WCHS Warriors steal win from Livingston

White County Warriors found themselves with Livingston Academy for almost a full 45 minutes, on Friday night. The remainder of the game, however, was full of plenty of fireworks as the Warriors pulled out a win over the previously undefeated Livingston and picked up their first district win of the season.

With the score deadlocked at zero until near the end of the third quarter, the Warriors found themselves faced with a 4th and 7 near mid field, A high snap on the ensuing punt didn’t defer JoJo Dowell who dropped the ball deep and the Warriors were able to pin Livingston at their own one-yard line. The Wildcats refused to give up on their shotgun formation offense and their quarterback was lined deep in his own end zone. However, a perfectly timed throw and on one play, Livingston went the full 99 yards to put the first points on the board.

White County didn’t fold, however. White County’s drive started rough with an illegal substitution to set the up with 1st and 15 followed by a fumble. Senior Hunter Broyles kept the ball with White County when he beat Livingston to the loose ball. It was then a chunk play to keep the Warriors moving into Wildcat territory. Another false start by the Warriors was followed by a pass interference call on Livingston, and White County found themselves 21-yards away from the end zone. That’s all they needed as Cole Sims evened the score on the next play as he took the handoff from Tucker Pinion and steamrolled his way into the end zone. Noah Skeith’s kick was perfect, and the teams found themselves deadlocked again.

With 8:44 left to play in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats regained the lead. Livingston started with a 45-yard pass completion and got extra yardage when the Warriors were caught with a face mask penalty. The result was first down at the White County 18-yard line, and that’s where Livingston would score from. However, a high snap on the extra point attempt kept the Livingston kicker from getting a clear shot at the goal post and the kick failed to reach its mark leaving the score to sit at White County 7, Livingston 13.

After White County failed to score on the next drive, the Wildcats set out to run out the clock. However, the Warriors wouldn’t give them room to run, and that, combined with White County using their timeouts to keep the clock on the plus side of the timeout, presented Livingston with a third-and-seven. Livingston committed a false start on the next play, backing them up and adding time back to the clock. Faced with third and twelve and 2:34 on the clock, the Wildcats took a one-yard loss, forcing a punt from the goal line.

With a minute, 17 left on the clock, the Warriors had to go 55 yards. A reverse play had the ball fall to the ground incomplete to set up a second and 10 with 1:01 left on the clock. Bryson Hogg went up high to pull down a pass from Pinion. Hogg split two defenders when he landed and took the ball 55 yards to the end zone to put the Warriors to even the score. Noah Skeith, who has been as solid as a team could ask for this season, split the uprights and the Warriors took the lead, 14-13.

The Wildcats weren’t willing to give up and set out to get in field goal range. A hook and ladder play on first down was good for 29 yards, and Livingston was on White County’s side of the field, needing just another 20 yards to feel comfortable going for the game winning kick. But Eli Smith grabbed the ball out of the air on the next play, ending any hope the Wildcats had. Livingston took their first defeat of the season, and the Warriors took home another W, their first in district play this year.

Next up for White County will be another district game when they host Macon County at Dee Harris Field. They will start October on the road with a non-conference match up in Warren County and then come back home for their third district conference, this time against DeKalb, before their bye week.