Siegel Stars' Football Season Ends

By Caleb Gillespie

            MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The fifth-seeded Siegel Stars Lost 35-0 in the TSSAA State Football Playoffs to the one-seeded Oakland Patriots on Nov. 15 at a cold, rainy and packed Patriot Stadium in Murfreesboro.

            This was the second meeting of the season between the two teams. The first contest occurred in week three of the District 7-AAA regular season and was contrastingly different. The quarterback of Siegel High, Dakota Crane, led a valiant charge in the eventual 35-25 loss. That was a regular season game though, and it had been played on the Stars home field. An unbeaten Patriots team at home in the playoffs is an entirely different beast.

            The Pats came out and dominated the first half. Both the defensive and offensive line had their way with Siegel’s front. Dakota Crane and the offense could not get anything going, as Oakland’s d-line was practically living in the backfield. DL Jack Jones and Kevin Yates were able to overpower the Stars with brute strength and experience, as they have District 7-AAA all season. After an early rushing touchdown by Oakland’s Fred Wade, and an interception by the Oakland defense that killed a Siegel drive, helped the Patriots jump out to a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

            The second quarter featured more of the same from the Patriots. The offensive line created huge holes for Patriot running back Fred Wade to abuse, and Fred Wade did. The Patriots run game would amass almost 200 yards rushing in the first half, with the majority of yards gained by either Wade or quarterback Rhett Stacey. Siegel would go on to fumble the ball to kill another drive, as Oakland went to the half up 28-0.

            The second half was slow and defensive. Both teams’ kept making great defensive plays until late in the third, after Dakota’s second interception set up a Rhett Stacey rushing touchdown to make it 35-0 Patriots. Both teams would go scoreless in the fourth, and that would stand as the final score.

            Oakland would wind up amassing 299 rushing yards on 30 carries. That’s 9.69 yards per carry, or basically, a first down every time the Pats rushed the ball. It is a sad send-off for the seniors on the Stars team, as they had battled up and down all season, but hung tough throughout. Not many thought this young team would make the second  round of the state playoffs, and it is a testament to the players’ will that they advanced that far.

            “It’s disappointing,” Coach Greg Wyant said. “These kids have had a great season regardless. Oakland’s an outstanding football team.”

The Stars finish the season at 8-4, with a 3-3 District 7-AAA record. Coming in to the season, the Stars were replacing mega-talent quarterback Brent Stockstill and wide receiver/defensive back Taye Martin, two of the best to ever play for the stars.

            “The kids stepped up this year,” Wyant said. “We have such tough games week in, week out in the District, some radio host for 104.5 the zone compared the division to the SEC, and it felt like it this year.”

 With so much youth gaining valuable experience and the continued progression of the Stars Knox brothers, the future looks bright for the stars.

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