GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WVLT) -- It was wet, sloppy and gritty, but for the Gatlinburg-Pittman Highlanders, it was a win.

G-P outlasted Oneida 7-6 in a defensive struggle to kick off Rivalry Thursday, a weekly football game that will run on MyVLT during the 2009 football season.

The Highlanders turned a nine-play, 59-yard drive into a second-quarter touchdown to take a 7-0 lead to the halftime locker room.

But Oneida wasn't finished. Quarterback Houston Hood found Sam Woodard for a 16-yard touchdown connection with three minutes left in the game. But the extra point missed wide left, and G-P escaped with the narrow victory.

Next week, Rivalry Thursday visits Loudon for the Battle of the Bridge between Loudon and Lenoir City. Tune in at 7pm for the game, then stay on MyVLT for Pilot's High School Heroes, immediately following the contest.