Godby Defeats Chiles, 35-17

By Tyler Powell

On September 19th, the Godby Cougars (2-3) hosted the Chiles Timberwolves (3-2) for their homecoming game. Godby started the season 0-3 but came into this matchup riding the momentum of their first win last week. The two teams last met during the 2024 season, with Godby coming out on top 14-6 in that matchup. Fans were in for an exciting night as both teams looked to assert themselves early in the season.

To start the game, both defenses held strong early, with both teams forcing punts, leading to a scoreless first quarter. After a few back-and-forth plays, Chiles opened the second quarter with a rushing touchdown from Gerald Clark, giving the Timberwolves a 7-0 lead and opening the gates for what would become an exciting stretch of football.

Godby immediately answered when Demaris Bunion electrified the home crowd by returning the kickoff for a touchdown, tying the game at 7-7. The Cougars’ offense then went to work, with quarterback Landon Dougherty connecting with receiver Jamarin Simmons for a touchdown pass, putting Godby up 14-7. Moments later, the Godby defense extended the lead when Devin Anderson intercepted a Chiles pass and returned it for a pick-six, making it 21-7.

Chiles responded quickly, as Thomas Matthews returned a kickoff for a touchdown, cutting the lead to 21-14. Before Godby’s next score, Kamren McMillan had a big run, continuing his string of strong gains throughout the night and helping set up the Cougars’ offense. Then, with less than a minute before halftime, Godby’s quarterback found Jamarin Simmons in the end zone again, sending the Cougars into the break with a 28-14 advantage.

Chiles opened the second half with a field goal from kicker Hagen Perdue, trimming the score to 28-17. Once again, Demaris Bunion struck back immediately, returning another kickoff for what would be his second special-teams touchdown of the night, stretching the lead to 35-17. From there, Godby’s defense took complete control, forcing turnovers and largely shutting down the Timberwolves’ offensive attempts. A late blocked field goal gave Chiles a small spark, but their final drive ended with an interception by safety Tylan Vickers, allowing Godby to run out the clock and secure the victory, 35-17.

Notable performances for Godby included ATH Demaris Bunion (Sr.) with two kickoff return touchdowns, ATH Jamarin Simmons (Jr.) with two receiving touchdowns, and Free Safety Devin Anderson (Sr.) with one pick-six. For Chiles, running back Gerald Clark (Sr.) with a rushing touchdown and Thomas Matthews (Sr.) with a kickoff return touchdown.