ATHENS, Tenn. — Lincoln Watson probably couldn’t have scripted a better first start of his McMinn County football career than the Cherokees’ TSSAA Region 4-5A matchup against East Hamilton to close the regular season Friday night.
The junior running back’s head coach, Bo Cagle, was equally pleased by the end result.
Spearheaded by Watson’s 282-yard, six-touchdown performance, the Cherokees used a 22-point fourth quarter to rally from 14 down and hold on at home to defeat the Hurricanes 50-48. McMinn County, which improved to 6-4 overall and 4-2 in TSSAA Region 3-5A, earned the region’s third seed for the state playoffs and will travel in the first round next week.
“I just had to get my mind right and stay focused on the tasks,” said Watson, who entered the game with 168 yards and no scores this season. “I had to listen to what my coaches were saying and whatever my teammates were telling me.
“I was a little nervous, but I had to get my head together and work on everything I needed to work on.”