Tiffany Grady-Hudgins|Daily Times Union County Head Coach Steve Taneyhill talks to his offense during a timeout on Thursday.

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CHESTER — The Union County JV football team defeated Chester on Thursday, 18-6 to earn the Region III-AAA Championship title.

The Jacket defense was stout all night, holding Chester to a single touchdown that came in the opening minutes of the third quarter off a kickoff return.

Union County struck first late in the first quarter with a pick-six courtesy of Dierrius Currenton for a 6-0 lead.

Chester went three and out and the Jackets began a march down field with Christian Petty rushing three times for 40 yards setting up a 20-yard touchdown connection between quarterback Matt Barnett and Demarcus Brown for the 12-0 halftime score.

Chester’s special teams unit put six points up to open the third quarter with a 60-yard kick-off return.

Shotis Stewart picked off a Cyclones pass to bring the offense onto the field as the clock wound down to end the frame. The first play of the fourth quarter was a Dierrius Smith dive into the end-zone to pad Union County’s lead.

Venshay Beatty intercepted two passes in the fourth quarter to squash the Cyclones’ hopes of a comeback and the Jackets cruised to a 18-6 win for the region championship.