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Eddie Courtney Stadium Dedicated

October 1, 2024 Chase Scott

Farragut High School officially dedicated its football stadium to long-time head coach Eddie Courtney. While the game and dedication had to be moved to Saturday, September 28th, the impact was no lessened. The event drew a large crowd of alumni, students, staff, and community members, all eager to honor the man who has given so much to Farragut football over the decades.

Eddie Courtney has been a cornerstone of the Admirals’ football program since he joined the coaching staff in the 1970s. After serving in various coaching roles, he became head coach in 1996. Since then, Coach Courtney has led the Admirals through numerous playoff runs, region championships, and even a state title in 2016. But beyond the wins and trophies, Courtney has been celebrated for the character he instills in his players and the values he embodies—hard work, integrity, and perseverance.

A Legacy of Leadership and Impact

Coach Courtney’s leadership extends far beyond the field. Known for his humility and dedication to molding not just athletes but young men of character, Courtney has long been a mentor to his players. He’s guided them through victories and tough losses, teaching valuable life lessons along the way. His influence has reached thousands of students, many of whom returned for the dedication ceremony to express their gratitude.

During the ceremony, former players, school officials, and local dignitaries shared stories and memories that highlighted Coach Courtney’s selfless dedication to Farragut High School. Farragut’s principal, John Bartlett, spoke about the profound impact Courtney has had on the community. “Coach Courtney’s influence goes far beyond football,” Bartlett said. “He’s shaped lives, taught important values, and has been a consistent, positive force for generations of Farragut students.”

The dedication of the Eddie Courtney Football Stadium is not only a recognition of his achievements on the field but also a symbol of his broader legacy. His battles, both on and off the field, have earned him admiration across the region. In 2005, he was diagnosed with cancer, but he fought through treatments and never missed as much as practice. He was diagnosed again in 2020 with cancer and recovered from surgery, demonstrating the same toughness and resolve he’s asked of his players over the years.

A Night to Remember

The crowd erupted into applause as the sign was unveiled and the “Eddie Courtney Stadium” name was seen. Coach Courtney, visibly moved, thanked the community for the honor. “It’s never been about me,” Courtney said. “This field belongs to every player who has ever put on the Farragut uniform, to the coaches, and to the community. I’m humbled, and I’m grateful.”

Family, friends, and community leaders surround Coach Eddie Courtney as the football stadium at Farragut High School is dedicated in his honor on Saturday, September 28th, 2024. Photo courtesy of Carlos Reveiz, crfoto.com

A Lasting Tribute

The Eddie Courtney Football Stadium dedication ensures that the legacy of one of Tennessee’s most beloved high school coaches will live on for generations to come. For the Farragut community, it serves as a reminder of the values of perseverance, humility, and leadership that Coach Courtney exemplifies every day. The stadium that now bears his name will continue to be a place where future Admirals take to battle, inspired by the enduring legacy of their legendary coach.

As the night ended, one thing was clear: Farragut football and the community that surrounds it will forever be linked to Eddie Courtney’s remarkable journey. This stadium dedication is a fitting tribute to a man who has meant so much to so many.

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Admirals Fall to Cleveland on Road to Open Region Play

September 26, 2024 Chase Scott

Chattanooga Times Free Press by Gene Henley

CLEVELAND, Tenn. — The Cleveland High School football team is still unbeaten a month into the TSSAA regular season.

The Blue Raiders’ fourth win, which was also their first in Region 2-6A, was an overwhelming performance.

Cleveland, No. 5 in the latest Tennessee Sports Writers Association Class 6A poll, scored the first 32 points of Friday night’s game against Farragut and cruised to a 32-7 victory over the Admirals at Benny Monroe Stadium.

The Blue Raiders dominated the game statistically. On offense, they averaged nearly 6 yards per rush on 18 attempts, including a 46-yard touchdown run by junior Brayden Carroll to start the scoring. Carroll also hauled in a 26-yard pass from Chase Stephens, who combined with sophomore Kason McGowan to throw for 222 yards. Stephens finished with 141 yards through the air, taking the majority of the snaps.

The Cleveland defense did its part, too, forcing five turnovers (three interceptions, two fumbles) and getting 10 tackles for loss. Two of the picks came from David Yancey, who was also credited with a sack, while Gabe Moore picked up a fumble and sprinted 63 yards for a score.

The Admirals (0-4, 0-1) held the ball for more than six minutes on their first possession, running a fake punt and using a pass interference penalty to move deep into Cleveland territory. But on third-and-2 from the 9, Farragut starting quarterback Noah Haag, who would go out of the game in the second quarter with an injury, lost a fumble that was recovered by Cleveland’s Sam Sartin.

Cleveland couldn’t move the ball on its first possession, and a short punt was returned to its 12-yard line. But a tackle for loss and two sacks later, the Blue Raiders had forced fourth-and-26 and would take back over at their own 26-yard line. Five plays after that, Carroll broke free.

