By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser

Despite jumping out to an early lead in their first region game of the 2015 season, penalties and turnovers cost the Chilton County Tigers dearly in a 21-19 loss to the Pell City Panthers on Friday

The Tigers (2-1 overall, 0-1 region) set the pace early, driving 63 yards with their opening drive to be capped off on a Kendall Davis 39-yard touchdown run to give Chilton an early 6-0 lead.

The Panthers (2-1, 1-0) would not be denied the end zone on their third possession of the game as quarterback Jermaine Ross found pay dirt from 17 yards out, and with the point-after up and good, Pell City took a 7-6 lead with 9:19 to play in the second.

Both teams exchanged offensive possessions before the Panthers offense struck again, this time on a two-yard touchdown pass to give Pell City a 14-6 lead with just 25 seconds left to go in the first half.

With their second possession of the second half, the Tigers looked poised to tie things up, but on a third-and-three from the Panthers’ 33, a Chilton fumble was picked up by the Panthers and returned to the Tigers’ 33.

Two first downs later, and a Ross three-yard touchdown run gave the Panthers a 21-6 lead with 1:52 left in the third.

Facing a second-and-two from the Panthers’ 33, quarterback Kendall Davis connected with Cade Hatch for 22 yards and a Tigers first down at the Panthers’ 11-yard line.

Five plays later, and the duo connected again, this time in the end zone to make the score 21-12 with 9:56 to left in the game.

Later, on first-and-goal from the four, C.J. Driver found Hatch at the goal line to pull the Tigers to within two points of the lead, 21-19 with just 2:18 to play.

An onside kick failed, but a Pell City fumble was recovered by Jaquares Martin to breathe new life into the Tigers with just 1:15 to play.

However, an interception sealed Chilton’s fate

“We made a couple of mistakes that were costly,” Chilton County coach Brian Bradford said. “We had opportunities, but we just couldn’t capitalize on them.”

Davis led the Tigers offense with a 7-for-14 performance through the air for 87 yards and a touchdown.

Davis also led the Chilton ground game with nine carries for 87 yards and a touchdown.

Hatch had eight receptions for 38 yards and two touchdowns.