CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Alcoa has done it again.
The Tornadoes beat East Nashville 45-26 in the state championship game on Friday afternoon. By doing so, they captured their eighth straight state title.
It wasn't a blowout like fans of the team may be accustomed to seeing in recent years.
The Tornadoes trailed 6-0 after East Nashville's first drive. It was the first time they trailed in a state championship game since 2014, which was the last time they weren't state champions.
Alcoa took the lead when quarterback Zach Lunsford threw to wide receiver Luke Cannon for a touchdown, which got them up 7-6.
The Eagles took the lead again, going up 14-7.
Running back Jordan Harris tied the game again after a 3-yard rushing touchdown at 14-14.
The Tornadoes took their first lead when linebacker Brayden Cornett came up with an interception he returned for a touchdown in the second quarter. That put Alcoa up 21-14.
East Nashville responded with a touchdown of their own, but the point-after attempt was blocked, preserving Alcoa's lead at 21-20 with 31 seconds left in the first half.
The Tornadoes captured momentum to close out the little time they had remaining in the first half. Lunsford threw a screen to Harris for 40 yards. On the next play, Lunsford found Cannon for another touchdown, putting Alcoa up 28-20.
On the ensuing kickoff, East Nashville didn't recover a kick sent deep. The Tornadoes recovered and was able to knock in a field goal before the end of the first half. Just like that, Alcoa was up 31-20 at halftime
East Nashville did not give up. In the third quarter, they trimmed the lead to five following another touchdown but missed the two-point conversion.
The Lunsford and Cannon show wasn't done though. In the fourth quarter, the two linked up for a 44 yard touchdown, and that extended the Alcoa lead to 38-26.
Harris wasn't done either He scored a 12 yard touchdown run to get Alcoa up 45-26 for the exclamation mark.
That eighth straight title sets a record for most consecutive ever by a Tennessee high school, which was previously set by the program and was tied last season when Alcoa also beat East Nashville. The record was first set between 2004-2010 by the Tornadoes when they rattled off seven straight championships.