Hampton (TN) at Pisgah: Can the Bears stay undefeated as an out-of-state foe comes to town?

Sep. 1—The Pisgah Bears are rolling right now, sitting with a perfect 2-0 record, and look to keep the momentum going as the Hampton (TN) Bulldogs come to town.

Date & Location: 7:30 p.m. Sep. 1, in Canton

Last Meeting: This is the first meeting between Pisgah and Hampton.

The Bears have played local rivals Brevard and Enka in the first two weeks, two teams they are familiar with.

The meeting with Brevard was an emotional night for the town of Canton as the community returned to Pisgah Memorial Stadium. The team won the game by two scores to highlight the return home.

The following week, Pisgah visited Enka in a game decided by just seven points last season. This year, however, the Bears rolled to a 56-3 win, dominating both sides of the ball.

Now, Pisgah hosts an out-of-state opponent, Hampton (TN), to the confines of Pisgah Memorial Stadium.

"Excited about the team coming out of Tennessee," Pisgah head coach Brett Chappell said. "Don't know a lot about them, but we'll get some film, and we'll welcome them to Canton."

Chappell said that the game has a lot of intrigue, as playing unfamiliar teams allows Pisgah's players to see how they would match up if they came across a similar style in the playoffs.

"It's always exciting to see teams like Hampton come in — teams we haven't seen before," he said. "We always try to keep that relationship in that East Tennessee corridor or upstate South Carolina. It's different football. You still have 11 players, but it's fun to match up against other coaches because it might be something that helps us later on. We might find something."

Hampton's in review:

Last season, Hampton finished its campaign with an 8-2 record before going into the playoffs. The Bulldogs managed to beat Oneida 32-0 before falling to Monterey 40-16.

So far this year, Hampton has split its two games, dropping the home opener to Pigeon Forge 24-14 and beating Johnson County 32-26 on the road. The Bulldogs look to carry that momentum into their 82-mile trip to Canton.

After the week one loss, Hampton was ranked fourth in Division I — Class 2A according to the AP Sports poll. The team received one first-place vote despite the loss. After last week's win, Hampton checks in at No. 8.

In 2021, the team made it to the state title game before falling 55-14 to Westview.

Senior running back Geno Carrico is a focal point of the offense, while senior quarterback Dylan Trivett is in his second year at the helm for the Bulldogs.

The offensive line for the Bulldogs is young, but the team has playmakers out wide and in the backfield to make up for the inexperience in the trenches.

Bears to watch:

Junior quarterback Aaron Clark put together an exhilarating performance against Enka, responsible for six total touchdowns — four through the air and one on the ground. Clark has served as the leader on the offense and has stepped into the role well in his second year under center.

Senior Breydon Reynolds has proven a weapon in the passing and rushing attacks. He is a strong runner when handed the ball but has the explosiveness to make plays once he gets into space.

Juniors Sawyer Belue and Jake Lowery have continued their rise as both wide receivers and in the secondary. The pairing has been lock-down when on the defensive side and has shown the ability to make big plays once the ball gets in their hands — Belue had a 55-yard touchdown catch against Enka, and Lowery had a pick-six against Brevard.

Senior Cadden Davis has evolved into a spark plug on the offensive side of the ball. He opened the scoring against Enka on Pisgah's very first offensive play of the game, catching a pass from Clark and taking it 56 yards to the end zone.

Sophomore Jaxon Bautista has shown his value on both sides of the ball. He has had a few really strong runs on offense, but his real value has been as a disruptor on defense. Bautista has spent a lot of the last two weeks in the backfield, whether that be taking handoffs on offense or getting to the opposition on defense.

Inside the Xs and Os:

This looks to be the biggest test the Bears defense has had so far this year. The Bulldogs are one of the best small schools in Tennessee, and much of that is predicated on offensive efficiency. Last week, Hampton scored 32 points in its win over 3A Johnson City.

Pisgah has looked great on both sides of the ball. Its offense should have no issues getting off the ground in this one either. Don't expect a performance like they had against Enka last week, but considering the offense put up 20 on a tough Brevard defense, anything is possible.

Pisgah's defense will be tested on Friday for the first time this season. Enka never got anything going at any point, and the Bears stood tall most of the game against Brevard. If Hampton is forced to throw the ball a lot, that could spell trouble for the Bulldogs. The Bears have a great secondary that allows their defensive front time to get pressure.

If Hampton wins: They were able to come into Pisgah Memorial and pull off a pretty big upset. The Bulldogs' offense found a way to exploit a strong Pisgah defense and turn the game into a shootout.

If Pisgah wins: The Bears' defense came up big once again, shutting down the Bulldogs and allowing Pisgah's offense to operate with the high level of efficiency we've seen so far this season.