The 2024 TSSAA high school football season is over after the conclusion of the BlueCross Bowls in Chattanooga. Three Memphis area teams — MASE, Melrose and Houston — represented the most Memphis area teams at the state finals since 2016, with MASE taking home a golden ball.
Here’s how The Commercial Appeal ranked the 10 best teams in the Memphis area this season:
1. Houston (12-3): Houston made school history this season, appearing in consecutive title games for the first time ever. The Mustangs were unable to defend their 6A crown, falling to Oakland in the final. Houston‘s talented group of seniors made this squad one of the best in the state over the last two years.
2. Collierville (11-2): Collierville finishes second after bowing out in the 6A state quarterfinals. The Dragons were one of the area’s and state’s top teams all season, losing only to Houston twice.
3. MASE (13-1): MASE lifted its first-ever state championship trophy in the school’s first title game appearance, besting defending 1A champions South Pittsburg 36-14. The Phoenix will look to conquer 2A next season.
4. Melrose (11-4): Melrose finishes in the top five after reaching its first state title game since 2005. The Golden Wildcats ultimately fell to Macon Co., but a championship appearance in the first year under coaches Gerald and Jarrett Morrow bodes well for the future.
5. Covington (11-2): Covington finished with at least 10 wins for the third season in a row, exiting to eventual state runners up Westview in the quarterfinals.
6. Southwind (10-2): After a Week 4 loss, Southwind rattled off seven wins in a row before falling to Beech on the road in Round 2 of the playoffs.
7. Fairley (11-1): Fairley was one of the state’s most dominant teams this season, but fell in the 2A state semifinals to eventual state runners up Milan.
8. Bartlett (7-4): Bartlett’s late-season rally to make the playoffs finished with a Round 2 exit to state runners up Houston.
9. Memphis Business (9-3): Memphis Business, in just its seventh season, equalled its best playoff finish with a loss to Fairley in the 2A state quarterfinals.
10. Lausanne (7-3): Lausanne finished the season in the state quarterfinals for the third consecutive season.
Wendell Shepherd Jr. is The Commercial Appeal’s high school sports beat writer. Reach Wendell at wendell.shepherd@commercialappeal.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @wendellsjr_.
