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BY JESSE SMITHEY
The Central football team’s dream start Thursday night nearly turned into a nightmare finish.
Forcing six turnovers — including two interception-return touchdowns — the Bobcats jumped to a commanding lead only to have that advantage challenged by two Hail Mary throws in the final 8.5 seconds.
Nevertheless, Central (5-4, 1-2 Region 2-5A) left Blount County with a 41-33 win and a berth into the Class 5A playoffs.
The Nov. 3 first round will mark the Bobcats’ 10th consecutive playoff appearance.
Meanwhile, Heritage (3-5, 0-3) was denied a playoff spot for the seventh consecutive season. The Mountaineers did themselves no favors, especially in the first half. They turned the ball over five times before the break, and Central running back Frank Johnson IV scored on three short-yardage touchdown runs en route to a 27-10 halftime lead. He wound up with 177 yards rushing on the night.
Silas Geasland, a defensive lineman at Central, had a lengthy interception return for a touchdown in the first half.
Teammate Torin McAfee added one at the 7-minute, 30-second mark of the third to bump the Bobcats’ lead to 34-10, capitalizing on turnover No. 6 by the Mountaineers.
Central never got comfortable, though. Heritage just kept battling.
Heritage QB Wesley Deck threw a 45-yard touchdown strike to Zak Davidson with 4:47 remaining that trimmed Central’s lead to 41-33.
Some 2:47 later, Heritage appeared to have scored a touchdown on a third-down pass inside the red zone, as a receiver stretched out towards the pylon on a dive for the end zone. But officials ruled the receiver out at the 1-yard line.
Central stopped Heritage on fourth down on the next play to preserve the lead.
The Bobcats eventually punted back to Heritage, which took over at the Central 45 with 8.5 seconds to play.
Deck’s first Hail Mary throw found a wide open receiver, who dropped the ball as he tried to reel it in and turn to get into the end zone. Even after all that, 0.9 remained on the clock. Deck threw another one deep, and Central defenders — standing around the 2-yard line — tipped the ball and it went back into the end zone. No Mountaineer was near, though, to catch the deflection.
MORE THURSDAY SCORES
R-S Central (NC) 41, Cloudland 28
Twin Springs 47, Hancock County 14
Hampton 55, Unaka 0
Johnson County 43, Holston (Va.) 6
Happy Valley 45, North Greene 14
Science Hill 48, Daniel Boone 0
Unicoi County 47, Chuckey-Doak 45 (OT)
Sullivan East 47, West Greene 28
TN High 17, West Ridge 14
Greenback 46, Sunbright 14
McMinn Central 51, Tellico Plains 38
Polk County 29, Sweetwater 28
Trezevant 38, Hillcrest 0
Memphis Business 47, B.T. Washington 0
Hamilton 36, Douglass 0
Kingsbury 22, MLK Prep 8
MASE 58, Manassas 0
Fairley 38, Memphis Overton 0
Mitchell 36, Fayette-Ware 0
Sheffield 58, Lakeland Prep 13