By Jay Beard/Sand Mountain Reporter
Guntersville tried to add another Class 5A, Region 7 region victory to the mix last Friday (Sept. 15), but the Etowah defense was just too much to handle as the Wildcats fell, 26-20, at Chorba-Lee Stadium.
Etowah lineman Jessie Altman striped the ball from Guntersville’s Archer Charles midway through the second quarter. That turnover set up the first touchdown of the night for the Blue Devils when quarterback Derickey Wright hit tight end Will Noles for a 73-yard touchdown late in the second quarter.
Another Wildcat turnover led to the next Blue Devil score just 1:40 into the third quarter on Caleb’s Horton’s 14-yard TD run.
Another Guntersville fumble led to another quick Etowah touchdown, this time on Corey Thomas’ nine-yard touchdown run that made it 20-0.
All hope seemed lost for the Wildcats, but Guntersville then embarked on a 21-0 run, with the go-ahead score coming with just 5:55 left in the game on a 66-yard touchdown pass from Jake Wisener to C.J. Williamson.
The Guntersville faithful went wild, but the celebration came a little too soon.
Helped by a late unsportsmanlike penalty and a 45-yard scramble by Wright, the Blue Devils marched down the field and scored on Wright’s one-yard TD run with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
Both teams continue region play this week. Guntersville travels to Scottsboro, while Etowah hosts Alexandria.