Football was in the Jefferson City air on Friday night as the sixth-annual 5Star Preps FirstBank Football Jamboree marked the unofficial start of the season.

Nine area teams showcased previews of the season to come at Carson-Newman.

Here’s what we learned from the short jamboree action.

Campbell County 14, Wartburg 0

Campbell County hit pay dirt on its first drive thanks to a Silas Weaver touchdown run. Weaver, who was manning QB for the Cougars, orchestrated another touchdown drive that ended with Braydon Graham running over a defender into the end zone with two minutes left in the quarter.

“I’m pretty excited about where we’re heading, what direction we’re heading,” Campbell County coach Taylor Ownbey said. “I can’t get enough of these guys, and they work hard. They’re doing the right things, and it’s showing.”

Wartburg had one drive that stalled, and Campbell County’s Koalton Cupp blew up any chance of a score.

“Tonight, we came out, and we didn’t perform the way we’ve been performing,” Wartburg coach Ted McKinney said. “A lot of mental mistakes, probably a bigger stage than what they’re expecting, playing on a college campus and made four or five mental errors up front, and it went from there.”

Morristown West 7, Campbell County 0

Morristown West forced Graham to fumble on the first possession of the quarter, and the Trojans went to work.

Riley McClellan got the start at QB and quickly found Cooper Short for a 14-yard gain, then he ran for eight more yards to the 9. He scrambled to the 6, then scored it himself for the lone touchdown.

Mo West coach Darrell Keith said McClellan and Collin Rouse will rotate at the position, but McClellan will be “the guy.”

“I saw some good things,” Keith said. “It’s always hard in scrimmages because you’re going to have limited plays. Can’t really show too much.

“I was overall pleased.”

Campbell County went three-and-out on its possession following the fumble.

McClellan finished 5-for-7 with 66 yards, but time ran out before he could find the end zone again.

CAK 14, Jellico 0

CAK starter Seaton Moffett didn’t get his night off to a good start.

Moffett threw an interception on his first play from scrimmage, but his defense came up with a three-and-out.

The Warriors responded with an Isaac Kannah touchdown with 3:45 left in the quarter. CAK took over again and used a 30-yard pass from Moffett, then a 16-yard gain before Kannah took it the rest of the 19 yards into the end zone.

“Proud of our effort,” CAK coach Chad Speck said. “We started slow, made a few mistakes early, but proud of our effort — locked in. Looks like we executed pretty well as we settled in.”

Jellico didn’t get much going offensively, but defensively opened with an interception and forced CAK into long drives, aside from the Warriors’ final score.

Jellico coach Brent Peel hopes the performance will humble his squad heading into the year.

“Just do what we do,” Peel said of the team’s focus. “Try to do the things we do, control what we can control, and let everything else fall how it falls.”

Grace Christian 14, Greeneville 7

The Grace offense was full go during the 12-minute quarter at the jamboree.

The Rams opened with a trick play from QB Corbin Hobson to running back Terrion Thomas, who hit Anderson Glover in stride for a score.

“We throw that little swing bubble pass to him so much so we figured we’d have a little fun,” GCA coach Justin Price said. “He made a great throw, and Glover obviously made a great catch and run.”

Greeneville got the touchdown back with a 70-yard drive, highlighted by a Kaine Ricker QB run for a 46-yard gain down to the three-yard line that Jude Dyer finished off.

The Rams got a 45-yard shot from Hobson to Thomas and then found Kaden Webber for the score.

Hobson threw for 80 yards on 5-of-7 passing.

“It’s still not a real Friday night, but it’s such a taste and a preview of what we’re going to be in a couple of weeks.”

Grace’s Glover grabbed an interception when Greeneville was threatening to keep it 14-7.

Lakeway 3, Catholic 0

Offense was scarce in the nightcap between Lakeway and Knoxville Catholic.

The Fighting Irish didn’t complete a pass during the starter period, and Lakeway was forced to settle for a field goal on its second possession after the first went three-and-out.

“Sustained the drive,” Lakeway coach Greg Vandagriff said. “Got first downs when we needed to. Executed when we needed to. Didn’t get too flustered or too upset.”

Catholic’s first possession ended with a sack and a near fumble as QB Mack Bartholomew was hit as he threw. The second drive made it to the red zone after a facemask call and a 30-yard run from Kruise Buntyn, but a dropped touchdown and a doinked field goal left the Fighting Irish scoreless.

“I didn’t think our offense executed very well at times and had a bad first possession,” Catholic coach Philip Shadowens said. “A lot of learning things that happened there. But we have a special group of kids.”

Halftime Skills
Competition Winners

Punting: Grayson Cosby, Greeneville
Throwing Competition: Riley McClellan, Morristown West
Lineman race: Alan Lawson, Jellico
Back race: Hunter Bennett, CAK

Article written by Caleb Jarreau/5Star Preps. To read more on area high school sports or to see photo galleries, videos, stat leaders, etc., visit 5StarPreps.com — and use promo code HAMMERS for 30% off your first year or month subscription.

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