Photo: After downing Hartselle 58-16, the 8th-grade Cullman Bearcats celebrate.
CULLMAN – Unless you live under a rock, you know that Cullman vs. Hartselle, no matter what they are playing, is one of the biggest sports rivalries in the Cullman area. Thursday night was the middle school version of the rivalry, as the 8th-grade Cullman Bearcats welcomed the 8th-grade Hartselle Tigers to Oliver Woodard Stadium for what would turn out to be a drumming to the tune of a 58-16 Bearcat victory.
“We started out a little sluggish there,” said Bearcats head coach Gerald Turner with a smile after the big win.
Cullman won the toss and elected to receive and it was pretty evident why. Joseph Sheppard took the opening kickoff 60 yards to the house, thanks to a little trickery, a mere 13 seconds into the game. Ethan Echols would pound in the 2-point conversion to put Cullman on top 8-0.
Not to be outdone, Hartselle quickly answered via a Cal George 80-yard scamper on the Tigers’ second play from scrimmage. He then found Trey White for the 2-point conversion and knotted the game 8-8.
Unbelievably, the next Hartselle kickoff was taken all the way back, this time by Napoleon Jones, as he sprinted up the near sideline for the 72-yard score. The 2-point conversion failed as Cullman found themselves on top 14-8.
Cullman’s ensuing kickoff pinned Hartselle deep and four plays later they were forced to punt. The kick was shanked and Cullman found themselves at the Tigers’ 21-yard line. It only took them three plays to find pay dirt thanks to a 9-yard TD rush by Jaylen Hughey. He also converted the 2-point try and put Cullman on top 22-8 after one quarter of play.
The Tigers were forced to punt to open the second quarter but caught a lucky break as the punt was muffed and Hartselle fell on it. It took just one play for them to capitalize when Drew Cartee ran it in from 27 yards out. The conversion was successful and the Tigers pulled to within eight. 22-14, and this is where the score stood at the half.
Cullman came out determined in the second half, hanging 36 big points on Hartselle. Jones got the party started, helping lead his team on a methodical nine-play, 68-yard drive that he capped with a 1-yard run for the score. Cullman added another score just two minutes later when Jones took a pitch 52 yards.
Cullman added three more scores in the fourth, a 51-yard rumble by Echols, a 69-yard sprint by Sheppard and a scoop and score, also by Echols, to end the scoring for the night and give Cullman the 58-16 victory.
Sheppard finished the night with four carries for 97 yards and a touchdown. He added a 60-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Jones added two carries for 60 yards and a touchdown as well as an 80-yard kickoff return that went the distance.
Cullman’s next contest will be Thursday at Oliver Woodard Stadium as they welcome the 8th-grade North Jackson Chiefs to town.
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