coach Kaylor stated.
Kickoff is set for 7 PM at Meigs County High School on Friday night.
