Hornets ride strong 2nd half to region victory

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Photo by Erin Nelson Starnes Media

Chelsea’s Chad Carbonie (33) celebrates after intercepting a pass during a game between Carver-Birmingham and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Chelsea High School. Chelsea defeated Carver-Birmingham 32-10. Photo by Erin Nelson

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Chelsea’s Ladarius Gary (2) and Chelsea’s Michael Gibbs (6) celebrate in the end zone following Gary’s touchdown during a game between Carver-Birmingham and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Chelsea High School. Chelsea defeated Carver-Birmingham 32-10. Photo by Erin Nelson

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Chelsea’s Collier Blair (1) runs the ball during a game between Carver-Birmingham and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Chelsea High School. Chelsea defeated Carver-Birmingham 32-10. Photo by Erin Nelson

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Chelsea’s Collier Blair (1) crosses the goal line for a touchdown during a game between Carver-Birmingham and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Chelsea High School. Chelsea defeated Carver-Birmingham 32-10. Photo by Erin Nelson

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The Chelsea offense huddles during a timeout in a game between Carver-Birmingham and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Chelsea High School. Chelsea defeated Carver-Birmingham 32-10. Photo by Erin Nelson

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Photo by Erin Nelson Starnes Media

Chelsea’s Michael Gibbs (6) runs the ball during a game between Carver-Birmingham and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Chelsea High School. Chelsea defeated Carver-Birmingham 32-10. Photo by Erin Nelson

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Chelsea’s Caleb Moore (10) catches the snap during a game between Carver-Birmingham and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Chelsea High School. Chelsea defeated Carver-Birmingham 32-10. Photo by Erin Nelson

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Chelsea’s Cameron Hinson (31) carries the ball on an interception during a game between Carver-Birmingham and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Chelsea High School. Chelsea defeated Carver-Birmingham 32-10. Photo by Erin Nelson

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Photo by Erin Nelson Starnes Media

Chelsea’s Caleb Moore (10) hands the ball to Chelsea’s Collier Blair (1) during a game between Carver-Birmingham and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Chelsea High School. Chelsea defeated Carver-Birmingham 32-10. Photo by Erin Nelson

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Chelsea’s Cameron Hinson (31) is brought down by Carver-Birmingham’s Pha'landez Carter (13) following an interception during a game between Carver-Birmingham and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Chelsea High School. Chelsea defeated Carver-Birmingham 32-10. Photo by Erin Nelson

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Chelsea’s Jordan Smth (7) runs the ball during a game between Carver-Birmingham and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Chelsea High School. Chelsea defeated Carver-Birmingham 32-10. Photo by Erin Nelson

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Photo by Erin Nelson Starnes Media

Chelsea’s Caleb Moore (10) looks to throw the ball during a game between Carver-Birmingham and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Chelsea High School. Chelsea defeated Carver-Birmingham 32-10. Photo by Erin Nelson

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Chelsea’s Ladarius Gary (2) runs the ball on the return during a game between Carver-Birmingham and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Chelsea High School. Chelsea defeated Carver-Birmingham 32-10. Photo by Erin Nelson

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Photo by Erin Nelson Starnes Media

Chelsea’s Caleb Moore (10) throws the ball during a game between Carver-Birmingham and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Chelsea High School. Chelsea defeated Carver-Birmingham 32-10. Photo by Erin Nelson

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Chelsea’s Michael Gibbs (6) catches a pass during a game between Carver-Birmingham and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Chelsea High School. Chelsea defeated Carver-Birmingham 32-10. Photo by Erin Nelson

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Photo by Erin Nelson Starnes Media

Carver-Birmingham’s Pha'landez Carter (13) is brought down by Chelsea’s Cameron Hinson (31) during a game between Carver-Birmingham and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Chelsea High School. Chelsea defeated Carver-Birmingham 32-10. Photo by Erin Nelson

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Chelsea’s Ladarius Gary (2) runs through a tackle by Carver-Birmingham’s Shakir Ra'oof (12) during a game between Carver-Birmingham and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Chelsea High School. Chelsea defeated Carver-Birmingham 32-10. Photo by Erin Nelson

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CHELSEA -- Chelsea High School’s football team was not too proud of a mistake-laden effort in the first half of Friday’s game against visiting Carver-Birmingham.

The Hornets took out their frustrations on the Rams in the second half, scoring 26 straight points to turn a four-point halftime deficit into a 32-10 victory in their first region game of the season.

Strangely enough, it was yet another mistake early in the third quarter that proved to be the turning point. Down 10-6 at intermission, the Hornets took the kickoff 81 yards downfield in 3 1/2 minutes, only to fumble the ball away on the Rams’ 1-yard line. But two plays later, Chelsea bottled up Carver quarterback Matthew Young in his own end zone. Young tried to get the ball away, but was flagged for intentional grounding, giving the hosts two points on an automatic safety.

That play was the turning point for the Hornets, as they took the ensuing free kick and moved quickly into Rams territory, finishing off with a 2-yard touchdown charge by running back Collier Blair, who ran the ball on five of the drive’s seven plays. The two-point conversion gave Chelsea its first lead of the game at 16-10, an advantage it would not relinquish.

Four minutes later, Blair took the scenic route in a winding 36-yard run to the end zone. And with 9:39 left in the game, fullback Jordan Smith took advantage of a Carver defense that was clearly dazed and back on its heels, cruising 8 yards up the middle for the touchdown.

“We knew we were making some mistakes in the first half,” Hornets coach Dustin Goodwin said. “We challenged our guys at halftime and they responded well, like we hoped they would. The mistakes weren’t really any one thing — holding penalties, turnovers, missed tackles. It was across the board.

“Our guys focused and did their job in the second half. We couldn’t afford to give [Carver] a lot of time. We needed to force them to make quick decisions,” Goodwin added.

The rushing game was in full attack mode in the second half, finishing the game with 269 yards on 46 carries. Blair accounted for 117 of those yards on 18 carries, with Smith adding 47 on eight rushes.

Hornets quarterback Caleb Moore improved his stats in the second half as well, finishing with 16 completions on 23 attempts for 174 yards, with one interception. He found Ladarius Gary in the back corner of the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

Kicker Cooper Neal added a 42-yard field goal with 3:10 left in the game.

Carver took advantage of big plays in the first half to take the early lead. Young set up the Rams’ lone touchdown with a 30-yard pass to Shakir Ra’oof, then got the score with a toss to Pha’Landez Carter out in the flat. Carter outran his coverage for 44 yards and the score. Andy Olascoaga Baltazar also kicked a 30-yard field goal with 1:05 left in the first quarter, which came after a Chelsea fumble and a 55-yard run by Carter. That run was actually longer than Carver’s total team rushing, as the Hornet defense forced losses on 10 running plays.

It’s the second straight win for Chelsea (2-1, 1-0 in Class 6A, Region 5). Chelsea plays at Jackson-Olin next week. Carver (0-3, 0-1) travels to Russell County.

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