Chilhowie stuns Fort Chiswell 35-7

By L.L. WIMMER/Correspondent

After three seemingly easy wins, the Fort Chiswell Pioneers were given a reality check this past Friday night as the Chilhowie Warriors pounded the Fort 35-7 in a non-district football game played at Chilhowie.
Johnse Hatfield worked hard for 140 yards on 20 carries, and Will Freeman’s touchdown late in the final quarter were the only bright spots for the Pioneers.
For Chilhowie, Brett Johnson (a junior) scored a career high five touchdowns and 207 yards.
In the turnover category, FC recovered two of three Warrior fumbles while Chilhowie intercepted the Pioneers four times.
Fort Chiswell took the opening kickoff at its own 16 and returned it to the FC 30. Two plays later Aaron Conley intercepted a Pioneer pass and returned it to the Fort’s 45.
Four runs between the tackles by Brett Johnson and Conley put the Warriors on the Pioneer 21. Johnson then carried up the gut for his first TD of the game. Daniel Ashby added the PAT, and Chilhowie led by seven with 9:13 left in the first quarter.
On the Fort’s second possession, the Pioneers picked up two first downs and moved from their 22 to the Warrior 30. The drive bogged down and facing a fourth and eight, FC went to the air. But Rhett Sturgill intercepted the pass for Chilhowie.
In three plays the Warriors moved from their 34 to the Fort’s 48. With a first and 10, Chilhowie coughed up the pigskin, and Justus Houston recovered for FC.
This time Fort Chiswell could do nothing as the Warrior defense stiffened and forced the Pioneers to punt.
Chilhowie, with a first on its own 26, saw Nick Romans slam the Warrior running back for a three yard loss. But then it got ugly for FC as Chilhowie ran five plays between the tackles to midfield as the first quarter ended with the host team on top 7-0.
The drive continued in the second period. Two plays only netted a yard but on third down, a pass play picked up a first to the FC 40. Two plays later, Johnson swept right and avoided tackles to give the Warriors their second TD of the night. The PAT was wide left, but with 9:34 left in the half, Chilhowie led 13-0.
After the kick, the Pioneer offense came alive as Freeman, Hatfield and Ray Rodriguez ran for four first downs from their 38 to the Chilhowie 15 where the drive fell apart. A bad exchange, an overthrown pass and a sack gave Chilhowie the ball on downs at its 17.
Once again the Warriors moved the ball, running between the tackles. With a first and 10 at the FC 44, Chilhowie coughed up the ball, and Hatfield recovered for FC on its own 39.
With time running out in the half, FC went to the air and once again Sturgill picked off the Pioneer pass and returned it to the Fort’s four.
Johnson ran straight ahead to cover the distance for his third TD of the game. He then carried up the middle for the two-point conversion to give Chilhowie a 21-0 advantage with 1:04 remaining in the half.
FC picked up a pair of first downs, but Sturgill intercepted his third Pioneer pass of the game as the half ended with CHS up 21-0.
Chilhowie took the second half kickoff at its 41 and mounted its best drive of the game. In 11 plays and taking five minutes off the clock, Johnson scored from the 18 for his fourth TD. Ashby was true on the PAT as Chilhowie extended its lead to 28-0.
The Pioneers were three and punt on their next possession.
Chilhowie started its next series on its 25 and took 10 plays to score as Johnson chalked up his fifth TD, from the 20 and straight up the gut. Ashby’s PAT was good and with one quarter remaining, Chilhowie had a commanding lead at 35-0.
Trey Jackson took the ensuing kickoff on the three-yard line and returned it to the Fort’s 25. Runs by Hatfield, Rodriguez and a pair of receptions by McKenzie Mabe moved the ball in 11 plays to the Chilhowie 6.
Freeman then ran up the middle for the Pioneer score. Casey Underwood added the PAT with 4:21 remaining.
Chilhowie ran out the clock on its next possession to take the win.

Ft. Chiswell 0 0 0 7 – 7
Chilhowie 7 14 14 0 – 35

Scoring:
C – Johnson 21 run (Ashby kick)
C – Johnson 38 run (kick failed)
C – Johnson 4 run (Johnson run)
C – Johnson 18 run (Ashby kick)
C – Johnson 20 run (Ashby kick)
FC – Freeman 6 run (Underwood kick)