Hillsboro, Pearl-Cohn keep Metro relevant in playoffs

It has been several years since the Metro Nashville Public Schools system has made this much noise this late in the state football playoffs.

Not since 2007 have two Metro teams reached the semifinals in their respective classifications. Pearl-Cohn and Hillsboro accomplished that feat a week ago as both rolled to lopsided quarterfinal victories to secure spots in the final four.

“I think it’s big,” Pearl-Cohn coach Tony Brunetti said. “It’s been awhile since we’ve had two teams with the opportunity to go to the (BlueCross) Bowl.”

Added Hillsboro senior lineman Kyle Phillips, “A lot of people say Metro football isn’t great and things like that, and I think we’ve been proving each and every week that we’re not as bad as people think we are.”

A pair of state championships would truly silence the doubters, but for that to happen, the Firebirds and Burros will first have to overcome major obstacles on Friday.

In Class 5A, Hillsboro travels to fellow No. 1 seed Ridgeway (12-1), while Pearl-Cohn plays at Trezevant in a battle of Class 4A No. 2 seeds.

Both could be facing their toughest tests of the season to this point.

Hillsboro (13-0), gunning for its first state championship since 2008, has mercy-ruled its first three playoff opponents, outscoring Kenwood, Springfield and Shelbyville by a combined 138-28. The defense has been suffocating and the offense explosive.

Tennessee commit Vincent Perry’s offensive workload has increased in recent weeks, and the 5-11, 170-pound speedster has not disappointed, racking up 426 total yards and seven touchdowns this postseason.

“I think in the playoffs, the teams we’ve played, we were just better than them,” Hillsboro coach Craig Clayton said. “This week is going to be a struggle. It’s a tough matchup for us in a couple of areas, and I think we have the advantage in a couple matchups as well.”

No easy task

Priority No. 1 for the Burros will be to slow down Ridgeway running back Earl Harrison. Harrison, an Arkansas State commit, ripped off touchdown runs of 65, 60 and 45 yards in last week’s lopsided victory over Henry County.

The Roadrunners’ defense, led by senior defensive ends Terry Fultz and Elontae Bateman, also has been impressive this season, surrendering fewer than 20 points per game.

“They have a very big defensive line, and our offense will have to put up a fight against them,” Perry said. “I’m just ready, looking forward to the game and hopefully making it to the state championship.”

Pearl-Cohn (11-2), returning to the semifinals for the first time since making back-to-back trips in Brunetti’s first two seasons (2006, 2007), has had a similarly easy run so far this postseason.

The Firebirds have been lighting up the scoreboard all season long, and they’re coming off arguably their two best performances of the season. Junior quarterback Jimmy Ferrell has thrown for 743 yards and nine touchdowns this postseason, including last week’s five-score effort against White House, and Class AA Mr. Football finalist Ke’Shawn Vaughn continues to dominate opposing defenses. Vaughn has piled up 2,510 yards rushing and 43 touchdowns on the year.

Just like in Hillsboro’s case, however, the competition level will ramp up this week.

“We’re going to be playing a game against players that can come out and play like we can, speed-wise and talent-wise,” Vaughn said.

Trezevant (12-1), making its second-straight Class 4A semifinal appearance, hasn’t quite been putting up the points like Pearl-Cohn — only East Tennessee teams Fulton and Union City can say that — but the Bears still possess a pretty powerful run-oriented offense.

The Bears piled up a combined 89 points in their first two playoff games, but last week’s quarterfinal victory over Crockett County came down to defense. Coming into the game, top-seeded Crockett County was averaging 49.2 points per contest. Against Trezevant’s defense, however, the Cavaliers were held to a season-low 17.

“Trezevant is a real gifted group,” Brunetti said. “They’re fast, and they’re big just like we are. They’re very athletic, and they’re here for a reason. They feel like they can run the ball on anybody, and that’s what they want to do. The main thing for us is to make them do something they don’t want to do. That’s the goal for us defensively.”

Reach Michael Murphy at 615-259-8018 and on Twitter @Murph_TNsports.