In a Tennessee gridiron tradition dating back to 1928, the Maryville Red Rebels and Alcoa Tornadoes clash once again in “The Battle of Pistol Creek” at Shields Stadium on October 25. This epic showdown is a highlight of the 21st season of the Great American Rivalry Series, drawing in a fervent crowd of 5000 fans. 

Maryville, with a commanding series lead at 67-26-3, looks to extend their dominance after a hard-fought 24-11 victory in 2023, sealed by a dramatic 27-yard field goal with 2.2 seconds left. Despite Alcoa’s storied history, boasting 22 state championships to Maryville’s 15, the Red Rebels have consistently prevailed in this historic rivalry. 

As neighboring powerhouses in TSSAA football, both teams showcase top-tier talent and a relentless drive to claim local dominance.  

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MVP

Eli Graf
Alcoa

SCHOLAR ATHLETES

Alex Boyd

Maryville

Alex has been a tremendous example of what it means to be a scholar athlete. He has maintained a 4.383 GPA and is a member of the National Honors Society in the classroom while being both an All-Region and All-State lineman and a winner of the region Lineman of the Year. After high school, Alex aspires to become a pilot while also earning his business management degree from the Air Force Academy, where he will be continuing his academic and athletic career next fall.
Eli Graf

Alcoa

Eli exemplified what it means to be a student-athlete in his time at Alcoa. Along with being an accomplished student with a 4.021 GPA, he is also involved in several extracurricular activities. Eli is a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Young Life, All Are Worthy, and is active in German Club. As an athlete, he is a five-time state champion, winning 2 with the basketball team, and 3 with the football team, while also being awarded MVP in the 2023 3A Blue Cross Bowl. Eli is committed to Harding University, where he will continue his athletic and academic career.

GAME SUMMARY

The 96th Battle of Pistol Creek was one for the history books, as the Alcoa Tornadoes handed the Maryville Red Rebels their first loss of the season. The game started fast, with Alcoa QB Eli Graf marching the team down the field and putting them on the board with his first rushing touchdown of the night. The Red Rebels punted on their next drive, but their defense stepped up, forcing a fumble in the red zone that they returned to midfield. From there, the offense struck quickly, with a 45-yard touchdown pass to take a 7-6 lead. After Alcoa responded with a field goal and stop on defense, the Red Rebel defense and special teams forced a 3 and out of their own, returning the punt to the redzone with 1 minute to go. Another passing touchdown gave Maryville a 14-9 lead going into the break. The Tornadoes came out swinging in the second half, blocking a field goal that led to an Eli Graf 57-yard touchdown pass to put Alcoa in front. The 3rd quarter ended with a Maryville field goal to take a 17-16 lead. After a punt and fumble, Eli Graf took over for the Tornadoes. Leading the team to the 8-yard line, where he faked the pass on an RPO and ran in the go ahead score and capped it off by running in the 2-point conversion as well. Maryville had one last chance, as they found themselves with first and goal with less than a minute to go. However, the Tornado defense broke up the 4th down pass to seal their 24-17 victory. Alcoa QB Eli Graf finished the game with over 200 total yards and 3 touchdowns to bring home MVP and bragging rights for the Tornadoes.