🏆 Your Saturday School Report: Five for Five on Friday Night, Five Road Trips Next Week, New Growth Scores Explained and a Week to Thank the Substitutes

Or: Sleep In a Little, Gas Up for the Quarterfinals, Look Up Your School’s Growth Number and Say Thanks to the Fill-In Teacher

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Saturday, November 14, 2026

Good Saturday morning. It’s a cold, clear start, but the National Weather Service says Dunlap gets a sunny day with a high near 50. Tonight drops to around 28, then Sunday warms to near 55, and the sunshine sticks around into next week.

This morning’s news is like the first cup of coffee after a long Friday night. It’s warm, it’s good and it doesn’t ask anything hard of you. There’s nothing here to worry about.

Here’s the roundup: all five Valley football teams won their playoff games Friday night, including a one-point thriller for Sequatchie County and Whitwell’s first trip to the quarterfinals since its 2018 state title. Next Friday, Nov. 20, all five play on the road, so it’s a good weekend to start planning. Tennessee posted new “growth” scores for every public school and district this week, and we’ll explain what they mean in plain English. And over in Spencer, Van Buren County Schools celebrates Substitute Appreciation Week starting Sunday. Nothing here is an emergency.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Friday’s scores: South Pittsburg 62, Jellico 7. Whitwell 54, Cosby 46. Marion County 35, Oneida 0. Bledsoe County 21, Happy Valley 17. Sequatchie County 28, Unicoi County 27.
• Fri., Nov. 20 (quarterfinals): Sequatchie at Meigs County, Bledsoe at Cannon County, Marion at Gordonsville, Whitwell at Coalfield, South Pittsburg at Greenback. Kickoff times aren’t posted yet.
• Growth scores: A “3” means students grew as much as expected in a year. Higher is better. The full state report card with letter grades comes in December.
• Monday, Nov. 16: Sequatchie County and Grundy County students are scheduled to be back in the buildings.
• Nov. 15–21: Substitute Appreciation Week in Van Buren County. A thank-you note costs nothing.

🏈 Five for Five: Every Valley Team Won Friday Night

Local and regional. Results from Friday, Nov. 13. Yesterday we told you where to hear the games on the radio. This morning, the TSSAA scoreboard says every one of the five Valley teams won:

• Class 3A: Sequatchie County 28, Unicoi County 27. The Indians won by one point way up in Erwin. MaxPreps notes they scored 28 points for the second playoff game in a row. Unicoi County came in on a 10-game winning streak.
• Class 2A: Bledsoe County 21, Happy Valley 17. The Warriors won on the road in Elizabethton, according to the TSSAA scoreboard.
• Class 2A: Marion County 35, Oneida 0. A shutout at home in Jasper keeps the Warriors unbeaten.
• Class 1A: South Pittsburg 62, Jellico 7. MaxPreps says that’s the Pirates’ 10th win in a row.
• Class 1A: Whitwell 54, Cosby 46. The Newport Plain Talk reports both teams scored the same number of touchdowns, but Whitwell made 6 of 7 two-point tries. Senior fullback Levi Griffith ran for 189 yards and three touchdowns. It sends the Tigers to the quarterfinals for the first time since their 2018 state championship season.

Regional: Up the road, Rhea County edged Knoxville Halls 27-26 in Class 5A, per the TSSAA scoreboard.

What it means for you: A Friday like this is like a garden where every row came up. You don’t see that every year, so enjoy it. If you know a player, a cheerleader or a band member, tell them “good game” at church or the store this weekend. Those long bus rides home in the cold are easier to remember when somebody noticed.

👉 Read more (TSSAA: Football scoreboard)
👉 Read more (Newport Plain Talk: Whitwell 54, Cosby 46)
👉 Read more (MaxPreps: Sequatchie County 28, Unicoi County 27)

🚗 Quarterfinal Friday, Nov. 20: All Five Teams Hit the Road

Local and regional. The TSSAA brackets now show next Friday’s quarterfinal matchups. In even-numbered years, the bracket rules say the bottom team in each pairing hosts, and this time that means every Valley team travels:

• Class 3A: Sequatchie County at Meigs County (Decatur). Meigs beat Giles County 43-22 Friday.
• Class 2A: Bledsoe County at Cannon County (Woodbury). Cannon beat Tellico Plains 34-20.
• Class 2A: Marion County at Gordonsville. Gordonsville beat Eagleton 31-0.
• Class 1A: Whitwell at Coalfield. Coalfield beat Jo Byrns 30-0.
• Class 1A: South Pittsburg at Greenback. Greenback beat Clay County 34-32 in overtime.

The semifinals are set for Friday, Nov. 27, the day after Thanksgiving, and the state championship games are in Chattanooga on Dec. 4 and 5.

What it means for you: Planning a playoff road trip is like planning Thanksgiving dinner. It goes better if you start the list early. Kickoff times and ticket links aren’t posted yet, so watch your school’s social media and GoFan early next week. Some of these towns are on Eastern time and some are on Central, so double-check the clock when the times come out. Can’t travel? Local radio carried most Valley games this week, so check again Thursday.

👉 Read more (TSSAA: Class 3A bracket)
👉 Read more (TSSAA: Class 2A bracket)
👉 Read more (TSSAA: Class 1A bracket)

📊 Statewide: New School “Growth” Scores, Explained for Parents

Statewide, with a regional example. On Thursday, Nov. 12, the Tennessee Department of Education updated its TVAAS website with 2025–26 growth ratings for 1,743 schools and 147 districts, the Tennessee Firefly reports. Each school and district gets a level from 1 to 5. A 3 means students grew about as much as expected in one school year. A 4 or 5 means they grew more than expected.

