By Rusty Ellis and Michael Lindsay
The Upperman Bees and York Institute Dragons are playing Black Friday Football this season as both teams prepare for semifinal contests. York Institute (13-0) hosts East Robertson (12-1) while Upperman (13-0) travels to Greeneville (11-0).
Here’s everything you need to get ready for both games.
Upperman Heads To Greeneville For Battle Of Undefeated Contenders
The Upperman Bees are back in the semifinal round for the third time under head coach Adam Caine, as their 17-14 win over Macon County on Friday propelled them forward.
It’s a tough feat just to win a playoff game, but the Bees have won 13 games in a row and put themselves in a position to take the next step as a program.
Caine knows it’s impressive what the team has done, even if he knows the team isn’t fully satisfied yet. That’s the mentality Upperman has had since the end of the 2022 season.
“We felt like we left a lot of meat on the bone last year,” Caine said. “It left a very bad taste in my mouth when we got beat down there at East Hamilton, beaten by a team I thought we were clearly better than. I think everyone wanted to win, but I don’t think everyone was willing to do what it took to win. We talked very openly about that with this group, and we made some changes. We were going to make sure our focus was football and nothing else during the confines of the season, and this team embraced that.”
Two years ago, this team was in a similar spot when it rolled into Elizabethton, a game that current seniors such as Jaxson Rollins and Clayton Harris saw action in.
It didn’t go the Bees’ way, as they fell to the fighting Cyclones 23-6 and missed the championship by one game.
Caine says the lights may have been too bright the first time around, and that this time, he believes his team will be more prepared.
“I’ve always said the talent is here,” Caine said. “I’ve always said if I get 25 or 30 kids who are serious about football, we can make a run. I think that’s the case with this group…they go about it the right way. One good thing is the last three times, we faced defending champions. This will be a game where we’re not facing a defending champion, and I think that makes it a little less daunting, because the difference is that teams that have that experience in these games have such a huge advantage.”
Standing in the Bees’ way this time is their biggest hurdle yet: the 11-0 Greeneville Greene Devils. Carson Quillen is force out of the backfield for GHS, and they also boast several weapons through the air that’ll keep the Bees honest.
And that’s not even getting into the defense. Suffice to say, Caine has plenty of positive things to say about GHS on both sides of the football.
“They play with really good technique, and their back-7 guys run about as well as any team I’ve seen,” Caine said. “They’re a really quality defensive football team…offensively, I’ve been impressed with their offensive line. Their tailback is a really dynamic player, he’s a guy they count on to get the ball into the endzone. There’s a lot of talent on the outside, though they lean on their run-game a little heavier.”
It’ll take a perfect game, and then some, for the Bees to keep their season alive another week. All of that begins with dealing with all the nerves early and staying within range of the Greene Devils, and then playing their style once both teams settle in.
“There’s a certain pressure that if you’re not able to manage it, especially early on, you’re going to find yourself in a hole,” Caine said. “Teams are so good in this round, you dig yourself a 10-point hole, you can’t count on the ability to score that many points…you’ve got to stay within reach, and a lot of that has to do with that first quarter. We need to move the football and get first downs, and we need to get stops, especially early one.”
Tune in to the UCR Facebook page, YouTube channel and the NFHS Network for our live coverage of the game, with pregame beginning at 5:15 P.M. CT.
York Institute Hosts East Robertson With Chattanooga On The Line
The AP #1-Ranked York Institute Dragons are set to face the 12-1 East Robertson Indians Friday evening in Jamestown with a trip to the Class 2A state championship game awaiting the winner.
“When you’re at this game, it’s ideal to be at home,” said York Institute head coach Derwin Wright. “But once you step on that field, they’ll have 11 on the field and we have to go play. East Robertson went on the road last week and got a big win, so it’s nice for us to not be traveling, but we have to go out and play our best game.”
The 12-1 Indians have Power 5 talent on their roster as senior 4-star linebacker/running back Elijah Groves committed to Kentucky over Purdue and NC State in July.
“They (East Robertson) have a very talented tailback and two of his brothers on the team,” Wright said. “Elijah Groves is a Division-I committee with the other two right behind him. They have a big offensive and defensive line, and they’re a very impressive 2A football team. They’re a little more run than pass, but when they do throw it they can beat you deep.
“Defensively, they’re in a 6-2, 4-4 type look with two of the Groves brothers coming from the outside,” Wright said. “This is a great semifinal challenge for us.”
East Robertson averages 39.2 points per game while surrendering 11.3 while York Institute posts 36.5 points per game while giving up 7.5.
York Institute’s non-region schedule featured multiple challenges in preparation for a deep playoff run. When asked about facing challenges similar to East Robertson, Wright referenced their week 9 opponent.
“We did in Friendship Christian with their O-Line and D-Line,” he said. “They had a running back that was downhill; this guy (Groves) runs differently, but they’re both very explosive. If you don’t play your gap responsibilities, he’s gone.”
The Dragons are led offensively by quarterback Myles Leffew, who has racked up 1,241 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground while throwing for 814 yards and 9 touchdowns through the air.
Running back Riylin Miller has 994 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns entering Friday’s game along with 3 receiving touchdowns.
Blake Voiles leads the Dragon defense with 87 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Michael Wall has 6.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss on the D-Line for the Dragons.
The formula for a York Institute victory is simple for Wright and the Dragons.
“We have to play with discipline and fundamentals,” he said. “You have to do your assignment and take care of the football.”