“THEY BROUGHT THE PRESSURE TO GARZA!”




As we head into Week 1 2020, we're gonna take a look back at one of the newest and toughest rivalries for Greenbrier High School. It's been 6 long years since The Bobcats and War Eagles met in the regular season, but Friday Night it's RIVALRY RENEWED! However, before we get to Pleasant View on Friday Night, let's take a walk down memory lane and revisit one of the greatest games in school history. 


The Sycamore War Eagles fielded their first varsity football team in 1999, where they were winless against some stout competition. WIthin two seasons, they went 11-3 and took a trip to the semi-finals. A young and scrappy school, they immediately began to make waves in the midstate. In that 2001 season they were assigned to Region 5-3A and quickly became a foil to most of the Region, including The Bobcats. They picked up their first win over Greenbrier 17-13 and it was off to the races. 


Throughout the 2000s, The Bobcats and War Eagles traded blows with each other. Greenbrier edged out wins, most of the time, but only by the skin of their teeth. All time, The Cats lead the series 9-6, that included two very pivotal games of the 2003 season. 


It was Fall Break for Greenbrier High School, a chilly air krept across the corners of Parker and Cuniff as they two teams prepared for their Week 7 battles. The Bobcats entered at 3-3, with 2 victories in 5-3A. Sycamore entered at 4-2, with a similar Region record and same common opponent victories. They were slated to be one of the Top 4 teams in the Region to watch behind Greenbrer, Page and Marshall Co. All of which thought they should lay claim to the Region Title. 


The night was filled with big plays, with The Cats saving the biggest for last. 


Defensive lineman Nick Brown told the Tennessean: “I almost had a heart attack.” “This was one of the greatest (games) I've been in.” 


After trading scores back and forth, it was Bobcat Football with just under 4 minutes to play. The video will contain the Radio calls from Rick Green and Brad Carneal as Roger Herndon plunged ahead to take the lead with 3:24 remaining. 


It was then a goal line stand with .08 left on the board that propelled The Cats to the top of the Region at a 14-10 nail biter. 


But we're not done yet. 


The Bobcats would go on to win 3 straight to close out the season and to seal the Region Championship. After serving up a  shutout in the first round of the playoffs, the two teams were on a collision course for a rematch, once again at The Brier Patch. 


Game two was no different. It was a round two playoff matchup with two streaking teams. The biggest distraction came from a Tennessean article that week pointing out how terrible the visitor bleachers were. While all the focus shifted to the wood grain of the seating, two talented teams quickly reminded everyone why they were there. 


A fiercely competitive game was tied up a 9 all at the end of regulation. After The Cats went up on a beautiful screen pass from Hunter Norton to Herndon, The War Eagles answered on their first play and boldly went for two. The result? Another goal line stand, this time courtesy of Adam Adcock. All because they brought the pressure to Garza. 


The win vaulted The Cats into the 3A Top Ten for the first time ever, a first ever Semi-Final game and the tag of being apart of The 3A Elite. 


This game will go down as one of my all time favorite games. Its the only game I ever heard replayed over the PA system at school the next week. I can’t thank Ricky Green enough for sharing those tapes that he had with us years ago. This was the game that sparked us to want to call the action in the same spirit that they did for us. 


Now, with Week 1 upon us: a double shot from the archive. Greenbrier/Sycamore from 2003. As the season begins, we will likely break from these classics for a bit. I hope you have all enjoyed them as much as we have putting them up and talking about them.