Chiefland capitalizes on Branford miscues

Published 1:26 am Saturday, September 1, 2018

BRANFORD, Fla. — Two plays into the game, it looked like maybe it was going to be Branford’s night.

The final two plays before halftime, though, proved it was going to go Chiefland’s way instead at Buccaneer Stadium.

Chiefland 47, Branford 15

First Quarter

BHS — Dakota Hamm 1 run (Trey White kick).

Second Quarter

CHS — Amonte’ Young 18 pass from Ty Corbin (Noah Nguyen kick).

CHS — Jarrett Jerrels 3 run (kick wide left).

CHS — Aidan Horne 30 fumble return (run failed).

CHS — Corbin 5 run (Nguyen kick).

Fourth Quarter

BHS — Clay Williams 7 pass from Seth Heiderman (Heiderman run).

CHS — Sedrick Moultrie 4 run (Nguyen kick).

CHS — Forlepay Jenkins 35 interception return (Nguyen kick).

CHS — Hunter Barrand 2 run (Nguyen kick).

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Chiefland, Jalen Rutledge 6-68, Moultrie 2-48, Wyatt Hammond 4-34, Kirk Williams 8-31, Jenkins 1-21, Cole Carter 3-13, Barrand 7-11, Jerrels 1-3, Corbin 13-(minus-12). Branford, White 1-6, Hamm 4-4, Trevon White 5-4, Heiderman 2-2, Jevin Johnson 4-2, Markell Pugh 1-1, Williams 1-0, DJ Hannah 5-(minus-4), Aaron McQuay 9-(minus-6), CJ Pepper 2-(minus-9).

PASSING — Chiefland, Corbin 3-4-1 41. Branford, Johnson 4-10-1 129, Heiderman 4-8-2 36.

RECEIVING — Chiefland, Young 2-38, Barrand 1-3. Branford, Pepper 4-117, Colton Leibold 3-41, Williams 1-7.

Following a lightning delay of nearly 90 minutes, the Indians used two scores off Branford turnovers, including a fumble recovery and subsequent touchdown on the final two offensive snaps of the first half to pull away from the Bucs. Chiefland then piled it on in the second half for a 47-15 rout, including 27 points off turnovers.

“It was a tale of two halves,” Branford coach Tim Clark said. “The first half we came out and with our physicality, they weren’t expecting as much fight as we brought them and it was dead even.

“We were smart with the football. We were aggressive and played really sound.”

Tied at 7 midway through the second quarter when lightning in the area caused the delay, Chiefland (2-0) came out of the break and pulled ahead for good three minutes later on a 3-yard Jarrett Jerrels touchdown run.

Then the floodgates opened even though the rain had stopped prior to the end of the delay.

An Aaron McQuay fumble on Branford’s next snap was returned 30 yards for a touchdown.

The Indians appeared ready to convert another Buc turnover — this time a Jevin Johnson interception — into points when CJ Pepper picked off a Chiefland pass at the goalline with 19 seconds remaining in the half.

However, Branford fumbled again on the next play and the Indians tacked on a 5-yard touchdown on a Ty Corbin bootleg to take a 26-7 lead into a shortened halftime.

“We turned it over a couple times and from there, I just wish we had seen a little more fight,” Clark said.

The Bucs (1-1) pulled within two scores early in the fourth when Seth Heiderman found Clay Williams in the end zone from 7 yards out and then Heiderman powered his way into the end zone for a two-point conversion to make it 26-15.

An interception on the next drive, though, stopped Branford’s momentum.

The Indians scored a 4-yard Sedrick Moultrie run on the next play and then returned an interception for a touchdown one minute later to go up 40-15. Branford turned the ball over five times total.

Chiefland, which rushed for 216 yards as a team, added a 2-yard Hunter Barrand scoring run with 3:31 to go for the final margin.

Pepper, who finished with 117 yards on four catches to go along with the interception, sparked the Bucs early when he a deflected pass bounced his way on the second offensive snap and he raced down to the Chiefland 2 before being tackled.

Three runs later, Dakota Hamm hit pay dirt and the Bucs led 7-0 with 9:39 left in the first.

Branford kept that lead until Amonte’ Young hauled in an 18-yard Corbin pass with Heiderman draped on him with 9:48 left in the second quarter that tied it.

Branford, which rushed for 400 yards in its season opener, finished with just 165 yards of total offense Friday — all coming through the air. The Bucs were held to zero rushing yards on 34 attempts.

“They’re just huge up front,” Clark said about the Indians’ run defense. “Credit them, they do a great job with their scheme up front on the defensive line and they’re big and they’re fast.

“That’s a good football team.”

UP NEXT

Branford gets a much-needed bye week after a physical matchup with the Indians took its toll on the Bucs. Branford hosts Trenton on Sept. 14. The Tigers are 0-2.