Indians Get Tough Test in Scrimmage at Ft. Payne

The Chattooga Indians began the 2022 season Thursday night with a preseason scrimmage game in Ft Payne Alabama. The host Wildcats proved to be as tough as expected. During the Varsity Half of the game the score was 35 to 13 Ft Payne. The entire second half was played by Junior varsity and Freshman. There were many players for Chattooga that faced their first action of any kind on the high school level.

First Quarter

The Indians would start the scrimmage on offense and would go on an impressive 12 play drive mixed with run and pass but would fail to gain any points. Although the Indians did not earn any points they did flip the field position. Which in turn also managed to run over 6 minutes off the clock.

The Wildcats got their first crack at it on offense and went on a 10 play drive of their own. The drive was capped off by a short touchdown scamper by Wildcat Qb #7 Jake Barnes. The ensuing Indian possession spun its wheels and ended in a punt. That would take us to the end of the first quarter with the score 7-0 Fort Payne.

Second Quarter

In just the second play in the Quarter Wildcat Qb # 7 Jake Barnes hit #1 Skyler Cody in stride on the way to a 66 yard touchdown. The next Indian drive would end in an interception by the Wildcats at the Indians 32 yard line. Fort Payne would take advantage of the short field once again and backup Qb #5 Dax Varnadore would add more points to the scoreboard on a short touchdown run.

Chattooga’s next drive would be the shortest possession by either team all night. The Indians would hand the ball off to #3 Zaden Perry and he would scamper 75 yards off the right side for the first points of the evening for the Indians. The point after was good by new Indian kicker #72 Juan Roque. That would bring the score to 21-7 Fort Payne. The Wildcats would take the next drive down the field and this time #24 Running back Bennett Blanks would score from 15 yards out.

Chattooga’s offense would get going again as they did on their first possession of the night. This time the drive would be kickstarted by a 35 yard pass completion down the Indian sideline from #5 Brady Groce to #4 Trey Smith. Just a few plays later #5 Brady Groce connected with #11 Quarry Gibson for a 8 yard Touchdown pass. The PAT was missed and that sent the score to 28 – 13 Ft. Payne with less than 5 minutes to go in the second quarter.

The Wildcats would add one more score before the half on a 67 yard Touchdown pass from #7 Jake Barnes to #8 Brannon Oliver. That would conclude the scoring in the varsity period and would put the Scrimmage score to Fort Payne AL 35 Chattooga 13.

Next Friday Fort Payne (0-0) will open the regular season on the road in a non region battle vs the Scottsboro Wildcats (0-0). While Chattooga (0-0) will open its regular season at home in a non region matchup against the Lafayette Ramblers (0-0).