The Sequoyah Chiefs have slowly been climbing the ranks in preseason scrimmages.

First came games against a pair of 1A teams. Then it was 2A Loudon.

On Friday night, the Chiefs took on Meigs County, who, along with Sequoyah, are members of Region 3-3A.

It was the Tigers who took the win, though, in the first quarter of the Loudon Jamboree, topping the Chiefs 14-6.

The Tigers beat Sequoyah by an almost identical score in last year’s jamboree when they won 14-7.

And, like last year, a turnover on a snap hurt the Chiefs’ chances at a win.

Meigs County opened the quarter on offense and used several big runs to get on the scoreboard first. The Tigers capped their opening drive with a 29-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-eight on a quarterback draw up the middle.

With the extra point, Meigs led 7-0 while taking 3:59 off the clock.

The Chiefs responded immediately, however, as Nick Carson caught a pass from Elisha Moser and raced 55 yards before being tackled. A block in the back penalty brought the play back, but Jacob White answered with a 36-yard run on the next play.

After advancing the ball 13 more yards, a fumbled snap resulted in a turnover as Meigs County recovered the fumble.

The Tigers again gashed the Chiefs defense on their way to another touchdown run, this time from three yards out. 

The extra point was added, making the score 14-0.

Once again the Chiefs’ offense responded, this time moving the ball downfield through the air.

Moser was 4-of-7 for 49 yards on the drive, including a completion of 12 yards to Adam Brewster on fourth-and-5 that kept the Sequoyah drive alive.

White finished the drive with a 14-yard touchdown scamper. Derrick Graves missed the extra point and the score remained 14-6.

The Tigers ran out the clock to end the game on its next drive.

Sequoyah will now prepare to host archrival Sweetwater on Friday.

Kickoff for the annual showdown is slated for 7:30 p.m.