Tharptown falls 41-6
Shoals Christian opened the scoring on a 1-yard run midway through the first quarter. The Flame then added three scores in the second quarter to pull ahead 27-0.
Tharptown scored its only touchdown of the game when Brandon Cothrum hit Nathan Gray with a 29-yard scoring strike with 2:20 remaining in the second quarter.
Shoals Christian added touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters to round out the scoring.
The Wildcats gained 93 yards on the ground and 85 yards through the air.
Trevor Hallmark led the Wildcats with 42 yards on nine carries. Gray had five carries for 15 yards and Jacob Parker carried the ball three times for 13 yards.
Jacob Parker completed 11-of-21 passes for 44 yards and Cothrum completed 2-of-3 passes for 41 yards and a touchdown.
Gray was the leading receiver – his touchdown was his only catch of the game. Cothrum and Kelby Hallmark each had 12 receiving yards.
Matt Austin had three catches for seven yards.
Kelby Hallmark returned three kickoffs for 66 yards.
Tharptown had eight first downs in the game and converted 2-of-9 third down plays. The Wildcats were 1-of-4 on fourth downs.
Tharptown travels to R.A. Hubbard next Friday for its final region game of the season. The game begins at 7 p.m.
THS looks to build on victory
sbeard@franklincountytimes.com
THARPTOWN - With the tight race for the final playoff berth in Class 1A, Region 8 heating up, the Tharptown football team helped its chances of earning that spot with a 28-26 victory against Brilliant last Friday.
The game was not a region contest, but if the Wildcats, Waterloo and Vina end in a three-way tie for the playoff spot, that win would help in the tiebreaker scenarios.
The Wildcats fell behind early in the second quarter, but cut the deficit to 7-6 on a 17-yard run by Nathan Gray.
Tharptown took the lead six minutes later when Gray scored on a 15-yard run. Jacob Parker scored on the 2-point conversion to push the Wildcat lead to 14-0.
Brilliant added another score but missed the extra point to cut Tharptown lead to 14-13.
The Wildcats answered with a 17-yard scoring pass from Parker to Brandon Cothrum. Tharptown missed the extra point.
Brilliant tied the game with 8:35 remaining in the game on a 4-yard run.
Tharptown got the ball first in overtime and scored on a 2-yard run by Trevor Hallmark. Parker completed a pass to Hallmark for the 2-point conversion to give the Wildcats a 28-20 lead.
Brilliant scored on its possession, but Tharptown’s Kent Allen stopped the Brilliant runner on the 1-yard line on the 2-point play to preserve the win.
The Wildcats rolled up 259 yards of total offense.
Gray led Tharptown with 98 rushing yards while Hallmark had 56 rushing yards.
Parker completed 8-of-21 passes for 103 yards. Cothrum led the receivers with 65 yards.
This week the Wildcats will travel to Shoals Christian for a rematch against the Flame.
Shoals Christian won the first meeting of the season 20-6 two weeks ago.
Both teams need this victory for playoff purposes. Tharptown needs the victory to boost its tiebreaker chances for the final playoff spot. Shoals Christian needs the victory to boost its chances for a possible region title.
The Flame are averaging 26.2 points per game and allowing 25.5 points while Tharptown is scoring an average of 17 points and giving up 37.5 points.
The game begins at 7 p.m.
Wildcats step out of region
sbeard@franklincountytimes.com
THARPTOWN – The Tharptown football team becomes a group of road warriors this week as it begins its season-ending, five-game road trip at Brilliant.
This is the first game against a non-region opponent for the Wildcats, and they have a good chance of picking up their first multi-win season since joining region play in 2008.
The Tigers have struggled on offense this season and have managed to score only 28 points in the first five games. Brilliant is allowing 40.4 points per game.
Tharptown, which has faced some high-scoring offenses in the first half of the season, will have a good opportunity to put some big points on the board.
Tharptown is averaging 14.8 points per game. The Wildcats’ season-high point total is 25 points against Waterloo.
The Tharptown defense could also have a season-best performance against Brilliant.
Brilliant’s season-high point total was 14 points against South Lamar. The Tigers have been shutout twice this year.
This will be a crucial game for the Wildcats as they still have a slim chance of earning a playoff spot if they can upset R.A. Hubbard in Week 8.
