On Thursday night, it took more work than expected for the Marion County Warriors (9-1/4-0) to knock off one win York Institute (1-9/1-3), 21-14. The Warriors led only 14-8 at halftime and held off the Dragons in the second half to finish unbeaten and are the #1 seed for Region 3 Class 2A.

So far this season, Marion County averages 29.8 points per game, and its defense allows just 7.5 per game.

The Warriors will host 6-4 Jackson County this Friday in the first round of the TSSAA playoffs.

The Class 1A second-ranked South Pittsburg Pirates (9-1, 4-0) were leading Whitwell 6-0 after the first quarter on Halloween night when their offense exploded. They scored three touchdowns before halftime to secure the region’s top seed for the upcoming state playoffs. The Pirates went on to win 49-0.

South Pittsburg will host Red Boiling Springs (0-10), which advances from a four-team region, while Whitwell (3-7, 2-2) will travel to Jo Byrns (5-5) for the second meeting in three weeks; the Tigers previously recorded a 15-7 victory over the Red Devils on October 23.

The Pirates outgained the Tigers 367 to 17 in total yardage, limiting Whitwell to minus-11 rushing yards on 19 attempts and forcing two turnovers.

Senior quarterback Caden Jones completed 14 of 15 passes for 182 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown pass to Dayon Cooper for the game’s initial score. Cooper recorded 122 receiving yards on six catches. JaMychal Buckner led the rushing attack with 108 yards and three touchdowns, while Zech Green contributed 70 yards and a touchdown on five carries.

Sequatchie County scored on Hunter Minton’s 7-yard touchdown run with just more than two minutes remaining, but the host Giles County Bobcats answered with a short scoring run with 31 seconds to go to win and the Region 4-3A title by the final of 41-38.

Hunter Minton led the Indians with two rushing TDs and one passing TD. Kason Hicks scored twice, and Britt Chadwick added another.

The Indians (7-3, 4-1) finished second in the region and will host Brainerd (1-8) in the first round of the playoffs this week.

Other scores:

Jackson County 17, Grundy County 12. Playoffs Class 2A: Grundy travels to Cannon County

Bledsoe County 40, Monterey 14. Playoffs Class 2A: Bledsoe hosts Smith County

Alabama:

North Jackson 48, Kate Duncan Smith DAR 14

North Sand Mountain 45, Susan Moore 30

Georgia:

Gordon Central 20, Dade County 16