Community running back Ryan Sheehan turns upfield as he fights off Middle Tennessee Christian defender Austin Wade. (T-G Photo by Jimmy Jones) [Click to enlarge]

Have you ever had one of those days where you would have been better off if you could just turn back the clock and start your day all over again?

The Community junior varsity football team experienced just such a day as they took on Middle Tennessee Christian on Friday in Unionville and found themselves on the short end of a 22-12 score.

The game began on an ominous note for the Vikings after Community's Payton Terry fell on the Cougars' onside kick attempt to open the game.

Quarterback Justin Stallings fumbled on the first snap of the opening series and the Cougars recovered at midfield with less than one minute off the clock.

"We came out flat to start the game," Community coach Bart Fann said. "We were coming off of an outstanding effort against Moore County on Monday night and the kids had been well focused all week at practice. There are going to be games where you have to play through adversity. Our kids will learn from this experience and grow from it."

Both teams moved the ball well at times in the first half, but were unable to put any points on the board until MTCS running back Dylan Wade punched it from 28 yards out with 1:43 left in the second quarter. The two point conversion was good for an 8-0 lead.

Fourteen seconds later, the Vikings gave it back to the Cougar offense on a fumbled snap exchange on the visitors' 43-yard line.

Three plays later, the Cougars had upped their lead to 15-0 on a touchdown run by Andrew Kuhn and a successful kick by Ryan Brunner.

Community's Brad Martin ran the kickoff back 19 yards and Ryan Sheehan toted the ball for 13 and 11 yards on consecutive carries into Cougar territory.

Casey Sadler added an 8-yard jaunt and the Vikings were beginning to gather some momentum behind the excellent blocking of Eric Howell, Michael Demorest, Ricky Dattulo, Ryan Zindars and Miguel Lara.

A reverse to Eric Carter produced 8 yards and a Justin Stallings scramble was good for a first down.

Sheehan was called upon on the next play and the ball squirted loose in his struggle to gain yardage after the initial contact with Cougar defenders as the half ended.

The second half began with a methodical, clock-eating Cougar drive culminating with quarterback Matt Wright's 6-yard run. The kick was good for a 22-0 advantage.

The Vikings were able to finish a drive early in the fourth quarter on strong running by Sheehan, Sadler and Chris Molder.

Sadler took it in on a run up the middle from 4 yards out. The point after try was stopped short and the score stood at 22-6 with 3:17 left.

Molder made the game interesting when he stripped the ball from Cougar running back Kuhn and took it 61 yards the other way to make the score 22-12.

MTCS was able to fall on the onside kick that the Vikings had a real shot at recovering but, inexplicably, eluded them.

The ball was on the ground again on the next play when Josh Graves and Josh Green combined for a big hit on Cougar running back Wade.

The Vikings had the ball surrounded, but once again were unable to procure the pigskin when the only white jersey in a sea of purple came out of the pile with the ball held aloft.

MTCS decided that it was in their best interest to just kneel on the ball from that point on killing the last 1:43 of the game.

"We played better in the second half," Fann said. "We just shot ourselves in the foot too many times with penalties and turnovers at crucial moments. We created some turnover opportunities, but the ball just didn't bounce our way tonight. We will put this one behind us and come out strong next week."

Community will continue play 6 p.m. Oct. 17 at Cascade.