Whitwell’s Evan Nunley kicks the game-winning field goal with Jaren Thames as the holder.WHITWELL, Tenn. – Whitwell High School’s football team is headed to its first state championship game in program history.
The Tigers edged the 2017 state champion Greenback Cherokees 24-21 Friday night in a TSSAA Class 1A semifinal and are headed to the BlueCross Bowl next Saturday at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville.
Sophomore kicker Evan Nunley drilled a 27-yard field goal with just one second left on the clock for the winning points.
“I saw my brother hit a game-winning kick against Trousdale last year, so I knew I wanted to meet those expectations and prove I was a better kicker,” Nunley said with a smile.
His deciding kick was set up by a long run by Hudson Petty, who patiently used blockers to burst downfield for a 36-yard gain. Petty had a big impact on the game, tossing a 66-yard touchdown to Tanner Stewart with 2:01 to go.