BRENTWOOD — A few Brentwood Academy players wiped tears out of their eyes to compose themselves for the singing of the alma mater.
The Eagles hugged anyone close to them — it didn’t matter who.
After briefly losing its way two seasons ago, Nashville’s most tradition-rich program is heading back to a TSSAA football playoffs state championship game for the first time since 2018 after a 38-7 win over Christ Presbyterian Academy in the Nov. 21 Division II-AAA semifinals.
Brentwood Academy senior linebacker Roman Jennings, who returned an interception 83 yards in the first half, wrapped his arms around anyone who wanted to stop and take a photo with him.
“I had two uncles go to BA, my mom went to BA. They always grew up winning it every single year,” Jennings said. “We went four years in a row (2015-18) and haven’t been back since. These are the moments you live for. It feels amazing to go back to Chattanooga.”
Brentwood Academy (11-0) will play Baylor (11-0) on Dec. 4 in Chattanooga.
The Eagles had lost two previous meetings against CPA (4-9). One of those came in 2023 amid the worst season in school history, a stunning 2-10 campaign. First-year coach Jacob Gill resigned after the season and BA hired Paul Wade, who went 8-4 last season and got the program to the state semifinals.
Wade ran and hugged his wife Mindi immediately after exiting the handshake line. He has now led three different schools to a state final as head coach, including stops at Davidson Academy and DCA.
“This place was broken after that year in many ways,” Wade said. “To be honest with you, there was no talk, no pressure of (a turnaround) this fast. It was, ‘Let’s get that memory as far away from us as we can.’ This senior class has taken the charge of holding it together and getting us there.”
Brentwood Academy forced two first-half turnovers and methodically pulled away as its defense held CPA to 180 yards of offense.
Eagles junior running back Larry Sanders II rushed for 205 yards and four touchdowns on 27 carries. His 30-yard TD in the third quarter gave the Eagles a 24-7 lead.
“The emotions are crazy right now,” Sanders said. “This means a lot. We talked to (BA graduate, former Tennessee and NFL player) Bubba Miller last week. He said we brought the mystique back. He said the alumni are loving it. We’re doing this for them and the seniors.”
The next challenge: Finding a way to stop a Baylor team led by five-star recruit David Gabriel Georges, the No. 2 running back in the 2027 class, according to the 247Sports Composite.
Brentwood Academy and Baylor were supposed to play in September but the game was cancelled due to lightning.
Georges rushed for 435 yards and seven touchdowns in a 56-35 win over McCallie in their semifinal. The Chattanooga boarding schools have combined to win the last six DII-AAA state titles.
“He bleeds the same way we do. He breathes the same way we do,” said Brentwood Academy senior Easton Jointer, who had an interception against CPA. “As much as we’re supposed to be fearing him, he should be fearing us because we’re coming for him.”
Tyler Palmateer covers high school sports for The Tennessean. Have a story idea for Tyler? Reach him at tpalmateer@tennessean.com and on the X platform, @tpalmateer83.
He also helps write The Tennessean’s high school sports newsletter, The Bootleg. Subscribe to The Bootleg here.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Brentwood Academy beats CPA, reaches TSSAA football state championship
