Champion lineman Michael Bilby (65) leads the way for quarterback Chuck Thornally (5) during Saturday’s game against Midlothian. Photo by Mike Reeder

Memo to the University of Tennessee: You might want to rethink that quarterback choice.

Matched against Midlothian quarterback and Tennessee recruit Bryce Petty, Boerne Samuel V. Champion quarterback Chuck Thornally decisively out-played his more heralded counterpart Saturday at the HEB Kickoff Classic in Waco, leading the Chargers to the first football victory in the new high school’s history.

Boerne led 21-0 after one quarter, 28-0 at halftime and 35-0 after three periods on its way to a 35-7 win.

“You always take it as a little bit of a personal challenge when the guy on the other side of the field is a very good player,” Thornally said, after first crediting his teammates for his performance. “I’m just glad we got the victory.”

“We know Chuck is a great quarterback,” Champion Head Coach Danny Threadgill said. “He’s been flying under the radar but he’s going to start getting some looks pretty quick.”

Thornally, named Offensive MVP, completed 79 percent of his passes with no interceptions, threw for one touchdown and rushed for two more. Petty completed 51 percent of his throws with no touchdowns passes and one interception. Passing yardage was close, but Thornally’s 240 yards came with the game on the line in just three quarters of work. Many of Petty’s 249 yards came late with his Panthers far behind and Boerne’s backups on the field.

As good as Thornally was, his teammates made him look even better. The Chargers’ ball-hawking defense, led by Defensive MVP Drew Roumelis, forced four turnovers that all led to Boerne scores. The front seven bottled up the run and kept Petty on his heels and the secondary blanketed the Panther’s fleet receivers. Cornerback Dakota Mitchell picked off a pass and rattled receivers with bone-jarring hits.

“Our line and linebackers brought a lot of pressure and our secondary shut down their passing game the whole day,” Roumelis said.

“Everybody shut down everything,” Mitchell said. “They didn’t have much offense at all until the end when we started putting in backup guys.”

Credit also goes to an offensive line that shielded Thornally and opened gaping holes for the running game. Before leaving the field with a twisted knee, fullback Josh Wray bulldozed his way to 49 yards and one touchdown and backfield mate Earnest Jones crashed across the goal from a yard out for the first TD in school history.

“I didn’t really think about it then,” Jones said of his historic score, “but it’s awesome I got to do that.”

Slot receiver Kody Beach turned a 37-yard catch and run into the first touchdown pass in school history and the wideouts caught nearly everything thrown their way.

“Chuck and I have that chemistry,” receiver James Hurd said. “When he moves left I go left and just try to get to an open spot, because he’ll get the ball to you.”

“It’s good start to a very long season,” Beach said. “We worked hard all year long and in two-a-days and it paid off here.”

The result was what Threadgill had hoped for when he reminded his team before the game what the “Champion” on their jersey represented.

“I told them it doesn’t mean we’re champions,” Threadgill said. “It means we represent Sam Champion, who represents everything good about education. When we put on those jerseys we’re going to wear them with pride and play in the same fashion as he did his work in Boerne.”