Trion Football: From Rec League to Record-Breaking 

The Trion Bulldogs’ senior class has achieved legend status with their remarkable high school careers:

40-8 overall record

24-3 record at home

Winningest class in Trion history

Hosted a state playoff game all four years

Won a playoff game all four years

Region championship

Perfect 10-0 regular season

But these accomplishments didn’t begin on Friday nights—they were born on Saturday mornings at Sam R. McCain Stadium, the same field where these seniors learned to play as boys in the Trion Recreation League.

In senior year, moms often take center stage with goodie bags, senior photo sessions, wearing their son’s letterman jacket, and endless support. But this story is about two dedicated dads, Chris Harris and Al Smith, who coached these boys from their earliest days on the field.

Under the guidance of Harris and Smith, these young athletes were taught not just the rules of football, but the values of perseverance, teamwork, sportsmanship, and sometimes how to tie the laces on cleats, how to work the helmet and chin strap, and snap the shoulder pads on. The kids were five years old.

Reflecting on their journey, Harris said:
“Most of them still refer to me as Coach. That means a lot. Earlier this year, I was walking out of the stadium, and a former player told me, ‘I wish you were still with us.’ That meant everything to me. And Friday night, I will be with them.”

Harris and Smith’s dedication didn’t just produce wins; it fostered unforgettable moments. Harris recalled their journey to the 12U Super Bowl:
“We lost twice in overtime trying to reach the Super Bowl. Then, against Ringgold, we had a four-play goal-line stand in OT, and Logan Stokes scored the game-winner. I told him, ‘Don’t stop running until you hit the back of the end zone.’ That year, we finally beat Summerville in the semis on a Kade Smith sneak-in OT. It was more exciting than the Super Bowl because we had climbed that mountain together.”

For Smith, watching the seniors play their final games brings a deep sense of pride:
“This team has created so many unforgettable memories. They’ve battled through adversity and brought so much joy to our community. As they prepare for one more home game, I couldn’t be prouder. Win or lose, they’ve already given us so much to be thankful for.”

When the Bulldogs run through the banner for the GHSA quarterfinals, they’ll run onto the same field where it all began. To the stands packed with the same fans that have been cheering for them for twelve years. For the dads who coached them, the payoff is clear: they get to witness their sons and players chase their dreams and inspire a community along the way. This season is not just a culmination of hard work—it’s a celebration of a legacy built over a lifetime.

As Smith put it, “Watching these boys battle through adversity has been nothing short of inspiring.” Now, this group of seniors has the chance to play one more game in front of their hometown crowd, on the very field where their football journey began. Harris added, “The chance to watch your kid chase something they’ve been talking about for years and to do it at home means everything.”

This Friday, as Trion takes the field, they’ll not only represent their present achievements but also the tens of thousands of hours of hard work, the lessons learned, and the dreams forged long ago in their rec league days.

It took winning two playoff games on the road to give the Trion community a Black Friday quarterfinal game at home.

This game is what any five-year-old Trion boy dreams of, “When I grow up, I want to be a Trion Bulldog Football star.”

The Trion Bulldogs are set to host Irwin County in the GHSA quarterfinals, marking the first time since 2003 that Sam R. McCain Stadium has been the stage for a game of this magnitude.

For Trion’s senior class, this moment began in rec league football.