SOUTH PITTSBURG, Tenn. — If clothes really do make the man, then orange is the new black for top-ranked South Pittsburg.
Trading in their traditional solid black uniforms for the seldom-worn, Halloween-inspired all-orange combo, the Pirates wasted no time in taking control of their TSSAA Region 3-1A championship showdown with cross-county rival and No. 8-ranked Whitwell on Thursday night.
Facing its fifth ranked opponent this season, South Pittsburg scored three touchdowns within its first 10 offensive plays — including two big-play scores just six snaps into the game — on the way to a convincing 42-7 win that wrapped up the program's fifth straight region championship.
"In the first half, that's about as efficient as we've been all season," Pirates coach Wes Stone said. "We've struggled some in the first half on offense at times, but we were pretty sharp tonight. The passing game was really on point."
Against a Whitwell defense that had allowed an average of just 14 points per game and had not given up more than 26 all season, South Pittsburg rolled up 416 total yards and averaged 10.7 yards per play.
Senior quarterback Kamden Wellington compiled 303 total yards, connecting on 11 of 16 passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns, and he rushed for 85 yards on just five carries with two more scores. AJ Wallace had four catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns, all in the decisive first half as the Pirates (10-0, 5-0) raced out to a 35-7 lead by the break.
"As the season has progressed, me and AJ have gotten our timing down on the deep balls, and now is the best time to be clicking on those," said Wellington, who now has 1,923 total yards and 32 touchdowns this season. "Any time we touch the ball, we believe we can score. That's the mindset.
"To put up 42 points on a good defense like that shows that we're ready for the playoffs. We're the team to beat."
South Pittsburg will host Jo Byrns (1-9) in the first round next week, while region runner-up Whitwell (7-3, 4-1) will host Red Boiling Springs (5-5).
The Pirates, who have outscored six Class 1A opponents 324-21 this season, needed just three plays before Wellington hit Wallace on a 57-yard score. After the South Pittsburg defense held the Tigers to three-and-out series, Wellington converted a third-and-4 chance with a 64-yard touchdown run off right tackle.
After Whitwell pulled within 13-7 on a 54-yard touchdown from Brandon Easterly to Wyatt Davis, South Pittsburg — which has now won 20 straight games against region competition and eight of the past nine region titles — answered with three more touchdowns before the half ended, then mostly ran out the clock in the final two quarters.
"We've got to keep that laser focus from here on," Stone said. "I told the guys after this one, it's not about anybody that we play, it's how we prepare and come out to play. From here on there are no redos. If you have one bad night, then you're dribbling a basketball.
"I think our kids will come back ready to get prepared for this first playoff game, and we'll just take it one at a time from there."
Other area scores:
Brainerd 22, Sweetwater 14
Central 62, McMinn Central 55
Chattanooga Prep 46, Lookout Valley 0
Ooltewah 21, Howard 6
Rhea County 29, East Hamilton 28
Sale Creek 55, Copper Basin 12
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com.