The Memphis area has been spoiled with a fantastic start to the 2026 TSSAA football season.
Half the year has come and gone in a flash, and region play is in full swing, so it’s time for The Commercial Appeal to reminisce on the top games of the season so far, the best individual performances, legendary head coaches doing well, and some standout underclassman to watch out for.
Best TSSAA football games at midseason
Southwind 28, Houston 27
An unbelievable end to a fantastic matchup.
That’s the best way to describe Southwind’s narrow win over Houston in Week 3. With the game tied 14 at halftime, the Jaguars dominated the third quarter behind Auburn commit, running back Khamoni Williams who ran for two touchdowns in the game. Trailing by one, Houston had the opportunity to kick a PAT and settle for overtime or attempt
a 2-point conversion. Houston coach James Thomas chose the latter but junior quarterback Canon Day was unable to connect with his target in the end zone.
Stream Tennessee HS football games live on NFHS Network
Whitehaven 7, Germantown 6
Do not let the final score fool you. This game was entertaining, tense and packed with hectic plays.
Offensively, this matchup left a lot to be desired. Germantown’s lone score came after Whitehaven fumbled in its own end zone and the Red Devils recovered the ball for a touchdown. They missed the PAT. Turnovers were also and issue. But when the game needed a decider, Whitehaven quarterback Jour’din Shelton lofted a pass to Chris Hood in the end zone and secured the win in a rivalry game to begin region play.
Bartlett 37, MUS 27
Bartlett controlled most of this game, going ahead 14-0 in the first quarter. Coach Ben Bowden’s two-quarterback system has worked seamlessly, and the season opener against MUS was just the beginning.
River Hollard is pocket passer who finds talented receivers like Peirce Washington and Christopher Freeman and junior Rod Lucas uses his size and explosive deep ball to be a home run hitter. The tandem had a fun time against MUS, but the game was far from one-sided. After trailing by 14, the Owls eventually cut the lead to three before Bartlett secured the 10-point win.
Ranking three of the best individual performances
1. Brett Godwin, Lakeland Prep: Against Fayette Ware in Week 5, Godwin notched a season-high 352 yards, and six touchdowns while completing nearly 81% of his passes.
2. Cayden Dixon, Briarcrest: It’s not always about the numbers. Sometimes, the magnitude of the opponent speaks volumes about a player’s performance. Briarcrest took on Ensworth in Week 3 and won in dominant fashion, 42-17 as Dixon threw 122 yards and two touchdowns, rushing for another 36 to lead Briarcrest over the Tigers.
3. Khamoni Williams, Southwind: Dominance. It only took the Auburn commit four carries to rush for 120 yards and three touchdowns in a 63-0 win over Ridgeway in Week 2. The most lopsided game of the week was put to bed by the physical north-south rusher.
Legendary coaches having impressive first seasons
Stan Collins, Whitehaven: It’s impossible to look beyond the incredible story that is coach Collins, coming out of retirement. Collins helped to establish Whitehaven with successful teams in the 1980s and 1990s, putting the Tigers on the statewide radar. In 2026 Whitehaven are still an elite program, having won four straight games entering the second half of the season.
Cedrick Wilson Sr., Melrose: The former Super Bowl champion led the Golden Eagles to a 15-0 record and a state championship in 1996. Wilson went on to play at Tennessee, but is now back at his alma mater making headway for the Golden Wildcats. Despite being 2-3 through Week 5, Melrose, a Region 8-3A program has played much larger competition including Memphis Central and Bartlett.
Memphis area's rising TSSAA football star
Nate Brick, Christian Brothers, So.: The 6-foot-4 quarterback is already turning heads for his impressive timing and accuracy in the pocket. The underclassman has already logged 1,019 passing yards and 13 touchdowns with no interceptions over five games. His gun-slinging has already landed him an offer from Vanderbilt and ceiling for CBHS this season and the following ones seem limitless.
Reach The Commercial Appeal's high school writer, Ryan Myers at ryan.myers@commercialappeal.com and on the X platform @RyanMyers_23.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis area top TSSAA football games, best performances at midseason
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