The history makers

Photo by Brandon Shinn

The Smoky Mountain Athletic Conference champion Bulldogs pose with their new-won hardware on Thursday.

The 2009 Maryville Middle School Bulldogs were a special team. Coach Jay Malone’s surprising squad, 4-3 a year ago, defeated Carpenters Middle School, 41-8, in the Smoky Mountain Athletic Conference championship game last Thursday at Maryville College.

The Bulldogs set a school record for wins in a season, finishing an unblemished 10-0 on the year. Eighth-grader Cody Carroll established a new school record for touchdown catches in a season. Place-kicker Caden Ryding became the first player in school history - its Maryville Junior High predecessor included - to boot a successful field goal. Ryding did it twice. Championship game offensive most valuable player Shawn Prevo rushed for better than 600 yards and 16 touchdowns on the year. Quarterback Isaac Edmiston completed 46 of his 60 passes for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns with only two interceptions.

2009 Maryville Middle School Bulldogs

Smoky Mountain Athletic Conference champions

Record: 10-0 (school record)

1 Cody Carroll

2 Caden Ryding

3 Sam Paganelli

4 J.R. McLaughlin

5 Chancellor Coates

7 Isaac Edmiston

8 Paul Bristol

9 Phillip Reagan

10 Shawn Love

11 John Garrett

12 Baylor Sundahl

14 Taylor Best

20 Josh LaForty

21 Matt Woods

22 Rain Campbell

23 Travis Nuchols

24 Dylan Shinsky

25 Chase White

26 Tyler Vaught

30 Tony Gugliotta

31 Daniel West

33 Bryce Miller

34 Gene Lewis

40 Clay Kemperle

42 Nathan Wilson

44 Shawn Prevo

50 Matthew Davis

52 Matthew Blalock

53 Thomas Lambertucci

54 Austin Green

55 Connor Greene

56 Drew Curtis

57 Charlie Hill

58 Keenan Brackins

60 Caleb Kitts

62 Matthew Hughes

64 Brody Hess

65 Matthew Howard

66 Drew Ten Eyck

67 Paten Sweeney

68 Jake Taylor

69 Chaning Housley

71 Colby Phillips

72 Richard Koons

74 Caleb Darnell

75 Rocky Monroe

76 Brant Sloan

77 Jacob Kelso

78 Donovan Hegerty

79 Tyler Munsey

80 Marcus Brooks

81 Cody Willis

82 Grant Wilson

83 Frankie Anderson

85 Thomas Headrick

Head coach: Jay Malone

Assistant coaches: Andy Kerr, Matt Miller, Randy Stanley, David Clark.