Everybody knows that it takes all of us, and that’s what’s exciting about this group of kids”

Golden Eagles' Head Coach Jud Dryden

SHELBYVILLE, TN – The Shelbyville Central Golden Eagles held off the visiting Nolensville Knights in the second round of the TSSAA Class 5-A State Playoffs on Friday night, 33-28.

Last season, Jud Dryden’s Golden Eagles’ squad was upset in this round at home against Centennial, 20-14. This season, Shelbyville made sure they didn’t stumble again, holding on despite Nolensville recovering an onside kick with less than 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter to advance to the State Quarterfinals for the first time since 2019. 

“It’s huge, I mean that means we are one of the top eight teams in the state, there’s no ifs ands or buts about it,” Dryden said postgame about advancing to the Quarterfinals for the first time in his Shelbyville tenure. “And to be able to go head-to-head with maybe one of the best two or three teams in the state of Tennessee, that’s going to be exciting and we’re looking forward to it.”

Senior defensive back Madox Wright came up with two massive interceptions in the fourth quarter, and the Golden Eagles were able to turn both turnovers into touchdowns. 

“You know, it’s stuff we’ve seen all week in practice and they’ve seen on film, and for him to be in the right spot doing the right thing and coming up big as a senior in the second round is big,” Dryden said about Wright’s interceptions. “I love him to death, he does everything well for us, and we’re excited to be able to have him on the field.”

Star running back Robert Bailey ran for 369 yards and 4 TDs on just 21 carries as Shelbyville’s offensive line asserted themselves early and often against the Knights’ defensive front. They also put the finishing touches on Nolensville with their final drive of the game to take a two-score lead late, going on an 11-play, 70-yard TD drive that took 6:55 off the clock to put the game out of reach for good.

“It [final TD drive] goes to show who we are and who we want to be as we progress,” said Dryden. “Our offensive line has taken pride in what they can do up front, they’ve taken pride in making sure that our running game is good and that the pass protection is there. It’s as much for them as any of our running backs or the quarterback, so just to be able to watch them do what they do has been fun.”

Stephen Bobo finished just 2/11 passing for 22 yards and 1 deflected INT, but his legs came up big once again as he ran for 80 yards and 1 TD on 16 carries. 

Nolensville’s Jack Dever finished 16/31 passing for 272 yards and 3 TDs with 2 INTs. His favorite target, Landon Smotherman, finished the game with five receptions for 100 yards and 1 TD, and he also added a 4-yard rushing touchdown. Rowen Ambrose was the other productive wideout, hauling in three catches for 96 yards and 2 TDs. 

However, the Knights could not get anything going on the ground thanks to a dominant Shelbyville defensive front, totaling just 67 yards rushing as a team on 26 carries. 

“When the front [defense] is owning the line of scrimmage, it changes everything behind it,” Dryden explained. “They’re able to play fast but relaxed knowing that up front they’ve got some coverage for themselves, so it’s a big deal when the front three and four play well.”

Shelbyville got the scoring started within the opening minute of the game on a 53-yard TD run by Bailey on the second play of the game to give the Golden Eagles a 7-0 lead with 11:10 left in the opening period.

After a Nolensville three-and-out, the Golden Eagles moved into Nolensville territory before a Bobo pass over the middle to Jackson Themm deflected off of his hands and into the hands of a Nolensville defender for an interception. The Knights put a nice drive together, but ultimately stalled out at the SCHS 27-yard line after the Golden Eagles turned Nolensville over on downs. 

Both teams traded punts before Shelbyville’s offense produced another quick-strike scoring drive. On the third play of the possession, Bailey took the handoff 46 yards to the end zone for both his and his team’s second score of the night with 6:53 left in the first half, doubling their lead to 14-0.

However, the Knights would respond on their next drive. An 11-play, 78-yard drive that took 5:46 off the clock ended with a Landon Smotherman 4-yard TD run to cut the lead in half, 14-7, with 59 seconds left in the first half. That score would hold going into the halftime locker room.

Nolensville came out to start the second half with a plan offensively, and their running game found some room for one of the only times all night, tallying 27 yards rushing on six carries. A 12-play, 64-yard TD drive totaling 5:13 ended with a 20-yard TD pass from Dever to Ambrose on a slot fade to tie the game up at 14-14. 

With momentum shifting to the visitor’s sideline, the Golden Eagles rode Bailey all the way to the end zone for his third rushing TD – this one from 10 yards out – to retake the lead, 20-14, with 3:32 left in the third quarter after Ben Betzelberger missed the extra point to cap off a 7-play, 58-yard drive.

Robert Bailey (31) ran for 369 yards and 4 TDs on 21 carries vs Nolensville.

The Knights would not go away, taking their first lead of the game on the ensuing possession after Dever found Ambrose for a 57-yard TD pass on the third play of the drive to go in front, 21-20, with 2:04 left in the third quarter. 

On the ensuing possession, Shelbyville began to move the ball just like their previous possessions before a bad snap ended up laying on the ground long enough for Nolensville to fall on the football at the Golden Eagles’ 38-yard line with a golden opportunity to put their feet on the hosts’ neck. Instead, Madox Wright came up with a monumental red zone INT at Shelbyville’s own 2-yard line to give the ball back to his offense with just over 10 minutes to go in the final frame.

On the first play of the drive, Bailey took the handoff for eight yards, and then on the very next snap he broke free down the right sideline for a 90-yard game changing TD run to give his team the lead back at 26-21 after a failed two-point conversion with 9:25 to go in the fourth quarter.

“He [Bailey] was coming through the first level untouched and getting into the second level, and that’s where he was making his plays,” Dryden said. “That’s the offensive line, and he knows that, and he’ll be loving up on them all weekend, I promise you that.”

On the ensuing possession, Nolensville moved quickly into SCHS territory, but then Dever threw his second INT of the game to Wright at the Shelbyville 30-yard line with 7:13 to go.

Shelbyville then went on their 11-play, 70-yard TD march, ending with a 22-yard TD run by Stephen Bobo on 3rd-and-12 with 1:18 left in the fourth quarter to extend their lead to 33-21. 

Nolensville did manage to find the end zone on fourth down from the Shelbyville 29-yard line on a jump ball to Smotherman, who somehow came down with the football against William Bobo, to cut the lead to 33-28 with just 27 seconds left. 

The Knights did manage to recover the onside kick after deflecting off the hands of Jackson Themm, but the Shelbyville defense forced three incomplete passes and a sack on fourth down to put the final nail in the Nolensville coffin.

“Everybody knows that it takes all of us, and that’s what’s exciting about this group of kids,” Dryden said with a smile postgame after clinching Shelbyville’s spot in the Quarterfinals against Page. 

Nolensville’s season ends at 7-5 (4-1).

Shelbyville improves to 12-1 (6-0) and will travel to Page High School on Friday night for the right to advance to the State Semifinals, LIVE on WLIJ 98.7 at 6:45 p.m.