New coach, new challenges
The Clinton Dragons rush onto Blankenship Field in Oak Rigde before the in-county rivalry matchup.
The Dragons will compete in Region 2-5A after moving from Region 3-5A, as the TSSAA has realigned and reclassified teams for the upcoming season.
Oak Ridge will remain on the Dragons’ schedule, but the two longtime rivals are now in different regions.
The Wildcats, two-time defending Region 3-5A champions, have moved up to Class 6A.
Clinton’s regional foes will include William Blount, Karns, Knoxville Central, Campbell County, Knoxville West, Powell and Knoxville Halls.
For the third-consecutive year, the Dragons will have a new head coach as Jake Dawson takes the reins of the program.
Dawson comes to Clinton after coaching stints at Knoxville Catholic, Heritage, Powell and the University of Tennessee.
The Dragons went 3-8 in 2024 under interim head coach Jason Hamock, but made the playoffs, losing in the opening round. Clinton closed out the 2024 season with a 61-13 loss to Heritage.
The Dragons and Mountaineers (5-5 in 2024) will kick off the 2025 season on Aug. 22, as Dawson matches wits with his former boss, Joe Osovet.
In addition to working together at Heritage, the two were assistants under Jeremy Pruitt at Tennessee.
The Mountaineers missed the playoffs last season and are one of three teams on Clinton’s schedule that did not make the postseason in 2024, along with Campbell County (2-8) and South-Doyle (1-9).
The Dragons will then host Oak Ridge on Aug. 29.
The Wildcats went 9-5 and were region champions last year.
Clinton will open region play at William Blount on Sept. 5. The Governors went 4-7 last season in Region 1-6A.
The game in Maryville will be the first of four consecutive league contests for Clinton.
The Dragons will host Karns on Sept. 12. The Beavers were 3-8 last season.
Clinton will then travel to Fountain City to face Knoxville Central, which finished 4-7 in 2024.
On Sept. 26, Clinton will entertain Campbell County, which will also have its third head coach in as many seasons.
On Oct. 3, Clinton will visit Knoxville West at Bill Wilson Field in Marble City.
The Rebels will have a new coach after longtime head man Lamar Brown was relieved of his duties in June. West went 9-4 and reached the state quarterfinals before falling to eventual state champion Sevier County.
After an open date on Oct. 10, the Dragons will visit South-Doyle in their final non-region tilt of the regular season.
Clinton will host longtime rival Powell on Oct. 24 before closing the regular season at Halls on Halloween night. The Panthers went 9-3 last season, while the Red Devils finished 8-4.
