MT. JULIET – Julian Meador’s eight-yard touchdown pass to Nick Tuck with 42 seconds left pulled Gallatin to within a point of Mt. Juliet at 28-27.

From there, the Green Wave decided to take a gamble.

Gallatin (6-3, 4-2 in District 9-AAA) lined up to go for the 2-point conversion, and after an encroachment penalty by the Golden Bears, Meador snuck it in from a yard out as the Green Wave took a 29-28 win.

A last gasp field goal attempt from 47 yards out for Mt. Juliet sailed wide right as time expired.

“We wanted to go for the win,” said Meador, who had two touchdown runs on the night.

“Our defensive line was hurting with some injuries, but they played their hearts out, and with the emotions of the game we wanted to go for the win.”

After an interception of Meador by Matt Massey, a 34-yard run by quarterback Nolan Cowbay set up a three-yard touchdown run by Kyle Mahler that put Mt. Juliet (4-5, 3-3) up 28-21 with 1:24 left. Then Gallatin set out on the game-winning drive.

On a third-and-one from the Gallatin 35, Meador hit Dedarius Redding for a 50-yard play that put the Green Wave deep on the Mt. Juliet side of the field.

“I knew that we had the hitch-and-go on that route, and coach (Mark) Williams called it,” said Redding, who had five catches for 132 yards.

“We knew we had to have this for the playoffs, and we fought hard and got the win.”

Both teams went into the game controlling their own destiny, but could ill afford to give up a loss.

“Our team grew up a little tonight,” said Williams. “Both sides played really hard, and our hats are off to Mt. Juliet.”

Gallatin running back Dorian Banks, who took over the load for starter Jordan Mason, who went down with an ankle injury in the first quarter, had 15 carries for 133 yards in the second half, and 180 for the game.

“As a head coach, the mistakes fall on me,” said Mt. Juliet coach Trey Perry whose team had four missed field goals and three personal foul penalties in the second half that helped keep Gallatin drives alive.

“We’ve made mistakes, but we aren’t going to make excuses. Historically, five wins has gotten a team into the playoffs, and all we can do is worry about next week with Portland. If we don’t make it in, it’s no one’s fault but our own.”