This game against Brilliant could help determine the tiebreaker if the Wildcats, Vina and Waterloo all end the season with the same number of region wins.
The game starts at 7 p.m.
Flame too much for Wildcats
Shoals Christian’s Taylor Lindsey scored on the first play of the game when he broke loose for a 66-yard touchdown run.
The Flame (3-2, 3-1) extended their lead to 14-0 about four minutes later when they scored on a 6-yard pass.
The Wildcats (1-4, 1-3) drove to the Flame 15-yard line in the second quarter, but an interception ended the drive. Shoals Christian followed the interception by driving for another touchdown to take a 20-0 lead by halftime.
Tharptown avoided the shutout in the fourth quarter when Nathan Gray blocked a Shoals Christian punt at the Flames’ 24-yard line and Kent Allen returned it to the 1-yard line.
Jacob Parker hit Trevor Hallmark with a 2-yard pass for the Wildcats’ only score. The point-after kick sailed wide right.
Gray had 27 rushing yards and 39 receiving yards to lead Tharptown in both categories. Hallmark had 24 rushing yards and Brandon Cothrum pulled in four passes for 34 receiving yards.
Parker completed 9-of-25 for 78 yards and two interceptions.
Tharptown travels to Brilliant Friday. The game begins at 7 p.m.
Bears dominate Wildcats for second time
For the FCT
Tharptown – Phillips returned the opening kickoff 80 yards for its first score of the game and pulled away in the second half as the Bears cruised to a 56-20 victory against Tharptown to spoil the Wildcats’ homecoming game.
The Wildcats (1-3, 1-2) answered with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Jacob Parker to Brandon Cothrum. Trevor Hallmark scored on the 2-point conversion to tie the game 8-8 with 5:58 to play in the first quarter.
Phillips (4-0, 2-0) regained the lead a minute later, but Tharptown cut the lead to 16-14 with a 4-yard run by Hallmark. The 2-point conversion failed.
The Bears added touchdown passes of 60 and 20 yards late in the second quarter to build a 32-14 lead at halftime.
With 8:19 remaining in the third, Phillips struck again and added a 2-point conversion. The Bears added two more scores in the fourth to increase their lead to 56-14.
Tharptown added a late touchdown when Parker found Cothrum for another score. The 2-point conversion failed.
The Wildcats host Shoals Christian next Friday
THS rallies for 25-20 victory over Waterloo
Nathan Gray scored the winning touchdown on a 1-yard run with 45 seconds remaining in the game to give the Wildcats the 25-20 victory.
The Wildcats also had two players – Trevor Hallmark and Jacob Parker – rush for more than 100 yards.
Tharptown (1-2, 1-2) led 19-14 midway through the final quarter, but the Cougars began a drive and reached the Wildcat 5-yard line.
Gray forced a fumble to end the drive, but the Wildcat offense could not pick up a first down. Waterloo (1-2, 0-2) blocked the punt and scored on a 5-yard run with 5:38 remaining.
Tharptown began an 8-play, 72-yard drive for the winning score. Hallmark’s 31-yard run and a 15-yard penalty set up the Wildcats first-and-goal from the Waterloo 10. Gray scored on fourth down.
Waterloo jumped out to a 14-0 lead on passes of 68 and 32 yards.
Parker began the first Tharptown rally with an 8-yard run and Brandon Cothrum added the point after kick to cut the Waterloo lead to 14-7.
The Wildcats opened the second half with a 63-yard drive ending in a 1-yard scoring run by Hallmark. He added another 1-yard touchdown run with 36 seconds remaining in the third quarter to give Tharptown its first lead of the game 19-14.
Parker finished the night with 110 yards on 26 carries. Hallmark had 101 yards on 23 carries.
With the win, Tharptown keeps its playoff hopes alive. The Wildcats will host Phillips Friday in a non-region game that begins at 7 p.m.
Hazlewood administrators nominate THS’ Hogan for Coaches Hall of Fame
Published: Friday, March 20, 2009 3:24 PM CDT
Slade Gilmer For the FCT
THARPTOWN - One of the most storied traditions in Alabama high school football is the one at Hazlewood in Town Creek, where the Golden Bears have won 11 state championships and have boasted several college and NFL players.
