SOMERVILLE – Cullman’s scoring night began and ended with the foot of Tristan Skinner, while the rest of the evening was left to Fletcher Jennings, Caden Winn and Ross Crocker, easily handing Brewer a 34-14 beatdown to keep the Bearcats in the playoff shuffle.
Though Brewer struck first, with a trick play following a Jennings fumble, sending one receiver out wide with six stacked to the top, Cullman found its footing when Skinner nailed his first 41-yard field goal with just over three minutes left in first, pulling Cullman to a 7-3 deficit.
That was the last lead Brewer had as the Bearcats, led by Jennings and Winn, began their assault to stay in the race for a high seed in the regional playoffs. With defensive pressure from Garrett Cornelius and Hunter Brannon on two consecutive plays, the Bearcats forced a fumble then a misfired pass that resulted in an interception by Will Hulsey who fumbled the ball, which was finally corralled by Jason Justice.
The Bearcats took over possession, along with the tempo of the game, at the Patriots’ 24 and it was Ezra Burks who took it for the score giving Cullman a 10-7 lead in the second quarter. Burks, who went down later in the game with a left knee injury, finished the night with one rushing TD.
Cullman continued the pressure in the second quarter as Jennings and Winn began putting up an aerial display. The duo connected on a 48-yard TD pass and again on a 2-yard TD pass late in the third quarter to seal the deal and close the door on any doubters who believed the Bearcats weren’t a contender.
Jayden Sullins scored one rushing TD, Jennings passed for two TDs, Winn caught two TD passes and Crocker rushed for one TD.
Cullman’s last regular season game is next week at home against Chelsea. The Bearcats will face Decatur for the first round of the playoffs.
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