What an Opening!

King takes season’s first kickoff the distance as Governors start strong

T.J. King

Doesn’t get much better than this.

William Blount sophomore T.J. King, the Barley’s/Blount Press Row Player of the Week, returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown, and the Governors launched the Phillip Shadowens era as coach with a heart stopping, 24-20 win Friday night at Lenoir City.

The Governor halfback on offense, King added 42 yards on 10 carries out of the backfield. In the second half, the 6-foot, 180-pound speedster filled in at linebacker, recording four stops.

“He has the potential to be a special player,” Shadowens said. “It’s all going to be based on work ethic and staying healthy.”

The Governors are looking to rebuild under Shadowens, a two-time state championship coach at Smyrna who built the program at Murfreesboro’s Blackman High School into a powerhouse prior to his arrival at William Blount this spring. Getting that first win at the Governor helm was special, but the credit lies with the players, Shadowens said.

“They worked really hard,” he said. “The ball game got brutal, and they stayed with it.”