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Undefeated. It's not a word many teams at any level in any sport are
too familiar with. The unattainable. The impossible. The pursuit of
perfection, in essence.
Thats' what the 2007 Red Rebel squad was in pursuit of at the outset
of the season. They had never been defeated at home. They had
never been defeated away. They'd never lost a region game. They'd
never lost a non-region game. They'd never lost a playoff game.
They'd never lost a championship game. Never a loss in their 3 year
careers.
As a matter of fact, the number "60" sums it all up nicely. These
Rebels racked up 60 consecutive wins in the careers at Maryville
High School. No other team in school history has come close to
matching that. Some of the athletes on this Rebel squad have
actually never lost a game in their lives, dating back to pee wee and
midget football.
With all that said there were real question marks before the season
began. The 07 squad had been stripped of a lot of talent by 2006
graduation attrition. Gone was the speed and sure hands of WR
Tyler Maples. Gone was the shifty feet and powerful legs of Tank
Baker. Gone were many great offensive and defensive linemen, like
Justin Huskey, Louis Darras and Dwight Wood. Gone was a stellar
linebacking corps led by seniors Tanner Caylor and Landon Hall.
Rebuilding is a word that is just as unfamiliar at MHS as
"undefeated" is to most teams though. Even though cool handed
senior QB Derek Hunt was gone, he left record setting Brent Burnette
behind to take over full time.
Burnette led Mr. Football winning TE Aaron Douglas, WR Stephen
Shiver, WR Tyler Clendenen and fellow senior and transfer RB Tim
Rodriques into 2007 knowing they had a great chance through the
sir, as long as the young RB's could develop and come on.
Junior RB Cody McCoy slid over to the defensive side of the ball just
before midway through the season and Thomas Shuler and
Rodriques slowly but surely improving running game to an already
awesome attack through the air.
The Rebel offense would average 35.2 points per game and amass
528 total points in 07. The were only held under 20 points once, by a
West team that had the benefit of playing the Rebels twice.
Defensively, the Rebels were lead by junior DE Justin Smith, senior
DT Todd Hollingsworth and senior DB's Shiver, Caleb Clement and
Clendenen.
A linebacking corps that was considered to be a liability by some
heading into the 2007 slate, bristled with talent, power and speed. A
steady rotation of young backers, lead by convert Cody McCoy, kept
the opposition wondering what folks meant by "liability" all season.
Youngsters Luke Cox and Jeffrey Booker added stability and
reliability to the backers and by mid season no one was doubting any
longer. The D Unit managed to hold the opposition to just 195 total
points, a 13 ppg average. The young Rebs help region rivals to a
mere 11 ppg.
The Rebels finished up an undefeated season with a thorough
dismantling of a very talented, albeit a very thin Maplewood team for
their 4th consecutive 4A State Championship. They were the only 4A
team to ever achieve that mark and only the second team in TSSAA
history to get the 4 peat. Alcoa beat Maryville to that record by benefit
of playing in the 2A championship just 24 hours earlier.
No one's perfect...you wont here anyone in Maryville complaining
though.
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