CULLMAN, Ala. – After dropping a tight regional matchup on the road against Athens last week, the Bearcats were back home at Oliver Woodard Stadium Friday night to face another region foe in Columbia. After a slow start, the Bearcats dominated the Eagles in the second half to collect an important region win and improve to 4-4 on the season.
With two 6A, Region 7 games left on the schedule, if Decatur lost one game and Cullman won one of the two remaining games, then Cullman would be assured a fourth-place finish in the Region. Prior to the end of the fourth quarter, it was announced that Muscle Shoals had defeated Decatur. Cullman held up their end with a 49-0 defeat of the Columbia Eagles and will be in the AHSAA 6A playoffs.
Cullman took the opening kickoff and after a couple of penalties and a quarterback sack, were forced to punt. The short punt put the Eagles on Cullman’s 49-yard line with excellent field position. After five plays, Columbia lined up for a 37-yard field goal. Cullman successfully blocked the field goal try and took over on their own 18-yard line.
Both teams were forced to punt after drives were stopped. An apparent 67-yard punt return for a touchdown by Wyatt Buchanan was negated by a holding penalty against Cullman. Cullman finished the first quarter going for a first down on fourth down at the Columbia three-yard line. An incomplete pass kept the Bearcats out of the end zone and the first quarter ended with no score.
The Eagles were forced to punt on the third play of the second quarter. Buchanan took the punt at the Columbia 44-yard line and repeated his earlier run with a touchdown run. The PAT was good by Garrett Mobley and with 11:26 left in the first half, Cullman’s lead was 7-0.
An unsportsmanlike penalty against Columbia pinned the Eagles deep in their own end of the field. On the fourth play of the drive, the Eagles fumbled the ball and Troy Mann made the recovery for Cullman at the seven-yard line of Columbia. Two plays later, Rex Chandler scored on a one-yard touchdown run. With 10:09 left in the second quarter, Cullman quickly extended their lead to 14-0.
The Eagles were quickly forced to punt and pinned the Bearcats at their own one-yard line. Aided by a roughing the passer penalty against the Eagles, Cullman marched 99 yards on several long passes completed by quarterback Tanner Gaines. A 28-yard pass to Nick Holland completed the six-play drive and with 5:20 left in the first half, Cullman’s lead was 21-0.
Cullman’s defense came up big again when Chance Hausler intercepted a pass at the Columbia 34-yard line. Only three plays later, Chandler scored again on a one-yard touchdown run and the half ended with the score 28-0.
Cullman ended the first half with 264 total yards of offense. Gaines completed the first half 13-of-18 passing for 205 yards. Cullman’s defense held the Eagles to 52 yards total offense in the first half.
The Eagles got the ball to begin the third quarter. A sack by Mann put an end to their drive and Cullman got the ball at their own 26-yard line. Seven plays later, Gaines connected with Holland again for a 12-yard touchdown pass and the lead for Cullman was 35-0 with 6:17 left in the third quarter.
Cullman’s defense continued their hard play and forced another punt by the Eagles. Early in the fourth quarter, the Bearcats took over on their own 34-yard line. Except for one short pass and a penalty against the Eagles, every yard gained by Cullman on the 66-yard scoring drive was made by Weston Keel when he scored on a touchdown run from 14 yards out. With 8:22 left in the game, Cullman’s lead was 42-0.
To finish off the scoring, Cullman scored again on a 64-yard touchdown drive on a one-yard run by Elijah Dues. The final score was 49-0 as Cullman completed the shutout against the Eagles.
Cullman will host the undefeated, Region 7 leading Muscle Shoals Trojans next week.
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