Joe Maine and the Farragut Admirals got to work on Bill Clabo Field in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Monday, July 20, 2020. (Photo by Danny Parker)
As questions about the 2020 high school football season continue to multiply, the Admirals continue to forge ahead with off-season workouts. While this summer has been anything but routine for the Farragut Football Admirals, a new sense of normalcy is beginning to set in. Whether it is having your temperature checked upon arrival, supplying your own water, or being required to wear a face mask at times, players are settling into the new routine.
Dawson Moore and the Farragut Admirals got to work on Bill Clabo Field in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Monday, July 20, 2020. (Photo by Danny Parker and 5Star Preps)
Summer workouts are typically the final preparation point for a player before the grind of two-a-days and the regular season begin. Summer workouts not only prepare the body, but also the mind for all of the details that a season necessitates. Players reported May 26th, after the Knox County Health Department gave the go-ahead and set strict guidelines for having organized team activities
Trey Nesbitt and the Farragut Admirals got to work on Bill Clabo Field in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Monday, July 20, 2020. (Photo by Danny Parker and 5Star Preps)
With the exception of large group activities, workouts have followed a very similar structure as in years past. The one glaring difference has been the absence of 7-on-7 activities. June and the first part of July is typically the time where quarterbacks, wide receivers, linebackers, and defensive backs are able to compete against other teams and get the competitive juices following before putting on pads.
Even though we are at the point where shoulder pads should be popping, we are still in a holding pattern awaiting the green light to enter the next phase of practice.
Matt White and the Farragut Admirals got to work on Bill Clabo Field in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Monday, July 20, 2020. (Photo by Danny Parker and 5Star Preps)
The season was set to begin on August 21st when Bradley County traveled to Bill Clabo Field, but that contest is looking more uncertain with every passing day that there is no more guidance from state officials. The governing body of Tennessee high school athletics, the TSSAA, did announce contingency plans for football if the current ban on contact sports is not lifted before Aug. 29th. You can read more about that plan by clicking here. The ban, as it stands, does not allow for padded football practice until August 29th. From then, it would take at least a couple of weeks for full preparation before a season could commence.
Whenever the season does begin, the Admirals will be well prepared and ready for the challenge that is 6A football. The summer workouts, even in there altered state, are the catalyst for that preparation. Stay tuned to this website, as well as our Twitter feed, click here for that, for all the latest information and updates about the upcoming season.
A special thanks to Danny Parker and 5Star Preps for covering workouts and shooting some wonderful photos and the video above, a full article and gallery are available by CLICKING HERE. Should you be interested in purchasing a picture or two, please email Danny at ParkerPhotography@Yahoo.com.
Below is the order form for masks supporting our Farragut Admiral Football Team. They come in Navy and Gray and have an anchor, football or a star- Your choice! Click on the order form and you can see them all! They are high quality and are only $5.00, so you can order one of each! Once they arrive , you will be emailed and told where to pick up or make other arrangements! Masks will be available for pickup in early August (7-10 days). Thank you all for your support and please share with all in the community! GO ADS!!
The Admirals opened the 2019 TSSAA 6A Playoffs at home against Bradley Central on Friday night. Farragut and Bradley met in the first game of the season and the Admirals won that contest 37-30 in a thriller. The Admirals were looking to beat the Bears again to advance to the 2nd round of the 2019 Playoffs.
Eli Purcell carries the ball against Bradley Central on 11/8. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com
Farragut received the opening kickoff and the offense was quick to hit its stride. Gavin Wilkinson found Isaiah Arrington on the fifth play of the drive for a 63-yard touchdown reception. The Admirals jumped out to a 7-0 start with 9:39 left in the opening quarter. The Bradley offense was quick to answer however, scoring on the first play of the drive on a 63-yard run that tied the score 7-7 with 9:18 left on the clock. The Admirals took over the ball and were again quick to strike. This time it was via Eli Purcell’s 39-yard touchdown run that put the Admirals back ahead 14-7 following Simeon Sharp’s extra point.
Trey Nesbitt makes a tackle against Bradley Central on 11/8. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com
The Admiral defense rebounded nicely on the following drive, starting out with a 2 yard tackle-for-loss on first down and a run for no gain on second down. The defensive front forced pressure and the secondary added tight coverage to force an incompletion and a three-and-out series. For the third consecutive drive, the Farragut offense was quick to strike, this time Gabe Hensley set himself up for a two yard touchdown after a 55-yard run.
