Cadet Jonah Torp-Pedersen (L)  with Petty First Class Officer (Retired) Marcus Luttrell (R) and the Eaker Award.

A Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadet from Summit High was given the surprise of his life on October 24 when he was awarded the Ira C. Eaker Award by an American hero.

Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Jonah Torp-Pedersen was volunteering for the Patriot Tour Saturday when he was called up to the stage and presented with the prestigious award by Petty Officer First Class (Retired) Marcus Luttrell, whose story inspired the book and movie Lone Survivor.

“At first I thought I was just going to be introduced to Marcus Luttrell, then I saw him holding my Eaker Award,” said Jonah. “I was extremely honored and surprised to be presented the award from someone I look up to who is an American hero and icon.”

Only two percent of cadets in CAP actually attain the Eaker Award. Cadets must complete all of the achievements in the cadet program, Cadet Officer School (COS), and pass a writing and speech requirement. COS is patterned after the USAF Squadron Officer School and is an academically challenging course for cadets ages 16 and older. The course is an in-depth study of the skills of leadership and is divided between lecture, seminar and hands-on training.

“What an honor for Jonah to receive the Eaker Award,” said Summit High Principal Sarah Lamb. “Jonah is a dedicated and hardworking student. He has high goals and does what is necessary to try and reach them. Summit High is very proud of him and his accomplishment.”

Jonah has been in CAP for four years and is currently working toward his next and final achievement, the General Carl A. Spaatz Award (Cadet Colonel). Through CAP, he was awarded a flight scholarship which has allowed him to attain his solo pilot’s license. Jonah is now working towards his private pilot’s license, which he will be testing for when he turns 17.

CAP is the all-volunteer nonprofit auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. The three missions of CAP include cadet programs, aerospace education and emergency services. CAP members perform 95 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force.

The numbers add up for Woodland Middle School student Ankush Dhar, who is this year’s winner of the Algebra I Exam in the Tennessee Mathematics Teacher’s Association (TMTA) State-wide High School Math Contest.

Despite only being in seventh grade when the exam was administered in April, Ankush beat the rest of the field with a score of 200. Fellow WMS student Stewart Moore finished ninth.

Ankush’s Algebra I teacher at Woodland Middle was Margaret Hill, who is now retired. His current Geometry teacher, Mike Orr, says Ankush possesses a keen sense of detail when it comes to math.

“The fact that Ankush was able to score highest overall on a state-wide level contest is not only a testament to Ankush’s incredible talent but also exemplary of Williamson County’s achievement as a school district,” said Orr. “As his teacher, I always appreciate the way he looks for not just one solution path but also any other alternate solutions.”

The purpose of the TMTA is to encourage the study of mathematics in all Tennessee schools and colleges. Each TMTA exam is prepared at least a year in advance by college or university math departments. The exams last 80 minutes and consist of 40 multiple choice questions.

RHS graduate Rohan Tummala

Ravenwood High 2015 Valedictorian Rohan Tummala has received the Tennessee State Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar Award by the College Board.

“This is a tremendous honor and we are very proud of Rohan and his accomplishments,” said Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney. “We know he will continue to be successful wherever life takes him.”

The State AP Scholar Award is an academic distinction acknowledging students who have earned the most scores of three or higher statewide and the highest average score (at least 3.5) on all AP Exams taken. The award is presented annually to one male student and one female student from each state and the District of Columbia.

“I am very honored to receive this award,” said Rohan. “I would like to thank Ravenwood High School and my family for the great experiences leading up to this accomplishment.”

Rohan currently attends Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey, where he is majoring in Molecular Biology with a certificate in Neuroscience.

Dr. Todd Campbell

Independence High School Principal Dr. Todd Campbell is the 2015-16 Middle Tennessee Principal of the Year.

Campbell represented Middle Tennessee in the state competition which was won October 27 by Peggy Greene of Washington County in East Tennessee.

Nominees for the Tennessee Principal of the Year award must have a minimum of three years experience as a principal and a minimum of five years experience in Tennessee public schools. All nominees must have a proven track record of exceptional gains in student learning.

“It means a lot to be nominated for such a prestigious award,” said Campbell. “I’m very humbled to know that my peers believe that our accomplishments here at Independence are deserving of state recognition.”

Abby Durick at the Palace of Knossos in Crete.

