For the first time in school history, South Greene hosted a 6A opponent on Rebel Hill, putting up a “strong and relentless” fight, but ultimately falling 26-22 in its season opener.
Head coach Shawn Jones praised his squad afterward, saying, “We got some breaks and we gave up some breaks, and we felt as if we should have won that game. We’ll go back to work next week and see what happens as we try to improve from Week One to Week Two.”
The Rebels took the field honoring their late teammate, Braxton Wilhoit, who tragically passed away in an ATV accident last year. After winning the toss and deferring to the second half, both teams traded early punts as offenses struggled to find rhythm.
The first spark came from Jaden Estepp, who electrified the home crowd by stepping in front of a Josiah Valentine pass and racing 55 yards for a pick-six. Brant Wilhoit’s extra point made it 7-0 with 4:57 left in the first quarter.
On Morristown East’s next possession, Estepp struck again, picking up his second interception of the game and setting his team up for another scoring opportunity.
Tripp Neas and Nash Rader powered the Rebels’ offense before Rader punched it in from nine yards out. Another Wilhoit kick stretched the lead to 14-0 with 2:42 left in the first.
The Hurricanes answered in the second quarter. Valentine connected with Braeden Johnson on a 10-yard touchdown, though the extra point was blocked by Charlie Lane.
Just before halftime, Valentine struck again—this time hitting Brett Smith for a 28-yard score, followed by a successful two-point conversion to tie the game at 14-14. Valentine finished 15-of-29 for 122 yards and two touchdowns.
The third quarter turned into a grind, with both teams battling cramps and a barrage of penalties. In total, 27 flags were thrown for 245 yards—14 on South Greene (125 yards) and 13 on East (120 yards).
The Rebels briefly regained momentum when a bad snap sailed through the Hurricane end zone for a safety, giving them a 16-14 lead with 7:23 left in the quarter.
Neas led South Greene’s ground game, breaking loose for a 40-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Although the extra point failed, the Rebels went up 22-14 with 11:08 remaining.
East responded instantly when Brett Smith fielded the ensuing kickoff at the 8-yard line and sprinted 92 yards to the house, cutting the deficit to 22-20. The two-point try failed, keeping South Greene ahead.
The Hurricanes delivered the final blow with 5:18 left, as Joseph Gamble bulldozed into the end zone from five yards out for a 26-22 lead. Gamble finished with 115 yards on 20 carries.
South Greene fought until the end, driving into Hurricane territory in the final seconds, but a turnover with four ticks left ended their comeback bid.
The Rebels totaled 193 yards of offense—119 on the ground (all in the second half) and 74 through the air. East finished with a balanced 246 yards, split between 124 rushing and 122 passing.
Next week, South Greene hits the road to face the Daniel Boone Trailblazers.
South Greene took on their first ever 6A opponent in a 26-22 loss to Morristown East on Friday night. Hear what Head Coach Shawn Jones’ thoughts were after last night. pic.twitter.com/B2njDCkprT
— GreeneSportsZone (@GSportsZone) August 23, 2025
