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The Tullahoma High School football team could not contain Lincoln County’s running attack and lost 42-35 Friday evening.

The Falcons strong ground game came in averaging over 350 yards a game. They ran it 52 times for 402 yards and all six touchdowns. They only attempted eight passes, their preseason starter at running back has been playing quarterback because of injury. The Wildcats attack was balanced with 152 passing yards from Lucas Redd and 177 total rushing yards. Marvancy Johnson led the way with 171 yards on 18 carries and a pair of scores. Reed hooked up with Khani Johnson three times for 64 yards and a touchdown. Will Hyden made one reception but it was a 65-yard touchdown. Lincoln County owned time of possession, almost doubling Tullahoma’s time of 18 minutes.

The Wildcats will have another tough contest this week at Columbia. The Lions are 3-2 with a loss at undefeated Marshall County and a loss at Shelbyville. The loss at Shelbyville came because of a 20-point fourth quarter from the Eagles. 

After winning the toss, Tullahoma elected to take the ball first. Dominick Harris returned the kickoff to around the 40, but a hold on Tullahoma backed it up to the 27. M. Johnson carried for a gain of 8. After an incomplete pass, Reed threw a quick pass out to K. Johnson and he got 2 yards for a first down. M. Johnson went up the middle for a gain of 3. After a penalty and a run for no gain Tullahoma faced third and long. Reed threw a pass over the middle to Hyden, who took it and outran the defense for a 65 yard touchdown. Chase Dodson’s extra point was good, ‘Cats led 7-0 with 9:07 left in the first quarter.

The Falcons returner was stonewalled at the 17 by Gunner Green. Parke Fulks helped clean him up. Danylo Lukianov stopped the quarterback run for a gain of 1. The next run up the middle got to the 28 before Sam Bobo made the stop. A sweep left got to the 39 for another first down. Creed Adams tackled the running back for a loss of 3. The quarter back kept the ball running left and brought up third and 2. The run left went for a big gain to the Tullahoma 18. The quarterback pulled the ball and ran left for the touchdown. The kick was good, 7-7 with 6:14 left in the first.

Harris returned the kickoff to the 47. A tough run by M. Johnson gained 2. He got it again going left and made it into opposing territory at the 47. Reed scrambled, avoided two defenders and got to 41 for the first down. M. Johnson got another carry, made a cut up the field instead of going outside. He made the last defender miss before sprinting into the end zone for the 41-yard touchdown. Dodson’s kick was good, 14-7 with 3:53 left in the first.

The Falcons moved the ball into Tullahoma territory after just four plays. The next play was a deep pass left that was incomplete but a hold on a Tullahoma defensive back made it first down at the 33. The run up the middle only got 1, a group of ‘Cats made the stop. The net run gained 3, Bronson Bunch forced the ball carrier back into a group of teammates. A pass was completed at the 26 as the quarter ended, the Falcons faced a fourth and 3 after flipping sides of the field.

A quarterback run left made it to the 21 for the first down. Then a run up the middle got 4, Sam Bobo made the tackle. The quarterback sweep on second down gained 1, Bunch made him bounce even further outside and run out of bounds. A pass right was complete at the 5. A run up the middle scored. The kick was good, 14-14 with 10:16 left in the first half.

Bobo returned the kick to the 35. Reed pulled the ball on a read option and lost 1. A deep pass to K. Johnson down the left sideline got the ball to the Lincoln County 18. M. Johnson went up the middle for 4. Reed threw a bubble screen to K. Johnson, he made his defender miss and picked up a block from Alex Bobo to get into the end zone for the 14-yard touchdown. Dodson’s kick was good, 21-14 with 8:35 left in the first half.

The Falcons answered with eight runs and three Tullahoma penalties to make it 21-21 with 5:16 left in the half. Tullahoma went three and out and gave Lincoln County the ball back with 4:06 left in the half. They scored in five plays on a fourth down run that went 19 yards for the touchdown. They took a 28-21 lead into the break and were getting the ball to start the third.

Lincoln County led a 12-play touchdown drive to start the quarter that left just 5:13 on the clock for the quarter. M. Johnson returned the kickoff to the 39. He got a carry going left, broke a tackle and got to the Falcons 11. He got it going left again and got to the 7. The he ran up the middle for a gain of 1. Adams took the snap in a wildcat formation and got to the 3. On fourth down he got the snap again and ran left into the end zone for the score with 3:20 left in the third. The kick was good making it 35-28.

On fourth and 4 to open the final quarter, the Falcons’ quarterback run right went for a touchdown. They took a 42-28 lead with 11:53 remaining. M. Johnson ran left to the 44 on the ensuing Wildcat possession. A pass left to Cayden Poff got the ball to the 50. Reed pulled the ball on a read option and made it to the 32. A pass right to A. Bobo gained 9, a flag on Tullahoma backed it up to the 32. Reed was sacked at the 44. On second and 22 a deep pass to K. Johnson was incomplete, but a flag for holding on a defensive back moved it to the 33. M. Johnson got a carry, bounced right and made a man miss to get to the 7. He got it again and gained 3. He went up the middle for the touchdown with 7:50 left. The kick was good 42-35.

The onside kick was recovered by the Falcons at their own 46. With just over four minutes left Lincoln County had a fourth down and 2 at the 34. Adams made a tackle for the stop giving Tullahoma a chance with 4:02 left. M. Johnson went up the middle for 3. He got it again for a gain of 3. A quick pass to A. Bobo moved it to the 49. M. Johnson ran for a gain of 2. Reed pulled the ball on a read option and lost 4. He rolled out and threw a pass over the middle that was intercepted at the Falcons 34 with 1:39 left in the game. Lincoln County picked up one first down and kneed out the clock, keeping the score at 42-35.