Make the mistake of saying native son Johnny Majors is from Huntland and any local will be quick to correct you. It’s a fact that the former UT football coach lived most of his early life in and is “from” Lynchburg … we don’t care what the UT media guides used to say. In fact, Majors Boulevard in Lynchburg pays tribute to the Majors family and their contributions to Moore County.

John Majors or Johnny as he became known as in the sports world was born in 1935 to Shirley Inman and John Elizabeth Bobo Majors in Lynchburg. Shirley Majors played football at Moore County High School before coaching there from 1944-47. He left to restart the football program at Huntland High School. At the time, they hadn’t fielded a team in 20 years. He commuted each day from Moore County to Franklin County so that his children could continue to attend Moore County Schools. But that all came to an end one chilly fall night when Johnny and the MCHS Raiders beat his father’s Huntland Hornets 18-13 in the last regular season game.

“That’s the last dad-blamed time a son of mine plays against me,” he said, according to the State Archives.

After that, Shirley Majors packed up the family and moved to Huntland where Johnny finished his high school football career. It’s the genesis of an intense rivalry that remains today.

Over the years there have been lots of good-natured hi-jinx. Someone from the Huntland side once sent a black floral wreath to the Raiders prior to game day, according to former MCHS Cafeteria Manager Norma Stone.

Another local legend states the in 1993-94 a crew from Huntland supposedly snuck into Moore County and tagged local speed limit signs with a large “H” from MCHS to Huntland High School. “Occasionally, I will still see a sign with it still on there,” said native Christy Anderson.

Currently, the Raiders sit in second place in Region 5A while the Hornets have yet to snag a 5A victory this season. They’ll kick off on Thursday at 7 p.m.

If you can’t attend the game, it will be broadcast live on the Moore County Sports Network, on the NFHS Network, or on The Lynchburg Times Raider Radio. •

{The Lynchburg Times is the only independently owned and operated newspaper in Lynchburg, Tennessee. We cover Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}