by Scott Shasteen on Friday, September 28, 2007
   The Tullahoma Wildcats jumped on visiting Warren Co. with two first quarter touchdowns, then watched the Pioneers take the lead with two third quarter scores before finally putting the finishing touch on homecoming 2007 with a fourth quarter touchdown to complete a 26-21 victory on a cool autumn evening at Wilkins Stadium.
   The win sends the Wildcats (1-0, 3-2) back into Region 5-4A play next week at Shelbyville (2-0, 2-4) tied with the Golden Eagles and Hillsboro for the region lead. Shelbyville dropped a 41-14 decision to Franklin County on Friday.
   The loss is the second in a row for Warren Co. (1-1, 4-2) following four consecutive victories to open the season. The Pioneers return to Region 3-5A competition next week against winless Cumberland Co.
   Tullahoma used a nice mixture of the run and the pass, combined with a stifling defense that limited the visitors to only 195 yards total offense, and topped it off with three Tryston Horton returns that accumulated 150 yards to get back into the win column.
  Quarterback Chris Bishop accounted for 205 total yards, completing 8-14 passes for 146 yards and three touchdowns while rushing 17 times for 59 yards and another score. Jared Olive had his best game as a Wildcat, catching three passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns.
   Senior running back Ryan Bean had the best outing of the season for him, rushing 15 times for 75 yards. Bobby Dowdell ran seven times and had three receptions for a total of 75 yards and caught Bishop’s other touchdown throw.
   The home team entertained its homecoming audience with an offensive shows that scored the first three times it had the ball. Halftime seemed to kill the momentum though before the Wildcats snapped out of it and completed the win with 8:52 left.
   The opening drive went 80 yards on six plays, highlighted by Bishop’s 37-yard pass to Dowdell for the score with 8:59 remaining in the first. Backup kicker Corbin Hedges, substituting for the injured Craig Roper, nailed the PAT to make the lead 7-0.
   After the Cat defense forced a punt, which was returned 39 yards by Horton, the Cats set up shop at the Pioneer 42 yard line. Bishop, Bean and Dowdell each had their touches, with Bishop finishing off the nine-play drive with a one-yard plunge. Hedges’ PAT gave the home team a 14-0 lead with 1:09 left in the first quarter.
   To Warren Co.’s credit though, they responded with a 12-play, 60-yard drive that used over six minutes off the second quarter clock. They scored on a five-yard run by 6-2, 240 pound Morgan Wilcher, who had 56 yards on 18 carries, and the successful PAT pulled the Pioneers within 14-7 with 6:51 left in the half.
   Tullahoma went back to work at its 20 yard line once again. First Bean carried four straight times for a first down before Bishop hit Olive for a 44-yard strike down to the visitors’ five yard line. Tullahoma managed to go from first-and-goal at the five to fourth-and-goal at the 19, but the Cats bailed themselves out as Bishop hit Olive at the goal line for the touchdown. The PAT never got attempted, and the home team went into the locker room leading 20-7.
   Warren Co. wasted no time in getting itself back into the game in the third quarter. They took the opening kickoff and marched 65 yards in only five plays, scoring on a 42-yard sprint by Chase Officer, and the PAT pulled them within 20-14 with 9:25 remaining in the third quarter.
   Tullahoma was unable to move the ball, and on fourth down Pioneer safety Kyle Mullican snuck through and blocked Bean’s punt, giving the Pioneers first and goal at the Wildcat nine yard line. Two plays later Wilcher had scored again and the visitors had taken their first lead at 21-20 with 6:51 left in the third quarter.
   The Cats’ next drive stalled at the Warren Co. 44, when on fourth-and-eight Dowdell, as the up man in punt formation, took the direct snap and went 20 yards for a first down. The Cats couldn’t punch it in though as a 23-yard touchdown run from Bishop was called back because of a holding penalty.
   On Warren Co.’s next possession the Pioneers drove to their 38, where on fourth-and-three Dowdell tackled Mullican about six inches short of the first down. That big stop on fourth down seemed to re-energize the crowd and renew the offensive confidence of the Wildcats.
   Tullahoma marched 41 yards in six plays, scoring on a pretty 25-yard toss down the far sideline from Bishop to a wide-open Olive. The two-point conversion attempt failed, and with 8:52 remaining the lead was not safe at 26-21.
   However, the Wildcat defense rose to the challenge, first stopping Warren Co. and forcing a punt, then forcing Wilcher to turn the ball over. After the turnover, the Tullahoma offense completed the win by successfully running out the clock.