Jay’un Smith and A.J. Westfield added scoring runs, and the Stephens-Carroll hookup followed to build a 25-0 lead at the break.

Farragut avoided the shutout on a 1-yard run by backup quarterback Corbin Hobson with 7:11 to play.

Carroll led Cleveland with 135 yards of total offense (50 rushing, 85 receiving), Isaiah Davis added 48 yards on the ground, Smith had 60 yards on a pair of catches and Reggie Hubbard had 47 on five.

Cleveland was called for 13 penalties for 89 yards.

Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com.

A special thanks to Carlos Reveiz of CRFOTO for the action shots from the game. Check out CRFOTO.com weekly for a full photo gallery from Friday’s game. See a photo you like? They are also available for purchase directly from his website. Click here for this week’s photos.

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Farragut Falls to Defending State Champ Knox West

September 26, 2024 Chase Scott

Farragut Press by Bill Howard, Correspondent

After an 0-2 start, Farragut High School’s football team was looking to right the ship Friday night, Sept. 5, in its home opener against Knoxville West, ranked No. 3 statewide by Tennessee Sports Writers Association among Division I-5A teams, in Eddie Courtney Stadium on Bill Clabo Field.

The Admirals are still looking for their first win.

Behind a steady offense and an opportunistic defense — three interceptions thwarted Admirals drives — the Runnin’ Rebels handily defeated Farragut 38-3. FHS fell to 0-3, while West improved to 2-1.

“They’re great on defense at creating turnovers,” said Admirals first-year each coach Geoff Courtney. “They were really capitalizing on some of the things we were trying to do. They make it so tough for you in the red zone.”

West head coach Lamar Brown was surprised by the game’s one-sidedness. “This game historically is a dogfight to the end,” he said. “I was really proud of our kids, they came to play.”

The Runnin’ Rebels struck early in the game when Antwain Burdine fielded Farragut’s game-opening punt on his own 49 and galloped to the FHS 2. Running back Anterius McAllister took it in on the next play with 10:07 left.

With 5:31 left in the first, the Admirals took over and drove from their own 35 to West’s 20. Ryan McCue’s 36-yard field goal cut it to 7-3 with under three minutes left.

But little went right for Farragut the rest of the half. Three more possessions resulted in a pair of three-and-outs, plus an interception by Burdine.

The Runnin’ Rebels got second-quarter touchdowns on a 3-yard keeper by quarterback Parker Dubon with 5:53 left, and a 6-yard scoring pass from Dubon to David Drata with a mere six ticks left on the first-half clock.

A critical play in the game came late in the third quarter. Down 28-3 and badly needing momentum, FHS got a big play when outside linebacker Kent Carbaugh made his second pick of Dubon, putting the Admirals in business on West’s 31.

On first down from the 15, however, sophomore quarterback Corbin Hobson was intercepted by linebacker Jack Keith on the West 4. Keith then took it 96 yards up the left sideline for a 35-3 lead.

“He’s got a knack for always being around the football,” Brown said of Keith.

“We were trying to scrap and claw and get back in the game, but those big plays broke our back,” Courtney said.

Carbaugh was everywhere on defense, making tackles along with the two picks. Hobson and Noah Haag combined for 90 yards on 12 completions in 21 attempts.

“He’s a difference-maker,” Courtney said of Carbaugh. “Very athletic, great football player.”

Courtney was asked if he worried about the effect an 0-3 record would have on his team’s morale.

“We’ll bounce back,” he said. “Not worried about morale, we have a lot of pride and commitment.”

The Admirals open Region 2-6A play Friday night, Sept. 13, on the road in Cleveland against the unbeaten Blue Raiders (3-0), ranked No. 5 by TSWA statewide among Class 6A teams.

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Farragut Loses to Powell, 35-7

September 6, 2024 Chase Scott

September 4, 2024 by Alan Sloan – Farragut Press

POWELL — With its size advantage along the defensive line and at quarterback, plus Powell’s skill position speed along the boundaries resulting in huge gains at opportune times, Farragut had a super tough task Friday night, Aug. 30, on the road.

The scoreboard reflected that challenge, as the Panthers (1-1) rolled to a 35-7 win to leave the Admirals still winless at 0-2.

Among the bright spots for Farragut was back-up quarterback Noah Haag, who led the team’s only scoring drive, 72 yards in six plays, which ended with his on-target 52-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Robbie Jacobs with 3:04 left in the third quarter. Another Haag to Jacobs connection just three plays before covered 29 yards and helped the Ads overcome a near disasterous minus 9-yard fumble to start the drive.

“Noah has earned the right to get in there and contribute and play; he’s right there in the mix of what we’re trying to get done at quarterback,” FHS head coach Geoff Courtney said. “We continue to look for consistency.”

