Bradley Central beats Maryville for second time in 2023, advances to TSSAA 6A quarterfinals.

BY JEFF CATE (TEAM FYN SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR) – When you think of success in November in the TSSAA football playoffs, Maryville is one of the first programs that comes to mind. But the 2023 Bradley Central Bears football team is special and Friday night at Bear Stadium, the Bears took another step on their path to Chattanooga and the BlueCross Bowl while doing something not many teams across Tennessee have been able to do. Bradley Central knocked off Maryville 37-14 to become the first team since 1986 to beat the Rebels twice in the same season.

Boo Carter got things going early for Bradley Central on the second play of their first possession when he showed off his speed on his way to the endzone from 51 yards out and the Bears led 7-0 with 9:43 left in the opening quarter.

@boo_Carter6 doing his thing early, getting @BradleyBearsFB on the board first with this TD! Bears lead @MHSRebelsFB 7-0; 9:43/1Q #OTB423 #WGOWRedZone30 #BC6 @OffTheBenchCHA @redzonescores @jlsimsy @CorePower @97_sports @sportscowboy @Carlito25Way @SOTGsmoke @curtredzone

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Colton Foust and the Maryville offense answered right away when Foust got loose on a 55-yard score and the Rebels tied it up 7-7 with 6:55 remaining in the first quarter. Both defenses then took over on back-to-back possessions, with Maryville getting a turnover on downs when Bears quarterback Kaleb Martin was sacked on 4^th down and the Rebels got the ball back near midfield. Bradley Central’s defense returned the favor when Marcus Goree Jr. batted down a Will Jones pass at the Bears’ 34-yard line. Martin would find Jackson Wilson for a 35-yard touchdown on 4^th and 17 on the next possession to give the Bears the lead back 14-7 near the end of the first quarter, and that 14-7 margin would be the score at the end of the first 12 minutes.

Special teams made an appearance for both teams near the end of the second quarter. Maryville would pin Bradley Central at the 1-yard line and when the Bears couldn’t get much going, Martin punted back to the Rebels and giving them great field position inside Bradley Central territory. Jones found Eli Elkins on a pass down inside the 5-yard line on 4^th and 3 to keep the drive alive, then Gage LaDue scored on the very next play to tie the game up once again, 14-14, with 1:45 left in the first half. Carter then returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards 14 seconds later for a game changing score and a 21-14 lead, taking away any momentum Maryville had after the LaDue score. After the kickoff back to the Rebels, Wiley Suskawicz intercepted Jones and the Bears setup shop inside the red zone. Bradley Central got points with a field goal as the horn sounded and a 14-14 tie wound up being a 24-14 Bears’ halftime lead in a span of 1:45.

Both teams traded 4^th down attempts not being converted to begin the third quarter, the first when Martin’s pass fell incomplete. Number 12 in black and gold made up for the incomplete pass by intercepting a Jones pass inside the Bears’ 10-yard line and taking it back to the 17.

@MHSRebelsFB were on the move but faced a 4th down, then @ElijahMar1 came away with the interception for @BradleyBearsFB! #OTB423 #WGOWRedZone30 @OffTheBenchCHA @redzonescores @jlsimsy @CorePower @97_sports @sportscowboy @Carlito25Way @SOTGsmoke @curtredzone @boo_Carter6

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The 24-14 halftime score would be the score going into the fourth quarter.

Carter would get the first score of the fourth quarter when he bounced outside on raced 12 yards for his third touchdown of the night, extending the Bradley Central lead to 30-14 (the extra point was blocked).

@boo_Carter6 diving for the end zone and getting a big 6 for @BradleyBearsFB! His third TD of the night gives the Bears a 30-14 lead over @MHSRebelsFB (blocked PAT); 8:56/4Q #OTB423 #WGOWRedZone30 @OffTheBenchCHA @redzonescores @jlsimsy @CorePower @97_sports

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Tito Williams made a highlight reel interception on the Rebels next possession, giving the Bears the ball back inside the Maryville 10-yard line.

“T” (Tito Williams) and Marcus (Goree, Jr.) both made some unbelievable plays”, Bradley Central head coach Damon Floyd said. “The one that Tito took away on the screen was huge because it said that’s it… ballgame. We talk a lot about reaping what you sow, and these guys (the team) put in the work and now they’re benefitting from it”.

Martin would score on a 5-yard run to push the Bradley Central lead to 37-14 with 7:53 remaining. Carter would add an interception to his stat line and Williams would be an exclamation point on the Bears’ night with a tackle for loss on 4^th down with Maryville driving inside Bradley Central territory.

@BradleyBearsFB head coach @DFloyd02 after the Bears’ 37-14 victory over Maryville in the playoffs! #OTB423 #WGOWRedZone30 @OffTheBenchCHA @redzonescores @jlsimsy @CorePower @97_sports @boo_Carter6 @TitoWilliams21 @JalanTerry1 @marcusgoree_2 @ElijahMar1

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Bradley Central (12-0) advances to the quarterfinals of the 6A playoffs and will host Bearden after the Bulldogs knocked off Jefferson County last Friday night. The Bears beat Bearden 46-14 on October 26^th. Maryville’s season ends with a record of 7-5.

Follow Jeff Cate on “X” at @TheJeffCate