Chipley beats MHS 49-42

It was Homecoming for the Marianna Bulldogs Friday night, but it was the return of former MHS coach Rob Armstrong to Bulldog Stadium that was the biggest story Friday night.

Armstrong, in his first year with Chipley after spending the last two seasons at Marianna, led his Tigers past MHS 49-42 in a thrilling upset.

The Tigers overcame a 15-point deficit in the second half to win and make a mess of the District 1-2B standings.

Chipley trailed 35-20 early in the third period, but outscored the Bulldogs 29-7 over the game’s final 22 minutes.

“I’m just happy for my kids and my coaches,” Armstrong said after the game, still wet from his players giving him a Gatorade shower after the win.

“Our guys have worked so hard and had so many close games this year that we just couldn’t finish off. But we’ve worked hard, we had a great week of practice and it paid off tonight.”

The Tigers, who improved to 3-4 on the season and 1-1 in district play, compiled 509 yards of total offense on the night, including 463 yards rushing with three running backs topping the 100-yard mark.

Colby Hartzog led the way with 200 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown.

Johnny Watford, who scored the go-ahead touchdown from 10 yards out with 1:57 to play, totaled 145 yards and three scores, with Shonquelle Swain adding 118 yards and three TDs as well.

It was a monster offensive performance by a Chipley offense that had only scored 20 points in one game this season.

“We’ve been moving the ball in between the twenties all year, but we could never finish drives off,” Armstrong said of his offense. “We just found a way to get it in tonight and that made all the difference.

“To finally come through and get it done in a game like this is just huge for the kids.”

As jubilant as the Chipley sideline was after the win, it was equally somber on the Marianna side.

The Bulldogs (4-4, 1-2) could’ve clinched a playoff berth with a win, now will have to hope that Pensacola Catholic beats Chipley Nov. 6 in Pensacola.

The Crusaders defeated Walton 24-20 Friday night to clinch a the district title and a playoff berth.

A win over the Tigers would create a three-way tie for second place between Chipley, Marianna and Walton.

How such a scenario would be resolved was unknown by both Armstrong and MHS coach Steve DeWitt after the game.

DeWitt said that it was no secret why the Bulldogs found themselves on the losing end Friday night.

“We just couldn’t stop them,” the coach said. “You can’t give up 49 points and expect to win. Chipley had a good plan and they took it to us. But we can’t let somebody score 49 points and think we can win.”

The Bulldogs were no slouches on offense themselves, racking up 480 total yards — all on the ground.

Tre Jackson rushed for 224 yards and three TDs in defeat, with RJ Bowers adding 127 yards and a TD.

Chris Bowers rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown.

MHS led 22-20 at halftime after a 58-yard RJ Bowers TD run and two-point play by Jackson put the Bulldogs in front with 35 seconds left in the second quarter.

The Bulldogs got the ball first to start the second half and quickly found the endzone on a 48-yard TD run by Jackson on the first play of the third period.

Marianna then got a big break when a pooch kick on the ensuing kickoff landed between Chipley players and was recovered by the Bulldogs’ Marjean Dean at the Tigers’ 30-yard line.

Four plays later, Chris Bowers found a crease in the middle of the defense for a 17-yard touchdown run.

The extra point by Ryan Rudd made it 35-20 MHS with 9:56 left in the third.

However, Chipley got the answer it needed on the next drive, getting a 48-yard run by Swain to set up a 4-yard TD run by Watford with 6:59 left in the third.

The extra point made it 35-27 and the Tiger defense forced a punt on Marianna’s next possession.

Two plays later, Watford scored again from 66 yards out, streaking down the right sideline for an easy touchdown with 1:23 left in the third.

Watford then converted the two-point play to tie the game at 35-35.

After a costly penalty, MHS started its next possession on its own 6-yard line.

The Bulldogs moved it out to their own 36-yard line but had to punt again.

Chipley took the ball next on its own 20 and marched 80 yards on eight plays, with a 42-yard burst by Hartzog setting up a 3-yard TD by Swain to make it 42-35 Tigers with 6:35 to play in the game.

It didn’t take Marianna long to respond, getting a 53-yard TD run by Jackson on the third play of the ensuing drive with 5:07 on the clock.

Chipley took over at its own 35-yard line in a tie game and needed just six plays to find the endzone again.

Watford converted a key 3rd-and-7 with an 11-yard run, then Hartzog burst through the middle for 37 yards to the MHS 10-yard line.

Watford scored on the next play, the extra point making it 49-42 with 1:57 to play.

Marianna had one last chance to rally from its own 35-yard line, but the Bulldogs ran out of time at the Chipley 30-yard line after Jackson was stopped on a 6-yard run.

MHS next heads on the road Oct. 30 to take on Port St. Joe, which was upset by the Blountstown Tigers Friday night.

Chipley hosts Holmes County Oct. 30 before its district finale in Pensacola Nov. 6.