2-0 Eagles Open Region Play at Home Vs 1-1 Ooltewah

9/5/25; In Evensville Tennessee, Rhea County High School football opens Region play aginst Ooltewah at home on Bill Horton Field with 7 pm kickoff. After being effecient and running ball well when needed, Rhea won 10-7 over Red Bank and then 28-14 over Notre Dame. Both games were on the road and the team will welcome the chance to play at home.

New quarter back Jaxton Schmitt has used his legs well with some big runs in the first two game and some good throws along the way and accumulated 118 yards vs Notre Dame on 13 carries, while scoring a touchdown on a nice 65 yard touchdown., Mason Ford has been the man for supplying the hard runs to make this offense work. Mason had a modest game by his standards against Red Bank with 75 yards, but increased that with 118 yards on 15 carries. Aiden Wilkerson broke out for 78 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Irish. Austun Fugate supplied the spark vs Notre Dame with the electrifying 98 yard kickoff return at Notre Dame.

The defense has held up their part of the equation with big plays when needed with 6 takeaways in the 2 games. Trystum Odom led the Eagles with 9 solo and 3 assist vs Notre Dame.

Ooltewah brings some offensive weapons to the game. The also have new coach Matt Moody, who had coached at McMinn Central the last four years. The Owls return 4 starters on the offense and 7 on the defensive side of the ball. The are coming off a 1-9 record last season. Overall his record at McMinn Central was 22-23, but he had led them to a very good 2023 season that included 2 playoff wins. His last two years at Central, he went 14-10, making playoffs both years.

At Media Day this year Moodys said, "We have 4 seniors on defensive line and 3 seniors in the linebacker positon. Lot of experience on defense"

Coach listed Ellis Mauldin, Cash Bennett, Jacob Biggs, Jay Horne, Maddox Pierce and Gabe Williams as leaders for his team.

"We have 3 seniors on offensive line and everybody else are sophomores and juniors. Keshawn Powell is a junior running back from South Pittsburg. He is a do-it-all guy for us. Jakyth Geter # 10, will split time with Powell. Geter has some speed. He had13 carries 118 yards 1 TD against Chattanooga Central. At quarterback # 1 Sophmore Luke Wood, who transferred from Boyd Buchanan is starting quarterback and he has as good a arm strength as any sophomore quarterback I have been around. He is only 15 and still has a lot to learn. He is a hard worker. Rhylon Hinton will be backing him up."

"Sophomore Jayden Ward # 57 and Jackson Owen # 65 will anchor the offensive line.

Griffin Patterson # 11 has been the go-to receiver for the Owls and # 6 Kylun Willams has steeped up with some big catches for the Owls.