TSSAA, Bluecross Bowl Returns to Cookeville

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – As the “Road to Cookeville” nears its destination, state championship titles are at stake with 18 Tennessee high school football teams set to descend upon Tennessee Tech’s Tucker Stadium in Cookeville for the 2017 BlueCross Bowl, November 30 through December 2.

The entire community comes together each year to host the games, an event that has made Cookeville-Putnam County home since 2009 and will remain for another four years. An extension was granted to continue hosting privileges as local representatives from Tennessee Tech, city, county, chamber and visitors’ bureau presented to the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association Board of Control in January 2017.

“Our community loves this event,” said Zach Ledbetter, Cookeville-Putnam County Visitors’ Bureau vice president of visitor development. “Hosting the BlueCross Bowl has become a tradition for our citizens, community leaders, local emergency services, law enforcement, and area businesses.”

Local TSSAA Steering Committee Chairman and Tennessee Tech Athletic Director Mark Wilson views this as another four years to impress and show an athletic hospitality Cookeville has become known for.

“We continue to grow each year in enthusiasm and excitement in showing these student athletes, their coaches, families, and fans the Division I Bowl-like experience they deserve. From police escorts to game operation, we strive to make that experience better each year the BlueCross Bowl is in Cookeville at Tennessee Tech.”

An estimated 30-40,000 fans will visit the city of Cookeville and the Tennessee Tech campus to enjoy that experience. For most of these students, it’s a once in a lifetime experience, and everyone in Cookeville and at Tennessee Tech work together to produce a first-class event for them.

Championship games are set as follows:
(All game times are CT).

Thursday:
Division I, Class 1A – Greenback (12-1) vs. Cornersville (13-1), 11 a.m.
Division I, Class 3A – Alcoa (12-2) vs. Covington (13-1), 3 p.m.
Division I, Class 5A – Knoxville Catholic (11-3) vs. Beech (14-0), 7 p.m.

Friday:
Division I, Class 2A – Tyner (12-2) vs. Union City (12-2), 11 a.m.
Division I, Class 4A – Greeneville (14-0) vs. Springfield (11-3), 3 p.m.
Division I, Class 6A – Maryville (13-1) vs. Cane Ridge (13-1), 7 p.m.

Saturday:
Division II, Class 1A – Friendship Christian (12-0) vs. DCA (9-3), 11 a.m.
Division II, Class 2A – Notre Dame (11-1) vs. Lausanne (12-0), 3 p.m.
Division II, Class 3A – Brentwood Academy (11-0) vs. Montgomery Bell Academy (10-2), 7 p.m.

Tickets are $12 per day. Tickets may be purchased at participating schools, online at RoadtoCookeville.com, and at the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce (purchases of ten or more tickets are discounted to $10/each).

TSSAA’s BlueCross Bowl in Cookeville is a combined effort between the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce and Visitors’ Bureau, City of Cookeville, Putnam County, and Tennessee Tech University.

For TSSAA information and playoff brackets, go to: www.tssaa.org.
For BlueCross Bowl information along with Cookeville area information, go to: www.RoadToCookeville.com.
For information about Tennessee Tech University, go to: www.tntech.edu.

PHOTO:
Local representatives pose at Nissan Stadium before meeting with TSSAA leadership and winning coaches scheduled to compete in this week’s BlueCross Bowl games in Cookeville at Tennessee Tech’s Tucker Stadium. From left is George Halford, Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce president/CEO; Mark Wilson, TSSAA steering committee chair and TTU Athletic Director, Bernard Childress, TSSAA executive director; Zach Ledbetter, Cookeville-Putnam County Visitors’ Bureau vice president of visitor development; and Tracy Hughes, TSSAA steering committee ambassador chair and CPCCC customer service representative.