Abby Durick is a junior at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. As a student specializing in Classical Archaeology, Durick spent six weeks last summer at an excavation site in Greece where she and others helped unearth the grave of a warrior who was buried around 1500 B.C.

Durick attended Page Middle and Page High. Upon graduation at UTK, Durick plans to pursue a Masters and PhD in Classics and Prehistoric Archaeology of the Aegean.

How did you get to be a part of the archaeological excavation in Greece?

During the summer of 2014, I worked with my adviser at a site associated with the UT Classics Department: Mitrou, East Lokris, Greece. That summer, I worked with a ceramics specialist who then referred me to the Pylos Palace of Nestor Dig for the summer excavation season 2015. I spent six weeks excavating on the ‘Lower Town’ at the Palace Excavations which is through the University of Cincinnati under the direction of Sharon Stocker and Dr. Jack Davis.

What was your primary responsibility during the excavation?

Over the six week period, I worked in a few different trenches across the landscape. For a brief time at the beginning of the excavation, I was able to work on a developing architectural structure. By week three, the team struck bronze and it was clear that this trench carried great significance with potentially rich finds. I was one of a few students with the fortunate opportunity to excavate it on the day when bronze was struck. After this, only specialists and trench supervisors were allowed into the area. For the remainder of the season, I worked in the ceramics lab and excavated another trench looking for Middle Helladic material to better inform where to excavate in future seasons.

What did you enjoy most about that experience?

This was my first excavation experience. The most exciting and rewarding experience is working with specialists, graduate students and international partners and learning in the field what it means to be an archaeologist. The highlight of my summer in Pylos was being able to excavate with people from 10 different countries. Nothing prepares you for the blood, sweat and tears involved in digging; but the reward is the work itself and taking a moment to sit back during the dig and realize you are a part of the team solving the puzzle. It makes history come alive, especially when you find the top of a structure from 3,000 years ago just two or three inches below the soil. The opportunity to get inside a Mycenaean shaft grave and excavate bronze is something many archaeologists dream about. A recent publication by The New York Times has brought to light much more than even I knew was in the rich grave. This unlooted grave discovery is a critical piece in the puzzle, and it will provide insight on the transition from Minoan to Mycenaean rule in Messenia, Greece.

What did you enjoy most about your high school experience?

In high school, I was a member of the Page High marching band and tennis team. I enjoyed music inside and outside of school. Additionally, I took Spanish all through middle and high school and loved learning about different cultures through language. This appreciation for the arts and cultural linguistic studies have certainly impacted my continued education. Thanks to my exposure to foreign language, I am now intrigued by ancient texts and scripts. I am enrolled in three languages – Latin, Ancient Greek and German – and I am conversational in modern Greek. Every summer, I try to improve my modern language skills with Greek.

What WCS teacher made a difference in your life and how?

David Rector was both my middle school World History and U.S. History teacher. He made history come to life in class. I remember enacting Greek battle strategies in class, and I remember being engaged in learning about the mysteries that remained. Some of those presented in class are rooted archaeologically. Additionally, Robert Collard was my Spanish teacher all through high school. He was always encouraging students to travel and learn more about the world. He mentioned he had studied French and studied abroad in France before studying Spanish and pursuing a teaching degree. With a background in Spanish, I continued this into my freshman year of college. However, after being introduced to the Classics, I entered Latin and Ancient Greek. Understanding language is a critical component to understanding culture both ancient and modern. I am appreciative to my educational experience at Page Middle and Page High. I am grateful to the teachers who encouraged and motivated me to be a forever student.

Do you have any advice for current WCS students?

My advice to students is to keep an open mind. An important part of most disciplines is the ability to work with people from different backgrounds and fields. It is good to get a grasp on subjects you may not necessarily deem important to you. In archaeology, there are geographic information systems specialists, people working on statistical analysis, natural science researchers and historians. It is best to learn about each of these fields. Recognize that modern jobs involve a great deal of interdisciplinary study. This can be related to many fields outside of archaeology.

Read more about the incredible findings from Durick’s excavation in this article by The New York Times.

FHS seniors McKenna Martin and Christian Whittemore

Two Franklin High School students will travel to Texas this weekend where their short film Roadblock will be featured at one of the top film festivals in the nation.