Gabe Hensley carries the ball against Bradley Central on 11/8. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com
The Admirals extended their lead to 21-7 with 6:07 left in the 1st. The Farragut defense followed up with another three-and-out that gave the Admiral offense the ball back at their own 40. The Admirals, for the fourth consecutive drive, would waste no time getting into the end zone as quarterback Gavin Wilkinson would scramble 24 yards for another Farragut touchdown, putting the Farragut lead at 28-7 to end the 1st.
Fumbles on two consecutive drives by the Bradley Bears gave the Admirals the ball back on the Bradley side of the field. A 36-yard Gavin Wilkinson to Alec Keathley completion gave way to Keathley scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run 3 plays later to give the Admirals a 35-7 lead with 10:08 left in the half. On the ensuing possession, he Bears embarked on a 17-play drive, but the Admirals stepped up to force a turnover on downs inside the 5 yard line.
Isaiah Arrington catches a touchdown pass against Bradley Central on 11/8. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com
The next Farragut offensive drive yielded an unusual result for the night and saw the Admiral punt for the first time on the night. Another three-and-out by Bradley and the Admirals wound up wit the ball with :58 left to play before halftime. Unfazed by the time crunch, the Admirals made quick work of the possession as Gavin Wilkinson found Isiah Arrington on a 75-yard touchdown pass. The Admirals lead 42-7 at going into fhalftime.
Dylan Cosey returns a fumble against Bradley Central on 11/8. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com
Set to kickoff to the Bears, Farragut looked to open the half without taking their foot off of the gas. The Admiral kickoff team did just that. Bridges Coffey forced a fumble on the return and Dylan Cosey was there to scoop it up and score from 30 yards out. This put the Admirals ahead 49-7 and gave them insurance on the continuous running clock. Bradley did not lay down, they completed a 75-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the ensuing drive to bring the Farragut lead to 49-13 after a missed XP attempt with 10:36 left to play in the 3rd. The next Farragut drive ended in an interception, but Bradley was unable to convert on 4th down as the 4th quarter began.
Roy Moore carries the ball against Bradley Central on 11/8. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com
After the defensive stand, the Admirals began getting invaluable game experience for the future. Roy Moore’s 56-yard run proved to be the catalyst for the drive.
Zach Keasling catches a touchdown pass against Bradley Central on 11/8. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com
On the 9th play of the drive, Dawson Moore found Zach Keasling for an 11-yard touchdown pass, which extended the Admiral lead to 56-13 with 5:34 left to play. Bradley Central would find the end zone one more time to put the final score at 56-21.
The Admirals advance to play at Maryville next Friday night in the 2nd round of the 2019 TSSAA Playoffs. Kickoff is set for 7:00pm next Friday.
A special thanks to Carlos Reveiz and Ashley Wathen of CRFOTO for the action shots from the game. Be sure to checkout CRFOTO.com every week for a full photo gallery from Friday’s game. See a photo you like? They are also available for purchase directly from his website. Click here for this week’s photos.
With a playoff opportunity hanging in the balance, Farragut hosted Jefferson County on Friday night for the final game of the 2019 regular season. Best case, the Admirals would host a first round playoff game, worst case Farragut would be turning in their pads on Monday, but the focus was on one thing, winning.
Eli Purcell makes a tackle against Jefferson County on 11/1. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com
Jeff County won the coin toss and decided to defer giving the Admirals the ball to begin the game. A fumble, however, on the opening kickoff would give the Patriots the ball on the Admiral 28 yard line. The Admiral defense would answer as a Micah Johnson interception on the first play would give the Admirals the ball right back. Farragut’s offense went to work at their own 27 yard line looking to strike first. Two quick completions for 25 yards moved the ball passed midfield, then 4 straight rushes moved the ball further down field to the Patriot 38. However, three straight incompletions followed for the Admirals and they were forced to punt the ball away. Jefferson County would take over at their own 20 and look to establish their running offense quickly. The Patriots were able to march down to the Farragut 35, but the Admiral defense was able to hold strong on 4th and 3 to turn the Patriots over on downs.
