Admirals honor seniors in final outing
Players hugged and laughed, cried and smiled. Together, members of the 2026 senior class mourned their final game — yet celebrated the relationships formed over the course of four seasons together.
Ultimately, it is those friendships that will be remembered more than the 1-9 record, or the 45-8 result that glowed on the scoreboard in the distance.
“They’ve been resilient, steadfast all year,” former Farragut head coach Geoff Courtney said. “A great group to be around. I will remember their love for one another. It has been difficult, been tough this season, going back into the offseason. But they have been a great group as far as doing everything we have asked them to do. Great effort, very coachable and they have a great spirit about them. It has been fun to be with them every single day this year.”
The final day was no exception, as Farragut’s pregame featured a bit more ceremony than most.
Before the seniors walked out to be recognized, suit-wearing students executed their version of Pat McAfee’s kicking contest in the Farragut version of ESPN’s “College GameDay.”
After a successful 37-yard field goal and plenty of senior recognition, the Admirals took the field for their final action in the 2026 campaign.
They held Cleveland to a 10-0 lead through the first quarter, but the visiting Raiders extended their lead to 31-0 by the final two minutes of the third. They found the end zone twice more, capitalizing on multiple Farragut turnovers.
But in-between those scores, with Cleveland ahead 38-0, came the Admirals’ favorite moment of the night.
Farragut drove to the Raider 3-yard-line, handing twice to linebacker Kaden Renfro near the goal line. On the third try, he broke the plane, then found himself lifted into the air by teammate Holden Fritz.
After trying to prevent opponents from scoring so many times, Renfro had a touchdown to call his own, too.
“We put that in for him,” Courtney said. “He’s been very deserving, very productive and disruptive on the defensive line all year. Kaden is a great kid, man. He is well-liked by everybody, always has a smile on his face. We felt like if we got in that situation tonight at the goal line, we’d let him pound it in.”
“That was probably one of the top feelings of the season for me,” Renfro added. “In practice, my coaches told me they had a play designed for me on the goal line, telling me I earned it. I was a little worried I might fumble, but when they called up Heavy, I was really locked in.”
“It was really special,” he added of celebrating with teammates. “They were all so happy for me. It was a really good feeling as they congratulated me, and I couldn’t have done it without them. It’s a bond I’ll never forget.”
Elijah Sadler added the two-point conversion on a catch from Hayes Sharp, marking the final margin for the night.
Going forward, Farragut will look to hit the weight room this offseason to prepare for 2027. They will also be looking to find a new head coach after Courtney stepped down on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
But as younger players prepare to step into new roles, those moments from last Friday may remain in their
minds.
