Tate is joined by Rockvale Rockets Head Football Coach, James Counce, as he enters his second year at the helm. Coach Counce breaks down his strategy for closing the gap in one of the state's most brutal regions. He shares insights from their early spring practices, the ongoing mission to boost the team's overall "football IQ," and their recent 7-on-7 work against BGA and Nashville Christian. With a veteran roster of 33 seniors and a dynamic southpaw quarterback, the Rockets are gearing up to be a highly physical force this fall. Coach Counce also reflects on the coaching philosophy passed down from his Hall of Fame father, James Counce Sr., and his time playing under Francis "Boots" Donnelly at MTSU

Tate is joined by Rockvale Rockets Head Football Coach, James Counce, as he enters his second year at the helm. Coach Counce breaks down his strategy for closing the gap in one of the state's most brutal regions. He shares insights from their early spring practices, the ongoing mission to boost the team's overall "football IQ," and their recent 7-on-7 work against BGA and Nashville Christian. With a veteran roster of 33 seniors and a dynamic southpaw quarterback, the Rockets are gearing up to be a highly physical force this fall. Coach Counce also reflects on the coaching philosophy passed down from his Hall of Fame father, James Counce Sr., and his time playing under Francis "Boots" Donnelly at MTSU

Growing up in a coaching family and now the owner of Mathews Team Sports, Tate Mathews brings a unique perspective to High School Sports Saturday.

With over fifteen years in the sporting goods industry in Middle Tennessee working with and for high school administrators and coaches, Tate’s relationships provide insight into middle Tennessee high school athletics.

High School Sports Saturday covers each sport during their respective competitive seasons.  Coaches, administrators, TSSAA officials and student-athletes are interviewed each week at 8 AM on 104-5 The Zone.

High School Sports Saturday with Tate Mathews

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HSSS- James Counce

Join us for a jam-packed weekend edition of High School Sports Saturday! With the 2026 fall sports season right around the corner, we are breaking down everything you need to know about Middle Tennessee athletics.

In This Episode:


Coach James Counce (Rockvale Rockets Football): Entering his second year at the helm, Coach Counce discusses closing the competitive gap in a brutal Region 3-6A. We dive into the importance of building team toughness, what to expect from his southpaw quarterback, and how the Rockets are preparing for their opening scrimmages against Beech and Franklin.


Garth Bouldin (High School Power Hour): Garth drops by to announce the highly anticipated return of the High School Power Hour! The Friday night staple is back for its second season starting August 14th. We talk about the challenges of mid-state scheduling, battling weather delays, and expanding the show's footprint to highlight even more local sports programs.


Tom Kreeger (The Dandy Dozen): It is the 20th anniversary of the Dandy Dozen! Tom breaks down the 2026 list featuring standout Middle Tennessee recruits, including top-tier SEC and Big Ten commits. We also take a fun, honest look back at the biggest "misses" in the Dandy Dozen's two-decade history.

 

Join us for a jam-packed weekend edition of High School Sports Saturday! With the 2026 fall sports season right around the corner, we are breaking down everything you need to know about Middle Tennessee athletics.
In This Episode:
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<li>
Coach James Counce (Rockvale Rockets Football): Entering his second year at the helm, Coach Counce discusses closing the competitive gap in a brutal Region 3-6A. We dive into the importance of building team toughness, what to expect from his southpaw quarterback, and how the Rockets are preparing for their opening scrimmages against Beech and Franklin.
</li>
<li>
Garth Bouldin (High School Power Hour): Garth drops by to announce the highly anticipated return of the High School Power Hour! The Friday night staple is back for its second season starting August 14th. We talk about the challenges of mid-state scheduling, battling weather delays, and expanding the show's footprint to highlight even more local sports programs.
</li>
<li>
Tom Kreeger (The Dandy Dozen): It is the 20th anniversary of the Dandy Dozen! Tom breaks down the 2026 list featuring standout Middle Tennessee recruits, including top-tier SEC and Big Ten commits. We also take a fun, honest look back at the biggest "misses" in the Dandy Dozen's two-decade history.
</li>
</ul>
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High School Sports Saturday with Tate Mathews 07-18-2026

Tate Matthews welcomes Tom Kreager (TK) of The Tennessean to the show to discuss the highly anticipated release of the 2026 Dandy Dozen. Marking the 20th anniversary of the prestigious list, which first began in 2007, TK breaks down the elite twelve mid-state high school athletes who made the cut. The duo previews the alphabetical roster, featuring heavy hitters like Antioch's 4-star Colorado quarterback commit Andre Adams, Upperman's Ole Miss commit Colton Johnson, and an explosive trio of receivers from Brentwood Academy. TK also provides behind-the-scenes details of the players' recent indoor photoshoot held at Franklin Road Academy (FRA).

Later in the segment, Tate and TK review a special anniversary piece: "The 10 Biggest Misses of the Dandy Dozen.". They reflect on historical evaluation misses, discussing players who were completely left off the list—like Goodpasture's Keenan Reynolds, who later finished fifth in the Heisman voting—and players who were ranked far too low, such as Donta Hightower, Graham Barton, Marcel Reed, and Alontae Taylor

Tate Matthews welcomes Tom Kreager (TK) of The Tennessean to the show to discuss the highly anticipated release of the 2026 Dandy Dozen. Marking the 20th anniversary of the prestigious list, which first began in 2007, TK breaks down the elite twelve mid-state high school athletes who made the cut. The duo previews the alphabetical roster, featuring heavy hitters like Antioch's 4-star Colorado quarterback commit Andre Adams, Upperman's Ole Miss commit Colton Johnson, and an explosive trio of receivers from Brentwood Academy. TK also provides behind-the-scenes details of the players' recent indoor photoshoot held at Franklin Road Academy (FRA).
Later in the segment, Tate and TK review a special anniversary piece: "The 10 Biggest Misses of the Dandy Dozen.". They reflect on historical evaluation misses, discussing players who were completely left off the list&mdash;like Goodpasture's Keenan Reynolds, who later finished fifth in the Heisman voting&mdash;and players who were ranked far too low, such as Donta Hightower, Graham Barton, Marcel Reed, and Alontae Taylor

HSSS- Tom Kreager

Tate is joined by Garth Bolden to officially preview the highly anticipated second season of the High School Power Hour! Broadcasting on 104.5 The Zone, the premier mid-state high school sports show is back and bigger than ever. Garth breaks down the show's expanded coverage footprint for the upcoming season, previewing key football storylines, coaching changes, and detailing the program's transition into year-round high school sports broadcasting.

Tate is joined by Garth Bolden to officially preview the highly anticipated second season of the&nbsp;High School Power Hour! Broadcasting on 104.5 The Zone, the premier mid-state high school sports show is back and bigger than ever. Garth breaks down the show's expanded coverage footprint for the upcoming season, previewing key football storylines, coaching changes, and detailing the program's transition into year-round high school sports broadcasting.

HSSS- James Counce

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