GRAY DEYOSports Writer

The Tullahoma High School football team fell to Lincoln County High School last Friday, losing 38-24. They now have an overall record of 4-3.

It was one of the more populated games of the Wildcats’ 2025 season, with only the Coffee Pot game standing above in attendance. The Lincoln County bleachers were filled to the brim with fans ready to watch an impressive Falcons football team, as Lincoln coming into the matchup, had a 5-1 record. Tullahoma came into the game looking to get revenge on the Falcons for their high scoring shootout last season, where the Wildcats lost 42-35, and to also string together their second consecutive win this regular season. Unfortunately for Tullahoma, the Lincoln County offense was clicking early in this matchup, and the Wildcats were playing a little below their typical level of play.

In the first half, Lincoln put up five touchdowns, outscoring the Wildcats 35-14. Tullahoma asserted themselves early in the game with a nine-yard TD run from senior Marvancy Johnson Jr. in the first quarter. But after that, the Tullahoma offense could not keep up with the output of the Falcons offense, with crucial mistakes mixed throughout those first two quarters. 

The Wildcats had two turnovers in the first half: a turnover and a fumble. 

Tullahoma in the second half, facing a 21-point deficit, showed some fight and the makings of a comeback. With just over four minutes, the Wildcats needed a stop if they had any chance of coming back in the game and their defense came up huge. They forced a punt out of the Falcons’ deep in their own territory, and a bad snap on the punt attempt ended up in a recovery for the Wildcats. A surge of energy shot through the Wildcats’ sideline as it felt they had a new life in the game. The energy was boosted even more when Johnson Jr., in the short field, trucked over a few defenders and ran in another touchdown run over 25 yards.

 In the game, Johnson had 19 carries for 152 yards and three touchdowns.

“Again it is about being consistent. So we got to be more consistent, and that is part of football sometimes. That ball is shaped funny and it bounces different ways. But we’ve got to be more consistent in our preparation, we’ve got to be more consistent in our practice, hey we got to be more consistent in how we operate,” head of Tullahoma Coy Sisk said regarding on what his team needs to do to string together more of these sequences that the Wildcats had against Lincoln the third quarter in the course of a game.

The Wildcats’ defense in the ensuing Falcons possession came up with another big stop, with the score shining 35-21 at Lincoln’s home field. The Wildcats marched the ball down inside the Falcons 10-yard line, but then the penalty bug bit them again. A flag or two backed them up and eventually left them at a fourth and 22 scenario. The only escape for Tullahoma to continue their drive now was a touchdown.

Senior QB for the Wildcats, Lucas Reed, surveyed the field, and as Falcons pressure from their defensive line started to creep in, he lasered a ball in the direction of his favorite target, senior WR Alex Bobo. The dual sports stud for Tullahoma was double covered, and the ball thrown by Reed  was a bit too high and out of his reach, and it ended up sailing out the back of the end zone.

With a few minutes already rolled off the fourth quarter clock, the Falcons team who had great success all day with their run game, picked up multiple timely first downs, waiting till the last second of the play clock before snapping the ball on every play. They ended up not scoring, but the damage was already done. Only 2:11 was left on the clock before Tullahoma took the field again. This was not enough time for the Wildcats to do anything, as they eventually picked up their third loss of 2025.

Tullahoma will have a week off before their next game. They will have plenty of time to regroup and come out strong on Oct. 17 against Rockvale High School, as they try to improve their record to 5-3.