HOMERVILLE — A defensive battle emerged from the 2015 version of the Swamp War, and when the dust settled it was Clinch who outlasted Charlton 14-7 to win a fifth consecutive game Friday night at Donald Tison Field.

The Panthers were led by running back Shannon Young, whose 190 rushing yards on 23 carries accounted for nearly 75 percent of the team’s total offense. The victory occurred in true Clinch County fashion, as the team completed just one pass for zero yards but still managed to manufacture enough offense to win the game.

It was Charlton, however, who seemed to make a statement from the opening whistle, as a short kickoff was returned for a touchdown by the Indians on the first play of the game. The play was negated due to a holding call, and after a quick three-and-out, Clinch took control.

Freshman phenom Trezman Marshall was limited in his return from a collar bone injury, but that didn’t stop Clinch’s ground threat from finding pay dirt two separate times.

Young, whose hard running style has wreaked havoc on opposing defenses for the duration of the season, did the majority of the heavy lifting, but it was Marshall who capitalized on the goal line.

The freshman’s first snap of the game came midway through the first quarter, but he turned it into a 3-yard plunge for a 6-0 lead. Then, with just 30 seconds remaining in the opening half, after a Young 69-yard run, Marshall found the end zone again to give the Panthers a sizeable 14-0 advantage at the break.

Ultimately, it was Charlton’s inability to generate big plays against the Clinch defense that decided the game. Both the Panthers and the Indians run similar offenses, and neither defense was remotely fooled by what the opposition ran.

Charlton quarterback Jimmy Nettles completed seven of his 11 pass attempts, but mustered just 48 yards while throwing one touchdown and two interceptions.

The Indians appeared to score another touchdown with seven minutes left in the game, but it was called back due to an ineligible man downfield.

The Panthers finished with 258 total yards, all on the ground, while the Indians managed just 197.

The victory pushed Clinch’s home record to 5-0 on the season and 8-1 overall as it kept its Region 2-A championship hopes alive at 5-1. The Panthers will conclude the 2015 regular season on the road next Friday versus Telfair County, while Charlton (6-2, 4-2) will look to get back on track at home against Lanier County.