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Photo by James Nicholas
Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s Holton Smith #17 avoids the last defender during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Donavan Bivins during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea RB Collier Blair #1 runs the ball during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Huffman’s Dequarrian Ezell #14 jumps to tackle the Chelsea runner during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea RB Collier Blair #1 runs the ball during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Huffman QB Justice Christian #4 during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea RB Collier Blair #1 avoids the Huffman Defender during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s Carson Freeman #37 jumps up to catch the kick off during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s Adam Reaves #9 during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s receiver dives for the catch during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s Gabe Ruffin #5 during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s Thomas Simpson #15 with the reception at the 1 yrd line during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Huffman RB Makhi Hughes #22 during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s Navy JROTC during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s Cheerleaders during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s Cheerleaders during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s Cheerleaders during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s Drum Majors during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s band members during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s students section during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s students section during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Selfie’s during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s ball boys during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s Pep Squad during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea players before a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
A quick prayer before a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s Donavan Bivins #6 before a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s Donavan Bivins #6 before a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea WR Holton Smith #17 gets the pass interference call in his favor during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Chelsea’s Dance line members during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea Football 2020
Huffman’s Byron Austin trips over a defender during a game between Chelsea and Huffman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, at Chelsea High School.
CHELSEA -- The Chelsea High School football team did what it had to do — from blocking an extra point, to scoring in overtime, to making a critical stop on a 2-point conversion in the extra frame – to beat visiting Huffman 35-34 Thursday night.
“I feel like I had a heart attack. A couple,” Chelsea head coach Dustin Goodwin said. “The resilience of our kids was amazing. I talked to them about fighting and they fought to the last second. It wasn’t perfect but they played their tails off.”
The Hornets’ chances looked bleak with the Vikings going up 28-20 with 2:48 left in regulation. But the home team blocked the extra point to keep hope alive.
“It was just a big, bloody mess,” Goodwin said of the extra point. “We got a push up front and it got blocked.
“We told them we were down eight right there and had a chance to tie it,” the coach continued. “That was a huge extra point right there when they kicked it. Obviously being able to get that thing blocked right there gave us a chance and it ended up going in our favor.”
Adam Reaves scored the fourth of his five touchdowns from 2 yards out to make it 28-26 and his 2-point run knotted the score.
Huffman still had a chance, driving to the Chelsea 7-yard line before sailing a 20-yard field goal wide left.
In the extra frame, Reaves scored his fifth touchdown on the night from the 1 and Alex Trout added the extra point.
Viking running back Makhi Hughes scored on the next play on a 10-yard run but the Hornets defense swarmed to seal the win on the 2-point effort that would have won the game for Huffman.
“It was awesome,” Reaves said of the Chelsea defensive stop. “I knew they were going to go up the middle. We knew they were going to go up the middle. We just stuffed them. It was awesome.”
Reaves slid over to running back when Collier Blair was injured.
“He got hurt and coach said, ‘Hey, you’re up,’ and I had to learn it while I was doing it,” the senior said. “I know the plays but it’s just different when you’re back there. It’s just so much different when you’re back there it’s unreal.”
Goodwin said Reaves hasn’t played a lot at running back but stepped up big and helped out when Blair went down.
“We didn’t want to play our backup because he had to play so much defense,” the coach said. “He did a great job. He did really well for us tonight.”
Blair led the Chelsea running attack with 19 carries for 66 yards while Reaves had 48 yards on 12 totes. Hughes led Huffman with 19 carries for 99 yards and four TDs.
“I think he’s one of the best backs in the state,” Goodwin said of Hughes. “He’s a nightmare to prepare for. Unfortunately, he’s a junior and we’ve got to play him again next year.”
Click here to view and purchase photos from the game.