Farragut took over at their own 34, again looking to strike first. After picking up 25 yards on the first four plays of the drive, a 41-yard Eli Purcell touchdown run put the Admirals on the board first, giving the Admirals a 6-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
After a Jefferson County punt, the Admirals took over at the Patriot 49 yard line. A conversion on 4th-and-4 setup a 36-yard Gavin Wilkinson to Matt White touchdown pass that extended the Admiral lead to 13-0 with 10:53 left in the 2nd. The Jefferson County offense looked to answer, and a 45-yard run put them in prime position to do so, scoring 4 plays later from 6 yards out.
Alec Keathley catches a pass against Jefferson County on 11/1. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com
After a successful 2 point try, Farragut still lead 13-8 with 7:28 left before half. The Admirals took over at their own 31 hoping to extend the lead again. An 8-yard rush on 3rd and 6 was followed by a 52-yard Gavin Wilkinson to Alec Keathley pass that would put the ball at the 5 yard line with the Admirals looking to score. That score would come 2 plays later when Alec Keathley found the end zone from 3 yards out and extended the Admiral lead to 20-8 with 4:47 left before half. Jefferson County took over trying to score before half and cut the lead knowing they would get the ball to begin the 2nd half. Running on 7 of their first 8 plays gave way for another run, but this time it was for 39 yards and a Patriot touchdown. The Admirals still lead 20-16 at halftime.
The Admirals tackle the quarterback against Jefferson County on 11/1. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com
Jefferson County carried their run heavy offense into the 3rd quarter, embarking on a 15-play, 65-yard drive that was extended by a roughing the punter penalty that gave the Patriots new life. The drive took up nearly half of the 3rd quarter and was capped off by a 1-yard touchdown run, followed by a failed 2 point try. The Patriots took the lead for the first time in the game, 22-20 with 6:38 left in the 3rd.
Mason Collins catches his first career TD pass against Jefferson County on 11/1. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com
The Admirals would not trail for long, as Gavin Wilkinson found Mason Collins for a 65-yard touchdown reception, the first of Collins’ career, and gave the Admirals a 27-22 lead with 6:26 left in the 3rd. Like a boxing match that saw two fighters exchanging haymakers, the Patriots would waste no time answering. A 75-yard touchdown would put Jefferson County back on top 28-27 with 3:25 left in the 3rd. A 32-yard Jackson Fontenot kickoff return set the Farragut offense with the ball at the Patriot 40 yard line. It would take 8 plays for the Admirals to punch it in, as a 13-yard Gavin Wilkinson to Alec Keathley pass again lit the scoreboard up for the Admirals. Farragut again found themselves on top 33-28 as the 4th quarter began.
Jefferson County took over at the Farragut 21 yard line looking for a drive similar to the one that began the 2nd half for them, one that would chew up the clock and result in a touchdown. A 16-play drive would follow, seeing the Patriots rush 13 times and score on an 8-yard run. The Patriots regained the lead 34-33 with 5:03 left to play. The Admirals knew what hung in the balance as several scenarios had played out at other games throughout the region.
The season came down to the final five minutes and three seconds of this game. Scoring and stopping the Patriots would mean hosting a first round playoff game, while failing to do so meant the season would end and playoff hopes dashed. A determined Admiral offense took over at their own 29 yard line with the season lying in their hands.
Logan Foody intercepts a pass against Jefferson County on 11/1. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com
A healthy mix of run and pass on the drive, along with strategic clock management, saw an Alec Keathley 10-yard touchdown run with :42 left to play give the lead back to the Admirals, 39-34. The had :42 left to play to secure a spot in the playoffs. The Patriots started possession from their own 18-yard line after great kickoff coverage by Eli Purcell. Jefferson County completed consecutive passes for 13 and 14 yards, respectively, to move the ball close to midfield. Two plays later, a Logan Foody interception sealed the Admirals fate and gave them a 39-34 win over Jefferson County.
The Admirals finished the regular season at 5-5 overall and 4-2 in region 1-6Aplay. With the win, the Admirals earned right to host Bradley County in Round 1 of the 2019 TSSAA Playoffs. Farragut and Bradley met in week 1 of the regular season this year, where the Admirals outlasted the Bears 37-30.
A special thanks to Carlos Reveiz and Ashley Wathen of CRFOTO for the action shots from the game. Be sure to checkout CRFOTO.com every week for a full photo gallery from Friday’s game. See a photo you like? They are also available for purchase directly from his website. Click here for this week’s photos.
The Admirals returned home on Friday night to take on Bearden in the annual Battle for West Knoxville. Both teams carried a 2-1 region record into the game and were looking for the driver’s seat for a home playoff home.