One of the key components to the Golden Bears’ success is Tharptown Elementary School assistant principal David Hogan.
Due to his success at Hazlewood from 1980-84, administrators Clyde Goode and Darin Liles nominated Hogan for the Alabama Coaches Hall of Fame. “I guess you could say in the five years I was there, the kids won 54 games and I lost seven,”Hogan said of his record with the Golden Bears.
After early stops at Hartselle, Austin and J.O. Johnson, Hogan took the reins of the Golden Bears in 1980. After a 6-4 season in 1980, the Bears exploded the next two years. In 1981 Hazlewood went 13-1 – losing only to Colbert County 7-3 in Leighton – to win the Class 1A state championship, thanks in large part to the efforts of senior tailback Chris Goode and his younger brother Kerry. T
he next season Hogan asked the former head of the Alabama High School Athletic Association, Herman “Bubba” Scott, to move the Golden Bears up to Class 2A – even though the student population still put them in the 1A classification – in order to give his team more competition against schools such as Stevenson, which consolidated with Bridgeport to form North Jackson in 1988, who Hogan referred to as Hazlewood’s “biggest nemesis.” Hazlewood did not disappoint, going 14-0 in 2A, including two wins over Stevenson.
Their toughest game came against Gordo and head coach Waldon Tucker in the semifinals of the playoffs. The Green Wave boasted two future Alabama players in Wayne Davis and Derrick Knox, while Hazlewood featured star running back and defensive back Kerry Goode. Late in the first half, Goode suffered an injury after one of Gordo’s players stepped on his exposed back with a metal cleat. “At halftime, Kerry was getting stitched up, and he looked at every one of (his teammates) and said ‘You better pick it up. You better pick it up,’” Hogan said. The Golden Bears went on to defeat the Green Wave 16-12 before beating Dadeville 29-16 to win the 2A state championship.
After the season was over the Birmingham News named Hogan its 2A Coach of the Year while the Decatur Daily named the team the best team in Lawrence, Morgan and Limestone County history. The 1983 team went undefeated through the regular season, but was upset by Oak Grove 22-21 in the state semifinals.
The following season, the Golden Bears went through the regular season undefeated, including a 41-0 thrashing of Courtland – now R.A. Hubbard – in the season opener. An injury to Pierre Goode – Chris and Kerry’s brother – before a second-round rematch came back to haunt Hazlewood as Courtland avenged their previous loss 7-6.
After that season, Hogan left to take over a downtrodden Haleyville program. The Lions had finished 2-7 in 1984, and the Lions struggled in 1985, going 3-6. In 1986, the Lions went 8-5 and won their area for the first time since 1976. During the run, they defeated perennial power Fayette County, who had begun their ascent after Tucker took over in 1984, twice – 7-0 in the regular season and 20-8 in the second round.
The next year, Haleyville went 10-2, with their only losses to eventual 5A state runner-up Russellville and a Pike County team led by future Mr. Football Steven Coleman. Haleyville moved up to 5A in 1988, and although they won their area, they were beaten 42-6 by Russellville in the second round.
After the Lions struggled the next two years in an area featuring 5A powers Fayette County and Hamilton, Hogan left Haleyville and moved his sons, Charles David and Jeff, to Russellville.
In 1992 Hogan worked as a volunteer with the Russellville staff while Charles David started at quarterback. The Golden Tigers went 9-0 in the regular season and were 13-0 before facing Blount in the 1992 Class 5A state championship game. Late in the first quarter, a gunshot was fired from the Blount side of the field, and a shaken Golden Tiger team eventually lost the game 29-15 “I believe if they played (that game) at Legion Field, (Russellville) could have pulled it out.”
In 1998 Hogan took his current position at Tharptown Elementary. He described the move as an adjustment from his days coaching high school athletes. “It was a transition from high school athletes and going down to the little ones,” says Hogan. “(But) I love these younger kids and dealing with them.”
In 2006 Hogan was an assistant on the first ever Tharptown Junior High football team. The team won two games that year, beating Phil Campbell and Lynn in its final two games. “I’ve been at programs that have been down, but it’s another experience to start a program,” Hogan said. “The kids have to learn how and what it takes to win.”