FHS seniors Mckenna Martin and Christian Whittemore wrote and directed the short, which is one of seven to be screened in the Austin Film Festivals’s showcase for the Young Filmmaker’s Competition.

The film, which has already won the award for Best Fiction from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, is based on McKenna’s former fear of driving and features FHS theater teacher Mark Saltalamachia as an obnoxious driving instructor and 2015 FHS graduate Michael Castellon as a fearful driving student. Whittemore provided cinematography and wrote the original score.

“I developed the basic story behind Roadblock two summers ago while in California,” said McKenna. “After flipping a four-wheeler at my friend’s lake house, I developed a severe fear of vehicles and actually had recurring dreams about crashing cars. Each of the hallucinations in Roadblock was directly based on a nightmare I had.”

Both students say they feel honored to attend such a prestigious film festival, and they’re excited to hear from the many professionals who will be at this year’s event.

“There’s something awesome about sitting in an audience and watching the crowd’s reaction to every moment of the short,” said Christian. “On top of that, we’re gonna have the ability to hear guest speakers talk about different aspects of film and how they all come together to make an amazing experience.”

According to McKenna, the success of Roadblock would not have been possible without the support of the Franklin High media program.

“I didn’t even want to pursue film professionally until I took the class,” said McKenna. “I learned so much and was able to fall in love with a craft. It’s a great department that is very nurturing.”

It’s a sentiment Christian shares.

“The broadcasting program at Franklin High helped make this short happen” said Christian. “Our teacher, Keri Thompson, got us to submit the film to the 2015 National Academy of Television Arts & Science Awards and encouraged us to go after even more festivals and competitions, leading to where we are now.”

Jeremy Qualls

WCS Athletic Director Jeremy Qualls has been named the TSSAA A.F. Bridges District 6 Administrator of the Year. Qualls has been a driving force behind WCS GameDay and the WCS Sports App.

“This award is because of the people with whom I have the honor to work. Our athletic directors are so supportive and cooperative,” said Qualls. “At the high school level, we have 4500 student athletes and 300 plus coaches who manage our student athletes so well.”

The A.F. Bridges Awards program recognizes 63 individuals from across Tennessee who represent high school athletics in categories including school system administrators, principals, athletic directors, female and male coaches, officials and contributors.

Nominations are made by a citizenship/sportsmanship committee and final selections are made by a state selection committee. All of the awards will be presented at three regional meetings in the beginning of November.

Dozens of Williamson County high school students were named to various choirs within the Middle Tennessee Vocal Association. The students auditioned for the parts earlier this semester. Each choir will rehearse and perform for audiences in the coming months. Congratulations to the following students:

*SATB: Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass – Male and Female choir
*TTBB: Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Bass 1 (Baritone), Bass 2 – Male choir
*SSAA: Soprano 1, Soprano 2, Alto 1, Alto 2 – Female Choir
*SA: Soprano, Alto – Female Choir

Students in five WCS band programs are riding high following their performances at the MTSU Contest of Champions in Murfreesboro. The contest was held October 31 and featured bands from both Tennessee and Kentucky.

Classifications for each band are determined by the number of musicians in the band. Class AA consists of 81-120 musicians; Class AAA consists of 121 and above.

Centennial High

The Centennial High Marching Band competed in Class AAA. The band scored 75.9, which led to its first superior rating since 2006. The band is directed by Scott Miller.

Franklin High

The Franklin High Marching Band competed in Class AAA, winning numerous awards. The band won first place, was named Grand Champion and received the Tennessee Governor’s Cup as the 2015 State Champion. This is the third time in four years that the band has won the Contest of Champions and the band’s fifth state championship. The band is directed by David Aydelott.

Page High

The Page High Marching Band competed in Class AA and placed second. The band is directed by Matt Emerson.

Ravenwood High

The Ravenwood High Marching Band also competed in Class AA, finishing in first place for the class and ninth overall. The band is directed by Mark Kinzer.

Summit High

Competing in Class AA, the Summit High Marching band placed third. The band is directed by Erick Harris.

This event qualified Franklin High, Page High and Ravenwood High bands for the Music for All Bands of America Grand National Championships in Indianapolis, which takes place November 11-14.

PHS Marching Band
State Champions

They’ve done it again! The Page High School Marching Band won first place November 7 at the 35th Annual Tennessee Division II State Marching Band Championships.

