FOOTBALL REWIND: Pell City 21, Chilton Co. 19
Published 9:49 am Thursday, September 10, 2015
First quarter
Host Chilton County High School (2-1 overall, 0-1 region) set the pace early, driving 63 yards on its opening drive, which was capped off on a Kendall Davis 39- touchdown run to give Chilton an early 6-0 lead.
Visiting Pell City (2-1, 1-0) looked poised to answer with their ensuing drive, when Chris Lynch broke loose for 37 yards to set up Pell City with a first down at the Tigers’ 43-yard line. Two plays later, a Lynch fumble fell into the hands of Chilton County’s D’Marco Lucas at their own 15.
After an 11-yard run by Corbin Bice to move the chains, the drive stalled at the Tigers’ 29 and forced Cade Hatch to come in to punt the ball back to the Panthers.
Pell City’s second possession stalled close to midfield, and after a Pell City punt, the Tigers took over at their own 11.
Second quarter
Seven plays later, the Tigers were again forced to punt, and Pell City took possession at their own 48.
The Panthers would not be denied the end zone on their third possession of the game as quarterback Jermaine Ross found paydirt from 17 yards out, and with the point after up and good, Pell City took a 7-6 lead with 9:19 remaining on the clock in the second quarter.
Both teams exchanged offensive possessions before the Panthers offense struck again, this time on a two-yard touchdown pass from Ross to Lynch to give Pell City a 14-6 lead with just 25 seconds left to go in the first half.
Third quarter
With their second possession of the second half, the Tigers looked 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, Ross added a three-yard touchdown run to give the Panthers a 21-6 lead with 1:52 left in the third quarter.
Fourth quarter
Facing a second-and-two from the Panthers’ 33, Davis connected with Hatch for 22 yards and a Tigers first down at the Panthers’ 11-yard line. Five plays later, the duo connected again, this time in the end zone to make the score 21-12 with 9:56 to left in the game.
With just 3:33 left on the clock and PCHS facing a second-and-19 at the Tigers’ 46, a loose ball was recovered by Giquan Lane to set up Chilton with first-and-10 at their own 42.
On second-and-eight at the Panthers’ 32, C.J. Driver rolled out and heaved a pass to Davis in the end zone, but it fell incomplete. However, the play resulted in a defensive pass interference penalty that moved the ball down to the Panthers’ 17.
On first-and-goal from the four, Driver passed to Hatch at the goal line to pull the Tigers to within two points of the lead, 21-19, with just 2:18 to play.
Erik Virya’s onside kick bounced right into the hands of a Pell City defender, and the visitors took over at their own 48 with just 2:00 left on the clock.
Pell City tried to grind out the clock and pick up the win, but on a third-and-three from the Tigers’ 45, a fumble was recovered by Jaquaries Martin to breathe new life into the hosts with just 1:15 to play.
A four-yard completion from Davis to Driver moved the ball close to midfield, but a second down pass attempt by Davis found its way into the hands of a PCHS defender to seal the game and hand the Tigers their first defeat of the season.