By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser
A week full of costumes, float building, and decorating was made so much sweeter on Sept. 29, as Chilton County wrapped up homecoming week with the Tigers picking up their first win of the season, 20-19 over the Russell County Warriors.
With all of the festivities out of the way, all attention turned to the gridiron and the Tigers wasted little time in proving that they were ready to play.

After a fourth and one conversion by Gab Jackson at the Russell County 27, the Tigers would go on to capitalize on the Warriors turnover when Jackson capped off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to put the Tigers up early, 6-0.

The Tigers trailed 7-6 at the halftime break.

With 8:53 to play, Russell County held a 13-12 lead.

Later on, Russell County move the Warriors down inside the 5-yard line where Pritchett would go in from 5 yards out to make the score 19-12 with 3:26 remaining.

The ensuing Chilton County possession would be short lived after three incomplete pass attempts and with a fourth falling incomplete on fourth and five from their own 28, the Warriors would once again take possession deep inside Tiger territory.

With the Tiger coaching staff asking their defense to stand tall, a first down stop in the backfield, and a pair of short gains for Russell County gave Chilton County one last shot as the Tigers would take possession at their own twenty-three with just fifty-four seconds remaining.

Fourth down came quickly for the Tigers but a pass across the middle from Laister to Rogers would keep the drive going and the Chilton hopes alive while moving the ball out to the 42 with 34 seconds remaining. A pair of penalties would make what was a second and ten now a second and thirty but another pass from Laister to Rogers would move the Tigers thirty-seven yards down to the Warriors fifteen with sixteen seconds on the clock. Just one play later and a halfback pass from Gabriel Jackson to Mondez Jones would be hauled in for a touchdown and would create the biggest question of the night, go for the tie or go for the win?

Coach Morrison initially elected to send on his kicking team but after a penalty by the Warriors moved the ball down to the one yard line, the Chilton County head coach would recant on that decision and would call on his offense to end the game in regulation.

With Laister under center and a full house in the backfield the handoff to Jackson would go of left tackle and end up in the end zone for a successful two-point conversion to put the Tigers up 20-19 with just eight seconds remaining.

“I was just hoping that we made it,” CCHS head coach Tal Morrison said. “We originally called a pass but we had run the power formation a couple of times and we thought that they may bite on that and then we picked up the penalty and got us a little closer and we decided to try and run it in. Luckily it all worked out and the boys played one heck of a game and fought their butts off all night.”