Page won the finals with a score of 94.75. This is the band’s eighth state championship in the event’s 35 year history. The band also won the following caption awards: Best Music, Best Visual, Best Effect, Best Percussion and Best Drum Major.

“It is such a joy and privilege to get to teach these amazing kids,” said PHS Band Director Matt Emerson. “I am so happy and thrilled for them to get to experience this level of success. They have exhibited so much discipline, drive and determination, and they are truly worthy of this honor.”

It’s an accomplishment Emerson hopes will motivate and inspire the students for years to come.

“While they will remember this night for the rest of their lives, what I really want them to remember is the journey that got them here, because it is a process,” said Emerson. “The method with which we approach this activity can enable them to be successful in anything they do in life.”

Williamson County student athletes added two more state championship trophies to the case following their performance at the TSSAA State Cross Country Championships on November 7.

On the men’s side, in Class AAA, the Brentwood Boys won the State Championship for the third consecutive year. Individually, Brody Hasty finished first in the state, while Taylor Vroon finished third and Jackson Vroon finished 15th.

In Class A-AA, the Page High boys team finished sixth overall. Individual Colin Lamb finished second overall.

On the girls side in Class AAA, the Brentwood Lady Bruins finished second in the state, Ravenwood finished sixth and Franklin finished 16th. Individuals Hailey Hendry, BHS, won second overall while Independence runner Addie Coggins finished fourth.

In Class A-AA, the Page High girls team finished seventh overall.

WCS has two more state titles to add to its collection!

The Centennial High and Ravenwood High cheerleading squads were crowned state champs in their respective divisions at this year’s Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) competition.

“These athletes have worked extremely hard since May to build skills and increase the level of difficulty going into this competitive season,” said CHS Head Cheer Coach Chasity Carter. “Being state champions last year added a bit of pressure, but they handled the stress with great poise and confidence. It was so nice to see all their hard work come to fruition and pay off for them on the floor.”

Members of the squad are Avery Anderson, Ally Alexandria Beard, Emma Kate Best, Brooklynn Biles, Katelyn Denno, Harly Dwyer, Audrey Eisner, Elli Helmintoller, Caroline Jones, Abbey Jordan, Madison Lawrence, Caroline Manning, Shelby Mathews, Faith Parks, Cassetty Parrish, Lily Shelton, Mackenzie Simpson, Ashton Smith, Anne Tenkhoff and Lauren Wilkinson.

Ravenwood High won the TSSAA State Championship in the Medium Varsity Division for the third year in a row.

This has been a banner season for the Raptors. Earlier this year, Ravenwood won first place at the Tennessee Regionals, placed first at the North Alabama Regionals and claimed the title of Grand Champions at the Blackman High School Invitational. The team also earned a bid to the UCA National High School Championships.

“It was such an honor to be able to represent Ravenwood and to win the state title,” said RHS senior Kylie Bethley. “Now we have one final goal, and that is to win the National title for our school, community and state. We will be practicing hard the next couple of months and hopefully our hard work will pay off in February.”

Members of the squad are Kylie Betchley, Olivia Corley, Sydney Dagostino, Bri Fick, Sydney Fordice, Aerial Griffin, Aly Hankins, Logan Jordan, Reghan Jordan, Sarak Klippenstein, Morgan Lanius, Bailey Martin, Lauren Martin, Greta Peterson, Brooke Phillips and Becca Zaves. They are coached by Barbee Morgan, Kacy Herald and Jay Noffsinger. Their faculty sponsor is Stephanie Dykes.

Three Williamson County Schools football players are among the finalists for the Tennessee Titans 31st annual Mr. Football Awards.

Voice of the Titans Mike Keith announced the 34 finalists November 16. They include the following WCS students:

Back of the Year (Class 5A): Nate Johnson, Independence High

Lineman of the Year (Class 5A): Tyrel Dodson, Centennial High

Kicker of the Year: Crews Holt, Ravenwood High

Each classification will award a Back of the Year and Lineman of the Year award. There will also be a Kicker of the Year award given to the top kicker in the state, regardless of classification.

The awards presentation is scheduled for November 30 at Nissan Stadium.

Photo courtesy: Charles Pulliam, Williamson Herald

For the first time in the history of the district, two WCS athletes earned Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Awards. The announcement was made on November 30 at a luncheon hosted by the Titans at Nissan Stadium.

