CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Clarksville High Wildcats played host to the Shelbyville Central Golden Eagles in a Thursday Night Lights matchup at Hilda J. Richardson Field. The Wildcats’ strong ground game gave them a lead throughout most of the contest, and while Shelbyville pulled within one score late, Ahvare Galbreath iced the game with a rushing touchdown to earn a 28-19 win.

The first quarter was a defensive struggle before Shelbyville went on a nearly eight-minute drive to close the opening 12 minutes. On the first play of the second half, however, Max Cunningham blocked a Shelbyville field goal to keep the game tied at 0-0. That possession, Jamarcus Watkins took a jet to the right, then decided to just run the entire opposite direction – cause he’s that fast – for a touchdown.

Clarksville’s defense forced a punt, which was blocked, then Jamarcus Watkins took it 69 yards off another jet carry to the one-yard line, before Ahvare Galbreath punched it in on a dive to make the lead 14-0. On the ensuing kickoff, Cunningham, now at kicker, bulleted a kickoff off a Shelbyville helmet to recover the kickoff in a wild play, and everything was going Clarksville’s way in all three phases.

“Coach (Stephen) Conway does a really good job with our special teams, and anyone who knows our program knows that,” said Clarksville High head coach Isaac Shelby. “They’re not called regular teams for a reason. Jamarcus played really well, he’s strong, fast, and he wants the ball in his hands.”

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To start the second half, the Golden Eagles tried an onside kick and failed. After a fourth-down stop by Shelbyville’s defense, quarterback Stephen Bobo ran like he was shot out of a cannon for a 54-yard touchdown run to bring the game within one score. Jamarcus Watkins responded right back on the next drive with a five-yard touchdown on, guess what: jet, to make it 21-6.

The momentum quickly switched sides after that, however, with Bobo finding the endzone again, this time on a 45-yard scamper. After the Wildcat offense went three and out, a penalty-heavy drive got Shelbyville in the red zone, where running back Robert Bailey Jr. found the endzone to cut the Wildcat lead down to two, 21-19.

On the next Clarksville drive, the Golden Eagle defense got a stop, but it was erased by a taunting penalty. With a minute and a half left, the Wildcats decided to go for it on fourth and two, where Galbreath took it all the way to the endzone for his second score of the night, icing the game and extending the Wildcats’ winning streak to six.

What’s next for Clarksville High?

Now, Wildcats will get a much-needed week off for fall break, but when they return, they will face Antioch for a matchup that will decide the region champion.

“It was tough, they’re a really good team and we may see them again,” said Shelby. “I’m super excited to get a win against a quality team like that. Right now, it’s about telling the kids not to think about football. Get some sleep, get some legs back under you, and we’ll get ready for that matchup when we get back.”

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