Hendersonville locked up a TSSAA playoff spot, becoming the first team in Region 6-5A to clinch a postseason berth this season.
The Commandos secured the milestone with back-to-back region blowouts: a 49-20 win at Hunters Lane on Friday, Sept. 18, and a 56-8 homecoming victory over Portland on Friday, Sept. 25. Main Street Media's Blaine Kellar confirmed the clinch on Saturday, Sept. 26.
Hendersonville sits at 4-2 overall and 2-0 in region play, according to MaxPreps. The Commandos hold first place in 5A Region 6 and have won three straight.
The two region wins were lopsided from the start. Against Hunters Lane, quarterback Christopher Jordan completed 4 of 6 passes for 111 yards and three touchdowns. Ayden Meadows hauled in a 50-yard scoring strike, and Weston Hall caught a 40-yard touchdown pass. Special teams set the tone early: Quienton Dunn ripped off a 78-yard kickoff return for a score, and Jeydan Simmons added a 71-yard return touchdown. The Commandos led 28-0 after the first quarter, Main Street Media reported.
The Portland game was even more dominant. Hendersonville piled up 56 points in its homecoming win, with Teagan Parizek punching in a rushing touchdown among the highlights.
The playoff clinch carries weight for a program honoring a coaching legend. Anthony Lake, the Commandos' longtime offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, died July 26 at age 54. Lake spent more than 20 years coaching at the school and, as a student-athlete, quarterbacked Hendersonville's first team to reach the TSSAA playoffs in 1988, according to WSMV.
The three-game winning streak began with a 27-0 shutout of Rossview on Sept. 11, followed by the two region victories. Earlier, Hendersonville fell to Gallatin 28-24 in the opener on Aug. 21 and lost to Page 34-3 on Sept. 4, with a 29-28 win over Smyrna on Aug. 28 in between.
Hendersonville travels to Summit on Friday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. The remaining schedule includes a home game against Shelbyville Central on Friday, Oct. 23, and two more region matchups: at Station Camp on Friday, Oct. 16, and home against Beech on Thursday, Oct. 29.
