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Chandler Day didn't want the carry that injured him two weeks ago to be the last of his high school football career. Houston's senior quarterback exited the Mustangs' regular-season finale after taking an awkward hit and fall on the team's first play from scrimmage. The non-throwing shoulder injury held Day out of Houston's opening-round TSSAA football playoff victory as younger brother Canon manned the QB spot. On Friday night, however, Chandler weathered pain to lead Houston to a 17-10 defeat of Bartlett to advance to the 6A quarterfinals vs. Collierville (11-1), which defeated Germantown 24-0 Friday to earn a Week 11 rematch. Senior Ladeadrick James' 20-yard touchdown run with 4:57 remaining was the difference for Houston (10-2) in the win over Bartlett (7-4). Day finished 13-of-23 passing for 151 yards and a TD, adding 29 yards rushing on six carries. "I was nervous going into it, I wasn't sure if I wanted to play or not because it's still a little iffy," Day said. "At the end of the day, I wanted to be out there with my guys ... . I wanted to go out in a good way instead of how I went out the last game." After X-rays and an MRI, Day learned that he'd suffered a partial shoulder dislocation. "When I came off the field, I actually thought it was my (scapula)," Day said. "Once I found out what it was, it was the best news ever. It wasn't anything that was gonna threaten my future." When Day took the field on Friday, the pre-game apprehensions evaporated. The Tennessee baseball pitching signee lowered his shoulder like he always does, earning tough yards like a tailback. "When you're in the game, you're not thinking about it," Day said. "You gotta play full speed. When you play scared, that's when bad things happen." After a Houston field goal, the teams punted on nine drives in a row before Day threw an interception and Bartlett tied the game at three just before halftime. "We knew this was gonna be a tough one," Houston coach James Thomas said. "Bartlett is a good football team and they've been playing good football ever since we beat them (33-14 in Week 7)." After a Bartlett touchdown with 6:03 remaining in the third quarter, Day and Houston got into gear. A winding 24-yard catch and run from receiver DJ Miller soon set up a 21-yard TD reception to tie the game at 10 with 1:03 left in the third. "I told myself we had to make plays (after halftime), so that's what I did," Miller said. Miller was the second-leading receiver behind Andre Allen Jr. (62) with 60 yards.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Houston High School Athletics

HOUSTON'S CHANDLER DAY RETURNS TO LEAD TSSAA FOOTBALL PLAYOFF WIN EVEN THOUGH SHOULDER 'A LITTLE IFFY'

WENDELL SHEPHERD JR.

Commercial Appeal | 11/15/2024

PHOTO CREDIT: Kobie Clark/HHS Sport Marketing Club