GRAY DEYOSports Writer

The Tullahoma High School football team had its 2025 season officially come to a close on Thursday, Nov. 6. They lost to Walker Valley High School in the first round of the playoffs by a score of 27-20.

Tullahoma played well in the first half of this contest, as they were able to stay tied with the opposing Mustangs through the first two quarters. The score was 13-13. However, they found themselves in a hole quickly in the second half.

The Mustangs’ offense has four main players who have the capability of generating explosive plays. These players are wide receivers Roman Eulo and Sawyer Boyd, quarterback Chase Stephens, and running back Cason Cunningham. They all contributed to getting them the lead over the Wildcats.

Tullahoma got the ball to start the third, went three and out, and punted. Cunningham, who had been bottled up the majority of the day, on the second play of the ensuing Walker Valley drive broke off a 61-yard run. Tullahoma senior Marvancy Johnson Jr. was able to tackle Cunningham and keep him out of the endzone, but a few plays later, Eulo rushed in a score for the Mustangs. This gave them a 20-13 lead.

The Wildcats had a good drive after this score and were able to get into Walker Valley territory. A sack on third down, however, took them slightly out of field goal range, where they then opted to punt near the Mustangs’ 40-yard line. They pinned them at the seven-yard line on the punt, but it ended up not mattering. Stephens connected with Boyd for a 93-yard touchdown, giving Walker Valley a 27-13 lead with 5:13 left in the third.

The Wildcats, with their back against the wall, needed a score, or the lead was going to become too much to overcome. And they got it. Junior quarterback Patrick Riddle led Tullahoma down the field with big runs from Johnson Jr., also in the mix. Riddle converted a crucial 4th and six on a QB scramble during the drive. Lucas Reed, the senior QB, later rushed in a short yardage TD run to cap off the drive for Tullahoma, bringing the score to 27-20.

Riddle, who had played mostly a reserve role on the year backing up Reed, played almost every offensive snap from the QB position on Thursday night. Reed was still active for the Wildcats, but was playing on the other side of the ball. Reed was used as a linebacker for Tullahoma against the Mustangs.

This score from Tullahoma came with just under nine minutes remaining in the contest. They then needed another stop to keep their season alive, and they got it. They forced Walker Valley to punt, and got the ball at their own 18-yard line with just under three minutes remaining. This drive from the start proved to be a difficult one. Tullahoma was picking up short yardage and found themselves immediately in a fourth and one that they were able to pick up. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, they were not only working against the Walker Valley defense, but they were also working against the clock.

Time was dwindling, and on second down, Riddle, facing heavy pressure, threw the ball away. There was no one in the area of Riddle’s pass, which resulted in a loss of down with a penalty tacked on to it, for a call of intentional grounding. This resulted in a third and long and on this play, Riddle was hit hard and sacked. This put the Wildcats in a 4th and 28 scenario, where if they did not convert it, their season was over. And unfortunately, this down and distance was too much to ask. Tullahoma fought hard against a good Walker Valley team, but for the second season in a row, their season ended in the first round of the postseason.