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The distance between Murfreesboro and Maryville is approximately 185 miles, but Rebels senior defensive back Kody Harris remembers a lonely stretch of road that seemed to extend for hours on end.

"That ride was probably three hours, but it seemed like six hours of silence," said Harris. "It felt like a long while."

That ride was the one the Rebels endured a year ago, when Hillsboro stopped short their bid for a fifth-straight Class 4A state championship. Now top-ranked Maryville (13-1) gets a shot at redemption and a different kind of history today in Tennessee's first-ever Class 6A BlueCross Bowl against White Station (12-2). Kickoff at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville is 8 p.m. Eastern time.

"It was a long ride, pretty quiet," added Maryville coach George Quarles, whose first seven trips to state ended with the euphoric feeling of a championship. "Wasn't much fun when we went out to eat after the game. It took a while to get over. It was more than just the ride. It was kind of a sick feeling for a few weeks there.

"I think our kids have kind of used it. I didn't realize this, but they had hung up a newspaper article from last season in the locker room. The Sunday paper after we got beat. I'm not real big into that last year stuff, but if it helps them, great. I do remember it being a long ride."

The voyage back to state hasn't been easy, either. Yet the Rebels have steadily improved -- earning a nod from Quarles as his most-improved squad since 2000 -- following a season-opening defeat at Alcoa. Central to that progression has been the superb play of senior quarterback Philip Juhlin, who has more than 30 touchdowns against just three interceptions.

The Rebels are here for the ninth time this decade. While White Station's coaches and players attempt to maintain an even keel this week, Maryville simply relies on the routine it employs from years of experience.

"I think the big thing that helps is with the preparation. The fact that you've been there before, that you don't let it distract you or interfere with your preparation," Quarles said. "We've done it a while now."