Had Chilton County High School found a way to win more close games, the Tigers’ 2014 would have looked much different.

CCHS lost three games by three points or less last year on their way to a 2-8 record.

With a full offseason in second year-coach Brian Bradford’s system, the Tigers showed in Friday’s season-opening 27-24 win over Sylacauga that they’ve figured out how to claim those close games.

“That was huge right there,” Bradford said moments after the end of the game. “Sylacauga is an unbelievable team. They run the option and hit you in the mouth, and we didn’t like it. It was a great, physical, run-the-football game. It went down to the wire like we knew it would.”

Chilton struck first, on a 12-yard run by quarterback James Davis, and Colby Barron’s point-after made it 7-0 with 4:26 remaining in the first quarter.

Replacing Chilton County area leading passer Anthony Chavez from a year ago, Davis split time behind center with C.J. Driver.

Sylacauga scored on a 15-yard run by Alex Thomason on a third-and-four play.

A missed extra point left Chilton in the lead, but not for long.

Chilton County lost a fumble on its first play from scrimmage on the ensuing possession, and on the next play, Sylacauga quarterback Jackson Walker tossed a 48-yard touchdown pass to Keenan Daniel, who made a nice over-the-shoulder catch.

A failed 2-point conversion left the score at 12-7 with 7:49 remaining in the second quarter.

Taking possession with 2:04 left in the half, a 24-yard screen pass to Keshawn Williams advanced the Tigers to Sylacauga’s 20-yard line.

On the next play, Davis passed to Cade Hatch in the end zone to make the score 13-12.

Sylacauga retook the lead with 2:14 on the clock in the third quarter when Thomason ran in from 10 yards out. The score was 18-13 Aggies after a failed 2-point conversion.

A run down the sideline by Cade Hatch, who also drew a personal foul against the visitors for 15 more yards, ignited the CCHS sideline.

Davis picked up a first down later in the drive on a fourth down scamper, and then threw to Hunter Henson on playaction on third down from Sylacauga’s 4-yard line.

Davis passed to Lance McGhar for the 2-point conversion and a 21-18 Tigers lead.

Corbin Bice extended the lead to 27-18 on a 40-yard run, but any feeling that the hosts could relax evaporated when Sylacauga answered with a 62-yard drive that ended with a seven-yard run from Walker.

Chilton’s Williams blocked the point-after attempt, an onside kick attempt went out of bounds, and runs by Bice iced the win.

Bradford said the Tigers would celebrate the win but need to be more disciplined.

“We’ve got to eliminate shooting ourselves in the foot—missed alignments, missed opportunities,” he said.