From staff reports

Nine weeks of football has yet to decide the championship of District 9AAA.

Look for that matter to be settled Friday, Oct. 30 when 9-0 Mt. Juliet entertains 7-2 Beech with the winner claiming the league title.

Coach Roger Perry’s Golden Bears are a perfect 6-0 in 9AAA after trampling Portland 38-13 Friday, Oct. 23 in Sumner County.

Beech enters Friday’s contest 5-1 in league play after whipping Hendersonville High 21-9 last week as Jonathan Sites scored all three touchdowns for the Buccaneers.

At 9-0, Mt. Juliet has equaled the best start in the history of the school’s football program -- an identical 9-0 run in the 1965 season.

No Mt. Juliet High team has ever gone 10-0.

The Golden Bears held a commanding 24-6 halftime advantage at Portland last Friday as senior fullback Brady Earnhardt scored a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter on runs of three and 18 yards.

Portland scored with 8:32 left in the second period as Trey Link hauled in a 10-yard scoring pass from Joe Arendoll.

Mt. Juliet answered with 10 points shortly before intermission as quarterback Reed Gurchiek scored from two yards out and reliable kicker Tyler Emmetts blasted a 38-yard field goal at the halftime horn.

Mt. Juliet padded its lead with rushing TD’s from Brannon Garza (8 yards) and T.J. Alejo (5 yards) in the second half.

Earnhard ran 17 times for 105 yards to lead all rushers in the game.

Gurchiek added nine carries for 45 yards while Chris Brazile had seven attempts for 42 yards.

Gurchiek completed 8-of-12 passes for 159 yards and was picked off once.

Brazile caught two passes for 78 yards while Vaughn Cornelia had two receptions for 29 yards.

In addition to his 38 yards field goal, Emmetts was perfect on his five PAT attempts.