🗓️ Your School Week Ahead: Two Long Friday Road Trips, Bledsoe Learns From Home on Game Day, Three Valley Mr. Football Semifinalists and a Sunny Veterans Day

Or: Gas Up for Friday, Pack the Heavy Coat, and Tip Your Cap to Three Valley Football Players

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Sunday, November 8, 2026

Good Sunday morning. The coffee’s on, the fog’s lifting, and the week ahead is a short one for a lot of Valley kids.

Think of today’s roundup like laying out church clothes the night before. A few minutes now saves a scramble later.

Here’s the roundup: the Sequatchie County Indians play at Unicoi County and the Bledsoe County Warriors play at Happy Valley on Friday, Nov. 13, both at 6 p.m. Central. Bledsoe County made Friday a virtual learning day so families can make the trip. Playoff tickets are $8 in advance on GoFan or $10 cash at the gate. Three Valley players were named Mr. Football semifinalists. Veterans Day looks sunny and near 70, but Friday night turns cold, near 30 by late night. Statewide, it’s a good week for seniors to start the FAFSA. Nothing here is urgent. It just helps to write it down.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Fri., Nov. 13: Indians at Unicoi County, 7 p.m. Eastern = 6 p.m. Central.
• Tickets: $8 on GoFan ahead of time, $10 cash at the gate. GoFan tickets show on your phone.
• Bledsoe families: Friday, Nov. 13, is a virtual learning day for all Bledsoe County students.
• Wed., Nov. 11: Veterans Day. No school in Sequatchie and Marion counties. Mostly sunny, high near 70.
• Grundy families: Learning from home all week, Nov. 9–13.
• Friday night: High near 48, then down near 30. Bring the heavy coat.
• Seniors: The 2027–28 FAFSA is open. It’s the key to TN Promise and HOPE money.

🚌 Friday Road Trips: Where, When and How Tickets Work

Local and regional. The TSSAA brackets show the second round on Friday, Nov. 13. TSSAA’s playoff rules say games start at 7 p.m. local time unless otherwise stated. For our two longest trips, that’s Eastern time, so set your watch to 6 p.m. Central:

• Sequatchie County (6-5) at Unicoi County (10-1), in Erwin, up in Northeast Tennessee.
• Bledsoe County at Happy Valley, in Elizabethton. The NFHS Network lists this game at 7 p.m. Eastern.
• Marion County hosts Oneida, and South Pittsburg hosts Jellico. Those are home games on Central time.
• Whitwell plays at Cosby, in East Tennessee on Eastern time.

Tickets work the same at every playoff game. TSSAA says they’re general admission: $8 if you buy ahead on GoFan, $10 cash at the gate, and everyone school-age and older needs one. GoFan tickets are “mobile only,” so they show on your phone screen and can’t be printed. TSSAA says the ticket links go up on GoFan by 1 p.m. Central today, Sunday. Search the host school’s name on GoFan.co, or tap the “Tickets” link on the TSSAA bracket.

What it means for you: A trip to Erwin is like driving to a cousin’s wedding across the mountains. You don’t leave at the last minute. If you’re not great with phone tickets, bring $10 cash per person and skip the fuss. If you’re buying on your phone, charge it fully before you leave, because a dead phone is a lost ticket.

👉 Read more (TSSAA: Class 3A bracket)
👉 Read more (TSSAA: Playoff ticket and start-time rules)

🏫 Bledsoe County: Learn From Home Friday, Then Cheer at Happy Valley

Local (Bledsoe County, calendar change). Bledsoe County Schools posted that Friday, Nov. 13, will be a virtual learning day for all Bledsoe County students. The district says it’s so students, staff and families can travel to Happy Valley to cheer on the Warriors. “Let’s pack the stands with blue and gold!” the post says.

Two more Bledsoe dates are worth a sticky note. Pikeville Elementary’s fall picture day, including yearbook photos, is Wednesday, Nov. 11. Pikeville Elementary had also planned its “Bring a Veteran to Lunch” for Friday, Nov. 13, with forms due Monday, Nov. 9. Since Friday is now a learn-from-home day, call the school at 423-447-2457 to ask if the lunch is moving.

What it means for you: This is like the whole church loading up for a homecoming dinner two counties over. Everybody goes together. Bledsoe parents: make sure the school device and charger come home Thursday, and lay out a nice shirt for Wednesday’s picture.

