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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

Chilton County and Jemison High Schools played an electrifying classic on Aug. 29 that saw the Tigers narrowly escape at home with the 28-27 win. In a game that had everything and then some between two long-time rivals, it came down to a two-point conversion try by the Panthers over four hours after the opening kickoff.

The Tigers took control early as they marched down the field for a two-yard touchdown runs by Kelijah Lucas on their first two possessions to go up 14-0. The CCHS defense recorded quick stops on Jemison’s first two drives as all momentum went to the home team by the end of the first quarter.

Dark clouds hung above Tiger Stadium as rain was imminent and CCHS was driving again, but this time the Jemison defense got a stop and forced a punt. The Panthers got possession just before the rain, wind and lightning came rolling in, and the delay for rain and subsequent lightning lasted nearly two hours before action resumed at 9:10 p.m.

“I knew as soon as we went into that lightning delay that it was going to be a war (afterwards),” CCHS head coach Eddie Wall said. “That is tough for a kid to handle (a break) for an hour and a half, and I tried to keep them as serious as I could but I had to let them relax too. I told them before we came back out that it was going to be a war.”

The Panthers busted out a long wheel route completion to get things started after the delay. A.J. Ford busted into the end zone for a score to cap the drive and make it 14-7, and the war was on. The Tigers responded with a quick drive as Lucas took in his third rushing touchdown, this one from three yards out, to make it 21-7 midway through the second quarter.

Jemison continued their ground attack back on offense, and Ford got his second touchdown from two yards out to cut the lead to 21-14 where the game stood at halftime.

The Panthers received the second-half kickoff and were driving well until faced with a fourth down at the Tigers’ 22-yard line. They trusted their running game and picked it up on the ground, and quarterback Houston Harris took it in from two yards out later in the drive to tie the game at 21.

The teams traded quick defensive stops and Jemison lined up to punt, but the snap was muffed and gave CCHS great field position inside the 10-yard line. The next four plays were the most physical, and arguably most important, in the game as Jemison forced a fourth down and goal to go from the four-yard line. Tigers’ quarterback Logan Coppedge took the snap looking to pass but could not find a receiver. He rolled right before scrambling back to the left and finding the corner of the end zone for the score to put CCHS up 28-21.

The defenses traded punts again, which set up Jemison with the ball at the CCHS 35-yard line with just over five minutes left. The Panthers methodically worked their running game down the field, running time off the clock to have the game come down to this possession. The Tigers got to fourth down with 27 seconds left, and Harris dropped back to pass but was surrounded by defenders in what seemed like the game-winning stop. However, a horse-collar tackle was called on the defense, and Jemison was given a fresh set of downs at the four-yard line.

This time, Harris found Damian Stafford for the short touchdown toss to make it 28-27 with six seconds on the clock. The Panthers’ offensive line stayed right by the ball. Jemison head coach Rishard Davis appeared to have his mind made up for a while to go for the win if the opportunity presented itself, and they did.

The Panthers’ offense returned to go for the win, but CCHS got a great rush and forced the incomplete pass to hold on for their first win of 2024.

“After last week I did not ever expect to not have fight in us again,” Wall said. “We bowed up on that two-point play, and that is just how we are and we want to be in that position. It was such a fun game to be a part of.”

Chilton County (1-1) gets its first taste of Class 6A Region 3 action in its next game on Sept. 6 hosting Helena High School at 7 p.m. Jemison (0-2) begins its Class 5A Region 3 schedule on the same night and time hosting Selma High School.