thedailytimes.com : Your 24/7 news source

COOKEVILLE -- The Alcoa banner hanging over the bricks of Tucker Stadium read, "Can't stop the storm."

While close to the defensive truth Friday, it could have said, "Who'll stop the reign?" and been just as honest.

Don't measure Milan by the scoreboard. That it read 21-0 Friday night and 28-14 a year ago doesn't begin to factor into what was on the field. Facing their West Tennessee doppelgangers, Alcoa relied on a greedy defense to put away its sixth consecutive state title.

The Bulldogs' Jabronski Gilbert looked every bit as formidable as Alcoa's Jaron Toney, but on a night when Gilbert approached the state title game mark for carries, it was Toney adding to his state scoring records with rushing touchdowns 48, 49 and 50.

The difference between 34 scoreless carries and a trio of MVP highlights was simple.

Toney got fantastic opportunities from his defense. Two of those scores came from possessions starting inside Milan's 5-yard line because of Bulldog turnovers. The last came after Alcoa snuffed Milan's third-quarter consuming drive with one play.

"I sound like a broken record, but we preach to these guys, win this down. It doesn't matter what just happened, good or bad. Win this down. Then win the down after that," said Tornado defensive coordinator and motivational guru Brian Nix.

And with that defense, Alcoa won its 11th state title -- tying Maryville for the most in state history, though the Rebels could move the mark to a dozen tonight.

The Tornadoes have won in almost every conceivable incarnation over the last six seasons. The pair of John Reid years featuring raw talent and explosive offense continued into the first years of Gary Rankin's tenure when Goodpasture became the Buffalo Bills of Tennessee high school football. For two seasons Alcoa has won on the run by slugging it out with Milan and anyone who cared to stand toe-to-toe.

And the secret to success is the simple formula Nix gives away so freely.

"We tell them and they believe us; they work for it," said Nix. "We work these guys hard with intense practices and they push each other hard. They believe when we tell them the down you win in the weight room and the down you win in July helps you win a down in December.

"That's what football is, a game of downs, a series of battles -- you win them all, you win the game."

And the next game,

And the next title, and the next title. ...

So, who'll stop Alcoa's reign?

One night the Tornadoes will be on the wrong side of a championship game or be forced to merely watch as two other teams vie for the title they've made so synonymous with Alcoa that it might as well be cast in aluminum.

Alcoa's title runs won't last forever. They will end, one day, but it won't be because the opponent outworked Alcoa.

And it certainly didn't end in Cookeville Friday night.

Marcus Fitzsimmons is a sportswriter for The Daily Times and enjoys comments and snide remarks posted to the online version of this column at www.thedailytimes.com.