ATHENS — Johnson was nine yards away from the go-ahead touchdown with 1:49 to play against Cedar Shoals Friday night.
A 4th-and-goal pass from the 9-yard line was intercepted at the goal line to essentially seal a 26-21 Cedar Shoals (5-3, 1-2 Region 8-5A) win.
"So proud of the way that our team competed versus a quality opponent," Johnson coach Stan Luttrell said. "This team continues to grow and mature while learning how to compete in a tough region. We will continue to get better."
The Knights (4-4, 1-2 Region 8-5A) took a 7-0 lead early in the game off a Nolan Bullock kickoff return and trailed 12-7 at the half.
In the second half, Cedar Shoals capitalized on a Knights' fumble on their own 2-yard line to go up 26-14 by the end of the third quarter.
Nolan Bullock, however, struck again in early in the 4th quarter on a 28-yard TD to close within one score, 26-21.