Along with sophomore quarterback Corbin Hobson, “either guy has got the ability,” the coach added. “They’ve both got the ability to lead this team. Noah ended up being productive tonight, so we rode with him there in the second half, and he made the most of his opportunity.

“Last couple of turnovers there aren’t really on (Haag). First one’s on me, making a bad play call. Next one, he’s just trying to make a play, trying to do something for his team, so you can’t fault him for that.”

Improvement a must.

Down 21-0 at the half, “we can’t come out in the first half against a good football team, against any football team, without the type of intensity, focus and style of play that we need to try to play,” Courtney said.

Overall, “We got to improve in all areas,” the Ads skipper added. “We got to improve as coaches. … We got a lot of areas we can get better at, and I think we will this week.”

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Ads Fall to DB, 27-20

August 29, 2024 Chase Scott

August 28, 2024 by Alan Sloan

KINGSPORT — Owning a quarter-and-a-half of its season-opening game at Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett allowed Farragut to overcome early adversity.

But the home team’s early and late success, which started by recovering an FHS fumble on the game’s second play and needing only 36 yards to score a TD, sent the Ads home unhappy, 27-20, in its season opening game Friday night, Aug. 23.

Finally stopping KDB on its third scoring drive attempt, after the Indians reached the Farragut 39 midway into the second quarter with the home team already up 14-0, FHS got a spark that created a momentum flame extending almost through the entire third quarter.

Sophomore quarterback Corbin Hobson’s first varsity touchdown pass hit senior receiver Robbie Jacobs in stride deep down the middle, 75 yards in all. The lead was 14-7.

A second Hobson-to-Jacobs TD lob pass of 19 yards on the next FHS possession, connecting in the back corner of the end zone, tied the game 14-14 with just 1:24 left in the first half.

With Farragut’s defense buckling down (allowing KDB just 273 total yards for the game) and junior kicker Ryan McCue adding field goals of 41 and 40 yards in addition to his pair of extra points, the Ads took a 20-14 lead into the fourth quarter.

But that’s when the Indians began using short, quick pass plays effectively — starting with a critical 18-yard screen pass on third down in the final seconds of the third quarter — to grab back momentum.

“We were going to have to open up the game a little bit and throw it a little bit more,” KDB head coach Joey Christian said. “We were able to do that for the rest of the game.”

Tying the game 20-20 with 9:43 left in regulation — FHS blocked the extra point — KDB made a critical fourth-and-1 defensive stop at the Farragut 40 midway into the final period.

About not punting in that situation, Courtney said, “We just thought we’d get a yard and then continue that drive and then go down and take the lead back. We’d been running it pretty effectively there in the second half. … We felt like we had a good push and good answers in the second half.”

The home team scored six plays later, taking a 27-20 lead with 3:53 to play.

However, Hobson fired completions covering 15 yards to tight end Aaron Heatherly and 11 yards to Landon Collins. The final toss to Jacobs landed the Ads at the Indians 20 with less than two minutes to play.

A second down pass to the goal line looked to be a touchdown — but simply was dropped. The next pass was intercepted, and KDB escaped with a narrow victory.

Had the catch been made to cut the KDB lead to 27-26, “Hindsight being 20-20, we might have gone for 2 here on the road, but we didn’t get to that,” Courtney said.

All totaled, Jacobs caught six passes for 142 yards.

“We are a team that’s always going to fight to the fourth quarter, and that’s exactly what we did,” Jacobs said. “We’re never going to give up.”

Hobson finished 14-of-25 passing for 228 yards and the two scoring strikes plus the one interception.

After Hobson had a rough first three series, “He settled in quite nicely,” Courtney said.

Another big weapon was sophomore Ethan Farhat, who returned eight kickoffs or punts for 149 yards, an 18-yard average.

Along with McCue’s kicking and punting and Farragut coverage units, “Outside of one return where we had two guys miss a tackle, I thought our special teams was really, really good tonight,” Courtney said. “Our punt return game was what allowed us to flip the field back in our position in the second and third quarters. Our exchanges on punts, I think we had an advantage there outside of that one return.

“Then Ryan’s field goal kicking, he was nailing them,” he added.

As a team, Farragut only gained 44 net yards on the ground. Team statistics had running back Charlie Noble rushing 12 times for 42 yards.

Defensively for Farragut, senior strong safety Henry Dee led FHS in both solo tackles (five) and total stops (nine), including two for minus yardage. Senior defensive end Harrison Kilpatrick had 7.5 total tackles.

Senior linebacker Bryce Thompson added six stops, including one for minus yardage. Of senior defensive back Kent Carbaugh’s six total tackles, four were solo.

Four of Jacobs’ five total stops at defensive back were solo. Hits by sophomore defensive backs Johnny Jacobs (four total) and sophomore Masyn Apaletegui forced fumbles (neither was recovered by Farragut).