It was the final game of the season for the Warren County Middle School Pioneer football team on Tuesday. The Pioneers made the trip to Sparta and took the field against a winless White County Middle School team.
It was the final game of the season for each team and was homecoming for the Warriors. White County saved its best football for last and defeated the Pioneers, 20-12.
 “We made mistakes and they took advantage of it,” said WCMS coach Donnie Harris.
Added WCMS assistant coach Jeff Watson, “They came to play and they wanted it.”
Said WCMS assistant coach Nick Cantrell, “Every game we won this season we laid it on the line, so let’s build on that next season.”
The Pioneers picked up just over 100 yards on the ground behind a strong game from C.J. Taylor, who gained 75 yards on 19 carries.
Pioneer QB Dante Elam went 1-for-10 and his only completion was caught by Braden Bottoms for a 20-yard gain.
In the final two minutes, White County all but cemented the win with a 35-yard touchdown run. The Warriors took a 20-12 lead, but with a touchdown and two-point conversion the Pioneers could tie the game at 20.
White County attempted an onside kick with 1:55 to play. WCMS recovered the kick on the 49-yard line. Three straight runs by Taylor picked up a first down and had the Pioneers on the Warrior 39-yard line.
WCMS needed yardage and the clock continued to run. On first-and-10, the pass over the middle was intercepted and returned back deep into Pioneer territory. A flag after the interception brought the ball back to the White County 19-yard line.
The Warriors kneeled on the ball and time expired giving them the win on their homecoming night by a final score of 20-12.
The Pioneers went into the halftime down 8-6. WCMS immediately went to work in the third quarter and on its first possession with the ball at the Warrior 48-yard line. Kaden Jordan broke free and raced through the defense down the Pioneer sideline for a 47-yard gain and a Pioneer first-and-goal inside the 5-yard line. That set up a Taylor TD from three yards out and the Pioneer touchdown put WCMS in the lead 12-8.
The Warrior offense was deep in Pioneer territory and on third-and-15 picked up 32 yards on a pass play. Three consecutive pass plays followed and all three fell incomplete. White County had the ball on WCMS 45-yard line. On fourth-and-10 the Pioneers gave up a 55-yard pass play and White County reclaimed the lead 14-12 after a failed two-point conversion.
WCMS took the onside kick attempted by White County near midfield. On third-and-1, Jay Rozier picked up the Pioneer first down. A run for negative yardage and three incomplete passes later, the Pioneers turned the ball over on downs.
WCMS immediately scored in the first quarter on its first possession. A 20-yard pass set the Pioneer offense up first-and-goal at the 9. Taylor picked up seven yards on the first carry inside the 10. Jordan finished the drive when he hammered the ball in from two yards out.
White County left the Pioneers defense in the dust. The Warriors went to the air and unloaded an arsenal of passes good for 231 yards. The Pioneer defense had no answer for the Warriors passing game.
In its final game of the season, WCMS was defeated by the Warriors 20-12. The Pioneers finished its season with an overall record of 2-5.