Hornets aim to get off to hot start

The Chelsea High School football team has started each of the last two seasons with a red-hot 5-0 record, but each season unfolded much differently.

In 2014, the Hornets dropped four consecutive region games after that start and missed the playoffs. Last fall, Chelsea won two of its last three to keep its head above water and qualify for the state playoffs.

It remains to be seen how the Hornets’ first five games go this year, but after matchups with Oak Mountain and Briarwood, the Class 6A, Region 3 slate begins Sept. 2 against Wetumpka.

“I like having two regulation football games before it starts counting for real,” said Chelsea head coach Chris Elmore. “We’ve got two opponents right out of the gate … that are going to test us.”

Elmore said he thinks playing two opponents accustomed to competing at a high level to kick the season off will only benefit the Hornets moving forward.

“Whatever the results, I know we’ll find something about ourselves in those two games that’ll make us better for that first region game,” he said. “It’s important for us. Obviously we want to win both of those games, but more importantly, we’ll find out playing those two teams where we are, what we need to improve, what we need to fix.”

Those two games will help a defense a little wet behind the ears gain experience, as the Hornets lost a handful of seniors, some in key spots, according to Elmore. Repetitions in summer 7-on-7 events were helpful, but real-game experience cannot be duplicated.

Chelsea and Wetumpka have faced off twice before, in 2012 and 2013, with Wetumpka claiming both contests in high-scoring fashion. Wetumpka is a new addition to Region 3, as the AHSAA reclassified before the 2016-17 academic year.

The following week, Sept. 9, the Hornets travel to Alexander City to take on Benjamin Russell, always a tough opponent and one that has defeated the Hornets easily each of the last two seasons.

“We went into that Ben Russell game (last year) banged up and had a lot of guys out,” Elmore said, noting that the team made minor tweaks to its offseason strength and conditioning program with the goal of avoiding that scenario in 2016. “We think that’s paid off. We feel like we’re in better shape than we’ve ever been, and that fits with our philosophy offensively and team-wise. We’re going to have to play fast. So I’d be interested to see how that works out.”

Chelsea makes a visit to Pelham Sept. 16 to face the Panthers, also a new face in the region. Pelham is attempting to rebound from a 1-9 campaign in 2015.

The Hornets are just 2-6 all-time against Pelham, but won a 55-34 decision in the programs’ most recent meeting in 2013.

Gardendale comes to Chelsea Sept. 23 in a non-region matchup before the Hornets have a week off the last Friday of the month.