GRAY DEYOSports Writer

The Tullahoma Wildcats football team was able to overcome some early adversity against 6A Cleveland High School and remain undefeated on the year with a 3-0 record. The final score against the opposing Blue Raiders was 39-20.

The initial outlook of this game indicated that Tullahoma had a big advantage. Simply put, the Wildcats were 2-0, averaging 46 points a game, while Cleveland was 0-2, losing by an average of 18 points per game. That is the game on the surface. As soon as the first live snap took place, the Blue Raiders showed that stats do not always do the talking.

Cleveland started with the ball and scored with the ball on the first drive. They thrashed past the Wildcats’ defense seamlessly. The least amount of yardage Cleveland got on their opening drive was an eight-yard run play from their tailback. Their QB on the drive was also dicing up the Tullahoma defense, going 4-4 on the drive, with his last pass being a 45 yard touchdown completion. This woke up the Tullahoma sideline, and their offense quickly answered.

Wildcats QB Lucas Reed delivered a 41-yard dot to receiver Alex Bobo to not only tie the game, but take the lead. Tullahoma went for two following the score and gained an 8-7 advantage. Both teams continued trading blows for the rest of the half, and at the final whistle of the second quarter, the score shined a 23-14 Tullahoma lead.

There was worry of potential weather delays being muttered throughout the halls at Wilkins Stadium during halftime. A quick glance at the radar showed that rain was imminent and there was a chance for thunderstorms. In the first half, the scares started with several lightning strikes being seen in the distance and a big gust of wind hitting the field. At the start of the second half, well over 50% of the crowd was gone. The fans that were left were loud, rowdy, and were ready to cheer on the Wildcats no matter what Mother Nature had brewing. The Tullahoma boys in the second half came out and gave those fans a dominant performance, with Sam Bobo and Marvancy Johnson making many monumental plays.

As stated earlier, Cleveland showed that stats do not always have meaning, but they sure do sometimes. The Wildcats’ running back, Johnson, coming into the contest, had over 400 yards of offense and eight touchdowns. Against the Blue Raiders, he had over 200 yards of offense and three touchdowns. Johnson has shown through three games that no matter who the Wildcats take on, if he is in the backfield, they will have a chance to win.

On the defensive side of the ball, Tullahoma made adjustments and shut down Cleveland in the second half, outscoring the Blue Raiders 16-6. Senior Sam Bobo played an integral part in helping in this. He secured an interception in the first half and snagged two more picks in the second half.

“Sam’s a veteran back there, and he knows what he is looking for, and you see what you get then,” head coach of Tullahoma Coy Sisk said regarding Sam Bobo’s performance.

These plays were huge in closing down and destroying drives, as the Wildcat offense could melt the clock away and let Johnson and company control the game.

Tullahoma’s next matchup will be in Sparta against White County High School. They are currently 2-1 on the season and are coming off a 21-7 win over Cookeville.