Chilton County High fought back instead of giving in, but the Tigers on Friday still lost to Demopolis, 21-14.

The visitors took a 21-0 lead before halftime, reminiscent of the 30-0 edge last year that turned into a 50-0 rout, but CCHS scored twice in the second half and threatened with time running out.

The comeback attempt ended at midfield with an incomplete pass on 4th-and-15 with 52 seconds to go in the game.

“Offensively, we didn’t play very well in the first half, but our defense held strong and gave us a chance,” CCHS coach Brian Carter said.

The homestanding Tigers (1-1 overall, 0-1 Class 5A, Region 3) finally got on the scoreboard on the first play of the fourth quarter when senior quarterback Taylor Hughes found junior receiver Montel Wilkes from 10 yards out on 3rd-and-goal. Senior Noe Chavez kicked the extra point.

Demopolis (2-0, 1-1) turned the ball over four times in the second half, twice on downs and twice on fumbles that were recovered by junior defensive backs Alan Lucas and Quentin Underwood.

CCHS’s other touchdown came on a Hughes pass to senior Jalen Osborne from 31 yards out with 6:17 left.

Demopolis began the scoring with a 25-yard playaction pass from junior quarterback Ben Pettus to senior Anthony Hardy with 8:15 left in the second quarter. The extra point was no good, but the Tigers made up for it with a 2-point conversion pass from Pettus to Hardy after Jeremy Wallace juggled a Pettus pass on a slant pattern but found the handle before diving for the goal line.

Less than one minute later, with 41 seconds left in the first half, Hardy intercepted a Hughes pass on the Demopolis 30-yard line and ran it back to the CCHS 5. Pettus connected with Wallace for another touchdown on the next play, and Spence Overstreet kicked the extra point.