Perry football made some progress Friday night in its bid to defeat Chandler High for the first time. Just not enough.

No. 6 Chandler scored on its first five possessions to build a 34-14 lead and staved off determined and No. 3 Perry, 44-35, in a 6A Premier Region game at John Wrenn Stadium.

Chandler (6-2, 1-0 region) won its fourth consecutive game while Perry (6-1, 0-1) tasted defeat for the first time in 2016. That taste likely wasn't as bitter as past years when it's been Chandler winning in a rout.

Chandler scored its first 34 points in the game's opening 16 minutes. Perry hung around in this one by outscoring Chandler 21-10  the rest of the way. In three previous meetings, Chandler defeated Perry by scores of 55-7, 56-21 and 56-10.

Chandler's offense rolled early and it was the usual cast of characters doing the damage. Running backs TJ Green and Ryan Johnson scored a pair of touchdowns each. Quarterback Jacob Conover threw for 272 yards and three TDs and wide out Johnny Johnson III tallied once and had a 102-yard receiving night on five receptions -- all in the first half..

The Wolves looked unstoppable the first half with Green rushing for 91 of his 141 yards during the first 24 minutes. Green also caught a 26-yard swing pass for a TD. Ryan Johnson rushed for 64 yards in the first half on just four carries and added an 80-yard kickoff return for a TD as the teams traded TDs for a 14-14 tie with 5:31 left in the first quarter. Johnson finished with 80 yards rushing.

The difference in the game ultimately was two unanswered touchdowns by Chandler in the final three minutes of the first period that gave the Wolves a 28-14 lead. Perry was unable to scale that two-TD gap until the final two minutes of the contest when Pumas quarterback Brock Purdy tossed his fifth TD pass of the game and fourth of the evening to wide out Nate James with 1:49 left. Perry was unable to get the ball back after a failed onside kick and Chandler gaining one first down to run out the clock.

Chandler wide receiver Gunner Romney was the key weapon for the Wolves in the second half. He caught a 68-yard TD pass from Conover on the first play of the second half for a 41-14 lead. Romney's 46-yard reception later in the quarter led to Chandler's final points - a 35-yard field goal by Cash Peterman. Romney's three receptions were worth 121 yards. 

Purdy completed 22 of 46 passes for 359 yards. He threw two interceptions and fumbled at Chandler's 22 early in the final period. Purday ahs thrown 20 TD passes in five games since returning to the lineup after a preseason injury sidlelined him the first two contests. Nate James caught seven passes for 117 yards. Purdy's other TD pass was to tight end Tate Speaker in the first period.

Chandler rushed for 207 yards in the first half and offered a heavy dose of the running game in the second half. The Wolves gained just 66 yards on the ground in the second half, but  their defense produced two takeaways to stall Perry scoring threats in the final period..