Centennial High’s Tyrel Dodson was named the Class 5A Lineman of the Year.

“Having a guy like Tyrel be named Mr. Football is a great honor for him, our team and our entire school,” said CHS Head Football Coach Brian Rector. “He has worked tirelessly to better himself as a player and person and that can be seen in our hallways as well as on our fields. In his years working toward this, he has grown so much to display the courage, commitment and character that we preach here at Centennial. We are all so proud of his achievements and those of our 2015 team.”

Ravenwood High’s Crews Holt was named Tennessee Kicker of the Year.

“Crews Holt is the first Ravenwood player to be named Mr. Football,” said RHS Head Football Coach William Hester. “He has worked extremely hard and deserves every honor he receives. It is a very special day for our school, team and community.”

Nate Johnson from Independence High was runner up for Class 5A Back of the Year.

The awards are presented to the top 16 backs and linemen in eight classifications of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA), along with the top kicker regardless of classification. A Mr. Football trophy was presented to the winners of each category.

A committee of statewide sports writers selected winners based on performance in the 2015 regular season. Academics and character were also taken into consideration. High school head coaches and members of the media nominated the finalists.

Andrea Howard

Independence High art educator Andrea Howard is helping to advance the arts in Williamson County and statewide by her new appointment as the 2016-17 Secondary Division Chair on the Tennessee Art Educator Association board.

In this new role, Howard will write board reports and articles for the TAEA newsletter, promote and increase membership to TAEA and promote the formation of new National Art Honor Society chapters in Tennessee high schools, in addition to numerous other tasks.

“Being appointed to this position is a humbling opportunity to represent not only Independence High School, but also other high schools in Tennessee who are making creative strides and advancements in art education,” said Howard. “I am honored to both sing the praises and be a voice for these art teachers as we continue to develop innovative and quality art experiences for our students.”

The position came available for 2016-17 after current board member Jennifer Wolfe was named the Middle Tennessee representative.

“Fairview Middle art teacher Michelle Vinci and the current TAEA Middle school representative informed me of the vacant seat,” said Howard. She encouraged me to pursue the idea of becoming the new secondary representative and gave the 2016-17 President Janis Nunnally a recommendation on my behalf.”

TAEA is a state affiliate of the National Art Education Association. It is a way for educators to stay on top of developments in art education as well as influence both the direction and quality of art education. TAEA provides access to art journals, newspapers and publications as well as extremely relevant, engaging and exciting professional development through both state and national conferences.

“I am excited to be able to bring recognition to my art students and the creative process and work they make each day,” said Howard. “This opportunity will allow me to gain experiences, knowledge and resources to further enrich the art program at Independence.”

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is honoring Kenrose Elementary for being one of its top fundraising schools. On November 20, the organization presented the school with an Over a Decade of Making A Difference banner.

Kenrose began participating in the Tennessee Chapter’s Student Series’ Pennies for Patients program in 2003 and has since raised more than $109,700 for the fight against cancer. Kenrose has also been the top overall fundraising school for Pennies for Patients in the state for the past six years.

“I am so proud of the generosity of the Kenrose community in the support shown for Pennies for Patients over the years,” said Kenrose Elementary Principal Marilyn Webb. “The adults and children in our community value helping others, and they demonstrate this value in each of our outreach opportunities. It is truly a blessing to be a part of this community and to know lives have been touched by the generosity shown at Kenrose.”

The tradition of Pennies for Patients started when a Kenrose kindergarten student, Blake Diggs, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in 2001. The next school year, Kenrose participated in its first Pennies for Patients. Blake is now a sophomore at Auburn University. Blake’s mother, Polly, attended the assembly and spoke briefly about Blake’s journey and how much Kenrose’s support meant to her family.

Officials with LLS say schools like Kenrose are not just raising money, they are saving lives.

“This is an awesome accomplishment,” said LLS Tennessee Chapter Campaign Manager Connie Hood. “Today, several students received character awards for perseverance. I thought this was most appropriate as Kenrose has persevered for 13 years in helping LLS with our mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma and to improve the quality of life of our patients and their families.”

Brodey Hasty at the TSSAA State Championship meet.

Brentwood High School’s Brodey Hasty is earning a reputation as one of the best cross country runners in the nation.

