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Reunion planned for 10-win Pioneer squad
1983 team gathering Sept. 15
1983 team.jpg
Members of the 1983 Pioneers were, front row, Thomas Bratcher, Jeff Sallas, Clayton Martin, Shane Prater, Chris Snow, Scott Hertwig, Deren Whitehead, Eric Ward and Stan Klein. Second row, Alan Watson, Todd Hutchins, John Morgan, Bruce Hutchins, Jimmy West, Michael Curtis, Perry Martin, Calvin Strode and William Arnold. Third row, Gerry Brenner, Terry Fowler, Mark DiChristina, Tony Kennerly, William Dillard, Tommy Mullican, Jeff Roach, Pat Fann, Randy Nowlin and Rogers Biles. Fourth row, Kendal Mayfield, Edd Cantrell, Carl Dunn, Bill Spicer, Danny Drake, Jeff Lance, Rodney Robinson, Jason Gillentine, Briant Martin and Joe Solomon. Back row, David Dotson, Kyle Lawrence, Jimmy Stoner, Mark Hendrix, Mike Panter, Randall Harris, Roger Jacobs and Robert Harris.

On Friday, Sept. 15, Nunley Stadium will be welcoming back one of the best Pioneer football teams in the program’s 55-year history. The 1983 group will be gathering once again, with a halftime ceremony planned to celebrate a dominant squad.

The 1983 team was the last Warren County group to win 10 games in a season, ultimately finishing 10-2 and reaching the second round of the playoffs. The Pioneers, led by a smash-mouth offense and stifling defense that finished with four shutouts, had wins over Coffee County, Cookeville, Lebanon, Columbia, Oakland, Tullahoma, Riverdale, Franklin County, White County and Lincoln County while being led by the all-time winningest coach in program history, Bobby Newby.

During a magical run, the Pioneers only tasted defeat twice. They lost at home in Week 3 to Germantown, the eventual 3A state champions, and suffered a heart-breaking loss to McCallie in the playoffs on a fake field goal.

Edd Cantrell II, the team’s QB who ran for five touchdowns and threw for four more in 1983, is hoping to see plenty of his old teammates while seeing Squad 55 take on Gallatin in two weeks.

“This is the first time we’re reconnecting and it’s been important for us to do it as a team, not just the seniors. That’s how we won: We won as a team. There were no all-stars,” said Cantrell.

Organizers are hoping to have a tailgate before the game, then the group will be brought on the field to be honored during a break in the action. Cantrell and his teammates are hoping to have a large gathering and bring back many of the sophomores, juniors and seniors who created lasting memories together 40 years ago. 

“We’re looking forward to reconnecting and seeing how everybody is doing. I’ve kept up with some, but I want to see where everybody is at now. We’ve started a Facebook page and everybody is already taking about the memories and sharing pictures,” said Cantrell. “We’re all also talking about the surgeries some of us need or already had, but everybody loves talking about the good ol’ days. We would do it all again in a heartbeat.”

For more information on the reunion, reach out to Cantrell on Facebook or contact the Standard at 931-473-2191. More will follow about the 1983 squad following the reunion.