Chilton County was good at times and bad at times, but the good times were enough Thursday to propel the Tigers to a 27-14 win over rival Jemison in both teams’ season opener.

CCHS did its damage on big plays: a 23-yard halfback pass for a touchdown on fourth-and-goal, a 95-yard run, a 97-yard interception return and a punt return of about 65 yards.

After the game, CCHS coach Donnie Hand lamented his team’s ineffectiveness in the second half (the Tigers led 20-0 at halftime but didn’t record a single first down in the second half and had only five total in the game).

“We couldn’t do anything,” Hand said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do to get better.”

But surely there was some joy in his first win against rival JHS in his second season on the Chilton sideline. CCHS has now won seven of its last nine games against Jemison, in what has become a spectacle to kick off the season.

Neither offense was particularly crisp. Jemison didn’t record a first down until the clock read 6:07 to go in the second quarter, when Tyler Henderson moved the chains with a 5-yard run that sparked a drive down to Chilton’s 17.

Richard Hilliard picked off a Jemison pass at the 3-yard line and ran it back all the way. The 2-point conversion attempt failed, but CCHS led 20-0, with its other scores being a halfback pass from Trenton Bishop to Braylen Parker and a 95-yard run by Michael Seaton.

Seaton’s long run helped him become the game’s leading rusher, though Jemison’s Kevin King turned in a workmanlike 88 yards and one fourth-quarter touchdown on 20 carries.

JHS recorded 16 first downs to Chilton’s five but lacked the help of big plays.

Vadall Morrow returned a punt for a touchdown with 2:30 remaining in the third quarter, and Stephen Horn’s point-after made it 27-0.

Jemison’s first score was on a 20-yard run by P.J. Blue. King ran in the 2-point conversion.

The teams begin region play next week. Jemison will visit Oak Grove on Sept. 7, while Chilton County visits Homewood.

 

FRIDAY NIGHT’S ACTION

Verbena at Thorsby

The last few meetings, this rivalry game to begin the season has gone a long way toward determining what kind of seasons the respective teams can expect. Look for Thorsby to be the team that starts out on the right foot in 2012.

Pick: Thorsby

Picks record: 1-0