Bees And Warriors Coaches Eager For Week 5

Upperman High and White County are two of the top ranked 4A teams in Tennessee and this Friday they meet in Sparta in a game that has both coaches excited.

The Bees have outscored opponents 172-54 in route to an undefeated start to 2024. Head coach Adam Caine said he is looking forward to Friday’s match-up and that if this game does not get you excited, you are probably not a football fan.

“Anytime Upperman plays White County in any sport it’s going to be a big game,” Caine said. “And it just so happens that this year both teams have good records and both teams are probably looking to make some noise deep into the postseason. And they certainly have the personnel to do that.”

White County Head Coach Curtis Beaty said the entire Sparta community is buzzing with the prospect of beating the number one ranked team in Tennessee on their home turf.

“It’s massive, especially for our kids and our coaches,” Beaty said. “To be at this point, you’re 3-1 and you got a region win under your belt that you lost the year before. And you’re bringing in the number one team in the state into your place. You feel like you can compete with them, but we’ll just have to see.”

The Warriors lone loss came in a 42-34 battle with the 6A Cookeville Cavaliers. Beaty said that the hype surrounding this game should not play a big impact on his players.

“I think we’ve played in some bigger games over the past couple of years,” Beaty said. “Especially last year where there was a bunch of games that were on our schedule that were big hoop-la. And then, you go play the Cookeville game every year and it’s one of those where it’s just bigger than the game itself is the environment. And so our kids are adjusted to that, we know how to handle that.”

Last season these two teams met, with Upperman winning 28-21. Caine said although last year’s score will not play a role in the match-up, the lingering emotions will.

“I know they feel like last year was a fluke,” Caine said. “That’s what I’ve heard, that they kind of started slow but they felt they were the better team last year. And, so, I’m sure they’re coming out with a lot to prove. So, it’ll be a big time environment and a huge test for us.”

Kickoff at 7pm this Friday at Warriors Stadium in Sparta.