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Tullahoma played in their first playoff game since the State Championship game in 2021 and won in shutout fashion 10-0 over eighth-ranked Nolensville, blanking and eliminating their old nemesis and getting a pound of retribution on the Knights who put the ‘Cats out of the playoffs back in 2020.

The ‘Cats first playoff game under head coach Coy Sisk was a victory. They will now travel to Page for their second round matchup against the state fifth-ranked Patriots.

“It’s on these dudes,” said head coach Sisk. “They do it Monday through Thursday. Coaches get a lot of credit when they lose games and a lot of credit when they win, but the main thing is ‘players win games.’ These guys came out here tonight and did an amazing job.”

The Knights had the ball first. Their first play was a screen pass right that picked up 16 yards. They lost 2 yards on the next play as Ryan Denby made the tackle for loss. A run left gained 10, Liam Grider made the stop. Nolensville ran up the middle for a first down at the 49. They ran it again and gained 1, Ezra Myers made the tackle. The Knights quarterback rolled right and completed a pass to the Tullahoma 40 for another first down. They gained 13 yards on three more consecutive runs for a first down at the 27. A jet sweep pass left lost a yard, Colby Tucker made the play. Grider forced the ball carrier cut back into Tucker. A swing pass gained 3, the tackle was made by Khani Johnson. Then they completed a pass that picked up a first down at the 15. A run gained 7 yards. Then DeCarlos Slaughter stuffed a run for a loss of 1. Tucker made a tackle at the line of scrimmage to force fourth down. The 26-yard field goal attempt doinked off of the right post with 4:35 left in opening quarter. Tullahoma’s first play was a screen to Johnson for no gain. Then Mason Bratcher hit Malik Grizzard on an out route for a gain of 8. The third down run lost 3. Grant Chadwick’s punt flipped the field with an immediate tackle from Bronson Bunch at the Nolensville 28. The drive’s first play was a gain of 2, Will Hyden and Tucker made the tackle. After an offside flag, Robert Tatum made a tackle for a loss of 3. The Knights QB was sacked back at the 27 by Tucker. The punt was shanked and downed at the Tullahoma 47. Back to back penalties ended the drive before it even began. Chadwick’s punt was downed at the 18. Ethan Hargrove hammered a receiver to break up the first down pass. The next play was a run for a gain of 3. Bunch made the tackle to end the quarter tied 0-0.

Nolensville was forced to punt and Johnson kept it from rolling further down the field by grabbing it at the Tullahoma 40. He gained 3 yards on the return before being brought down. On second and 10, Marvancy Johnson ran for a gain of 1. Bratcher found Bryson Steverson at the 48 for a gain of 4. Chadwick’s punt went out of bounds at the 13. The Knights drive started with a run for no gain. The next two plays were runs picking up 9 and 6 yards. They took a shot on first down, but it was incomplete. Grider had the receiver blanketed. Nolensville picked up a huge gain but it was brought back because of a block in the back. The screen gained 4, Bunch and Grider made the stop. Another screen gained 4. Then a jet sweep picked up a first down at the Tullahoma 47. A run on the next play gained 15, Tucker saved a touchdown with his tackle. The Knights faced a fourth and 5 at the Tullahoma 27 and went for it. They looked to throw it, but the pass was intercepted by Will Hyden at the 9. The ‘Cats run lost 3. On third and 13 the swing screen to M. Johnson gained 11. Chadwick’s punt was returned to the Tullahoma 44. A pass right picked up 8, Hyden made the tackle. They ran up the middle for 2 and a first down. On second down they ran to the 27, Hargrove and Hyden combined on the tackle. A run of 8 picked up the first down. The snap was fumbled and fallen on by the QB at the 24. Nolensville called a timeout with 57 seconds left in the half. They gained 2 on a run then called another timeout. The pass to the end zone was incomplete but a flag on the play gave Nolensville the ball at the 12. Swing right incomplete. Facing a fourth down they attempted a 28-yard FG, but missed it right. Tullahoma took over at their 20 with 25 seconds left in the half. M. Johnson gained 8 yards up the middle to take the game to halftime 0-0.

Steverson caught the pooch kick and got it to the 35 for the ‘Cats to start the second half. A bubble screen to K. Johnson gained 3. Another quick pass to K. Johnson picked up 3 more. K. Johnson got the ball again and got it to the Nolensville 46, then he was hit late out of bounds for a 15 yard penalty giving Tullahoma the ball at the 31. Bratcher snagged a low snap and went down at the 38. The Wildcats could not move the ball after that so Chadwick came out to attempt a 56 yard FG. The kick came up just short. Nolensville took over at their own 20. The Knights ran the ball three straight times to gain 10 yards and a first down. After a bubble screen gained 5, another run picked up 6 yards and another first down. Hyden came up with his second interception and returned it for what appeared to be a TD. However, a crack back block moved it back to the 50. Hargrove began the drive with a catch and gain of 9. Another quick pass to him gained 3. A run for M. Johnson got 1 yard. A bad snap to Hargrove was fallen on at the 46. The middle screen pass was tipped and intercept then returned to the Tullahoma 44. A run gained 2, Slaughter and Tucker combined on the stop. On third and 7 the run picked up 3, Tucker made the tackle. The punt was downed at Tullahoma’s 10. A quick pass to K. Johnson gained no yards. Another quick pass went for no gain, then Bratcher was sacked at the 8. Chadwick’s punt from his own end zone was picked up at the Nolensville 45 and returned to the Tullahoma 44. The second down pass was broken up at the line of scrimmage by Jalen Hill. The swing left gained 5, K. Johnson and Tucker made the stop. The fourth down run was stopped for a loss of 1 by Tucker and Myers. The Wildcats took over at their own 38 with 30 seconds left in the third quarter. A run lost 2 as the quarter ended.

Tullahoma gained no yards on two straight plays and Chadwick had to punt. It rolled out of bounds at the Nolensville 7. Myers and Tucker combined for a sack at the 1. The Knights got to the 4, before having to punt. It was downed at the Nolensville 42 with 9:14 left. Tullahoma called a timeout before running a play. After the timeout, M. Johnson carried for the 42-yard TD to put the first points on the board. Chadwick booted the extra point through giving Tullahoma a 7-0 lead with 9:05 left. The first play of the Knight drive picked up 10 and a first down. A jet sweep run lost 1, K. Johnson and Hyden made the tackle. An incomplete pass was forced as Hill pressured the QB. The third down pass gained 5, Hargrove made the tackle. The punt bounced down to the Tullahoma 16 with 7:20 left. Bratcher rolled out right and completed the pass to Grizzard who got to the 27 for a first down. Bratcher mishandled the snap, but grabbed it and ran up the middle for 4 yards. A quick pass to Hargrove gained 2. The third down pass was incomplete but defensive pass interference gave Wildcats a first down at their own 48. The ‘Cats could not pick up another first down and Chadwick’s punt was downed at the 18. The Knights first play gained 3 yards. Slaughter sacked the QB back at the 13. The deep pass was broken up by K. Johnson. Nolensville had to go for it on Fourth and 15 with 1:37 left, and they threw an incomplete pass. Tullahoma took over on downs at the Nolensville 13 with 1:33 left. M. Johnson runs for a gain of 6. Nolensville timeout with 1:22 left. After a pre-snap penalty on Tullahoma M. Johnson gained 3 before another Nolensville timeout with 1:15 left. They called their last timeout after a gain of 2 with 1:08 left in game. Chadwick made the 23-yard FG to ice the game. Tullahoma led 10-0 with 1:04 left. The Knights ran a few plays and got to midfield but time expired and the Wildcats won 10-0.