FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Cherokee Bluff's offense sputtered in a 21-19 loss to Cedar Shoals on Thursday.
The Bears (2-4, 2-2 Region 8-4A) had four turnovers and possessed the ball almost 10 minutes less than Cedar Shoals.
Still, the Region 8-4A battle was scoreless for the first 15 minutes of play until Bluff's Conner Griffin scored on a 2-yard touchdown run with 9:31 to go in the half. The extra point try was no good, but the Bears led, 6-0.
Cedar Shoals didn't get on the board unless late in the second quarter on a 10-yard run by quarterback Mandrell Glenn. The PAT pushed the Bulldogs ahead, 7-0, with 1:09 today.
In the second half, the Bears traded 14-6 before Perry Haynes found an opening and darted 15 yards for the TD. The two-point failed, leaving Bluff down 14-12. Haynes finished with 12 carries for 87 yards.
The Bulldogs, however, hit the big play early in the fourth quarter when Glenn nailed Devon Hester on a 59-yard scoring strike with 10:03 to go.
Later, in the fourth quarter, the Bears recovered a muffed punt and returned it for a touchdown, but the score was later waved off by the officials, giving the Bulldogs back the ball with 6:30 to go.
Bluff held on defense to give themselves another opportunity to find pay dirt, and they did on a double pass play from Asher Wilson to Kemp to Carlos Marlow for a 36-yard TD and a 21-19 score with 5:30 to go.
The Bears had one more chance to get the ball back, but Cedar Shoals ripped off on a long run from Bluff's 35 on a 4th down and long to ice the game.
