CHOCOWINITY — A corralling defensive effort coupled with some timely touchdowns allowed the Washington Colts to top the Chocowinity Indians in a battle of undefeated teams in the 9-10-year old division of the Washington Youth Football League Saturday at the Chocowinity Recreation Complex.
The Colts (4-0-1) swarmed all over Indians’  star running back Jabari Nelson and came up with key scores in the second and fourth quarter to preserve the zero in their loss column on Saturday.
“Every week it’s a big game but Chocowinity has a really good program (Indians coach) Carlton (Godley) does a good job with his team and they are always well coached,” Washington coach Walt Gerard said. “They always seem to be at the top so when we play them it’s a big game.”
The Indians (4-1) played hard but in the end fell just short of topping their rivals.
“They came out and played better than us today,” Godley said. “Our kids fought hard but it just wasn’t our luck day today.”
The majority of the game was a defensive battle but the Colts punctured the Indians’ defense in the second quarter when quarterback Walt Gerard bounced to the right side of the field and turned on the jets for a 32-yard TD run to take a 6-0 lead at the 6:01 mark.
“Walt’s a good hard runner,” Gerard said. “He was able to get to the outside and able to beat them to the goal line.”
After a scoreless third quarter, the Indians struck back late in the fourth as a long Nelson run set up a first-and-goal situation inside the 10. One play later Nelson scrambled for a 5-yard TD run, and after the Indians cashed in on their two-point conversion, held an 8-6 lead with 3:32 left to play.
“He had a great game. He plays hard every weekend,” Godley said of Nelson. “He’s a great kid and he gives you everything he’s got.”
If the Colts got down after the late score they never showed it.
“I just told them ‘Hey, there’s the rest of the game to play. Do what you’re supposed to and give 110 percent,’” Gerard said.
Washington recovered the ensuing kick at the Indians’ 30-yard line and on the next play handed the ball off to Christian Woolard who bolted down the left side of the field for the game-winning touchdown.
“He’s got good hands and if we get him to the outside he’s usually gone,” Gerard said. “They were sucking in and that toss is usually there and Christian just beat them to the outside.”
The Indians had one last offensive possession but once again the Colts’ defense stood tall thanks to a solid team effort.
“Every week our game plan is 11 hats to the ball, peruse the ball and don’t stop till the whistle blows,” Gerard said. “If you do those things you stop people. … Tyler Harris, James Corprew and Zychal Moore, Miller Lee an Jonathan Foreman really stepped up for us today.”

Washington Colts    0    6    0    6    —    12
Chocowinity Indians    0    0    0    8    —    8

Scoring summary
WC — Walt Gerard 32 run (two points failed), 6:01, 2nd.
CI — Jabari Nelson 5 run (No. 18 two points), 3:32, 4th.
WC — Christian Woolard 30 run (two points failed), 2:59, 4th.