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The Tullahoma High School football team fell on senior night 28-27 to Shelbyville to finish third in the region.

The Wildcats made a third quarter comeback scoring 14 straight points in the last five minutes of the quarter to tie the game at 21. Then the Eagles scored early in the fourth before Lucas Reed and Khani Johnson hooked up to answer. The extra point hit the upright, keeping the game at 28-27.

With less than two minutes left Shelbyville lined up for a 25 yard field goal to go up by four points, but the kick was pulled left giving the ‘Cats a chance to go win the game. After picking up a first down, Reed’s pass down the field was tipped up and the Eagles’ safety made a one-handed diving interception to end the game.

Tullahoma will go to Nolensville Friday for the first game of the 2024 playoffs.

The Wildcats opened the game with the ball. Marvancy Johnson ran on the first play for a gain of 9. A designed run for Reed moved the ball to the 38 for a gain of 12. Then a jet sweep to Khani Johnson picked up 5. The drive stalled there and Sam Bobo’s punt was downed by Alex Bobo at the 3. The Tullahoma defense forced a three and out, the punt was downed at the Shelbyville 49. M. Johnson ran for a gain of 6. He got it again, bounced left and picked up a block on the last defender from K. Johnson to score the 43-yard touchdown. Chase Dodson’s kick was good, Wildcats went up 7-0 with 5:43 remaining in the first. The Eagles put together a 12 play drive that resulted in a game tying touchdown with 1:17 left in the first quarter. Tullahoma’s drive started at their own 46. M. Johnson ran for a gain of 3. A run left by K. Johnson got the ball to the Shelbyville 45 as the quarter ended.

M. Johnson ran to the 42 for the first down. Then a holding made it first and 20 at the 48. The next three plays gained no yards and the Eagles’ drive started at their own 21. Tullahoma forced another three and out after Bronson Bunch set the edge forcing ball carrier to trip on his own feet for a loss of 2. The punt was nearly blocked, but rolled down to the Tullahoma 32. The Wildcats went three and out. On the second play Shelbyville connected on a deep pass right to the Tullahoma 36. The ‘Cats stopped Shelbyville for a turnover on downs, but a facemask made it first down at the 14. A run gained 1, Creed Adams made the tackle. A pass right got to the 5. Then a pair of runs punched it in to go up 14-7 with 2:43 left in the half. After picking up one first down, Tullahoma quickly punted after a couple of drops. The punt was downed at the Tullahoma 26. Shelbyville moved the ball to midfield and then let time expire taking the 14-7 lead into the break.

The first play of the third quarter was a sweep right for no gain, Will Hyden made the tackle. A run up the middle gained of 4, Bunch made the tackle. The third down pass right moved it to the 32. A quarterback run up the middle got to the 44. Another quarterback run got to the 49. On third and 4, the Eagles picked up 12 yards. Another run got the ball to the 32. The next quarterback run got to the 29 for a first down. A reverse gained 9, then a run right gained 2. The running back went up the middle, broke a tackle and made it into the end zone for the score. The kick was good, making it 21-7 with 5:23 left in the third quarter. M. Johnson ran up the middle for 4. He got it again cut back across the middle to get it to the 41. A deep pass left to A. Bobo moved it to the Eagles 21. Reed kept on a read option and gained 7. He ran again to the 8 for a first down. M. Johnson ran and lunged his way into the end zone for his second score of the night. The kick was good, 21-14 with 2:45 remaining in the third. Robert Brooks recovered the ball on the kickoff. The pooch kick was muffed by the returner and Brooks got on the ball at the Eagles 30. A quick pass to K. Johnson took it to the 18. M. Johnson ran left to the 10. K. Johnson sweep right lost 6. A pass to him on a fade in end zone was incomplete, but a flag for holding on the defense made it first down at the 8. A false start backed it up to the 13. A run by M. Johnson lost 2, but an unsportsmanlike conduct on Shelbyville made it second down at the 8. Reed hit A. Bobo on a fade for the touchdown. The kick was good and the game now tied at 21 with 58 seconds left in the third. After a pair of three yard runs from the Eagles the game went into the fourth tied.

After an incomplete pass, Shelbyville went for it on fourth and 4. A double move beat the Tullahoma defensive back for the 35 yard touchdown. The kick was good making it 28-21 with 11:50 left in the game. Tullahoma’s drive started at their own 35. A M. Johnson run got to the 48. He got it again and took it to the 47. He went right on a counter to the Eagles 25. After a false start a pass down the middle to K. Johnson was completed for the 30 yard touchdown. The extra point hit an upright and was no good, Tullahoma trailed 28-27 with 8:32 remaining. Shelbyville drive took the ball all the way down the field inside the Tullahoma 10, but could not punch it into the end zone. On fourth and goal, the kicked a 25 yard field goal. The first try was good, but offsetting penalties made them replay the down. The second kick was pulled left. Tullahoma took over with 1:40 remaining at their own 20. A screen to A. Bobo gained 1. After an incomplete pass, Reed ran to the 30 for a first. On the next play his pass was tipped up and the Eagles’ safety made a diving one-handed interception with 44 seconds left. Shelbyville took a pair of knees and won 28-27.