It took a really good “D” to stop a really good “Dee.”

Top-ranked Tanner stood up to quarterback ArDarius “Dee” Stewart, and simply did not allow him to get any meaningful momentum going as they scored a 14-0 victory over homestanding Fultondale in the Class 2A AHSAA football quarterfinals.

Stewart finished the night with 101 yards, but was forced to go to the air more often than he has been used to as of late, and could not connect consistently with receivers. Meanwhile, the Rattlers did what they do best: stuff the opponent’s running game in between the hash marks, while using their own potent ground game to full advantage.

Tanner scored in the first period on a 30-yard run by Kyle Shoulders, who broke through the middle of the Wildcat line and into the open field. They scored their other touchdown on the first play of the second quarter, as running back Fredrick Rich went up the middle, paused when he saw Stewart (at safety) in his way, turned left and dashed toward the pylon.

The Rattlers (13-0) threatened to score only one more time at the very end of the first half, when a drive stalled out at the Fultondale 3-yard line and kicker Alan Rios’ 20-yard field goal attempt went wide right. That came after a controversial call in which quarterback Jonathon Fletcher appeared to have completed a pass to Greg Maclin at the back of the end zone with eight seconds before halftime, but the pass was ruled incomplete; Fultondale was called for pass interference, but that only served to move the ball four yards closer on the field goal attempt.

Fultondale had its chances throughout the game, but was stopped three times in the red zone and five times in Tanner territory. The closest they came was the Rattler 6-yard line on the Cats’ first drive of the second half, but Stewart was held to four straight one-yard runs, and came up short on fourth down and two after a Tanner offsides penalty.

The Wildcats’ opening drive went for 15 plays down to the 16, but ended with a 33-yard field goal attempt by Enrique Aguilar that sailed wide right.

The home team’s final chance of the night came up short at the Tanner 19, ending with a pair of incomplete passes — one too long for the outstretched hands of Blake Reno, and the other batted down by Rich.

The Wildcats finish their season with a 10-3 record, the second straight season they’ve compiled thsat record and gone through to the quarterfinals.

We’ll have more on this story shortly.