Red Bay’s Nick Thorn picks up a long run down the left sideline in Friday night’s playoff game. Photo by Keith Ledbetter.

By Brannon King

For the FCT

The 2013 football season came to an end Friday night for the Red Bay Tigers (8-3, 6-1) in the first round of the 2A state playoffs. The Walter Wellborn Panthers defeated the Tigers in Red Bay by a score of 29-8.

The season was a success for the Tigers who lost the first two games of the season but then went on to win the next eight in a row before the playoffs.

Red Bay’s successful running attack was slowed by the Walter Wellborn defense.

Austin Childers, who had a great season running the football, rushed for 87 yards on 17 carries in the game with 65 yards of his total coming on a touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage. Matt Senkbeil ran in the two-point conversion to give Red Bay the early 8-0 lead.

Wellborn would tie the game late in the first quarter when Chantz Goodman raced 55-yards for a TD run and Kevin Mixon followed with the two-point conversion.

Red Bay attempted to answer right back when Tate Ozbirn took the kickoff return 25-yards to give the Tigers good field position. Then on third down, Troy Borden found Jade Pounds for a 42-yard pass completion setting up the Tigers with first down at the Wellborn fifteen-yard-line.

A few plays later, Childers was stopped for a loss on fourth down ending the scoring threat inside the Panthers’ 10-yard-line.

The two teams then traded punts before Wellborn put together another scoring drive. Landon Machristie found Devron Taylor for a 35-yard TD pass and Dakota Gravitt made the PAT to give the Panthers a 15-8 lead just before the half.

Walter Wellborn took the second half kickoff and on first down, Kevin Mixon rushed 60-yards down to the Red Bay ten. Three plays later, quarterback Landon Machristie scored from 1-yard out. The Gravitt PAT kick was no good, but the Panthers led 21-8.

The Red Bay defense tried to get things going when Tyler Reach recovered a Walter Wellborn fumble. However, the Wellborn defense answered with a big stop of their own regaining the momentum.

Walter Wellborn’s Kevin Mixon scored the final TD of the night on a 3-yard run and followed with the two-point conversion to make the final score 29-8.

Despite the season-ending loss, Red Bay head coach, John Ritter was proud of his team.

“This loss won’t take away from what we’ve accomplished as a team,” Ritter said after the game.

“We’ve had an outstanding year. We came up a little short tonight against a very good football team.”