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By BRANDON SUMRALL/SPECIAL

The Chilton County Tigers were forced to double check their chinstraps on Sept. 13 as the visiting Central Tuscaloosa Falcons brought plenty of fight with them in a game that would go down to the wire as a last second goal line stand by the Tigers would see a fumble recovered by Travon Bostic give the Tigers a hard fought 14-7 victory.

The Tigers would win the opening coin toss while choosing to defer to the second half, meaning that the Falcons would start the nights contest with possession. However, it would be the Tigers that would find pay dirt first thanks to a scoop and score by Kevonte Robinson that would put the Tigers up early, 7-0.

The Chilton lead would be short lived, however, as the visiting Falcons would answer with a 60-yard scoring drive of their own that would be capped on a 2-yard touchdown run by Javonta Leatherwood that would tie the game at seven all still early in the first quarter.

With both teams defense pitching a shutout through the remainder of the first half while each teams offense would struggle to find a way to pick up yards, the teams would head to the locker room with the score remaining tied at 7-all.

The theme would continue in to the second half as the hard knocks continued and each teams defense would continue to shut out the opposing offense. In addition to penalty yards piling up for each team, the game would move deep in to the fourth quarter with the game still tied at seven.

With 3:10 remaining in regulation, the Tigers would take over first and 10 at their own 40-yard line where a pair of runs by Shi Keem Laister of 11 and 14 yards would move Chilton out across the midfield stripe where two plays later Devonta Robinson would take it off the right side 35-yards to the house to put the Tigers on top 14-7 with 3:16 remaining in the game.

The Falcons would take over first and 10 at their own 36 with 3:09 remaining and facing a touchdown deficit. Two big runs by Javonta Leatherwood of 14 and 28 yards would move Central down inside the Chilton County red zone, where the Falcons would go to work first and 10 at the Tiger 19.

Runs of 8 and 7 yards by the Falcons would move the ball down to the 7, where a pass interference called against the Tigers would set Central up first and goal at the 4 with 23 seconds remaining. Second down would see the Falcons unable to advance while a third and goal at the 4 would see a fumble by the Falcons that would be covered up by Chilton County’s Bostic that would secure a 14-7 win for the Tigers.

“We had a ton of penalties including a couple thrown on me. I told them if they were going to throw flags on everyone, I might as well join in on the fun too,” said head coach Tal Morrison. “The kids fought hard defensively the entire game. First series on defense we get the scoop and score. Those was the only points we had the entire game until our last drive. Offense sputtered the entire night. We would hit a big play a couple times and look like we were going to come alive but a missed execution or assignment would set us back. As a team we figured out a way to win the game and that has something that has been something that has been lacking for a long time and I could be more proud of them for it.”

Laister again led the Chilton County ground game with 81 yards on 12 carries, while Kevonta Robinson and Sergio Romero Rodriguez anchored the Tiger defense with nine tackles each.

With two wins under the belt, Chilton County will prepare for rivalry week starting Monday morning as the Tigers next foe will be the Jemison Panthers. Kickoff next Friday night, Sept. 20, from the J-hop is at 7 p.m.

“I would love to tell you that it is just another game and that is the way we approach it, but its not,” said Morrison. “It is a great rivalry. There is a lot of love and hate back and fourth between the two schools but there is also a level of respect. The thing I love about it is that it is hard fought and hard nosed. It is the way football should be and I really enjoy the rivalry between the two schools.”