Independence football hasn’t been easy to judge this season.
Following a season-opening loss at Oakland, the Eagles played three consecutive overtime games – needing three extra periods to beat Page and two to edge Franklin – before Friday’s statement 28-7 win at Beech.
Now it’s clear coach Scott Stidham’s group at least belongs in the conversation when sorting through the best Nashville-area high school football teams. The previously unranked Eagles (3-2) debuted at No. 16 in this week’s Main Street Preps Top 25 rankings.
Independence quarterback Luke McNeilly rushed for three touchdowns against Beech, and the Eagles defense kept the Buccaneers off the scoreboard until the 1:54 mark in the fourth quarter.
Elsewhere, Montgomery Bell Academy defeated No. 2 Father Ryan 24-20 to earn its first win of the season. Christ Presbyterian Academy used four Braden Streeter passing scores to roll over Battle Ground Academy 41-7 and slot in behind top-ranked Pearl-Cohn, which crushed Montgomery Central 61-0.
See below for the updated Midstate Top 25, last week’s scores and this week’s schedule.
1. (1) Pearl-Cohn (5-0)
Week 5: W, 61-0 at Montgomery Central | Week 6: at Station Camp
2. (4) CPA (4-1)
Week 5: W, 41-7 at BGA | Week 6: vs. Goodpasture
3. (3) Brentwood (5-0)
Week 5: W, 20-0 vs. Summit | Week 6: at Overton
4. (5) Oakland (4-1)
Week 5: W, 42-7 vs. Blackman | Week 6: at Rockvale
5. (6) Lipscomb Academy (2-3)
Week 5: W, 24-10 vs. Ensworth | Week 6: OFF
6. (8) Centennial (5-0)
Week 5: W, 35-0 vs. Springfield | Week 6: vs. Nolensville
7. (7) Ensworth (4-1)
Week 5: L, 24-10 at Lipscomb Academy | Week 6: vs. MUS
8. (9) Page (4-1)
Week 5: W, 28-0 at Coffee County | Week 6: at Glencliff
9. (10) Mt. Juliet (5-0)
Week 5: W, 38-14 vs. Cookeville | Week 6: at Wilson Central
10. (2) Father Ryan (3-1)
Week 5: L, 24-20 vs. MBA | Week 6: at Briarcrest Christian
11. (11) Riverdale (3-2)
Week 5: W, 41-6 vs. Rockvale | Week 6: vs. Riverdale
12. (14) Franklin Road Academy (5-0)
Week 5: W, 55-7 at Northwest | Week 6: vs. East Nashville
13. (15) Green Hill (5-0)
Week 5: W, 31-21 at Lebanon | Week 6: vs. Gallatin
14. (16) East Nashville (5-0)
Week 5: W, 27-13 at Liberty Creek | Week 6: at FRA
15. (17) Ravenwood (4-1)
Week 5: W, 49-7 vs. Overton | Week 6: at Independence
16. (NR) Independence (3-2)
Week 5: W, 28-7 at Beech | Week 6: vs. Ravenwood
17. (19) MBA (1-4)
Week 5: W, 24-20 at Father Ryan | Week 6: at McCallie
18. (18) Nolensville (5-0)
Week 5: W, 34-23 at Franklin | Week 6: at Centennial
19. (13) Brentwood Academy (1-4)
Week 5: L, 29-15 vs. McCallie | Week 6: at Baylor
20. (20) Hendersonville (4-1)
Week 5: W, 28-21 vs. Siegel | Week 6: vs. Beech
21. (21) Davidson Academy (5-0)
Week 5: W, 50-7 vs. St. George’s | Week 6: vs. Pope Prep
22. (12) Beech (2-3)
Week 5: L, 28-7 vs. Independence | Week 6: at Hendersonville
23. (23) Upperman (5-0)
Week 5: W, 28-21 vs. White County | Week 6: at Cumberland County
24. (24) Friendship Christian (5-0)
Week 5: W, 56-8 vs. RePublic | Week 6: at MTCS
25. (25) Stewarts Creek (4-1)
Week 5: W, 28-13 vs. Cane Ridge | Week 6: vs. Antioch
Dropped out: Siegel (4-1)
Just missed: Clarksville (5-0), Hillsboro (4-1), Shelbyville (4-1)
Week 5 scores
Thursday, Sept. 14:
CPA 41, BGA 7*
Providence Christian 20, Grundy Co. 14
Friday, Sept. 15:
Antioch 28, McGavock 12 *
Brentwood 20, Summit 0 *
Cascade 28, Watertown 21
Centennial 35, Springfield 0
Clarksville 48, West Creek 7 *
Clay Co. 48, Portland 36
Columbia 31, Lawrence Co. 0 *
Columbia Academy 42, DCA 30 *
Cornersville 62, Richland 28 *
Creek Wood 14, Whites Creek 6 *
Davidson Academy 50, St. George’s 7
DeKalb Co. 21, Gordonsville 7
Dickson Co. 42, Kirkwood 12 *
