Wildcats can’t corral Eagles
R
The Tullahoma middle school football team took their first loss of the year to Harris middle 34-30.
The game began with the ‘Cats scoring on their first play after opening kickoff, on a run up the middle by Zion Jeffery. The 2-point attempt was failed. The Eagles answered immediately by returning the kickoff all the way to the end zone to tie the game. Like Tullahoma, Harris was unable to convert the 2-point try so the game remained tied 6-6. The next drive for Tullahoma went backwards due to multiple pre-snap penalties.
During the Eagles next drive, the Wildcats forced a fourth down. Harris ran a fake punt pass, threw the ball down the right sideline, and then after making a contested catch and breaking a tackle, the receiver scored a touchdown. They were able to convert the 2-point attempt and take a 14-6 lead. The 1st quarter ended after a big run from Bradyn Scott. The drive ended on an incomplete pass on fourth down.
The Eagles began driving down the field on screen passes to the right side of the field. Their running back got them into the red zone on a cutback run. The ‘Cats defense came up big, driving the Eagles backwards and forcing a punt. They took over possession with 25 seconds left in the first half. On second down, Scott made a pass down the left sideline to Jeffery on a wheel route that took them down to the 34-yard line. After a time out that stopped the clock at 6 seconds, the Wildcats went deep again. Scott went down the right sideline this time and Jeffery went up over a defender to catch the ball and then beat every Harris defender into the end zone. The 2-point try was converted on a keeper by Scott, tying the game at 14 to go into halftime.
Tullahoma kicked off to start the second half. On their second play Harris snapped the ball over the quarterback’s head and Tullahoma recovered. After not going anywhere on the first three plays of the drive, the ‘Cats went for it on fourth and 12. Scott completed a pass down the right sideline to Landon Price, he made it down to the 8-yard line. Scott scored on a quarterback keeper from the 1.5-yard line on third down. They converted the 2-point attempt on a completed pass left to Michael Palmer, giving them a 22-14 lead with 3:12 remaining in the 3rd quarter. The Eagles attempted to answer back on first down with a pass deep, but it was broken up by Price. Two plays later they broke a run up the middle for a touchdown. The 2-point try was stuffed, leaving the ‘Cats with a 22-20 lead.
The TMS drive went backwards five yards and they were forced to punt. Harris took over with 21 seconds left in the 3rd quarter. The second play of the 4th quarter was a Wildcat penalty for too many players on the field, which gave the Eagles an automatic first down. The very next play was a run left for a TD. Once again the ‘Cats stopped the 2-point try. Harris now leads 26-22 with 7:08 left in game. The next drive began with another Tullahoma false start. After two incomplete passes and a five yard run from Scott, they faced a fourth and 8. The Wildcats went for it, Scott threw deep across the middle to Price for a touchdown. He then ran the 2-point try in on another keeper, giving them a 30-26 lead with 5:44 left. Harris recovered an onside kick. The drive began with two well defended runs by Tullahoma that resulted in a third an 11. Then they ran left for another touchdown and finally converted a 2-point try to make it 34-30 with 4:20 left. The ensuing Kickoff went out of bounds. The Eagles re-kicked and the ‘Cats recovered an onside kick at the 49. On second down the snap was fumbled but recovered resulting in loss of 4, forcing a third and 12. After yet another false start and an incomplete pass they faced a fourth and 17 with 2:27 left. Harris committed an offside penalty to make it fourth and 12. Scott scrambled left for a touchdown, but it brought back by block in back. The play still resulted in a first down at the 35 with 2:13 left. A quick pass to the right for a gain of two on first down, was followed by an incomplete pass on second down. There was trouble with the snap on third down and the Wildcats recovered with 1:08 left. On fourth and 10, Scott ran left on a quarterback keeper for another first down. The ‘Cats went quickly to the line with time running out, they ran with Scott again. He was tackled in the middle of the field, while trying to go fast and spike it Tullahoma had trouble with snap on second down and had to fall on the ball. With the clock still running, they tried to quickly spike it on third down to get organized and have a chance at a Hail Mary, but the spike occurred as time expired. Harris won 34-30.
