GRAY DEYOSports Writer

After starting the season 6-0, the Lady Wildcats notched their first loss of the season Thursday night, losing to rival Coffee County 60-33.

The Lady Wildcats’ offense overall struggled mightily Thursday night submitting three single-digit scoring quarters in the contest. In the first period, Tullahoma only found the bottom of the net once, with a McLayne Bobo three, they then had a five-point second quarter, and then a seven-point third quarter to follow. Tullahoma’s chance of dropping off the 9th-ranked TN women’s high school basketball program was taken away on the offensive side alone.

The Lady Red Raiders are coming off of a state appearance in the 2023-2024 season, and are currently 7-0 in this calendar year. A 27-point loss is never fun, but this is one the Lady Wildcats’ should not hang their head on. Coffee County has beat teams by 35 or more three times this year. It’s a game where you reflect, learn, take some bright spots from it, and then the next time you see them you know what level to expect when you walk on the hardwood.

A bright spot for Tullahoma against the Lady Red Raiders was the fourth quarter. Despite the wide margin loss, Tullahoma showed they were capable of hanging with the top 10 ranked TN squad, as they poured in 18 points in the fourth quarter. Senior guard Faith Vincent led the way in the fourth, scoring five points. Two freshmen for the ‘Cats, Kenzie Farrell and Lizzy Sharpton, tacked in a point less than Vincent in the final quarter—both scoring four points.

Tullahoma has the pieces to compete against this caliber of team, it just had too many parts of their machine for success malfunction Thursday night.