The Alabama Coaches Hall of Fame is a very exclusive group, and Hogan says it is possible that it will take a year or even two to be inducted. However, Hogan finds something else to be more satisfying than being inducted. “The thing that means the most to me is that I’ve been gone since 1985 and Mr. (Clyde) Goode and the other coaches (still) thought enough of me to nominate me.”
Copyright © 2009 – Franklin County Times
THS Still Undefeated In Area Play
Brandon Cothrum pitches against Mt. Hope
on Friday night. Photo by Renita Flannagin
Tharptown - The Tharptown Wildcats continued their Area winning streak by beating the Mt. Hope Yellow Jackets in both games of a double header on Friday night. The Varsity boys dominated the Jackets with powerful hitting, good defense, and the pitching attack of Brandon Cothrum and Jacob Parker. The Wildcats scored 11 runs in each of the games beating Mt. Hope 11-0 in tthe first game, and 11-1 in the second.
Mackinley Flannagin hits against Mt. Hope
on Friday night. Photo by Renita Flannagin
Lady Wildcats Down Speake 61-53
Chelsea McClusky shoots free throws against Speake
in Thursday nights game. – Photo by Tim Flannagin
Belgreen – After a slow paced start, the Tharptown Lady Wildcats turned the heat up on the Speake Lady Bobcats to win 61-53. The Wildcats were able to neutralize Speake’s Kylee Black through out the first half as they slugged it out on the court. Black eventually fouled out in the 4th period leaving the center action to a dominating Hollie Hines. Sealing the deal was Chelsea McClusky who scored 17 of her 28 points in the 4th period. This included 10 points at the free throw line. Scoring was as follows:
5- Chelsea McClusky – 28
30- Kendra Baker – 6
2- Heather Hatton – 2
3- Hollie Hines – 15
21 – LaTosha George – 2
22 Elly Valdez – 8
Tharptown will meet Belgreen for the Championship game on Saturday at Belgreen’s gym.
About Us
Click here to see the photo stream of all Tharptown Wildcat Events
Our mission is to support, encourage, and advance the athletic programs of Tharptown High School through fund raising, community building and teamwork.
President: David Gaston
Vice President: Jonathan Mote
Treasurer: Janna Hallmark
Secretary: Amy McClusky
As you watch the Sporting events at Tharptown High School, consider how a school like ours starts programs like this. There are uniforms, pads, helmets and various
equipment to buy. And when game day arrives, there are people needed for concession stand duty, parking , chain gang, and even clean-up afterward. In fact this entire show will be repeated for every home game. But that’s only a part of the action. It happens for every Pee Wee, Midget, Mini Midget, Basketball, Baseball, and Softball game. If it sounds like a lot of work, it is! But it’s done over and over by the dedicated hard working members of the THS Athletic Booster Club. And guess what? We NEED YOU! There’s lot’s of work and lot’s of fun as a member. JOIN US! We meet every 2nd Sunday at 2:30 during in the THS gym. Come see what it’s all about. Be a THS Athletic Booster.
Please be sure to patronize our sponsors:
These businesses are the elite supporters of the Tharptown Athletic Booster Club
G&G Steel
Franklin Electric Cooperative
Frosty Inn
Kiel Equipment
Randolph Landscaping
Greens Dependable Hardware
Amos Lumber Company
Community Spirit Bank
Alabama Gun and Pawn
Williams Hardware and Building Supply
Ray’s Southside
Franklin Homes
Gerald Murray Factory Outlet and Music
Gary Williams
Hines Tire and Towing Center
Tharptown Baptist Church
Triple A Truck and Tractor Repair
Ergle Masonry
Subway
Spartan Stone
Daniel Sod Farms and Lawn Services
Tharptown Market
Joel Uptain Construction
First Metro
Rawhide Erection
Services the Boosters have provided:
Just think how much more we could do if we had YOUR help!
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Check Out the Stats Feature
Thanks to our friend Bart Moss, we will now be able to post game stats each week. Click on the Football button in the navigation bar at the top, and click on the link for the game you want to view! There is also a season totals page which will be updated weekly. Thanks Bart for the info! Go Wildcats!
September 27, 2009 Posted by wildcatdad2402 | Football, General Comments, Stats, Varsity | Leave a Comment