SWEETWATER-The Sweetwater Wildcats came into Friday's game at home against Meigs County battered and bruised after two rough road loses to Polk County and Loudon. The Wildcats badly needed a win against district opponent Meigs County to get things back on the right track as well as to maintain control of their own destiny for one of the two automatic playoff berths in district 5-AA. However, Meigs County would not go down easily and fought the Wildcats hard before falling, 20-7.

Sweetwater looked sharp on the opening drive of the game. After a good kick return that set the Wildcats up on the Meigs County 49-yard line, Sweetwater methodically drove the ball to the end zone and scored on an Andrew Barr to Nick Wicker pass that covered 13 yards while eating just over four minutes off the clock.

Sweetwater led 7-0 with 7:50 to go in the first quarter. Both teams traded punts before Meigs County found the end zone, with 1:28 to go in the first quarter, after their 53-yard drive was capped off by a 1-yard touchdown run by quarterback Bryson Baker. As the game moved into the second quarter, it seemed that every time either team began to establish something positive, a costly penalty or turnover was committed. Neither team could get the advantage and the score remained 7-7 at the half.

Sweetwater's defense forced Meigs County into a punting situation on the opening series of the third quarter. The Tigers booted an excellent punt that was downed at the Sweetwater 2-yard line. Sweetwater marched the football down to the Meigs County 3-yard line but couldn't punch it into the end zone. Garret Zickgraf came in and knocked through a 20-yard field goal to put the Wildcats ahead 10-7 with 5:08 to go in the third quarter. Turnovers and penalties slowed any momentum either team had through the remainder of the third quarter and much of the fourth quarter.

Then with 4:44 left in the game, the Sweetwater defense was rewarded for a night of hard-nosed play. After forcing Meigs County to punt, the Wildcat defense would get on the board as the snap for Meigs County sailed over the punter's head and through the end zone for a safety. Sweetwater led 12-7 and Meigs County had to kick the ball back to Sweetwater. 

The Wildcats then climbed on the backs of Eli Arwood and Jordan McGaughey, as the backfield duo dragged the Meigs County defense down the field and put the Tigers away on a 1-yard Jordan McGaughey touchdown. McGaughey ran in the 2-point conversion to end the scoring drive and to seal up the game. 

It wasn't easy, but Sweetwater picked up a much needed district win over Meigs County, 20-7.