Unbeaten Nolensville hosts Page for region title Friday

The Nolensville Knights will put their perfect 9-0 record on the line Friday, Oct. 30, when they host defending Class 5A state champion Page in a game that will decide the Region 5-5A championship.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Nolensville High School.

The stakes are straightforward. The winner takes the region title, according to the Williamson Herald.

TSWA poll ranks Page No. 1, Nolensville No. 5

The latest Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) poll, released before the final week of the regular season, ranks Page No. 1 in Class 5A with 184 points and 16 first-place votes. The Patriots carry an 8-1 record.

Nolensville sits at No. 5 with 116 points. The Knights are the only unbeaten team in the matchup.

Page beat Nolensville last season, according to a preseason interview coach Scott Stidham gave to Nolensville Town Life in August. Stidham listed Page among the opponents who "defeated us last year" when previewing the 2026 schedule.

Knights return 14 starters from 2025

Stidham, in his second season leading the program, told Nolensville Town Life the Knights return seven starters on each side of the ball. He named four returning offensive linemen: Steven Diaz, Brayden Holland, Ethan Morelock and Croix Parks. Senior quarterback Ryan Newell, running back Tristen Lithmexay and tight end Andrew Harrison anchor the skill positions.

On defense, Stidham pointed to defensive linemen Jake Sentell and Harrison, linebackers William Tomlinson and Cole Creciun, and defensive backs Brennan Bialek and Caden Woodard. He called the 28-member senior class "special."

The Tennessean profiled Sentell in early October when the Knights were 7-0, highlighting the senior defensive lineman's role in the team's start.

Ground game has powered the run

Nolensville's identity this season has centered on a physical rushing attack. In a 21-0 shutout at James Lawson on Sept. 25, Lithmexay rushed for more than 200 yards and scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns, according to the Williamson Herald. Newell added 45 rushing yards and threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Turner Boswell.

"I really thought the key force in the second half was our offensive line," Stidham said after the Lawson win, in coverage published by the Williamson Herald in September. "They played extremely well and leaned on (Lawson) a little bit …"

Stidham outlined the team's goals in his preseason interview: "We are striving to be a disciplined offense who can run and pass equally well. That of course starts with a physical offensive line. Defensively we want to create turnovers with an aggressive and physical defense."

The Knights posted three shutouts through their first six games, the Williamson Herald reported.