By Michael Murphy, mfmurphy@tennessean.com | August 1, 2016 6:03 am

Joseph Peck

Slater Howard

Middle Tennessee Christian quarterback Joseph Peck

Nashville Christian coach Jeff Brothers

Mikey Chennault

Bryce Pemberton

Trousdale County celebrates its 2013 state championship.

Gordonsville coach Ron Marshall

Nashville Christian celebrates after last season’s Class 1A BlueCross Bowl championship.

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

1. Nashville Christian

2. Trousdale County

3. Jo Byrns

4. Middle Tennessee Christian

5. Monterey

6. Gordonsville

7. Clay County

8. Pickett County

9. Red Boiling Springs

Nashville Christian’s Lelan Wilhoite (11)

TOP RETURNEES

Brant Lawless, Jr., DL/TE, Nashville Christian; Isiah Harper, Jr., RB/DB, Trousdale County; Jay Vaden, Sr., WR/DB, Gordonsville; Joseph Peck, Sr., QB/LB, MTCS; Lelan Wilhoite, Jr., RB/KR, Nashville Christian; Mikey Chennault, Sr., RB/LB, Jo Byrns; Sammy Earheart, Sr., RB/LB, Jo Byrns; Slater Howard, Sr., DB, Nashville Christian; Spencer Norrod, Sr., OL/DL, Monterey; Tanner Lannom, Sr., RB/LB, Trousdale County.

TOP GAMES

MTCS at Jo Byrns (Sept. 2); Trousdale County at Jo Byrns (Sept. 9); Monterey at MTCS (Sept. 9); Nashville Christian at MTCS (Oct. 21); Trousdale County at Nashville Christian (Oct. 28).

Jo Byrns running back and linebacker Mikey Chennault

REGION TIDBITS

Teams currently competing in Region 5-1A have combined to win six state titles in the previous 11 seasons, including Trousdale County (2013, 2009, 2008, 2005), Nashville Christian (2015) and Gordonsville (2012). … Bryce Pemberton, who was ineligible last season after transferring from Goodpasture, will start at quarterback for defending Class 1A state champion Nashville Christian. … Chennault, the 2015 5-1A Offensive MVP, ran for 1,110 yards and 11 touchdowns on 122 carries a season ago. … Lawless, the 2015 Region 5-1A Defensive MVP, is a four-star defensive tackle and the state’s fifth-ranked prospect in the class of 2018 according to 247Sports. … Harper, a 2015 All-Region 5-1A selection who rushed for nearly 500 yards and five touchdowns last season, is the cousin of former Yellow Jackets star and Tennessee Tech sophomore Kenyan Harper.

Trousdale County’s Tanner Lannom

SCHEDULES

2015 record in parenthesis, * denotes region contest

Clay County (2-8, 1-7): Aug. 19 vs. Jackson County; *Aug. 26 at Trousdale County; Sept. 2 vs. Zion Christian; *Sept. 9 vs. Gordonsville; *Sept. 16 vs. MTCS; *Sept. 30 vs. Nashville Christian; *Oct. 7 at Jo Byrns; *Oct. 14 at Red Boiling Springs; *Oct. 21 vs. Monterey; *Oct. 28 at Pickett County.

Gordonsville (3-7, 3-5): Aug. 19 vs. Watertown; Aug. 26 at Smith County; *Sept. 9 at Clay County; *Sept. 16 vs. Trousdale County; *Sept. 23 at Jo Byrns; *Sept. 30 vs. MTCS; *Oct. 7 at Monterey; *Oct. 14 vs. Nashville Christian; *Oct. 21 at Pickett County; *Oct. 28 vs. Red Boiling Springs.

Jo Byrns (8-3, 6-2, reached Class 1A first round): Aug. 19 at Cheatham County; Aug. 26 vs. East Robertson; *Sept. 2 vs. MTCS; *Sept. 9 vs. Trousdale County; *Sept. 16 at Nashville Christian; *Sept. 23 vs. Gordonsville; *Sept. 30 at Red Boiling Springs; *Oct. 7 vs. Clay County; *Oct. 14 at Pickett County; *Oct. 28 at Monterey.

MTCS (6-4, 4-4): Aug. 19 at Ezell Harding; *Aug. 26 vs. Red Boiling Springs; *Sept. 2 at Jo Byrns; *Sept. 9 vs. Monterey; *Sept. 16 at Clay County; *Sept. 23 vs. Pickett County; *Sept. 30 at Gordonsville; Oct. 7 vs. Cannon County; *Oct. 14 at Trousdale County; *Oct. 21 vs. Nashville Christian.

Monterey (6-5, 6-2, reached Class 1A first round): Aug. 19 at White County; Aug. 26 vs. Upperman; *Sept. 2 at Nashville Christian;*Sept. 9 at MTCS; *Sept. 16 at Red Boiling Springs; *Sept. 23 vs. Trousdale County; *Sept. 30 vs. Pickett County; *Oct. 7 vs. Gordonsville; *Oct. 21 vs. Clay County; *Oct. 28 vs. Jo Byrns.

Nashville Christian (14-1, 8-0, won Class 1A state championship): *Aug. 19 vs. Red Boiling Springs; Aug. 26 at White House Heritage; *Sept. 2 vs. Monterey; *Sept. 9 vs. Pickett County; *Sept. 16 vs. Jo Byrns; Sept. 23 vs. Pope John Paul II; *Sept. 30 at Clay County; *Oct. 14 at Gordonsville; *Oct. 21 at MTCS; *Oct. 28 vs. Trousdale County.

Pickett County (1-9, 0-8): Aug. 19 vs. Clinton County (Ky.); Aug. 26 at Jellico; *Sept. 2 at Red Boiling Springs; *Sept. 9 at Nashville Christian; *Sept. 23 at MTCS; *Sept 30 at Monterey; *Oct. 7 at Trousdale County; *Oct. 14 vs. Jo Byrns; *Oct. 21 vs. Gordonsville; *Oct. 28 vs. Clay County.

Red Boiling Springs (4-6, 2-6): *Aug. 19 at Nashville Christian; *Aug. 26 at MTCS; *Sept. 2 vs. Pickett County; Sept. 9 at Cannon County; *Sept. 16 vs. Monterey; *Sept. 30 vs. Jo Byrns; Oct. 7 vs. Clinton County (Ky.); *Oct. 14 vs. Clay County; *Oct. 21 at Trousdale County; *Oct. 28 at Gordonsville.

Trousdale County (7-4, 6-2, reached Class 1A first round): Aug. 19 vs. Westmoreland; *Aug. 26 vs. Clay County; Sept. 2 at Upperman; *Sept. 9 at Jo Byrns; *Sept. 16 at Gordonsville; *Sept. 23 at Monterey; *Oct. 7 vs. Pickett County; *Oct. 14 vs. MTCS; *Oct. 21 vs. Red Boiling Springs; *Oct. 28 at Nashville Christian.

Reach Michael Murphy at 615-269-8262 and on Twitter @Murph_TNsports .

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