The Tharptown Wildcats stepped out of region play this week and got a reprieve, solidly beating the Cherokee Indians 48-22.

Tharptown and Cherokee exchanged blows early in the game thanks to mistakes and big plays. Cherokee took the early 8-0 lead, scoring with 5:50 remaining in the first quarter on an interception return for a touchdown.

Tharptown atoned for the mistake on the first play of the next drive, scoring on a 46-yard pass from Hunter Reynolds to Jackson Clement to tie the game 8-8.

The Wildcats scored with 43 seconds to go in the first quarter on a 5-yard run by Jeremy Vasquez. That would be the first of three scores in less than one minute.

After recovering a Cherokee fumble, Tharptown scored again on a 62-yard pass from Reynolds to Josh Maggerise to give the Wildcats a 24-8 lead.

Cherokee answered by scoring on the first play of their next drive with 11:43 to go in the second quarter to cut Tharptown’s lead to 24-14, but Tharptown scored again with 2:24 to go in the first half on a nine-yard run by Malachi Minor, giving the Wildcats a 32-14 lead.

Cherokee had the lone score of the third quarter, cutting Tharptown’s lead to 32-22.

The Wildcats scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter – on a 12-yard run by Reynolds and a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown by Joah Wilcoxsin.

Tharptown will host Red Bay Friday night for homecoming.