It came down to a fourth-down pass from the 10-yard line in overtime before Friday’s Tullahoma-Hillsboro football game was decided, and when the Burros intercepted the pass in the end zone, they finally salted away a 35-28 win that almost got away from them in regulation.
  The home-standing Burros, picked as the top team in the region by the coaches, looked to be in good shape late into the fourth quarter with a 28-14 lead, but the Wildcats stunned them with two touchdowns in a minute and seven seconds to tie it at 28-28 with 1:05 left.
  High school overtime rules dictate that each team starts from the other team’s 10-yard line with four chances to score. All the downs can be used in attempt at a touchdown, or the team could decide to try a field goal at any time. The Burros didn’t have to worry about such a decision since it took just two plays for them to pound out 10 yards and put six points on the board. The extra point made it 35-28, and set up Tullahoma’s turn from the 10.
  Three straight pass attempts went incomplete before the Burros intercepted the final attempt in the end zone, thus ending a tough showdown between two of the midstate’s top 4-A teams.

Cass Barnes hooked up with fellow senior Chance Askins for three touchdowns and ran in another one in the Wildcats' 35-28 loss at Hillsboro. [File Photo]

  Hillsboro put immense pressure on the Wildcat defense in the first half, and at one point late in the second quarter the Burros had run more than twice as many plays as Tullahoma. But, coach Ronnie Dyer’s Wildcat defense proved to be a tough bunch to push around.
  Hillsboro’s first drive of the game was a beauty, covering 81 yards in 11 plays and resulting in a touchdown. After that, however, in spite of being on the field most of the half, the Wildcat defense wouldn’t yield again midway through the second period when the Burros started a drive at the Tullahoma 25 after an interception. A 17-yard pass and an eight-yard run put Hillsboro up 14-7 at the half.
  The Wildcats looked equally impressive on their first drive immediately after Hillsboro made its 81-yard march. Starting at their own 29, the Cats moved 71 yards for a score. At one point, they made first downs on four straight plays, including a Cass Barnes to Chad Fuhrman pass for 14 yards, a Barnes run for 12, and a Ryan Bean run for 11. Barnes capped the drive with an 18-yard pass to senior receiver Chance Askins, the first of three TD passes the duo would have on the night.
  The Cats marched 80 yards on five plays to open the second half. Barnes hit Derek Walker for 20 yards, then he hit Askins who rambled 60 yards down the sideline to paydirt. Craig Roper’s kick made it 14-14.