Just two minutes and 33 seconds had ticked off the game clock at Copper Basin Friday when lightning flashing across the evening sky forced game officials to halt the game between the Cougars and North Georgia Falcons.
That delay came at 7:45. It was about 9:30, with lightning still filling the night, that officials called the game.
The Cougars had their fifth win of the season in what may have been the shortest high school football game in history.
But it had only taken that 2:33 for the Cougars to put 16 points on the board against their visitors, setting the tone for what was likely to be a high scoring evening for the hometown favorites.
Copper Basin started from their own 46 after receiving the opening kickoff. After moving to the Falcon’s 37, Chase Mickens hauled in a Bryson Grabowski pass with a spectacular one-handed grab to put the Cougars up 6-0.
The Grabowski to Mickens duo added the two point conversion with another pass. With one minute and a second gone in the game, Basin led 8-0.
The Cougars tried an onside kick, but as it bounced across the sideline, North Georgia ended up with good field position to start at their own 40.
Then, Tyler Adams intercepted a Falcon pass near midfield and carried the ball down the left sideline all the way to the Falcon’s 11 yard line.
Chance Bailey took the hand off and put another six points on the scoreboard. Grabowski charged up the middle for the two-point conversion and a 16-0 lead.
It was then that the lightning could not be ignored.
Players and fans began what they hoped would be a 30-minute wait, anxious for not only the game to restart, but for the homecoming festivities planned for halftime.
School officials, expecting the worst, moved the halftime activities into the elementary school gym.
It was just after the queen, Ivie Coleman, and princess, Albani Dotson, had been named that the game was declared over.
The game, which was official under Tennessee rules, despite the short amount of playing time, left the Cougars with a 5-1 overall record on the season.