Alec Keathley carries the ball against Bearden on 10/17. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com
The Admirals won the toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff, looking to establish an early lead. A 42-yard Alec Keathley run proved to be the spark Farragut needed and led to a 12-yard Gavin Wilkinson to Hunter Shopovick touchdown pass. After a mishandled snap on the XP attempt, the Admirals led 6-0 with 7:38 left in the first quarter. The Farragut defense opened the game looking to build on the momentum created by the offense’s touchdown. After giving up one first down, the Admiral defense held strong on 3rd-and-6 to force a Bulldog punt.
Gabe Hensley runs the ball against Bearden on 10/17. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com
An 8-yard Gabe Hensley run on first down looked to be a catalyst for another scoring drive, but a penalty on 3rd down backed the Admirals up and force a Farragut punt. The Admiral defense returned to the field looking to build on their last series. This time, a goal line stand would be in order, as the Admirals stopped the Bulldogs three straight play for no gain. Those three stops by Eli Purcell, Dylan Cosey, and Andrew Doane, gave the ball back to the Farragut offense as the first quarter came to a close.
Farragut makes a tackle for loss against Bearden on 10/17. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com
With their back’s against the wall, the Admiral offense looked to march 97 yards for another touchdown. However, they were unable to establish their run game and a had to punt it away. The ensuing Bulldog drive proved to be more of the same for the Admiral defense, as a three and out gave the ball back to the Admiral offense. After picking up a pair of first downs, the Admirals were unable to convert on 3rd-and-8, forcing another punt. Bearden’s offense would put together their best drive of the night to that point, but were unable to convert it into points, as the Bulldogs missed a 36 yard attempt. The score at halftime remained 6-0 in favor of Farragut.
A host of Admirals make a tackle against Bearden on 10/17. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com
The Admiral defense returned in the 2nd half looking to continue the shutout. The Bearden offense found a spark after two big pass completions, but the Admiral defense would hold strong yet again, with Eli Purcell coming up with a minus yard tackle, a reverse was stopped by Dawson Brown and Joe Maine, and finally a Alec Keathley came up with a big sack on 4th-and-9 to kill the Bulldog drive. The ensuing Farragut possession looked promising after a 21-yard Eli Purcell run on 2nd down, but a fumble on the next play stopped the drive. The Bearden offense took over and marched down the field, but found themselves in a familiar 4th and long situation, but this time they were able to convert with a 31-yard touchdown pass. This gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the game at 7-6 with 3:21 left in the 3rd. The Admiral offense looked to answer the Bulldog score and a 15-yard Alec Keathley run on first down helped jumpstart the drive.
Gavin Wilkinson throws the ball against Bearden on 10/17. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com
Keathley found himself at quarterback on 3rd-and-4 and an eleven yard run would allow the Admirals to convert. Five plays later a 28-yard Gabe Hensley touchdown run, and a Gavin Wilkinson to Alec Keathley conversion on the 2-point play, gave the lead back to Farragut 14-7 at the end of the 3rd quarter.
Farragut’s defense returned to the field looking to defend it’s lead and did just that, forcing another Bearden punt. The ensuing drive for the Admirals looked promising after a 23-yard Gavin Wilkinson to Alec Keathley pass completion, but a fumble two plays later ended the Farragut drive. Bearden’s offense returned to the field looking to capitalize on the Farragut mistake and tie the game.
Eli Purcell celebrates a Bearden fumble on 10/17. PHOTO CREDIT: Carlos Reveiz/Ashley Wathen, CRFOTO.com
After marching down to the Admiral 31-yard line, an Eli Purcell sack fumble on 4th-and-10 was recovered by Alec Keathley with 2:54 left to play. The Admiral offense took over looking to pick up a couple first downs and run the clock out. They did just that after an 8-yard Gabe Hensley run on 3rd-and-5 sealed the 14-7 victory for the Admirals.
The victory over Bearden lifted the Admirals to 4-4 on the season and 3-1 in region play. It also gave the Admirals the driver’s seat to a home playoff game in the first round. The Admirals are on the road next week as they take on another rival and region foe, Hardin Valley.
A special thanks to Carlos Reveiz and Ashley Wathen of CRFOTO for the action shots from the game. Be sure to checkout CRFOTO.com every week for a full photo gallery from Friday’s game. See a photo you like? They are also available for purchase directly from his website. Click here for this week’s photos.
