The Cookeville Cavaliers are preparing for a Region 3/6A showdown where they will take on the Warren County Pioneers in the High School Football Game of the Week.
The Cavaliers (4-2, 1-2) are in need of a win as they try to keep pace with the undefeated Pioneers (6-0, 3-0) and several other teams at the top of the region.
The Cavs topped the Pioneers in a hard-fought 25-19 win in 2019.
“You always look back to see the previous year, and then compare that to what they’re doing now,” said CHS head coach Jimmy Maynord. “They’re very similar. They’re going to line up and run a power-type offense. They’re going to… run at you. It’s tough.”
The Pioneers are led by junior quarterback and safety CJ Taylor. Taylor is one of the top college prospects in the state who already has offers from schools including Mississippi State University and Tennessee Tech.
“Last year we had a difficult time containing him,” said Maynord. “He just makes everybody look pretty bad. He’s a strong kid, but he changes speed so much he just has a knack for making people miss. He’s a good athlete.”
Taylor has rushed for 1,112 yards and 15 touchdowns in six games while also throwing for 396 yards and three touchdowns. He leads a Pioneer offense that averages 32.7 points per game.
The Cavs defense had a bounce-back performance in the CHS 20-19 win over Coffee County. They held the Red Raiders to 163 total yards and surrendered 13 points (the other six came on a turnover).
Maynord said he hopes his defense is motivated by playing against a player like Taylor, but also the entire WCHS offense.
“It’s definitely going to be a challenge,” said Maynord. “It’s not just him. Their tailback is a good, hard runner who is difficult. It’s going to be a challenge on both sides of the ball.”
While the Pioneer offense has taken a step forward in 2020, Maynord said the defense is also a challenge for the Cavs.
“They’re doing a great job on defense,” said Maynord. “Their defense is solid. They’ve got big kids, physical kids, and kids who have played. There’s a reason that their 6-0 right now.”
The Cavaliers are currently tied for fourth in Region 3/6A with Blackman (1-5, 1-2). Warren County is in a three-way tie for first along with Oakland (6-0, 3-0) and Riverdale (5-1, 3-0). A win by the Cavs would put them just one game back of the Pioneers, and Warren County still must play Riverdale and Oakland this season. The top four teams from the region will make the postseason.
“We know we’ve got two region losses,” said Maynord. “The two teams sitting at the top don’t have any region losses, and Warren County doesn’t have any region losses so it makes it pretty obvious that you’re going to have to win out to get yourself in a position to be in the playoffs.”
It is not an unfamiliar position for Cookeville. In 2019 the team started 0-2 in the region before rattling off four straight wins to secure a playoff berth.
“We were sitting last year at 2-4 this time of the season,” said Maynord. “We had to win three out of the last four games to make the playoffs and we were able to do that. We’re kind of in the same situation right now. Every game is important. We play it a game at a time… There’s still a lot of football to be played.”
The matchup is the High School Football Game of the Week and will be broadcasted live on the UCR Facebook page and on Newstalk 107.7 and 1400 the HUB. Pregame coverage will start at 6:45 live from McMinnville.