Hornets beat Minor for 1st win
CHELSEA – A win on Homecoming is always sweet, but when its win No. 1 of the season, it makes it special.
The Chelsea High School football team (1-7,1-5 Class 6A, Region 5) put an end to its drought with a 31-27 come-from-behind win over Minor on Friday night.
“Any time you can get a win it’s a great thing. It’s always good to get the first one,” said first-year Chelsea head coach Dustin Goodwin. “We feel like we were real close several games during the season. We challenged our kids at halftime. They answered the bell, and we’re extremely happy with the way they played and finished the football game and were able to get a win. They deserve it.”
Chelsea picked up the win after shutting out Minor in the second half and overcoming a 10-point deficit, largely to the hands of quarterback Turner Griffin, who completed 22-of-30 passes for 316 yards and two touchdowns.
“He’s played well all year. He’s played outstanding for the most part," Goodwin said. "He’s done a good job managing our offense. He’ll make the throws when we need him to. He’s the leader of our offense."
The first half was a see-saw of scoring. Chelsea held Minor to a quick three-and-out to start the game and quickly moved down field before a fumble at the Minor 21-yard-line on a lateral pitch from Griffin to Collier Blair. The turnover set up an eight-play, 77-yard scoring drive for the Tigers.
JaVonte Vance gave Minor a 6-0 lead with a 6-yard touchdown run. The extra point was missed.
The Hornets drove the field again and got on the board, 6-3, on a Cooper Neal 41-yard field goal.
Five plays after the field goal, Vance found the end zone on a 23-yard run early in the second quarter. He finished the night with 131 yards on 18 carries and two scores.
Blair answered for Chelsea with a 13-yard touchdown run to keep the Hornets within three points, 13-10, with 8:26 to play in the half.
Chelsea got the stop it needed, but a Blair fumble near midfield was scooped up by NiJiel Broom and returned to the Chelsea 14. A holding penalty didn’t slow the Tigers, as Brenton White hit Alvin Means for a 26-yard touchdown pass to stretch Minor’s lead, 20-10.
The ping-pong battle continued with the Hornets answering in eight plays, covering 58 yards. Griffin connected with Todd Justice on the 11-yard touchdown to make it 20-17 with 1:14 to play in the half, but Minor answered with a 41-yard touchdown from White to Emery Bryant, 27-17.
Chelsea looked to add points before going into the locker room, but Neal missed a 45-yard field goal try to keep it a 10-point game at the half.
Griffin orchestrated and capped a 67-yard scoring drive to open the second half, scoring on a quarterback sneak from the 1 on a third-and-goal to pull back within three points, 27-24.
From there, the Chelsea defense stood strong to mount its second-half shutout, holding Minor below 100 yards in the third and fourth quarters combined.
“Our kids continued to fight and stepped up when they had to. Hats off to them,” Goodwin said of his defense’s performance.
After the Griffin touchdown, both teams traded punts, and then Chelsea posted a needed turnover on downs. Colby Clements and Justice stuffed Vance on fourth-and-1 at the Chelsea 33 with 19 seconds to play in the third quarter. Griffin went back to work, hitting Lando Nichols three times to move Chelsea down to the 21. Neal’s potential game-tying, 35-yard field goal missed wide, keeping Minor in front with 8:25 to play.
“Coop has kicked the ball all year, he just missed hitting those barely. I have complete confidence in him hitting those from this point on. I have complete confidence in him,” Goodwin said.
From there, the Hornets pushed the Tigers back and forced a short punt from the Minor 13. Taking over at the Minor 41, Griffin went to work, hitting Michael Gibbs on a 24-yard catch on fourth-and-6. The next play went 13 yards to Gibbs in the corner of the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown. Neal tacked on the extra point for a 31-27 lead.
“It was a blur. It happened so fast. I want to thank God for the catch,” Gibbs said. “We came with fast plays, moved at a fast pace and, I think we got them on our heels.”
After William Sullivan broke up a potential touchdown pass in the end zone, Nolan Forehand sealed the win with an interception at the Chelsea 7 with 1:17 to play to put the Hornets in victory formation.
Chelsea will travel to Calera High School (1-7, 1-5) on Oct. 26 to close out region action.
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