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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea running back Chase Stracener (3) carries the ball during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
The Chelsea football captains approach midfield before a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea cheerleaders lead their team onto the field before a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea running back Chase Stracener (3) is tackled downfield by Mobile Christian's Sema'J Law (0) during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea quarterback Miller Bauman (10) hands the ball off to running back Chase Stracener (3) during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea running back Chase Stracener (3) is pursued by Mobile Christian's Raymond Pitts (40) during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea safety Gabe Pendley (2) makes a tackle during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea running back Morgan Barnes (26) finds an opening during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea running back Morgan Barnes (26) is tackled by Mobile Christian's Sema'J Law (0) during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea running back Chase Stracener (3) carries the ball during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea quarterback Miller Bauman (10) passes the ball during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea quarterback Miller Bauman (10) looks for a receiver during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea kicker Luke Miller (17) kicks the extra point during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea football players celebrate a turnover during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea quarterback Miller Bauman (10) throws the ball down field during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Mobile Christian's Anthonio (PJ) Brown (4) is tackled by Chelsea linebacker Ethan Prickett (4) during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea safety John Leith (13) intercepts the ball during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
The Chelsea marching band entertains the crowd at halftime during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
The Chelsea marching band entertains the crowd at halftime during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea running back Chase Stracener (3) looks for an opening during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea kicker Luke Miller (17) kicks a field goal during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
A long pass to Chelsea wide receiver Aiden Hughes (8) is broken up during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea long snapper Jackson Kalnoske (25) looks for the ball carrier during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea running back Morgan Barnes (26) is tackled in the backfield by Mobile Christian's Nicholas Grove (11) during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea kicker Luke Miller (17) punts the ball during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Mobile Christian quarterback Damien Gatson (1) is tackled by Chelsea linebacker Ethan Prickett (4) during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea quarterback Miller Bauman (10) avoids a tackle by Mobile Christian's Landon Stewart (15) during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea cheerleaders celebrate during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea safety Gabe Pendley (2) pursues Mobile Christian's Jason Todd (2) during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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David Leong Photo by David Leong
Mobile Christian's Jason Todd (2) is tackled by Chelsea safety Gabe Pendley (2) and Chelsea safety Sam Parrish (10) during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, AL. Photo by David Leong.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea students celebrate during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea head coach Todd Cassity studies his team from the sidelines during a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
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Photo by David Leong
Chelsea students lead their team onto the field before a game between the Chelsea Hornets and the Mobile Christian Leopards on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 at Chelsea High Stadium in Chelsea, Ala.
CHELSEA – New season, new classification, and a brand-new grandstand, this Chelsea High School football team had a performance the program has not seen in years on Friday night.
The Hornets cruised to a 24-3 victory over the defending 3A champions Mobile Christian. It was the home side’s first game as a 6A school after the last two seasons at the 7A level, their first win by at least three possessions since 2021, and the first season opener win since 2016.
“It’s great for this community to get a win like this,” said Chelsea head coach Todd Cassity. “We filled up the new stands tonight and I think a lot of people are starting to feel a bit of a turn.”
Chelsea -- looking to rebound off a 2-8 season last year -- scored on their first possession of the new season. Junior running back Chase Stracener opened the game with a 52-yard, bouncing off tacklers and racing down the sidelines, and then capped off the seven-play drive with a 6-yard touchdown run.
The Leopards responded with a 13-play drive ended by a 49-yard field goal by junior Carter Lewis.
The Hornets began the second quarter with a 14-play drive that saw five different players touch the ball. Senior receiver C.J. Durbin was the main feature of the drive, seeing five carries as a wildcat quarterback including the final run of the drive, a 1-yard plunge into the end zone.
Mobile Christian failed to take advantage of a muffed punt as three plays later, a low snap led to a Chelsea recovery by Sam Trout for the Hornets. The home-side capitalized in only two plays, as Miller Bauman aired a pass out for Aiden Hughes. The senior wideout reeled the pass in with ease after his defender tripped trying to chase him in coverage. The 49-yard score pushed Chelsea’s lead to 21-3, with the half capped off by an interception from junior safety John Leith.
The second half was quiet for each offense. The Hornets’ defense stood tall featuring an interception by senior linebacker Ethan Prickett and big plays by the trio of sophomore inside linebacker Briston Hardy, junior safety Sam Parrish and junior defensive lineman Porter Schott.
Chelsea limited the Leopards offense to 38 total yards in the second half.
“Our defense played really well,” said Cassity. “We started tackling better in the second half, our secondary played well, and we won the turnover battle.”
The lone score of the final 24 minutes was a Luke Miller 40-yard field goal with 9:51 remaining in the game.
The Hornets multi-faceted rushing attack saw three different players receive at least seven carries, with junior running back Morgan Barnes joining Durbin and Stracener. Part of this was because Bauman recently suffered a dislocated elbow and the team had to get creative in their offensive approach, according to Cassity.
Stracener led all players with 117 yards rushing on 15 carries.
Bauman finished 4-for-10 with 90 yards through the air. Hughes was the game’s leading receiver with 3 catches for 77 yards.
The Leopards had won 21 of their last 22 games coming into the night. Senior quarterback Damian Gatson, last year’s 3A state championship game MVP, was limited to 13-for-28 through the air, a pair of interceptions, and 3 yards rushing on 9 carries.
Chelsea remains at home next week to take on Wetumpka. Mobile Christian will have a bye before opening their 4A slate as they embark on a new classification.
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