By RICKY RUSTON/ For the Reporter

CENTREVILLE – The Shelby County Wildcats traveled to Centreville Friday night to take on the Bibb County Choctaws and a track meet broke out with the Wildcats falling 55-32.

As regions play begins, Shelby County (1-1) looked to repay the favor from a year ago when they lost to the Choctaws on the account of a botched point after attempt that would have sent the game into overtime.

Right out of the gate, the Shelby County offense built momentum by putting together an opening drive that was halted when Tyrone Buie coughed up the football on the Choctaw 29-yard line.

As the first quarter came to a close, Shelby County was forced to punt away the ball from their own 45-yard line and the Choctaw defense brought an all out blitz, blocked the punt and rumbled in for the first score of the night.

On the ensuing kickoff, Buie swung the pendulum in the Wildcats favor with an 87-yard kickoff return to put the Wildcats in business at the Choctaw 3-yard line where fullback Darion Sutton found the end zone from 3 yards out.

The point after attempt was no good and the Choctaws held the 7-6 lead to open up the second quarter.

Bibb County countered with a scoring drive on their next possession when senior running back Zach Stacy bolted to the end zone from the 10-yard line to put the Choctaws out to a 13-6 lead.

With the game clock quickly approaching halftime, the Choctaw defense repeated itself and blocked another Wildcat punt at the Shelby County 47-yard line.

Set up by a 22-yard pass from the hand of Choctaw quarterback L.A. Goree to Stacy, the Choctaws found the end zone yet again with a 3-yard run from Charles Conwell.

After a successful two-point conversion, Bibb County took a 21-6 lead into the half.

The Choctaws came out with a vengeance in the second half with Stacy scoring on a 45-yard halfback reverse, a 36-yard reception, and a 28-yard run on their first three possessions.

The Wildcats fought back and Sutton hit the end zone on a 7-yard run as time expired in the third quarter. As the last quarter waited in the wings, Shelby County would find themselves trailing 42-14.

With sophomore quarterback Braten Dill at the helm, the Wildcats traded blows with the Choctaws and put 18 points on the board in the fourth quarter while Bibb County only had 13.

Dill finished the night with a touchdown on the ground and through the air, completing 12-of-15 pass attempts and two interceptions.

Sutton graced the end zone three times with Buie adding a 46-yard touchdown reception.

Shelby County could have given up and accepted the defeat, but they chose not to.

Exhausted and worn down, they fought to the end and Wildcat head coach Ryan Herring knows that.

“The kids played hard tonight and never gave up. We never quit,” Herring said.

“We didn’t execute on some things and we have to do a better job coaching.

That is what it boils down to.”

Shelby County will host Demopolis Friday at Papa McCombs Stadium at 7 p.m.

football: shelc