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Team
Football
Tennessee High School
1972

1972 State Championship Football Team

After finishing second in the national rankings in 1971, the Vikings had something to prove in ’72. And they did it in a big way. In all but one game – against Elizabethton – the Vikings dominated from the coin toss. They won 12 of their 13 games by 20 or more points and outscored opponents 472-107.

In the state playoffs, THS first whipped Knoxville Central 40-12, then sent Nashville Overton home with a 26-0 loss, and then took the state crown with a 39-6 win over Chattanooga Baylor.

The Vikings rolled through opponents throughout the season, thrashing Chattanooga Baylor in the championship game that year, 39-6. In the state playoffs, THS won three games by outscoring its opponents 105-18, winning each game by a margin of at least 26 points.

The 1972 team had an incredible seven players receive Division 1 scholarships. Quarterback David Bibee went on to play at the University of Tennessee, as did Greg Jones and Larry Silcox, who later transferred to East Tennessee State University. George Heath played at Virginia Tech, Gil Kyle and Mark Rowlette played at Georgia Tech, and Eddie Hirsch played at Vanderbilt. 

Members of the team were Greg Jones, Mark Rowlett, Craig Kistner, Danny Strouth, John McDaniels, Ray Mutter, Richard Moran, Pat Miller, Rick Moore, Danny Shabeldeen, Joe Swift, Eddie Webb, Jim Burleson, Robbie Pollard, Robert Harrison, Fred Vance, Larry Silcox, David Bibee, Butch Bolling, Carl Patton, Eddie Fowler, Mike Carter, Alan Forbush, George Heath, Mark Wedel, Chip Kistner, Richard Stacy, Eddie Hirsch, Steve Cross, Gil Kyle, Teddy Castle, John Doriot, Tom Berry, Sam Dixon, Brian Doyle, Rusty Baer, Danny Cross, Greg Countiss, Mark Rock, Craig Sells, and trainer Norville Price.

The Vikings were coached by John Cropp, Larry Rose, Tom Hundley, Benny Booher, Ben Rutherford, Mike Morton, Eddie McLemore, A. B. Clevenger, John Manney, Harky Johnston, and Bill Bingham.