2009 Week 4 - Hendersonville COMMANDOS versus Mt. Juliet Golden Bears

The COMMANDOS are ready to get back to District play this week against the undefeated Golden Bears from Mt. Juliet.  This will be the 38^th meeting between the two schools with the first one coming in the COMMANDOS first year of football in 1941.  Mt. Juliet is coming off a 15-12 victory over Whites Creek who had been unscored on before taking on the Golden Bears.  HHS will be trying to rebound after suffering their first loss of the season last week to LaVergne.  Mt. Juliet sits at the top of District 9-AAA with their 3-0 record while HHS is tied with Beech and Station Camp for second place, all of which have a 2-1 record.  The Golden Bears other two victories came against McGavock and Gallatin this season.

GOLDEN BEARS have top QB and WR in District 9 – Mt. Juliet’s quarterback, Reed Gurchiek, is the leader in District 9 with 452 passing yards.  He is 17-34 with the 452 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions.  He is also the Golden Bears top rusher with 36 carries for 375 yards and 1 TD; that puts him 3^rd in the District for rushing yards.  He had 170 rush yards in their 42-35 win over Gallatin.  Wide Receiver Vaughn Cornelia leads the District with 247 receiving yards on 6 receptions.  He had 125 yards against McGavock, and 124 yards versus Gallatin.

100 Yard Games – Nigel Jones had 131 yards receiving and 1 TD in the 41-20 victory over Lebanon.  LaDontez Bryant had 112 yards on 6 carries in the loss to LaVergne; he had also had 2 TD’s including one 76 yard scamper.

10 Plus Tackle Games – Whit Gray had 10 tackles in the COMMANDOS victory over Lebanon in Week 2.  Included in those 10 tackles was 1 sack and 1 tackle for loss; he also had a fumble recovery in the game.

COMMANDOS scoring first career TD – VS LEBANON-Hunter Brown threw his first career TD pass to Nigel Jones.  Brown also recorded his first rushing TD from 1 yard out.  LaDontez Bryant scored his first TD on a 3 yard run in the 1^st quarter.  --  VS RIVERDALE-Junior Quarterback Elijah Howell threw his first career TD pass with less than 1 minute left in HHS’s 2009 opening game.  Howell’s first passing TD was to tight end Troy Dye, and it was Dye’s first career TD catch.  Nigel Jones caught his first touchdown from Howell in overtime.  Running Back #33 Chris Moore also scored his first career points as he plunged into the endzone in the second overtime period.

COMMANDOS get first overtime win since 1998 – The COMMANDOS Week 1 28-27 victory over Riverdale in double overtime was HHS’s first overtime win since beating Gallatin 20-17 in OT in 1998.  HHS lost their previous four overtime contests (1999 - Quarterfinals 27-33 loss to Oakland in OT, 2003 - 42-43 loss to Beech in 2OT, 2003 – Quarterfinals 23-24 loss to Franklin in OT, 2006 – 21-28 loss to Beech in OT)

HHS/Mt. Juliet series – The COMMANDOS series with Mt. Juliet goes all the back to the COMMANDOS first year of football in 1941.  HHS hosted the Golden Bears that season in Hendersonville’s first ever home game.  Mt. Juliet handed the COMMANDOS a 0-12 loss in that game.    The COMMANDOS returned the favor in 1942 with a 27-0 victory, and in the teams first 7 meetings one team shut the other one out.  The tie came in 1960 when the game ended 12-12.  The teams have met 37 times since that first meeting in 1941 with HHS leading the series 19-15-1.  We do not have the scores from the games in 1979, 1980, and 1981.

Biggest Victory - 42 points in 2002 when the COMMANDOS won 56-14 at Memorial Stadium

Worst Defeat – 21 points – 3 times 1977, 1985, 1986

Longest Winning Streak – 7 games – 1988-1994

Longest Losing Streak – 4 games – 1984-1987

Current Streak – HHS 2 games (2001-2002)