Late score by Meek downs Wildcats 26-21
THARPTOWN — It would be hard for fans to ask for a better start from Tharptown Thursday night as the Wildcats intercepted Meek on the first play of the game and scored seven plays later to take a 7-0 lead over the Tigers.
Blake McGee’s interception set the tone for the first quarter and Kelby Hallmark’s 34-yard touchdown pass to Timothy Bryant pushed the momentum clearly into Tharptown’s favor.
Bryant extended the Wildcats lead later in the quarter when he recovered a fumble and returned it 73 yards for his second touchdown of the game. Edgar Bahena added the point-after kick to give Tharptown a 14-0 advantage.
Then the momentum began shifting.
After its first two drives ended in turnovers, Meek was forced to punt on its third possession, setting up the Tharptown offense near midfield. Two plays later, the Tigers intercepted a pass and scored four plays later when they broke lose for a 34-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-1 play. The 2-point conversion failed, leaving Tharptown with a 14-6 lead.
Near the end of the quarter Tharptown failed to convert a fourth down play near midfield and Meek took advantage, driving 58 yards and scoring on a 9-yard run. Again the 2-point conversion failed and the Wildcats took a 14-12 lead into halftime.
Meek’s second half started much like the first half. The Tigers fumbled on their opening drive of the half and Tharptown’s Jay Tucker recovered to set up the Wildcat offense 25 yards from the end zone.
Five plays later Hallmark through a 10-yard pass to Nick Long, but the ball bounced off his hands and Bryant caught it for his third touchdown of the evening, giving the Wildcats a 21-12 advantage.
Meek then put together a long drive and appeared to be heading into the end zone, but the Tigers fumbled and McGee recovered the ball on the goal line and returned it to the Tharptown 44-yard line. Tharptown was unable to take advantage and punted back to Meek. After exchanging a couple of possessions, Meek cut into the Tharptown lead on a 13-yard touchdown run with 6:17 remaining in the game. The Meek quarterback found a receiver in the end zone on the 2-point conversion and what was once a 14-point deficit was shaved down to a single point 21-20.
Tharptown returned the ensuing kickoff to the Wildcats 45-yard line, but the offense lost a yard on the drive and was forced to punt.
Meek took over with 4:51 to play on its own 27-yard line and put together a methodical drive to the Tharptown 20-yard line. The Meek quarterback then threw a 20-yard touchdown strike — his only pass attempt in the second half — to give the Tigers the 26-21 lead. The 2-point conversion failed, but the drive left only 1:19 on the clock for Tharptown to answer.
Starting at the Wildcats 26-yard line, Tharptown quickly fell to fourth-and-11 before Hallmark hit Bryant with a 12-yard pass to extend the drive. Moments later, however, Hallmark’s pass fell incomplete on fourth-and-two.
Meek took over and ran out the clock to preserve the win.
Tharptown will travel to Addison Friday for its region opener.
