Wildcats End Season With Win Over Brookwood

The Tuscaloosa County High Wildcats (5-5) finished their season with a convincing 42-14 victory over the Brookwood Panthers (1-8). The Wildcats dominated this game from beginning to end primarily being led by their star running backs Kevin Riley and Chardarius Hutchins. Both ran for over 200 yards combined and both scored twice.

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"I thought they ran the ball downhill really well," head coach Adam Winegarden said. "We blocked things at the point of attack, and we made some throws and catches as well."

Quarterback Braedon Smith had a passing touchdown to Jordan Chambers-Smith. However, this game was dominated on the ground by TCHS. The third running back, Kamorri Jackson, scored as well before halftime.

TCHS got off to a hot start, scoring 21 points in the first quarter by long runs from Riley, Hutchins, and the Smith-to-Chambers-Smith touchdown. The Wildcats defense was suffocating the Panthers. Brookwood had no success moving the ball consistently and turned the ball over too much.

"I thought we were able to put pressure on the quarterback," Winegarden said. "We got the lead, and we got a lot of guys in the game tonight, and it was good for them."

The Panthers had two kickoffs that went over 10 yards, and TCHS recovered them, which led to more points.

TCHS felt that they could do whatever they wanted to on that field. The Wildcats knew it was their final game playing together and left it all on the field.

The 22 seniors on this Tuscaloosa County High team all had the opportunity to see the field for the final time. It was a special moment for the University of Miami commit. Riley sported a new number, going from 6 to 28, switching that with Hutchins.

"I changed the number to #28 because of my dad," Riley said. "He didn't get to be here with me for this last game, so this is kind of a way to show my love for him and have him here with me for tonight's game."

The game did get a little chippy a few times, and one player got disqualified in the fourth quarter. Winegarden was not pleased with the "immaturity" in the game but he was happy with how his team finished the game for the seniors and hopes for better success next season.

"We've got to be a consistently competitive team; that's the big thing," Winegarden said. "We got to compete consistently, and that is the important thing."

"We just have to build stronger for next year," Hutchins said. "We got to keep going and do what we do, and we will get better at this."

"I would say we have to mature up and develop a better brotherhood in the locker room," Smith said. "I got to make better reads. We had to come together on offense. The defense fought hard in the second half, and I was proud of them."