Final stand pushes Chipley past Marianna (See Scores)

MARIANNA — Generations of Marianna fans and hoards of Chipley’s faithful descended upon Bulldog Stadium for one of the most anticipated homecomings of the year.

It wasn’t because they were going to see their old high school friends.

Rob Armstrong returned to Marianna, where he coached the Bulldogs for three seasons, as coach of the Chipley Tigers.

Instead of a bloodbath, however, the neighbors were treated to a track meet. But when defense needed most, the Tigers stopped the Bulldogs (4-4, 1-2) in the final seconds and came away with a 49-42 win in District 1-2B.

The teams combined for 13 touchdowns and 964 yards rushing. Chipley finished with 497 yards and Marianna had 467.

“The thing we did tonight that we haven’t done, we finished drives,” said Armstrong, dripping wet from a Gatorade bath.

Chipley (3-4, 1-1) tested Marianna’s contain defense all night, sending Shonquelle Swain and Johnny Watford to the edges. That stretched the Bulldogs enough where an inside handoff play to Colby Hartzog allowed him to break loose for runs of 39, 43, 22, 42 and 37 yards.

That was a major part of his 206 yards and one touchdown on 14 carries. Watford had 140 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries and Swain had 115 yards and three touchdowns, also on 16 carries.

Marianna’s Tre Jackson had 224 yards and three scores on 14 carries. R.J. Bowers had 119 yards and one touchdown on eight carries.

“We couldn’t stop it,” Marianna coach Steve DeWitt said. “I told them we can’t give up 49 points and expect to win.”

The Tigers trailed 22-20 at halftime, and it was starting to look like Marianna was going to have something to celebrate for its Homecoming. Marianna’s Tre Jackson ran the first play of the second half 48 yards for a touchdown, increasing the Bulldogs’ lead to nine. Jackson’s touchdown was one of six covering 48 yards or longer.

Marianna ensuing kickoff went out of bounds. When Chipley asked for a re-kick, Marianna recovered and scored four plays later to take a 35-20 lead.

Then Chipley leaned on Watford’s speed. He scored his two touchdowns in the second half on runs of 5 and 66 yards, capping back-to-back drives that tied it 35-35.

Swain, who scored two touchdowns in the first half, gave Chipley a 42-35 lead on a 5-yard run with 6:35 left in the game. Marianna didn’t waste any time tying the game again behind Jackson’s third touchdown of the game, a 54-yard run with 5:07 left.

After scoring at such a rapid pace, the Tigers slowed down and ran off more than 3 minutes of the clock. Watford scored the go-ahead touchdown from the 10 with 1:57 left.

“I’m just proud of the season we’ve had and how we’ve had all these close calls,” Armstrong said. “We had a great week and it paid off.”

• Chipley 7 13 15 14 – 49
• Marianna 7 15 13 7 – 42
• First quarter
• CHS: Swain 17 run (Bozarth kick), 6:00
• MHS: Jackson 71 run (Rudd kick), 2:47
• Second quarter
• CHS: Swain 3 run (Bozarth kick), 10:03
• MHS: Montgomery 57 run (Rudd kick), 5:21
• CHS: Hartzog 5 run (kick failed), 1:30
• MHS: Bowers 58 run (Jackson run), :35
• Third quarter
• MHS: Jackson 48 run (Rudd kick), 11:42
• MHS: Bowers 18 run (kick failed), 9:56
• CHS: Watford 5 run (Bozarth kick), 6:59
• CHS: Watford 66 run (Watford run), 1:23
• Fourth quarter
• CHS: Swain 5 run (Bozarth kick), 6:35
• MHS: Jackson 54 run (Rudd kick), 5:07
• CHS: Watford 10 run (Bozarth kick), 1:57