👉 Read more (Bledsoe County Schools: Virtual learning day notice)
👉 Read more (Pikeville Elementary: Fall picture day)

🏆 Student Wins: Three Valley Players Named Mr. Football Semifinalists

Regional. The TSSAA and the Tennessee Titans named the 2026 Mr. Football semifinalists, five players in each class. Three are from our neck of the woods:

• DaYon Cooper, South Pittsburg (Division I, Class 1A)
• Knox Israel, South Pittsburg (Division I, Class 1A)
• Zaiden Humphrey, Marion County (Division I, Class 2A)

TSSAA says a committee of sportswriters picks winners based on the regular season, and also considers academics and character. Finalists will be announced Tuesday, Nov. 24, and the awards are Tuesday, Dec. 8, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.

What it means for you: Two semifinalists from one small school is like one family winning two blue ribbons at the county fair. If you know these young men, a quick “proud of you” is plenty. And it’s a nice reminder for every student that grades and character count, too.

👉 Read more (TSSAA: 2026 Mr. Football semifinalists)

📅 The Week at a Glance (Clip-and-Save)

Local reminders. Most of these we’ve mentioned before. Here they are all in one spot, day by day:

• All week, Nov. 9–13: Grundy County Schools learn from home because of illness among students and staff. Stay in touch with your child’s teacher about assignments.
• Mon., Nov. 9, 3 p.m.: Sequatchie County special-education meeting for private-school and homeschool families, at the Board of Education, 878 Cordell Drive. Questions: 423-949-3617.
• Tue., Nov. 10: Veterans lunch at Griffith Elementary in Dunlap.
• Wed., Nov. 11, Veterans Day: No school in Sequatchie and Marion counties. Dunlap’s parade starts at 10 a.m. at the courthouse, with a program at 11 a.m. at Sequatchie County Veterans Memorial Park. In South Pittsburg, American Legion Post 62 honors veterans from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Legion Hall, 3rd Street and Elm Avenue.
• Thu., Nov. 12: Bledsoe County High’s veterans program with a roll call, 1 p.m. The Grundy County school board’s schedule lists a workshop at 6 p.m. and its meeting at 7 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. With schools learning from home, check the district’s website before you go.
• Fri., Nov. 13: Playoff night. Bledsoe County students learn from home.
• Sat., Nov. 14: Indians Basketball Alumni Game at Sequatchie County High: ladies at 6 p.m., men at 7:30 p.m.

What it means for you: This list is like the church bulletin. You don’t have to memorize it. Just stick it on the fridge and glance at it each morning.

👉 Read more (The Dunlap-Tribune: Veterans Day parade and program)
👉 Read more (SValleyNow: Grundy County remote instruction Nov. 9–13)
👉 Read more (Grundy County Schools: Board meeting schedule)

🌤️ Weather: A Sunny Veterans Day, Then a Cold Friday Night

Local. The National Weather Service forecast for Dunlap is mostly good news. It’s sunny today, Monday and Tuesday, with highs from 66 to 70 and chilly mornings in the mid-to-upper 30s. Veterans Day looks mostly sunny with a high near 70, great parade weather. There’s a 30 percent chance of showers Wednesday night and a 20 percent chance Thursday. Then Friday cools off, with a high near 48 and a low near 30 Friday night. That’s a few degrees colder than the forecast showed yesterday.

What it means for you: This week’s weather is like a good pie with a cold scoop of ice cream on top. Enjoy the sunshine early. For Friday’s game, pack a heavy coat, gloves, a hat and a blanket. Kids at bus stops still need a jacket in the morning, even on 70-degree afternoons.

👉 Read more (NWS: Dunlap point forecast)

🎓 Statewide: Seniors, the FAFSA Is Open

Statewide. The Tennessee Higher Education Commission says the 2027–28 FAFSA, the federal student aid form, is open at fafsa.gov. Filling it out is required for the Pell Grant, the Tennessee Promise scholarship and the HOPE Scholarship. THEC suggests having tax returns and W-2 forms handy. Free step-by-step help, including videos, is at CollegeforTN.org/FAFSA, and schools around the state host “TN FAFSA Frenzy” help events through April 1, 2027. Tennessee has ranked No. 1 in the nation for FAFSA completion for ten years in a row, THEC says. It’s also Early Postsecondary Opportunity Week, Nov. 9–13, a good time to ask about classes that earn college credit in high school.

What it means for you: The FAFSA is like the deed to the family land. It’s paperwork, but a lot hangs on it. If you have a senior, set aside one evening after supper with last year’s tax papers. If you get stuck, ask the school counselor about the next FAFSA help night.

