Defense the key as Vernon edges Chipley 14-10

CHIPLEY – Defense led the way Friday night as Vernon held off Chipley to take a 14-10 opening-game win at Philip Rountree Stadium in Chipley.

Both teams took advantage of mistakes. Vernon struck first after a flubbed punt attempt by Chipley. Belton Snider went 25 yards on the next play and the extra pint made it 7-0 Yellow Jackets with 7:28 left in the first quarter.

Chipley recovered a Vernon fumble on the Jackets’ six and two plays later quarterback Caleb Cole scored from the one with 10:03 left in the first half, with the extra point making it a 7-7 tie. An interception in the end zone by the Tigers’ Johnny Watford stopped a Vernon drive to leave the game tied at the half.

Jacques Givens recovered a Vernon fumble early in the second half that led to a 27-yard field goal by Cody Sikora to give the Tigers a 10-7 lead with 8:27 left in the third quarter, but Vernon quickly came back. On a third and nine, quarterback John Johnson hit Ashonvi Davis on a screen. Davis cut upfield, cut back and went 47 yard for the score. Cody Small’s kick made it 14-10 Jackets with 5:07 left in the third.

Sharp Vernon defense doomed more than one Chipley drive in the second half. Keith Lee picked off a Tiger pass, Johnson nabbed another and Snider recovered a Chipley fumble. Chipley also played tough defense, blocking a Small field-goal attempt and stopping Vernon’s ground game.

“We have a pretty strong defense and I think everyone knows it,” said Vernon Coach Russ Rogers. “Chipley did a pretty good job in the first half too.”

“It was a great game with great intensity,” said first-year Chipley Coach Will Holley. “Both teams made mistakes – they got touchdowns and we got a field goal – that was the difference.”