The Shelby County Wildcats took their show on the road for the second straight week Oct. 9 to pick up a 49-6 win over the Moody Blue Devils.

“With all the conditions we had to play in, starting the game early when didn’t know we had to, and then the rainstorm…I’m just happy the way the players managed to stay focused through it all,” said Shelby County coach Ryan Herring.

In past weeks, the Wildcats have put up gaudy offensive numbers. And, defensively, they’ve been as stingy as can be at protecting their end zone. The consistency on both sides of the ball has the Wildcats on the cusp of another stellar season.

“Right now, offensively, I think we’re hitting on all cylinders. We’ve just got to find areas we can improve on and keep trying to improve every week,” Herring said. “We’re coming together on the defensive side more each week.”

It’s been the Wildcats forte all season to set the tone early in every game they’ve played. Friday night versus the Blue Devils was just the same as the Wildcats marched down the field on a 75-yard drive when Braten Dill bolted up the middle for a scoring run from the Blue Devil 11-yard line.

Denzel Williams added a scoring run from the 4-yard line on Shelby County’s next possession, while DeMonte Ford added another score inside the 5-yard line off the heels of a Blue Devil fumble. With Chad King’s two extra points, the visiting Wildcats had sprung out to the early 20-0 lead.

As the second stanza pressed along, the Wildcats found the end zone two more times with a 1-yard run by Chris McDowell, along with Dill connecting with Tae Lewis for a 36-yard touchdown strike. McDowell added a 2-point conversion.

As rained poured down, the Devils managed to get on the board late in the second quarter after capitalizing on a Wildcat fumble. At the half, the Wildcats held the 26-6 lead.

Saturated from the first half downpour, the Wildcats kept the pressure on after recovering a fumble on the kickoff to begin the half. Set up by a 20-yard run by McDowell, Lewis muscled in from the Blue Devils’ 3-yard line to expand the lead to 41-6.

Chad King picked off a Moody pass to halt a drive in the third quarter and McDowell reeled a scoring run of 80 yards in the fourth quarter.

The win secured Shelby County’s spot in the post season. Getting to the playoffs is always a great accomplishment, but being able to do it a little early is much more settling.

“It feels good,” Herring said about his team’s early reservation to the playoffs. “Anytime you make the playoffs it’s good. I’m just happy for these kids.”

McDowell took part in the Wildcats’ 352 yards of rushing with 108 yards himself. Lewis assisted with 108 yards and Williams added 75 yards. Dill connected on 1-of-2 passes for 36 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Wildcats allowed 204 yards of total offense from the Blue Devils.