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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea wide receiver Nick Sulenski (13) is tackled by Tuscaloosa County linebacker Jackson Sprayberry (10) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea quarterback Carter Dotson (14) hands off the ball to Chelsea running back Emerson Russell (1) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea offensive lineman Will Pohlmann (71) blocks for Chelsea running back Emerson Russell (1) as he runs the ball in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea linebacker Adam Cornwell (4) grabs a fumble by Tuscaloosa County quarterback Braeden Smith (3) in the first quarter of a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea linebacker Adam Cornwell (4) recovers a fumble by Tuscaloosa County quarterback Braeden Smith (3) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea head coach Todd Cassity with players during a timeout in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea head coach Todd Cassity in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Tuscaloosa County defensive back Drew Keller (9) pressures Chelsea quarterback Carter Dotson (14) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea wide receiver Jaxon Shuttlesworth (17) reaches for a pass in the end zone as Tuscaloosa County defensive back Quilen Hale (1) looks on in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea quarterback Carter Dotson (14) throws a pass in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea wide receiver Nick Sulenski (13) is tackled by Tuscaloosa County linebacker Jackson Sprayberry (10) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea High School majorettes in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea quarterback Carter Dotson (14) fakes a hand off to Chelsea running back Emerson Russell (1) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea safety Sam Parrish (10) is helped off the field in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Tuscaloosa County defensive back Sheldrick McNeal (8) and Tuscaloosa County defensive back Quilen Hale (1) block a pass intended for Chelsea wide receiver Raymond Bridgeman (8) in the endzone during a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea quarterback Carter Dotson (14) passes to Chelsea running back Emerson Russell (1) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea running back Emerson Russell (1) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Tuscaloosa County defensive back Thomas Smith (0) blocks Chelsea running back Emerson Russell (1) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Tuscaloosa County running back Kevin Riley (6) is brought down by Chelsea cornerback Grant Evans (20) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea head coach Todd Cassity talks to Chelsea wide receiver Jaxon Shuttlesworth (17) and Chelsea quarterback Miller Bauman (10) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Tuscaloosa County defensive back Sheldrick McNeal (8) and Tuscaloosa County defensive back Quilen Hale (1) block a pass intended for Chelsea wide receiver Raymond Bridgeman (8) in the endzone during a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Tuscaloosa County wide receiver Jordan Chambers-Smith (11) is brought down by Chelsea cornerback Grant Evans (20) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea safety Drew Cheslock (16) runs the ball back after intercepting a pass in Tuscaloosa County's end zone during the final seconds of the first half in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Tuscaloosa County defensive back Quilen Hale (1) breaks up a pass in the end zone intended for Chelsea quarterback/wide receiver Anthony Lanzi (6) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea wide receiver Nick Sulenski (13) is brought down by Tuscaloosa County linebacker Jackson Sprayberry (10) in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea High School cheerleaders celebrate a touchdown in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Chelsea High School cheerleaders celebrate a touchdown in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Members of the Chelsea High School band warm up before performing during halftime in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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A member of the Chelsea High School band prepares to take the field at halftime in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
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Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter.
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Members of the Chelsea High School band pose for pictures before performing during halftime in a game at Tuscaloosa County High School on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Photo by Michelle Lepianka Carter
NORTHPORT -- A high-yardage first half fueled the Class 7A, Region 3 opener for Chelsea High School at Tuscaloosa County on Friday night, but the Wildcats pulled past the Hornets for a 42-21 win.
Tuscaloosa County (3-0, 1-0 Class 7A, Region 3) outgained the Hornets 457-327 on the night, with both teams eclipsing 200 yards of offense in the first half. Chelsea got on the board first with a 2-yard Emerson Russell touchdown run less than four minutes into the game, but the Wildcats went on to score 21 unanswered points. After tying the game on a Kamorri Jackson touchdown run, Braeden Smith connected with Jordan Chambers-Smith for a 63-yard go-ahead touchdown pass.
A 16-yard Smith pass to Kevin Riley and an extra point made it 21-7 with 2:24 left in the first half. The Hornets answered quickly, as Russell scored on a 75-yard touchdown pass from Carter Dotson with 1:32 to play in the half to cut the deficit to 21-14. Russell finished the first half with 90 yards receiving and 137 yards total offense in the first half.
Tuscaloosa County stretched its lead back to 28-14 on a quarterback keeper by Smith with 24 seconds in the second quarter.
Russell opened the second-half scoring with a 3-yard touchdown run to go past 100 rushing yards. He finished the night with 107 yards on 17 carries for the Hornets. However, that was all of the Chelsea scoring, as Tuscaloosa County shut out Chelsea 14-0 in the final 15 minutes of play on a pair of Riley touchdown runs.
Dotson finished the night 17-of-27 passing for 186 yards, including 151 in the first half. He threw one touchdown and three interceptions.
Chelsea (1-2, 0-1) returns home next Friday to host Oak Mountain (1-2, 0-3) in region action.
Mark McLaughlin contributed to this report.
Check out all of our high school football photos from this week here.
