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Photo by Frank Couch
Chelsea's Chase Malone runs for yards in the Hornets' Homecoming victory over Paul Bryant on Sept. 26, 2025.
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
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Photo by Frank Couch
Paul Bryant travels to Chelsea Friday September 26, 2025 in Chelsea, Alabama. (Starnes Media/Frank Couch)
CHELSEA — The Chelsea High School football continued to feature their dominant run game in a 37-7 victory over Paul Bryant on Homecoming.
The Hornets (4-1) were led by their rushing duo, Chase Malone and Morgan Barnes, who both continued to show why they are one of the best one-two punches in the state. Malone and Barnes combined for 27 carries, 256 yards and four touchdowns.
“I feel like we can run the football when we need to,” Chelsea head coach Todd Cassity said Friday night. “Chase, Morgan, Adam [Wheeler], those three are really, really good for us in the backfield and do such a great job in the blocking for each other.”
The game opened with a defensive battle, as the first 14 minutes went scoreless. Neither team was able to establish much rhythm until Malone broke free on a 31-yard touchdown, putting Chelsea on the board with 10 minutes to go in the second quarter. The strike gave the Hornets a 7-0 lead.
As halftime drew near, it was the Hornets’ defense that provided the next spark. Senior defensive back Luke Beavers scooped up a fumble by Tony Felton and raced 75 yards for a touchdown, stretching Chelsea’s lead to 14-0. The defensive score capped a first half where Chelsea controlled field position and limited Paul Bryant to just two first downs.
The Hornets picked up where they left off to open the second half. A six-play, 68-yard drive ended with a Malone rushing touchdown, giving Chelsea a 21-0 cushion. The drive mixed physical runs with sharp blocking up front, something that has become a hallmark of Chelsea’s offensive line.
Later in the third quarter, Malone struck again. On a second-down play, he cut through the defense for a 67-yard touchdown run, his third score of the night. That play extended the Hornets’ lead to 28-0 with 2:29 left in the quarter and all but put the game out of reach.
Paul Bryant (0-5) did not go quietly. Senior running back Brandon Johnson broke loose for a 59-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter, trimming the deficit to 28-7 and avoiding the shutout. The run was one of the few bright spots for the Stampede, who have struggled to find consistency on offense this season.
Chelsea responded quickly, as Malone added his fourth touchdown of the game with just under six minutes to play, sealing the 37-7 victory. The senior finished with 14 carries for 195 yards and four scores, while Barnes added key yardage in short-yardage situations to keep drives alive.
With the win, Chelsea improves to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in region play, a strong start to the season as they look to build momentum heading into October. The Hornets will travel to Chilton County next Friday night for a crucial region matchup.
For Paul Bryant, the loss drops the Stampede to 0-5. They will return home next week to host Bessemer City in search of their first win of the season.
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