By CHRIS MEGGINSON | For the Reporter

COLUMBIANA – After falling short by six points in Week 4, the Shelby County Wildcats came together on offense to win its first game of the season Sept. 21, a 44-18 win over Marbury in Class 5A, Region 3 action. The win comes not only at home, but on a night the SCHS community honored childhood cancer survivors before the game.

“It was a big win. We were 0-4 and this was a region game, and we needed to win,” said SCHS head coach Heath Childers. “It was basically an elimination game from the playoffs for us and Marbury. Whoever lost tonight was going to be eliminated and whoever won is going to have a chance at getting in.”

Shelby County opened the game with an 8-0 first-quarter lead, but unloaded 30 points in the second quarter. Marbury collected touchdowns from Dantavius Bristow and Jakhiel Waller in the second quarter to make it 38-12 at halftime.

The Wildcats posted more than 500 yards on offense, including 381 yards rushing on 59 carries. Chase Holliman accounted for the other 128 yards on 5-of-7 passing and threw three touchdowns to Tyrese Goodman (64 yards), Greg Oliver (25 yards) and one to Isaac Montgomery, who had 35 yards on two catches.

Chase Franklin and Raheem Montgomery led the ground game, combining for more than 240 rushing yards. Franklin had 128 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, while Raheem Montgomery had 119 yards and a TD on 16 touches. Goodman scored the other rushing touchdown.

SCHS had 19 first downs in all.

“The offense really started finding themselves last week in Centreville at Bibb County. They’re a really good defensive football team, and we moved the ball extremely well on those guys last week and had an opportunity to win, but came up a little bit short,” Childers said. “The coaching staff and the kids built off the good things and the positives from that game and applied to this week.

Shelby County (1-4) will remain home Sept. 28 to host Moody in a non-region game.