CCHS wins third straight over Jemison
Published 12:35 am Friday, August 26, 2016
Chilton County and Jemison added another chapter to their rivalry, as the Tigers pounded the Panthers 56-14.
“The score doesn’t indicate how tough it was out there,” said Chilton County head coach Brian Bradford.
The victory was Chilton County High School’s third straight in the series.
“This is a good buildup heading into region play next week,” Bradford said.
Keshawn Williams opened the scoring with a 28-yard touchdown run, while Kendall Davis accounted for three first half scores, including two through the air on a 16-yard corner route to Patrick Rogers and a 22-yarder to Hunter Henson as time expired on the first half of play.
The Tigers scored on its first and last possessions of the first half and took a 28-0 lead heading into halftime.
“We’re taking it one step at a time, but each step seems to get bigger and bigger,” said Chilton County senior defensive lineman Gage Atcheson.
Atcheson led the Tigers on the defensive side of the ball with consistent penetration and a team-high nine tackles.
It did not take long for Davis to establish a rhythm, as he finished with a total of 194 yards and three scores, all in the first half.
Due to the comfortable lead, Chilton County was able to play several reserves early on in third quarter and dive deep into the bench.
“After the first drive of the second half, we began rotating,” Bradford said. “Just about everybody on the team got to play, which is always good.”
As the Tigers maintained its momentum in the second half, Jemison continued to fight until the end and scored twice in the fourth quarter.
“We’ve fought to the end in both games, but it’s just the little mistakes that have done us in,” said Jemison offensive coordinator Lamar Gibson. “If we can fix those, we can be a good football team.”
Robert Evans was the main force offensively for the Panthers and got the start at quarterback.
He has been a workhorse for Jemison through the first two games of the season and has proven to be quite comfortable in that role.
“He’s handled the load extremely well and is beginning to take on a leadership role,” Gibson said. “The rest of the kids are starting to follow his lead.”
Evans carried the ball 27 times for 140 yards with a touchdown, and proved nearly unstoppable in short yardage situations.
For the seniors on both teams, it was the last time that they would take part in the rivalry.
According to Atcheson, there is an anxiousness heading into the game regardless of whether a player is a freshman or a senior.
Next up for both teams, Chilton County begins region play at home against Helena, while Jemison welcomes Billingsley for its home opener.