McCathern runs for 239-yards
BRENTWOOD -- Senior Contrez McCathern powered Mt. Juliet to a 31-20 victory over Brentwood in Friday's Class 6A quarterfinal -- a game that was never as close as the score might indicate. Coach Roger Perry's team led 31-7 with 3:50 to go in the game before the Bruins tacked on a couple of late scores.

Lining up at tailback for much of the ball game, McCathern rambled for a season-high 239 yards on 35 carries and scored once.

Now 12-1 on the season, the Golden Bears travel to Shelby County next Friday for a semifinal date with 13-0 Whitehaven -- a 52-7 winner over Germantown.

Leading 3-0 after a booming 47-yard field goal by Ryan Jenkins, Mt. Juliet's defense held Brentwood on a fourth and goal at the two-yard line as Chase Mang spilled Ben Green for a three yard loss.

The Bears proceded to march 95 yards on 11 plays, all on the ground, to take a 10-0 lead with 5:57 left in the first quarter.

"I'm not so sure that the goal line stand wasn't the difference in the game," Coach Perry said, "Brentwood is a good team, and to hold them out right there gave us a tremendous swing in the momentum."

Leading 17-7 with 4:46 to go in the third period, Mt. Juliet put the game out of reach with 1 16-play, 80 yard scoring drive that chewed up 8:56 on the clock and ended with ben Cheatham scoring from 10-yards out for a 24-7 lead.

All told, Mt. Juliet piled up 389 yards, all on the ground, on 60 carries.Ben Chaplin added 93 yards on eight carries and scored once while Caleb Hopkins added two touchdowns with six carries for 22 yards.

Brentwood ended the season 11-2 overall and was led by senior quarterback Austin Winfree who finished 10-for-19 passing for 167 yards. ben Green ran 14 times for 95 yards.