By JIM STEELE
mckenzierebels.com

MURFREESBORO - When McKenzie football and track athlete John Campbell enrolled at McKenzie High School, he thought he might be in for an interesting senior campaign.

Campbell transferred from Jackson-North Side a year ago having never participated in a post-season football game. He had some success in track last year, finishing fifth in discus. When he showed up for pre-season workouts, he had an idea something special was about to happen.

Within a few weeks, Campbell was on a wild ride, one he hadn't taken before: post-season football. The Rebels went all the way to the state championship and about six weeks after the title game, Campbell was one of four McKenzie football players to be named Class A all-state. He was a linebacker and a fullback for the Rebels this past season and was one of the state's leading tacklers.

Friday, Campbell returned to the Middle Tennessee State University track complex to take part in the Class A-AA state discus competition. He had a toss of 131 feet and change to finish sixth. It wasn't perhaps what he wanted, but given the fact that he had overcome illness, a sore shoulder, a turned ankle, blisters and a spider bite, sixth place certainly was better than no place.

Campbell is still in a state of disbelief.

"It's been incredibe and I never dreamed we'd have done so well in football," he said. "And it was a great experience to be here at the state track meet."

The Rebel alum thinks McKenzie is on the rise.

"McKenzie's programs are getting a lot better," he said. "They'll be good again next year in football and track."

BURGEONING RIVALRY - On an early November Saturday in the Nashville suburb of Bellvue, a junior from Macon County named Brandon Mahaney captured the Class A-AA state cross country championship. He finished the 5K race with a 16:24:48. About 20 seconds behind was a West Tennessee upstart who had already earned a state medal in track from the year before and was 21st in the state during the 2006 cross country meet.

McKenzie's Mark Cole finished with a 16:44.49. Fast forward to May of 2008 and there the two were again. Cole and Mahaney were going to be competing head to head in the 1600 and 3200 runs. Mahaney was first in both, Cole was fourth in the 3200 and third in the 1600. But Cole had made up time on the Macon County.

Cole, after finishing the 1600, said he had a lot of respect for Mahaney, but has him on the radar screen.

"(Mahaney) is a nice guy and ran a good race," said Cole. "He beat me by 20 seconds in cross country this year and I only was seven seconds behind here, so with summer training, I'll try to remedy that."

And maybe next year, he'll be standing atop the medal stand in both track and cross country.

"I'm going to go for that this summer," Cole said. "Maybe I can pull off a few wins."

SNOW DRIFTING TO DYERSBURG - McKenzie track and assistant football coach Bert Snow is leaving Rebel Nation. Snow accepted a job last month with Dyersburg High School to work as an assistant football coach and track coach for the Trojans.

Snow joined McKenzie's staff back in 2002 as an assistant football coach at McKenzie Middle School. He was elevated to the high school staff at the start of the 2005 season and has been involved with the track program with David Duncan since then.

"I couldn't have asked to be in a better situation and I feel like I've grown so much," said Snow. "These kids have nutured me and I feel like I've helped these kids. I've forged some good relationships with the kids, the coaches and the people at McKenzie."

Snow said he has been blessed to have worked with football coach Wade Comer and has been able to learn and grow as a coach.

"Before, I didn't think I was ready to make a change like this, but now I am," he said. "Working with Comer and the coaches has been a great experience. I've worked with a great coach and I'm going to work with another great coach, so I couldn't ask for a better situation."

Snow, who prepped at Henry County, will rejoin his former coach James Counce, who has returned to Dyersburg and J.C. Sawyers Stadium after a year's hiatus. Counce began his coaching career at Ohio Co., Ky. before having great success at Henry County. Counce was at Camden for a season before coming to Dyersburg in 1995, where he has led the Trojans to four undefeated regular seasons, two state semifinal appearances (1997 and 2006) and has compiled over 100 victories for DHS. He left last year to become an assistant for the Big Red of Montgomery Bell Academy where they won a Division 2 state title. Counce returned to Dyersburg upon the resignation of Darren Bowling, who is now head coach at Union City.

"It's bittersweet because I'm leaving a good situation," said Snow. "BUt at the same time, I'm looking forward to reuniting with my old high school coach. But being at McKenzie has been a great experience."

GAINES GETS CLOSE - University School of Jackson's Ben Gaines reached the Class A-AA singles tennis championship before suffering a 7-5, 6-3 setback to Chattanooga Christian's Will Reynolds. Gaines is the son of New Generations Furniture magnate Ben Gaines and the cousin of current Rebels Jake Johnson and John Johnson, both of whom were there to support their cousin.

In the singles quarterfinals, Gaines topped William Sparks of Christian Academy of Knoxville, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3. In the state semifinals, Gaines beat Josh Ward of Madison 6-4, 6-4.

Gaines was part of the Class A-AA state runner-up USJ tennis team. In the singles portion of the opening round against Chattanooga Christian, he beat Jonny Hrberick 6-1, 6-3 as the Bruins beat the Chargers 4-0. In the team championship, Knoxville Catholic toppled USJ 4-3. Nick Widmer edged Gaines in a tight three-setter, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. In the doubles match against the Fighting Irish, Widmer and Andrew Bosse defeated Gaines and Stuart Howell 8-4. At state, doubles matches are settled with what is known as a pro set. Knoxville Catholic lost to USJ last year i the opening round of team play as the Bruins went on to win the Class A-AA state title. Gaines won both of his matches in singles play during that run.

UPON FURTHER REVIEW - McKenzie's track legacy is indeed a rich one. And under the current regime's tutelage, the medal stands have been crowded with Rebels and Lady Rebels. According to Coach David Duncan, who is serving with the National Guard in California. added to the list that appeared in Friday night's story.

Medalists over the last five seasons have included Sarah Hartz in the 800 (fifth 2004), Samantha Doster sixth (2005 discus), Andrea Swan (sixth in shot put 2005, eighth in shot, seventh in 2006 discus), Hannah Scruton (eighth 1600 in 2007), Mark Cole (fifth 3200 in 2007), Samantha Doster (sixth in discus 2007). In 2002, Hartz and Julie Smith (discus) took part in the Spring Fling. Fred Milton was fifth in the 1977 state meet as a hurdler. David Collier participated in track and cross country for the Rebels at the state level in the early 1980s. David Duncan IV was third in the 2001 400 race and Stacey Holancin was second in shot in 2001.

MADDOX EXPECTED TO BE NAMED UC COACH - Last week, according to the Union City Daily Messenger, baseball coach David Barker, a Dresden standout in the early 1990s, was relieved of his duties as both baseball coach and football assistant.

According to sources in Union City, former McKenzie coach Jeremy Maddox, who left the Rebel baseball team a year ago to take a teaching position at Union City Elementary, is expected to be named as Barker's successor. Maddox was an assistant baseball coach for Union City last season. McKenzie eliminated the Tornadoes in the opening round of the Region 7A tournament 9-6. Maddox joined MHS in 2004 and led the Rebs to a 65-38 mark, a Class A state championship in 2006 and a substate appearance in 2007.