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Chelsea Football
Chelsea wide receiver/defensive back EJ Hudnall (11) with a reception during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea punter Jack Seymour (47) kicks off during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea punter Jack Seymour (47) kicks off during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea defensive lineman/running back Marquis Turner (4) awaits the snap during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea running back/defensive back Matt Gray (12) out runs the Woodlawn defenders to score a touchdown during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea running back/linebacker Evan Durham (20) tackles the Woodlawn runningback during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea head coach Dustin Goodwin during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea running back Emerson Russell (1) is tackled by the Woodlawn defender during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea offensive/defensive lineman Zach Hair (55) protects his Quarterback during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea running back/linebacker Evan Durham (20) tackles the Woodlawn runner during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea’s special team tries to block Woodlawns extra point during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Woodlawn’s quarterback (1) attempts a pass during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea quarterback/defensive back Hayden Garrison (2) attempts a passing play during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea quarterback/safety Cooper Griffin (14) with a reception during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea running back Emerson Russell (1) runs towards the outside during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea wide receiver/defensive back Thomas Simpson (15) outruns the Woodlawn defenders for a touchdown during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea wide receiver/defensive back Thomas Simpson (15) outruns the Woodlawn defenders for a touchdown during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea quarterback/defensive back Hayden Garrison (2) throws a deep pass during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
The team runs onto the field before a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
The team runs onto the field before a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea cheerleaders during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea players review game footage on the sideline during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea cheerleaders during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputy Payne during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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A Chelsea band drum major during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea band students enjoy a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea band students enjoy a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea dance team members enjoy a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea dance team members enjoy a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea band students enjoy a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea students section during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea defensive lineman/tackle Garyson Maddox (68) tackles the Woodlawn runningback during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea quarterback/safety Cooper Griffin (14) misses the tackle as Woodlawn’s Runningback Dewayne Brown (41) acted as the punter runing for about an 80 yrd touchdown during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea tight end/defensive end Cody Fortenberry (27) signals the turnover during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea running back/linebacker Anderson Brooks (9) is tackled by the Woodlawn defender during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea defensive lineman/tackle Garyson Maddox (68) runs to tackle the Woodlawn runningback during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
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Chelsea Football
Chelsea wide receiver/defensive back Cade Turner (22) looks to the sideline for the play call during a game between Chelsea and Woodlawn on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at Lawson Field - Birmingham AL. Photo by James Nicholas.
BIRMINGHAM – After opening the season with four losses and a bye, the Chelsea High School football team has a two-game winning streak after downing Woodlawn 42-7 Thursday night at Lawson Field.
The victors led 35-7 at the half and added a touchdown early in the fourth quarter for an encore to their 31-28 win over Pelham last week.
“We’re never going to take winning for granted,” Chelsea coach Dustin Goodwin said. “We’re proud of our kids and the effort they showed. Obviously, we’re thankful to get a win and proud of the effort they showed but we’ve got a ton to work on and we know we’ve got some big games coming our way. We’re going to have to do some things better than we did tonight.”
Chelsea quarterback Hayden Garrison said preparation paid off as he finished with five touchdown passes.
“We practice hard every day,” he said, “and try as hard as we can to win.”
Garrison threw two of those touchdowns in the first quarter, a 6-yarder to Marquis Turner and a 34-yarder to Emerson Russell. He added a 28-yard scoring strike to MJ Conrad and a 64-yard touchdown throw to Thomas Simpson in the second quarter. Garrison capped off the night with an 86-yard touchdown pass to JyDarian McKinney early in the fourth quarter.
Garrison completed 9-of-15 passes for 250 yards. Matt Gray scored on a 71-yard run in the game as well and led the Hornets with 87 rushing yards. Josh Williams added 44 yards on eight carries. Simpson led the Hornets with 87 receiving yards on three grabs.
Goodwin and his assistants were concerned about repeated false start penalties that forced the Hornets offense backward near the end of the first half.
“We’re just trying to coach our guys up,” he said. “We want to coach our guys no matter what the score is and make sure we’re doing things the right way. When we don’t for whatever reason, we’ll make sure it’s corrected.”
Garrison said the Hornets were dull at times during the game. “We need to sharpen things up before next week,” he said while acknowledging the work of his offensive line. “My O-line, they work their butts off every day. We’re brothers. My O-line, we love each other. We’d do anything to help each other out.”
Woodlawn's lone touchdown came when Colonels punter Dewayne Brown ran 83 yards to paydirt.
“We were rushing and we got lost a little in there,” Goodwin said. “I don’t really know what all happened. I’ll have to watch the tape. We definitely had somebody assigned to him.”
Anderson Brooks and Cody Fortenberry intercepted passes for the Chelsea defense.
While the play appeared to some to be a fake punt, Woodlawn coach Gentrell Eatman said Brown turned a bad situation into something very good.
“We had a missed snap, a high snap and he just read it and took off with it,” the coach said. “Actually, we were just trying to get a first down but luckily we got a touchdown out of it.”
Eatman said the key thing is to keep the heads of his 1-6 squad up.
“Everybody knows we’re still a young team,” he said. “We’re still trying to progress. The main thing I say is I want to see them compete. Juniors and seniors on the team, I only have eight and I’m starting an eighth grader.
“But one day they’re going to grow up and they’re going to continue to fight.”
Woodlawn has a bye next week and then faces Huffman, which plays Chelsea next week. Goodwin said he knows little about the Vikings.
“I know they’re big, strong and athletic,” he said. “We’ll have to play a good football game.”
Stats courtesy of J. Mark McLaughlin.