The Chapel Hill Tigers defeated the East Chapel Hill Wildcats 29-27, ending the Wildcats’ hopes of breaking a long losing streak against a crosstown rival.

East Chapel Hill couldn’t have asked for a better start. The Wildcats scored on two touchdown passes from Brater Gerber to Will Schmidt in the first quarter, giving East an early 14-0 lead and all the momentum.

Chapel Hill climbed back into the game, though, off the arm of quarterback Alec Stough. The Tigers scored twice to tie the game at 14 and got a safety late in the second quarter to take a 16-14 lead.

After an East Chapel Hill score, Stough led the Tigers on a nice drive and punctuated it with a one-yard QB sneak to put Chapel Hill ahead 22-20.

After a fumble by East Chapel Hill on the next drive, the Tigers were right back in scoring position and Stough capitalized again. This time, it was a 42-yard pass to Caleb Colson. That touchdown made the score 28-20, and after a successful point after attempt made longer by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, the Tigers were up nine points and in control of the game.

East Chapel Hill scored a touchdown to come within two points, but it was too late. The ensuing onside kick attempt did not go 10 yards and Chapel Hill ran the clock out.

TURNING POINT

Chapel Hill got a late safety to go ahead 16-14 when a bad snap sailed over punter Will Schmidt’s head and into the endzone. That play gave the Tigers their first lead of the night and momentum heading into halftime.