Eagleville 35, Huntland 0 *
East Hickman 48, Hickman Co. 33 *
East Nashville 27, Liberty Creek 13 *
East Robertson 49, Jo Byrns 12
Ezell-Harding 48, Ballard Memorial, KY 0
Fairview 28, Cheatham Co. 21 *
Fayetteville 34, Cannon Co. 13 *
Forrest 47, White House Heritage 21
FRA 55, Clarksville Northwest 7
Franklin Grace 36, Clarksville Academy 0 *
Friendship Christian 56, RePublic 8
Gallatin 56, Warren Co. 7 *
Glencliff 37, Maplewood 28
Green Hill 31, Lebanon 21 *
Hendersonville 28, Siegel 21
Henry Co. 63, Hunters Lane 12 *
Hillsboro 42, Kenwood 14
Independence 28, Beech 7
Jackson Co. 21, Red Boiling Springs 14
Lipscomb Academy 24, Ensworth 10
Livingston Academy 49, Pickett Co. 0
Loretto 24, Lewis Co. 21 *
Macon Co. 35, Cumberland Co. 0 *
Marshall Co. 53, White House 14 *
MBA 24, Father Ryan 20
McCallie 29, Brentwood Academy 15 *
Meigs Co. 33, Stone Memorial 25
Monterey 35, Westmoreland 14 *
Moore Co. 41, Franklin Co. 24
Mt. Juliet 38, Cookeville 14 *
Mt. Pleasant 46, Summertown 0 *
MTCS 56, Webb School 6
Nashville Christian 55, Mt. Juliet Christian 0 *
Nolensville 34, Franklin 23
Oakland 42, Blackman 7 *
Page 28, Coffee Co. 0
Pearl Cohn 61, Montgomery Central 0 *
Perry Co. 37, Stewart Co. 7
Pope John Paul 41, Goodpasture 14 *
Ravenwood 49, Nashville Overton 7 *
Riverdale 41, Rockvale 6 *
Rossview 40, Clarksville Northeast 0 *
Shelbyville 42, Wilson Central 8
Smith Co. 27, Trousdale Co. 7 *
Smyrna 16, LaVergne 0 *
Spring Hill 27, James Lawson 14
Station Camp 26, Greenbrier 20 *
Stewarts Creek 28, Cane Ridge 13 *
Stratford 42, Sycamore 14
Tullahoma 39, Lincoln Co. 14 *
Upperman 28, White Co. 21 *
Waverly 22, Harpeth 21 *
Wayne Co. 37, McEwen 14
West Carroll 21, Houston Co. 14 *
York Institute 74, Tellico Plains 0 *
Week 6 schedule
Friday, Sept. 22:
Brentwood Academy at Baylor *
Hunters Lane at BGA
Siegel at Blackman *
Father Ryan at Briarcrest *
Community at Cannon Co.
Forrest at Cascade *
Nolensville at Centennial *
Dickson Co. at Clarksville *
Henry Co. at Clarksville Northeast
West Creek at Clarksville Northwest *
Monroe County, KY at Clay Co.
Riverdale at Coffee Co. *
Clarksville Academy at Collinwood
Ezell-Harding at Columbia Academy
Warren Co. at Cookeville *
Moore Co. at Cornersville *
Goodpasture at CPA *
Upperman at Cumberland Co. *
Pope John Paul at Davidson Academy *
Waverly at East Hickman *
Smith Co. at East Robertson *
MUS at Ensworth *
Creek Wood at Fairview
East Nashville at FRA
Shelbyville at Franklin Co. *
Nashville Christian at Franklin Grace *
Lincoln Co. at Giles Co.
Page at Glencliff *
Gallatin at Green Hill *
White House at Greenbrier *
Beech at Hendersonville *
Loretto at Hickman Co. *
James Lawson at Hillsboro *
Stewart Co. at Houston Co.
Richland at Huntland *
Ravenwood at Independence *
Cheatham Co. at Jo Byrns
Rossview at Kirkwood *
Cane Ridge at LaVergne *
Watertown at Lebanon
Mt. Pleasant at Lewis Co. *
Westmoreland at Liberty Creek
York Institute at Livingston Academy
White Co. at Macon Co. *
Haywood at Maplewood
Fayetteville at Marshall Co.
MBA at McCallie *
Smyrna at McGavock *
Gordonsville at Monterey
DCA at Mt. Juliet Christian *
Friendship Christian at MTCS *
Brentwood at Nashville Overton *
Springfield at Portland *
Perry Co. at Red Boiling Springs
Oakland at Rockvale *
Lawrence Co. at Spring Hill *
Pearl Cohn at Station Camp *
Antioch at Stewarts Creek *
DeKalb Co. at Stone Memorial *
RePublic at Stratford*
Harpeth at Summertown *
Franklin at Summit *
White House Heritage at Sycamore *
Jackson Co. at Trousdale Co. *
Columbia at Tullahoma *
Eagleville at Wayne Co. *
Montgomery Central at Whites Creek *
Mt. Juliet at Wilson Central *
*denotes region game
