Setting any sort of record in Tennessee's high school football scene is a big deal as that opportunity doesn't come often. For Greeneville (TN) senior receiver Taren Claridy, that opportunity came Friday night.
In a 48-20 regular season-ending win over Elizabethton (TN) on Oct. 30, the future East Tennessee State Buccaneer set the individual state record for receiving touchdowns with 29 entering the postseason.
Claridy finished the evening with three touchdown receptions, breaking the former record of 28 set by former Greenback (TN) standout Holden Willis in 2019.
Taren Claridy has broken the TSSAA single-season TD reception with 29 on the year#FirstHorizon pic.twitter.com/JaHAhfu1r2
— GreeneSportsZone (@GSportsZone) October 31, 2026
Entering Friday night's contest, Claridy had 1,467 yards and 26
touchdowns on the year on only 57 receptions. Last week, he set the single-season program record for yards in a season and another school record with six touchdowns as the Greene Devils blew past Grainger (TN) 56-7.
Fairly quiet in the first quarter against Elizabethton, Claridy got going in the second quarter, taking a 15-yard reception in for six to put the Greene Devils up 20-7.
Already leading big in the fourth, Greeneville gave Claridy his opportunity to break the record. He tied it with 9:28 remaining on a 6-yard touchdown reception.
Less than three minutes later, the record was broken. Greeneville quarterback Kase Spradlen found Claridy for a 28-yard touchdown to set the new state mark.
Claridy has a golden opportunity to extend that lead well into the playoffs. Greeneville enters postseason play with a 10-0 record and will host Fulton (TN) on Nov. 6.
Follow Sports Reporter Joe Spears on X at @joe_spears7 or via email: JSpears@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow USA TODAY High School Sports on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tennessee high school WR, ETSU commit breaks state’s single-season TD record