👉 Read more (THEC: 2027–28 FAFSA now open)
👉 Read more (Tennessee Department of Education: EPSO Week)

✅ Your Sunday Week-Ahead Checklist

• ✅ Write it down: Indians at Unicoi County, Fri., Nov. 13, 6 p.m. Central.
• ✅ Tickets: $8 on GoFan after 1 p.m. today, or $10 cash at the gate.
• ✅ Bledsoe families: Friday is learn-from-home. Send the device and charger home Thursday.
• ✅ Pikeville Elementary: Picture day Wednesday. Call 423-447-2457 about the veterans lunch.
• ✅ Wednesday: No school in Sequatchie and Marion. Parade at 10 a.m. in Dunlap.
• ✅ Friday: Heavy coat, gloves, a blanket and a full gas tank.
• ✅ Seniors: Pick one evening this week to start the FAFSA.

Rule of thumb: on a game day, check two things before you leave the driveway: a full tank and a charged phone (or $10 cash per person).

— Dunlap.Today

📖 Plain-English Glossary

• Virtual learning day: A school day when students do their lessons from home, usually on a laptop or tablet, instead of going to the building.
• General admission: No assigned seats. Sit wherever there’s room.
• GoFan: The phone app and website TSSAA uses to sell playoff tickets.
• Local time: The time where the game is played. Erwin and Elizabethton are on Eastern time, an hour ahead of Dunlap.
• Mr. Football: A yearly award for the top high school football player in each Tennessee class, from TSSAA and the Tennessee Titans.
• Semifinalist: One of the top five in the running. Three finalists come next, then one winner.
• FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the form that unlocks grants and scholarships for college or trade school.
• EPSO: Early Postsecondary Opportunity, a high school class that can earn college credit or a work certification.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What time is Friday’s Indians game in Dunlap time?

6 p.m. Central. The game is at Unicoi County at 7 p.m. Eastern, which is TSSAA’s standard playoff start in local time.

How much are playoff tickets, and can I pay cash?

Yes. TSSAA says tickets are $10 cash at the gate, or $8 if you buy ahead on GoFan. Everyone school-age and older needs one. GoFan tickets must be shown on a phone screen.

Is there school in Bledsoe County on Friday?

Students will learn from home. Bledsoe County Schools made Friday, Nov. 13, a virtual learning day for all students so families can travel to Happy Valley.

Is the Pikeville Elementary veterans lunch still on Friday?

The school had listed it for Friday, Nov. 13, before the district made that a virtual learning day. We haven’t seen an update yet, so call Pikeville Elementary at 423-447-2457 to check.

Which schools have no school on Veterans Day?

Sequatchie County and Marion County are closed Wednesday, Nov. 11. Bledsoe County has school that day, and it’s Pikeville Elementary’s picture day. Grundy County is learning from home all week. Check your own district’s calendar if you’re unsure.

Who are the Valley’s Mr. Football semifinalists?

DaYon Cooper and Knox Israel of South Pittsburg in Class 1A, and Zaiden Humphrey of Marion County in Class 2A. Finalists will be announced Nov. 24.

When should my senior fill out the FAFSA?

Now is a good time. The 2027–28 FAFSA is open at fafsa.gov, and it’s required for TN Promise, HOPE and Pell Grant money. Free help is at CollegeforTN.org/FAFSA.

🔗 Other Resources

• TSSAA: Class 3A playoff bracket
• TSSAA: Class 2A playoff bracket
• TSSAA: Class 1A playoff bracket
• TSSAA: Playoff tickets and start times
• NFHS Network: Bledsoe County at Happy Valley
• Bledsoe County Schools: Nov. 13 virtual learning day
• Pikeville Elementary: Bring a Veteran to Lunch
• TSSAA: 2026 Mr. Football semifinalists
• NWS Dunlap point forecast
• Sequatchie County Schools: Special-education consultation meeting
• The Dunlap-Tribune: Indians Alumni Game
• SValleyNow: Veterans Day in South Pittsburg and Valley news
• THEC: 2027–28 FAFSA now open
• Tennessee Department of Education newsroom

🏠 Keep Learning — Stay Calm

Two long drives, one learn-from-home Friday, three young men honored, a sunny day to thank our veterans and a form for seniors. None of it calls for worry. It just needs a full tank, a warm coat and a sticky note on the fridge. Write down 6 p.m. Central Friday and the parade at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

For more calm, practical Valley news you can use, keep reading Dunlap.Today.