GRAY DEYOSports Writer

With each day that goes by, the 2025 Wildcat football season grows nearer. And with that comes the possibility of Tullahoma once again becoming state champions. They did it in 2021, can they do it in 2025? Only time will tell, but for now here is a summary of the Wildcats’ run to claiming the state title in 2021.

It was evident from the start of the 2021 season that Tullahoma was on a different level compared to their opponents. In their second game of the season, they took down an average Coffee County team (5-6 record) by a score of 38-7.

Tullahoma was winning, but in two of their first six wins of the season, they won by one score. That blowout success they had against the Red Raiders started to show up consistently starting in week six against Hillwood High School. From that point forward there was no shutting down the Wildcats.

Week 6: @ Hillwood W 55-6

Week 7: vs Montgomery Central W 24-0

Week 8: vs Lawrence County W 35-0

Week 9: vs Greenbrier W 34-0

Week 10: @ Glencliff W 49-0

In the first five games of the regular season, Tullahoma was beating teams by an average of 19 points per game. In their final five games of the regular season, they were beating opponents by an average of 38.2 points per game. They took this momentum they gained in the latter half of the season and stormed into the postseason as one of the best teams TN had to offer.

In the first two rounds of the playoffs, Tullahoma cruised past its competition. They won in the opening round against Chester County High School by a score of 49-12. They followed it with another dominating win in the second round against Montgomery Central, winning 42-7.

This Tullahoma team was loaded with great players. They had Justus Chadwick, who won the Mr. Football Kicker of the year award, and Jakobe Thomas who was a semi-finalist for Mr. Football. Everywhere you looked up and down the roster, there was a college-level player.

In the third round, Tullahoma entered a grudge match with Pearl Cohn. This was the second meeting they had with Pearl in the season. In week five they were able to sneak by and get a 24-21 win. In the second meeting in the playoffs, Pearl grabbed the opening score against Tullahoma, but did not grab the win. Tullahoma down 7-0 going into the second half rattled off 21 unanswered points to secure their spot in the state final.

The Wildcats with one step to go to become champs, took on a powerhouse, Elizabethton High School.

After starting their year 1-1 the opposing Fighting Cyclones went into the state final on an 11-game win streak. Through their win streak, they won each game by an average of 30.1 points. So even though Tullahoma was playing their best ball and blowing past teams, they were essentially facing a mirror of a team that was doing the same thing. This game was in no way an easy win for the Wildcats.

In the game, Tullahoma and Elizabethton went back and forth. No one could get the upper hand in regulation. At 7-7, the two teams went into overtime.

Both teams scored in the first frame of extra time to then force a second overtime. In this period of play the Cyclones on their drive had a shot at a touchdown pass, but Wildcat defender Krys Uselton jumped the opposing quarterback’s pass and secured an interception. The stands erupted, as Tullahoma was now just one score away from becoming state champs. Tullahoma quarterback Ryan Scott rolled to his left on the Wildcats’ next drive to locate a wide-open Jacob Dixon streaking down the left side of the endzone. He ripped a pass avoiding Cyclone defenders and Dixon secured a touchdown grab, giving the Wildcats their first football state title in school history.

Madness ensued as players, coaches, and fans all celebrated, in what was one of the most magical sports moments in the school’s and city’s history.

There is no telling what is to come this year with the 2025 version of the Wildcats’ football team, but you never know. Come December fans might be lining up on the streets once again, as a police escort leads a bus with the 2025 state champs back to the city of Tullahoma.