THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Houston High School Athletics

BRENTWOOD — Houston football, on the back end of three nearly consecutive defensive pass interference calls, had its back against the end zone early in the third quarter, with Brentwood threatening to end its shutout effort. Not even penalties would sway Houston’s confidence, not the way the defense was playing in the TSSAA football semifinals Friday night. The Mustangs made the defensive stand, holding Brentwood to a field goal attempt that hardly made it past the first-down line. It was the sequence Houston coach James Thomas said shifted the game. It helped Houston (12-2) beat undefeated Brentwood (13-1) in the TSSAA football playoffs 28-0. The win lands Houston in the TSSAA BlueCross Bowl for the first time in school history. The Mustangs will face juggernaut Oakland (12-2) at 6 p.m. CT, Dec. 2, in Chattanooga at Finley Stadium. "I told the kids, I’ve had the privilege of playing in (this) game and coaching in (this) game and never passed it,” Thomas said. “This is the group that’s going to take us there.” For 13 games, the defense lurked in the background of an explosive offense, waiting for its chance to share the spotlight. Linebackers Owen Waggener and Ben Killebrew were excited to finally get that Friday night. "It's definitely a statement game for us,” Waggener said. “It lets the whole state know we’re here to stay.” For good reason, too. Entering the game, Brentwood quarterback Baylor Hayes had eclipsed 2,000 passing yards the previous game. He was held to 59 passing yards Friday, with Houston's pass rush swarming him. He was sacked four times before halftime. "I told (our team) at the beginning of the game, they haven’t seen our speed, and speed kills,” Thomas said after the win. “It proved right tonight.” In the second half, Hayes completed one pass in the second half and threw an interception to Andre Allen, which set up the second of Damon Sisa’s three touchdown runs. Allen also had a 29-yard touchdown catch for the game's first score. It’s the type of defensive performance that has Houston buzzing at a chance to be the underdog yet again. When it dropped two straight games by three points combined and was 1-2 through three games, the Mustangs saw people starting to doubt them. They haven’t lost since, a streak of 11 games. They‘ve also scored 28 or more points and haven’t allowed more than 10 points, including two shutouts, in every TSSAA playoff game this season. "We really did not garner the respect, I don’t know why,” Killebrew said. “And this really showed to the state how good our defense really is.” And now they have a shot at the gold ball against a team that’s won the past three state championships and four total since 2018. Is their confidence going to waver? Not a chance. "We’re taking on anybody,” Waggener said. “We’re just ready, we’re going to play this game like the underdogs because we are and we’re just going to get after. Enjoy the pressure, enjoy the moment and go get a ring.”

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Houston High School Athletics

HOUSTON DEFENSE MAKES ITS STAND LOUD AND CLEAR WITH FIRST TRIP TO TSSAA BLUECROSS BOWL

WYNSTON WILCOX

Commercial Appeal | 11/25/2023

PHOTO CREDIT: Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean