The Woodland Wildcats (2-7, 1-4) defeated the Cedartown Bulldogs 28-14 Friday night.
The game kicked off with intensity, as Cedartown struck first in the opening quarter. Jaylen Johnson powered through the Woodland defense for a touchdown run, putting Cedartown up 7-0 with 9:32 left in the first. The Bulldogs’ fans roared, sensing early dominance.Woodland, however, refused to back down. With just over three minutes remaining in the first quarter, the Wildcats answered with a rushing touchdown, tying the game. Momentum swung further in Woodland’s favor as they capitalized again with another rushing touchdown, taking a 14-7 lead.
The second quarter became a defensive battle, with both teams trading blows but struggling to break through. Woodland’s defense held firm, forcing a Cedartown missed field goal attempt with about two minutes to go, giving the Bulldogs the ball at Woodland’s 22-yard line. Cedartown’s offense, determined to capitalize, marched down to the 5-yard line in the final minute. With just 26 seconds left in the half, Wyatt Mosley punched in a 5-yard touchdown run, tying the game at 14-14 as the teams headed to halftime.
In the third quarter, Woodland punted early, giving Cedartown the ball at their own 32-yard line. The Bulldogs pushed methodically, reaching the 50-yard line but stalled on fourth down, punting back to Woodland. The Wildcats, starting at their own 20, steadily drove into Cedartown territory, reaching the 10-yard line as the quarter wound down. Despite the prime scoring position, Cedartown’s defense held strong, forcing Woodland to settle for no points as the third quarter ended with the score still locked at 14-14.
The fourth quarter brought renewed energy. Woodland wasted no time, converting their strong field position into a 5-yard rushing touchdown just a minute in, taking a 21-14 lead with 11:54 to go. Cedartown responded with a spark, a long punt return setting them up at their own 45-yard line. The Bulldogs drove to Woodland’s 27 but faltered on fourth down, turning the ball over. Woodland’s offense struggled to capitalize, punting after a stalled drive, and Cedartown took over at their own 38 with five minutes left.Time was slipping away for Cedartown, and their hopes dimmed when Woodland’s defense intercepted a pass at the Cedartown 29-yard line with four minutes remaining. The Wildcats seized the moment, marching to the 19-yard line and punching in a touchdown with about two minutes left, extending their lead to 28-14, a daunting margin for Cedartown.
Desperate to rally, Cedartown took over at their own 20 after the kickoff. A series of long passes moved them to Woodland’s 29-yard line with under a minute to go. The Bulldogs fought valiantly, but their drive stalled at the 28, and a turnover on downs handed the ball back to Woodland. The Wildcats ran out the clock, securing a hard-earned 28-14 victory.
Woodland will close its season next Friday night when it hosts Dalton at 7:30.