Notre Dame Prepares For Big Bad Alcoa in State Semifinals

Chattanooga-(WDEF) Notre Dame hasn’t really been challenged in the playoffs so far.

But on Friday, they’ll face their biggest challenge of the year.

The Irish host big-bad Alcoa for the right to go to the state championship game.

  Notre Dame has outscored their first three playoff opponents, 158-28. 

But now they’ll face the 3A bully in Alcoa.

In the last ten years, the Tornadoes have won eight state championships.

Said Irish coach Charles Fant,"So finally this is my first time ever meeting them. Very excited to match wits with just an amazing football staff and football team."

Reporter-"Do you like the fact that there’s this big hurdle in front of Notre Dame to go to the state championship game?"

Said Irish receiver Kareem Orr,"Yes sir. It’s a challenge. It’s a challenge for us that we need to overcome."

Said Irish quarterback Alex Darras,"I feel like to be the best, you have to beat the best. Right now, everybody sees them as the best. That’s the team we need to beat right now."

   Quarterback Alex Darras says Alcoa’s greatness lies in their efficiency.

"I know they’re a very sound team. They don’t make a lot of mistakes. They depend on other teams making mistakes, and they can capitalize off that."

    Head coach Charles Fant is anxious to see the tug-of-war in the line of scrimmage.

"Honestly, it’s the same thing for us every single week. It’s the battle upfront. Offensive and defensive lines, and we’ve just been unreal on our defensive line of the ball and our offensive line. Every single week it has gotten that much better. Alcoa’s offensive and defensive lines are phenomenal. Being able to go against that group is going to be a fun thing to watch."

   Beating Alcoa would be tremendous for Notre Dame because it would put the Irish in the state title game for the first time in school history.

Said Fant,"There’s a lot riding on this game for us. The history of our program and being able to move on would be a really big, big deal for our program."
Notre Dame and Alcoa will kick at 7pm on Friday at Finley Stadium.