Walker Valley didn’t lead for a single second of its TSSAA Region 3-5A victory at East Hamilton on Friday night.
The Mustangs didn’t have to, though, because the final score was the only advantage they needed.
Christopher Malick’s 31-yard field goal as time expired allowed the seventh-ranked Mustangs to complete a 15-point second-half come back and defeat the sixth-ranked Hurricanes 40-37, improve to 5-1 overall this season and assume control of the 4-5A standings as the only team still unbeaten in league play.
The Mustangs (6-1, 4-0) still have two region games remaining — at Lenoir City (1-6, 0-3) on Oct. 17 after next week’s open date and at home against Rhea County (6-1, 3-1) on Oct. 31 to close the regular season — but Friday’s win over the reigning region champion and an earlier win against McMinn County were big building blocks toward a second league title in three seasons.
(READ MORE: Final scores and photos from Friday night’s Chattanooga-area prep football games)