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Falcons, Bulldogs Win Close Games Over Jackets, Tigers
by Mark Mullins [Photos]

The second week of action in the Frank R. Mullins Youth Football League featured two more close football games. The four teams in the Upper Division are about as evenly matched as the league has seen in many years. The first game of the day pitted the Short Stop Market Yellow Jackets against the Mike Thompson Ford Falcons.

The Falcons got on the board first in the first quarter as Jordan Sheffield scooted around the right end and raced in from 20 yards out and the conversion was good. The Falcons lead 7 – 0. The Jackets answered as the drove the field and Trey Burks burst in from 1 yard out and Zack Lampkin added the conversion. The game is knotted at 7 – 7 at the end of the first quarter.

The Jacket’s Burks caused a Falcon fumble that was recovered by Lampkin on the Falcon 28-yard line and set up the next Jacket score. Burks raced around the end from 28 yards out and the conversion failed. The Jackets lead 13 – 7. The lead did not last long as Jordan Sheffield completed a halfback pass to his brother, Justus Sheffield, covering 60 yards down to the Jacket 1-yard line where Lampkin ran him down postponing the score for one play. The Falcon quarterback, Jesse Haywood, plunged in from the one and the conversion was no good. The game was deadlocked at 13 at the half.

The Yellow Jackets scored again in the third quarter as Burks got loose on a long scoring run and Austin Creasman added the conversion. Tyler Branch of the Jackets made a couple of key defensive stops in the third quarter and the quarter ended with the Jackets leading 20 – 13.

In the fourth quarter, the Falcons running back, Aaron Curtis, burst into the end zone from 5 yards out and Jordan Sheffield added the conversion tying the game at 20. Burks then broke another long run and put the Jackets up 26 – 20 as the conversion failed. The Falcons quickly answered as Jordan Sheffield threw another halfback pass, this time to Justin Brown, covering 65 yards and Jordan Sheffield scampered around the left end for the conversion putting the Falcons ahead 27 – 26. The Jackets mounted one more drive only to have the Falcons close the door as they held the Jackets on a fourth down attempt. The Falcons win 27 – 26.

Travis Sheffield, head coach of the Falcons, praised the efforts of Jesse Haywood and Dillon Hill on offense and Brandon Koch and Jordan Sheffield on defense. Jason Dendy, head coach of the Yellow Jackets applauded the efforts of Grayson Miller, Nick Locke, and Tyler Branch on offense and Hunter Waites, Jason Young, and Justin Garner on defense.

The second game of the day had the Woodard Diamond Showroom Bulldogs hosting The Bank of Tullahoma Tigers. The Bulldogs got on the board early in the first quarter as Josh Majors scampered 55 yards into the Tiger end zone and the Tiger’s Caleb Zidan came up and made the stop preventing the Bulldog conversion. The Tigers moved the ball well against the Bulldogs in the first quarter as Zidan had 46 yards rushing but a couple of fumbles stopped all threats as Bulldog’s Tanner Hill and Jacob Lowrance each collected fumble recoveries. Bulldogs lead after the first quarter 6 – 0.

In the second quarter, two good runs covering a total of 24 yards by the Tiger’s Montrell Berry helped set up the first Tiger score. Zidan burst in from 2 yards out and the conversion failed. The game was knotted at 6 at the half.

The two teams traded punches during the third quarter as neither team could find the end zone. The game remained knotted at 6 after three quarters of play.

The Bulldogs added another score in the fourth quarter as Andrew Batts plunged in from the one-yard line and the conversion failed. The Tigers had their chances as they moved the ball well but they were plagued by the fumble as Bulldog’s Hill gathered in his second fumble recovery of the day and Phillip Cooper also recovered a Tiger fumble. The Bulldogs win 12 – 6.

Warner Tomes, head coach of the Bulldogs, praised the performances of Justin Brandon and Ales Butaud on offense and Jacob Lowrance and Van Williams on offense. Mike Frederick, head coach of the Tigers, had praises for the efforts of Phillip Lett and Brandon Weddington on offense and Caleb Zidan and Caleb Olive on defense.

The Instructional Division kicked of their season this week as the Tullahoma Sleep Disorder Center Cowboys and the American City Bank Titans squared off in the first game and the Tullahoma Pediatrics Center Cardinals played the Sonic Drive in Bucs in the second game of the day. The play at this level starts the season with a controlled scrimmage format and will gradually move towards a game format. The league keeps no official scores and no division champion is declared at the end of the season.

Mario Braston, head coach of the Cowboys, had praise for his entire squad but spot lighted the efforts of D’Andre Braston and Kenny Belton on offense and Ben Carter and Devonte Morris on defense. Head coach of the Titans, Mark Rambo, also had praise for his entire team but spot lighted the efforts of Jackson DuBois and Cole Potter on offense and Aaron Gray and Bryce Triplett on defense.

Brian Myers, head coach of the Cardinals, applauded the efforts of his team and highlighted the play of Hunter Myers and Adam Banks on offense and Quincy Whitworth and Xavier Northcutt on defense. The head coach of the Bucs, Joe Grizzell, praised the effort of his entire team but highlighted the play of Brett Schmit and Jake Crabtree on offense and Dylan Pearson and Shandon Hill on defense.