Brodey won the 2015 Nike Southeast Regional on November 28 with a finishing time of 14:55.8. That performance qualified him for the Nike Cross Nationals which will be held in Portland, Oregon, on December 5.

“Brodey is an inspiration to his team,” said BHS Cross Country Coach Billy Anderson. “His dedication to his training and the heart and fearlessness he races with are truly awesome. All this ability is wrapped up in one of the most humble and team-focused runners I have ever seen. We wish him the best of luck in Oregon and look forward to Brodey continuing to develop as a runner and a leader of Brentwood cross country.”

Hasty was joined at the Nike Southeast Regional in North Carolina by teammates Taylor Vroon, Jackson Vroon, Rayaan Bashir, Ryan Lee, Garrett Grissim and Chase Puskar. The competition included 31 state championship teams from all over the southeastern United States.

The team placed sixth out of 31 teams, with the fastest five-runner average (15:51) in the race.

“This is a huge success for our program,” said Anderson. “We look forward to continuing to build on this next year.”

Know a Williamson County Schools graduate who has moved on to great things? CLICK HERE to send us an email and nominate an Alumni Achiever. Simply tell us the person’s name, what they’re doing now, and an email address or phone number so that we may contact them.

Landon Foster is a senior at the University of Kentucky where he was also the starting punter for the University of Kentucky football team. Foster grew up in Williamson County and attended Oak View Elementary, Page Middle and Independence High schools.

You are double majoring in finance and marketing. Do you have a specific career you hope to pursue upon graduation?

I hope to enter into athletic administration, whether it be in the SEC office, NCAA or ultimately become an athletic director.

What have you enjoyed the most about your college football career at Kentucky?

The thing I’ve enjoyed most during my college football career here at Kentucky is becoming more aware of the inner-workings of Division I, specifically the SEC, football and athletics. Going through so much adversity and investing so much time into an institution has ingrained a great deal of pride in being part of the Big Blue Nation.

You were named to the prestigious Allstate AFCA Good Works Team which honors student-athletes for making a positive impact on others and their communities. Why do you feel it’s important to give back to the community?

Giving back to the community is very important to me. I have come to realize that we are on Earth for a very short period of time in human form, but our impact on others can last a lifetime. Our life is defined by two dates and a dash on a head-stone, but the true test of how you lived lies within that single dash. Ultimately, life and society are better off by constantly giving rather consistently taking.

What did you enjoy most about your high school experience?

The pride and joy of playing high school football with guys that you grew up with throughout your childhood and to represent your school on your chest is unrivaled. College football is an amazing experience and getting to play in SEC stadiums for four years has been a blessing, but the pride you have winning games under the lights on Friday nights is nothing like college.

What WCS teacher made a difference in your life and how?

It’s hard to identify a single teacher that made a difference in my life. The whole district and the various teachers I had from kindergarten until my senior year in high school, including all of my soccer and football coaches, have impacted me in one way or another. I cannot possibly thank each teacher, coach and administrator enough. I am forever grateful and indebted to each of them.

Do you have any advice for current WCS students?

1. Hard work and dedication to your craft will never, ever go out of style.
2. Do not be afraid to go against the grain/crowd. Often, that is the right way to go, but rarely the easiest way.
3. Be a giver and not a taker.
4. Positively impact someone, preferably many people, each and every day.

Not only did the Independence High School football team have an undefeated, state championship-winning season, but the team has won another accolade by being selected as an honoree for the 11th Annual MaxPreps Football Tour of Champions presented by the National Guard.

“This is a huge honor to be nationally recognized by MaxPreps,” said IHS Head Football Coach Scott Blade. “We are proud to represent Williamson County as a whole with this honor. It is another validation to the type of year the team and coaching staff had.”

With this selection, the team is recognized as one of the best football teams in the country.

“This season has been special in all sorts of ways,” said Blade. “These kids never missed a beat after dealing with all kinds of adversity throughout the season. They never lost focus or made excuses when things didn’t go their way. They just kept playing and working at getting a little better. I couldn’t have asked more from a team. The whole school and community rallied behind this team from the beginning.”

The team will be honored with the National Guard National Ranking Trophy presentation in the beginning of 2016. Of more than 17,000 high schools that field varsity football teams, only 50 are recognized across the nation on the 2015-16 MaxPreps Tour of Champions.