The Watertown Purple Tigers hosted the Cannon County Lions Friday night at Watertown’s brand new football field and school facility. It was Watertown’s homecoming and after the first play of the game Watertown looked like they were going to repeat the dominant performance they turned in a week ago against Red Boiling Springs. Watertown’s Skylor Scales took the opening kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown and Watertown was on the board in less than 16 seconds 7-0. Cannon took their opening possession and went four downs and out on their own 20 yard line when it was decided to go for a fourth down conversion rather than punt it. The conversion attempt failed and Watertown had the ball on Cannon’s 20 yard line with a huge opportunity to score and put the game away before the first 3 minutes had ticked off the clock. Luckily Watertown fumbled the football at the Cannon 9 in which Cannon recovered but two plays later it was deja vu for Cannon as Watertown’s defense stuffed the run in the endzone for a safety 9-0 . Later before halftime Watertown kicked a field goal to make the halftime score 12-0. Turnovers would kill potential scoring drives throughout the game but perhaps the most significant turnover started off the second half. After Cannon got the opening 2nd half kick, they turned the ball over back to Watertown. Watertown on the next down scored a 48 yard touchdown. It was then Cannon was able to score on their next possession as quarterback Jake Walkup scrambling for his life found tight end Case Isenhart on a desperation pass. Case made a tremendous catch and ran 57 yards for a touchdown cutting the Watertown lead to 19-6. Watertown then marched it down the field again this time fueled by a Cannon unsportsmanlike conduct penalty which saw a Lion player ejected for throwing punches. Watertown scores on the possession making it 25-6. Both teams weren’t done scoring however in the fourth quarter. After a big play by Ethan Smith, Watertown stripped Smith of the football and recovered it. At that point Coach T.J. Daniel came out more than halfway on to the football field and as a result referees threw their flags for another unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. One play later Watertown bombed it down the field which set up another one yard run and Watertown led 32-6. With 6:19 left to go in the game Cannon struck again as Jake Walkup connected with Forrest Mason on a 2 yard touchdown pass and Cannon trailed with the final points of the game 32-12. The Lions managed 257 yards of total offense for the game. It was overshadowed though by 5 turnovers and 11 penalties for 80 yards. Cannon will next take on their third Tiger team in a row, this time out of Lafayette Tennessee as district opponent Macon County will come to Woodbury Friday. Macon has a 2 and 3 record and is on a two game losing streak.
