From the land of Johnny Majors came the Huntland Hornets (4-4, 1-2), who invaded the friendly confines of Frog Bottom to take on the hometown Cornersville Bulldogs (6-2, 2-2) in a crucial Region 5-A contest with the third seed in the upcoming playoffs on the line.

The Hornets, aided by a Bryson Johnson 95-yard kickoff return, took a 10-point lead into halftime and then withstood a valiant Cornersville rally that fell short to capture a 24-14 victory.

“We started out well, but we gave up a big play on the kickoff return and I don’t think we ever recovered,” Cornersville coach Gerard Randolph said. “We can’t give up momentum like that on a big play.”

“They were more physical than we were, which usually is not the case with our team.”

In a game that featured punishing physical football, both teams played disciplined and unlike past games, both teams kept their composure.

The Bulldogs won the coin toss and elected to defer until the second half.

The Cornersville defense stood firm, holding the Hornets to a three-and-out and after the punt, took over at their own 45-yard line.

With Calahan and Warner powering the ball downfield, the Bulldogs moved to the Hornets’ 3-yard line where Woodard burst over for the touchdown and Jackson Williams added the PAT.

The lead lasted exactly one play as Huntland’s Bryson Johnson fielded the ball at his own 14-yard line, ran straight up field, sped through the Bulldog defense, and raced to the end zone for a touchdown.

Pedro Garcia’ PAT was true and just like that, the score was tied at 7-7.

The clock was winding down in the first quarter when at the 2:24 mark, Huntland gained possession and began an 11-play drive that ended early in the second quarter with Kolbi Stewart scoring from 10-yards out and with Garcia’s PAT, the Hornets took a14-0 lead.

Garcia added a 32-yard field goal after a Cornersville interception and the Hornets took a 17-7 lead into the halftime break.

The third quarter began with both teams trading fumbles before the game settled into a defensive struggle with hard hitting stopping both teams’ running attack.

With 2:50 left in the third quarter Huntland began an 11play drive that carried over into the fourth quarter, but stalled at the Bulldogs’ 21-yard line when a Payton Reed pass fell incomplete on fourth-and-10.

After the Huntland incompletion, Brady Calahan took the handoff on first down around the right side, disappearing into a crowd of Hornets only to reappear on the other side where he streaked down the sidelined for a 79-yard touchdown.

Jackson Williams spilt the goal posts with his PAT and suddenly the Bulldogs were within three points at 17-14 with 8:08 left in the game.

The Hornets took a short kickoff and with Stewart and Johnson ripping off running yardage, moved the ball to the Bulldogs’ 25-yard line.

Huntland, using the Wing-T offense like the days of Majors, ran it to perfection and Johnson raced into the end zone for the touchdown and after the PAT the lead was back to 10 points with 5:01 left in the game.

The Bulldogs, now fighting the clock as well as the Hornets, began a drive that came to a halt when Jackson Farler was tackled after a seven-yard gain on fourth-and-16.

The Bulldogs defense with Woodard and Ben Franklin standing tall, stopped the Hornets for one last chance for Cornersville.

Forced to pass, Farler completed throws to Warner and Garrett Alder for first downs, but on second-and-10 from the Bulldogs’ 45-yard line, his pass was intercepted by Gavin Morgan.

Huntland ran out the clock and gained a 24-14 victory and sole possession of third place in Region 5-A.

The Cornersville running game featured Brady Calahan’s nine rushes for a 122 yards and a touchdown and Cason Warner’s 13 carries for 98 yards.

On defense, Calahan, Woodard, and Hunter Fitzgerald had eight tackles apiece and Riley Qualls had 4 ½ tackles to lead Cornersville.

The Bulldogs, who dropped out of the AP Top 10 for the first time this season, welcome Zion Christian Academy on Friday night for the final game of the regular season before travelling to seventh-ranked Huntingdon for the first round of the Class A playoffs on Friday, November 6.

The Mustangs blasted Cornersville 54-7 at home in the first round last season after losing 13-7 at Huntingdon in a 2018 quarterfinal game and 21-20 in a double overtime quarterfinal thriller at Cornersville in 2017.

Huntland 7 10 0 7-24

Cornersville 7 0 0 7-14

Scoring plays

First Quarter

Cornersville-Rhett Woodard 3-yard run (Jackson Williams kick), 6:24.

Huntland-Bryson Johnson 95-yard kickoff return (Pedro Garcia kick), 6:08.

Second Quarter

Huntland-Kolbi Stewart 10-yard run (Pedro Garcia kick), 9:26.

Huntland-Pedro Garcia 33-yard field goal, 5:06.

Fourth Quarter

Cornersville-Brady Calahan 79-yard run (Jackson Williams kick), 8:08.

Huntland-Bryson Johnson 25-yard run (Pedro Garcia kick), 5:01.

Stats: Huntland Cornersville

No. of Plays: 51, 47.

Total Offense: 280, 293.

Time of Possession: 25:24, 22:36.

Rushing Attempts – Yards: 40-191, 36-251.

Passing: Completions – Attempts: 6-11, 7-11.

Passing Yards: 79, 42.

Passing: Touchdowns – Interceptions: 0-0, 0-2.

Fumbles: Lost: 1-1, 4-2

Turnovers: 1, 4.

First Downs: 16, 12.

First Downs - Rushing: 12, 10.

First Downs – Passing: 4, 2.

First Downs – Penalties: 0, 0.

Third Down Conversions/Attempts: 5/10 (50%), 0/6 (0%).

Fourth Down Conversions/Attempts: 0/1 (0%), 1/5 (20%).

Penalties – Yards: 2-15, 3-30.

Defensive Sacks- Yards: 0-0, 1-3.

Punt Average: 3-33, 2– 32

Passing:

Cornersville: Jackson Farler 7-11-42-0-2INT.

Huntland: Kolbi Stewart, 2-3-45-0-0, Payton Reed 4-7-44-0-0, Micah Millraney 0-1-0-0-0.

Rushing:

Cornersville: Brady Calahan 9-122-TD, Cason, Warner 13-96, Alex Hillard 3-14, Rhett Woodard 4-13- TD, Mason Calahan 4-10, Jackson Farler 2-7.

Huntland: Kolbi Stewart 17-98- TD, Bryson Johnson 22-93-TD.

Receiving:

Cornersville: Calahan 2-62, Tanner Edwards 1-8.

Huntland: Kolbi Stewart 3-49, Dalton Worley 2-29.

Defensive Stats:

Cornersville Tackles: Rhett Woodard 8, B. Calahan 8, Hunter Fitzgerald 8, Riley Qualls 4.5 (.5TFL), Barrett Powers 3.5, Eli Welch 3.5 (TFL), Ben Franklin 3 (2TFL), Blake Estes 2.5, Cason Warner 2.5 (TFL), Alex Hillard 2, Boone Solomon 1, Trenton Posey .5.

Cornersville Kicking

PAT: Jackson Williams 2-2.

Punting: Tyler Brockman 2-64 32 Avg.

Cornersville Returns

Kickoffs: Tyler Brockman 2-17, Brady Calahan 1-28, Alex Hilliard 1-4, Rhett Woodard 1-4.

Punts: Brady Calahan 1-5.