Chipley takes frustrations out on Graceville

CHIPLEY — It didn’t matter Friday night that Chipley’s week was interrupted twice by a one-quarter playoff.

It didn’t matter that the Tigers were playing just two days after they were eliminated from the Class 2B playoffs.

It didn’t matter at all.

The Tigers gave a performance they wished had come a few days earlier, winning their season finale 33-20 over the Graceville Tigers at Phillip Rountree Stadium.

“You got to give our kids credit for the week they had,” Chipley coach Rob Armstrong said. “We were supposed to play Monday. We didn’t. We had to get ready Tuesday. We played Wednesday and we got ready (for Graceville) Thursday.

“In 13 years, I ain’t never heard of anything like that.”

Across the field, a season’s worth of frustration boiled over for Graceville (3-7), which was whistled for 12 penalties including five personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct flags.

Graceville’s Leron Hoover led all rushers with 171 yards on 23 carries. Chipley’s Colby Hartzog had 115 on 19 rushes and Shonquelle Swain had 85 yards and three touchdowns.

The first half was a seesaw of scores and ended with Chipley (5-5) ahead 18-12 on two runs by Swain, and an unexpected 12-yard TD pass from quarterback Josh Myers to Josh Smith.

Graceville quarterback Jacky Miles scored both his team’s touchdowns on runs of 3 yards each.

As Graceville’s glue came undone, Chipley started putting the visitors away.

Johnny Watford extended Chipley’s lead to 25-12 with a 14-yard touchdown run to cap its first drive of the second half. Graceville fumbled its next possession away to Chipley, but it couldn’t capitalize. On the ensuing series, however, Miles received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and was ejected with 8:28 left in the fourth quarter.

Three plays after senior Casey Norris took the reins, he was sacked for a safety and Chipley led 27-12 with 7:58 left.

Swain scored his third touchdown on a 28-yard run 50 seconds later. Norris showed off his passing on his second series as he completed three for 69 yards, including a 24-yard scoring strike to Darrell Olds.

Graceville coach Todd Wertenberger said losing Miles wasn’t the difference in the outcome.

“We had to go to the Shotgun anyway,” he said.