Red Bay wins first region championship since 2019 after dismantling Decatur Heritage

The Red Bay High School football program’s turnaround from the 2024 season to the present has been a remarkable one.

On Friday night, the Red Bay Tigers went on the road and routed Decatur Heritage 50-9 to win the Class 2A Region 8 title, the program’s first region championship since 2019 and 14th in program history. The victory over the Eagles improved Red Bay’s record to 7-1 overall and 4-0 in region play and guaranteed the Tigers a home playoff game for the first time since 2020.

“It’s a big moment for our program, and I think our kids have done a great job so far,” first-year Red Bay head coach Tyler Jeffreys told the Franklin Free Press. “We’re the region champs for the first time since 2019. That was one of our goals before the season started, and the players achieved it.

“This was definitely a team effort. We have a bunch of unselfish kids that want each other to play well, and I think that’s been a huge part of our success,” Jeffreys added. “Credit to our staff—it’s not just me. Credit to our kids for the effort they’ve put in week in and week out.

“I’m super proud of our kids and how they’ve played all year long.”

Red Bay dominated the hosts overall, but it was actually Decatur Heritage that scored the opening points with a successful field goal on the opening drive of the game.

That was just about all the Eagles could hang their hat on in the contest, however. Red Bay answered with a drive and a short touchdown run by senior Jaxon Vinson to make it 8-3, Tigers. The visitors never surrendered the lead after that.

Jaxon Swann was the next Tiger to find the endzone to make it 14-3; Vinson scored his second touchdown of the night on a 20-yard rush to increase RBHS’ advantage to 20-3; and senior quarterback Jeremiah Thorne’s 47-yard touchdown scamper late in the second quarter made it 28-3 before the halftime break.

In the second half, Vinson recorded a third rushing touchdown—this one for close to 90 yards—to make it 36-3. And for good measure, Vinson rushed for another touchdown, his 20th of the campaign, in the third quarter to give Red Bay a 43-3 advantage.

Red Bay’s final touchdown was also scored in the third quarter. Decatur Heritage would go on to grab a garbage time touchdown in the fourth.

The region title was a well-deserved reward for the team that hasn’t been beaten since week two of the campaign and has not lost a home game yet this year. Jeffreys, who got drenched by his players at the end of the game, said his players were stoked by the accomplishment.

“After they gave me a water bath I was a little shocked, but they were really excited,” Jeffreys said of his players. “It was a big night for them. All of the kids that are on this team have set the standard for this program for years to come. They worked really hard for this and they deserve to celebrate this one.”

With the 41-point victory over Decatur Heritage, Red Bay secures one more game at Fred Bostick Jr. Stadium this season. Whatever happens the remainder of the regular season, the Red Bay Tigers will host the fourth seed in Region 7 come November 7.

That said, after the celebrations are over the Tigers have to remember the job is not done just yet, Jeffreys said. 

“The thing about it is we’re not done,” the RBHS head coach told the FFP. “We’ve gotta keep grinding. We’ve achieved one of our goals, but we can’t be complacent.

“Not too long from now the games will just keep getting tougher and tougher, so we’ve gotta continue to get better each week,” Jeffreys added.

Red Bay continues its regular season slate with a final region game at Tanner on Friday, October 24.