Growth is different from test scores. A test score tells you where a student is. Growth tells you how far they moved since last year, no matter where they started. The state plans to release its full 2025–26 state report card, including school letter grades, in December.

Regional example: Hamilton County Schools earned a Level 5, the top rating, after two years at Level 3, the district announced. The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports Superintendent Justin Robertson called it “a celebration of teachers and leaders and support staff.”

What it means for you: Growth is like marking your child’s height on the kitchen door frame. What matters most is that the pencil line keeps moving up. Thing to remember: you can look up your own school and district on the state’s free TVAAS public site. If a number confuses you, ask your child’s teacher or principal what it means for your school. They’re glad to explain.

👉 Read more (Tennessee Firefly: New growth ratings)
👉 Read more (Hamilton County Schools: Level 5 growth)
👉 Read more (TVAAS public site)

💛 Van Buren County: A Week to Thank the Substitutes, and a Supply Drive Wrapping Up

Local, Spencer. Van Buren County Schools’ November calendar lists Substitute Appreciation Week, Nov. 15–21. It also shows the district’s personal hygiene supply drive ends Wednesday, Nov. 18, the same day the school board meets at 5:30 p.m. Thanksgiving break there is Nov. 25–27. And tonight, Saturday, Nov. 14, is the VBHS Alumni Banquet and Game, which the district moved from May this year to pair the reunion with the alumni basketball game. Money from meals and tickets goes to the VBHS Alumni Association’s scholarship fund for graduating seniors.

What it means for you: A substitute teacher is like the neighbor who feeds your animals when you’re out of town. You don’t think about them until you need them, and then you’re mighty glad they showed up. If your child had a sub this fall, help them write a short thank-you note and send it in Monday. For the supply drive or the scholarship fund, the VBHS front office number is 931-946-2442.

👉 Read more (Van Buren County Schools: Live Feed)

✅ Your Weekend Checklist

• ✅ Saturday: Sunny, high near 50. Indians alumni basketball at Sequatchie County High, ladies at 6 p.m. and men at 7:30 p.m. VBHS Alumni Banquet and Game in Spencer.
• ✅ This weekend: Tell a player, cheerleader or band member “good game.”
• ✅ Sunday night: Backpacks packed and devices charged. Sequatchie and Grundy students are scheduled back in the buildings Monday, Nov. 16.
• ✅ Early next week: Watch for quarterfinal kickoff times and ticket links.
• ✅ Wednesday, Nov. 18: Van Buren supply drive ends and the board meets at 5:30 p.m.
• ✅ Friday, Nov. 20: Five quarterfinal road games.
• ✅ Coming up: Thanksgiving break in Sequatchie County starts Wednesday, Nov. 25.

Rule of thumb: when a game is in another county, check the time zone before you check the gas gauge.

— Dunlap.Today

📖 Plain-English Glossary

• Quarterfinal: The round with eight teams left in each class. Win, and you’re in the final four.
• Two-point try: After a touchdown, a team can run or pass from close range for two points instead of kicking for one.
• TVAAS: The Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System. It measures how much students grew in a year compared with what was expected.
• Growth level: A 1-to-5 rating. A 3 is expected growth; 4 and 5 are above expected.
• State report card: The state’s yearly online summary for each school and district. This year’s comes in December and includes letter grades.
• Substitute teacher: A trained fill-in who keeps class going when the regular teacher is out.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Did all the Valley teams really win Friday?

Yes. The TSSAA scoreboard lists wins for Sequatchie County, Bledsoe County, Marion County, South Pittsburg and Whitwell.

Where and when are next Friday’s games?

All five Valley teams play on the road Nov. 20: Sequatchie at Meigs County, Bledsoe at Cannon County, Marion at Gordonsville, Whitwell at Coalfield and South Pittsburg at Greenback. Kickoff times weren’t posted when we wrote this, so check your school’s social media next week.

Is a growth score the same as a test score?

No. A test score shows how a student did on the test. A growth score shows how much students improved over the year compared with what was expected.

Where can I see my school’s growth level?

On the state’s free TVAAS public site at tvaas.sas.com. The full state report card with letter grades is expected in December.

Is school back in the buildings Monday?

Sequatchie County and Grundy County are both scheduled to return Monday, Nov. 16, after their learn-at-home days. Watch your district’s posts this weekend in case anything changes.

How can I help Van Buren County students?

Send a thank-you note to a substitute during Substitute Appreciation Week, Nov. 15–21, or call the VBHS front office at 931-946-2442 about the supply drive and the scholarship fund.

🔗 Other Resources

• TSSAA: Football scoreboard
• TSSAA: Class 1A bracket
• TSSAA: Class 2A bracket
• TSSAA: Class 3A bracket
• Chattanoogan.com: Local results, playoffs week 2
• Newport Plain Talk: Whitwell 54, Cosby 46
• MaxPreps: Sequatchie County 28, Unicoi County 27
• MaxPreps: South Pittsburg’s 10th straight win
• Tennessee Firefly: New growth ratings
• TVAAS public site
• Hamilton County Schools: Level 5 growth
• Chattanooga Times Free Press: Hamilton County celebrates growth score
• Van Buren County Schools: Live Feed
• Sequatchie County Schools
• Grundy County Schools
• NWS Dunlap point forecast

🏠 Keep Learning — Stay Calm

Five wins on one cold Friday, five road trips to plan, a new number that measures how much our kids are growing and a week to thank the folks who step in when a teacher’s out. None of it calls for worry. Rest up this weekend, pack the bags Sunday and write “Quarterfinals Fri., Nov. 20, check the time” on the fridge.

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