Hornets hold off Cullman for momentous road victory
CULLMAN – The Chelsea High School football team will be heading to the postseason with a burst of momentum.
On Friday night at Woodard Stadium, the Hornets (8-2, 4-2 Class 6A, Region 3) closed out regular-season play with a 45-38 non-region victory over Cullman (6-4, 4-2 Region 7). The triumph pushed Chelsea to its first eight-win season since 2010 and extended the team’s winning streak to three games.
“Our philosophy all week was, ‘It’s the next game. Let’s go win it,’ and we did that,” Hornets head coach Chris Elmore said. “I think anytime you keep wining it’s got to help you somehow.”
Propelled by quarterback Matthew Marquet’s five touchdowns and running back Zalon Reynolds’ 260 yards rushing, Chelsea had no issue moving the ball against a porous Bearcats’ defense.
Cullman, however, achieved an equal level of offensive success.
Bearcat running back Dawson Drake totaled four TDs, and quarterback Fletcher Jennings passed for 409 yards.
A pair of clutch fourth-quarter plays from Chelsea’s defense proved the difference in an otherwise high-scoring shootout.
Clinging to a 38-31 lead at the start of the final frame, Marquet tossed his first—and last—interception of the night to Cullman’s Owen Lovell. The turnover, which set the Bearcats up with possession past midfield, appeared to be the potential break Cullman had been searching for.
But Hornet defensive end Jalyn Miller diffused that ray of hope less than 30 seconds later. On the Bearcats’ second play of the drive, Miller intercepted Jennings.
Two plays after the pick, Marquet scampered for a 27-yard rushing touchdown – his fifth and final score of the night.
Miller’s pick marked Chelsea’s second interception. In a mirror of events, Hornet defensive back Bryson Hardy intercepted Jennings on the game’s second play. Marquet capitalized on the pick two plays later when he weaved through the defense for a 12-yard score.
“We made some turnovers, some interceptions, and we’ve always said that’s a huge part of our philosophy,” Elmore said. “You’ve got to create turnovers, and our guys did, which is probably the difference in the game. If we don’t get those interceptions, we probably don’t win.”
The Chelsea defense made another key stop as time ticked away in the fourth quarter. Holding onto a 45-31 lead with less than five minutes to play, the Hornets forced a turnover-on-downs at their own 15-yard line.
Although Cullman found the end zone once more, Chelsea’s red zone stop effectively ended the Bearcats' shot of forging a comeback.
“We’re just glad to get out of here with a win, honestly,” Marquet said. “Going into the playoffs with a win is a lot better than going in with a loss.”
Marquet finished the game 9-of-15 passing for 171 yards and 2 aerial TDs. On the ground, he rushed for 55 yards on 15 carries and 3 TDs. Lee Rickard paced the receiving corps with 72 yards and a touchdown.
Chelsea and Cullman will both start their playoff runs next Friday. Chelsea will host Bessemer City, and Cullman will play at Decatur.
“Bessemer’s got a great team, great defense. We’ll have to play well, so it’ll be challenge," Elmore said. "But our guys will be excited for it, and we’ll be ready to go.”
-- Mark McLaughlin contributed stats to this report.