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Chelsea football cruises to regional championship, dominates Allen Park 35-12

Photo by Burrill Strong. District champions for the first time in school history.
Photo by Burrill Strong. Regional champions for the first time in school history.

(Chelsea Update would like to thank Burrill Strong for the photos in this story. Be sure to check out the slideshow at the end of the story.)

On a windy, raw Friday, Nov. 13 evening, the Chelsea Bulldogs rolled into Allen Park ready to battle the Jaguars for the Michigan Division 3 Championship.

And I mean this team was ready. For I can’t even remember how many times in a row, Chelsea scored the first time they touched the ball, and never looked back.

Allen Park hung tough for the first quarter, but the Bulldogs overwhelmed the Jaguars with their ability to put points on the board, and patented goal-line-stand defense.

Chelsea opened the game with terrific field position, recovering a surprise onside kick by Allen Park near midfield. The Bulldog offense chewed up that yardage in no time flat, with Jack Bush beginning perhaps his best game of the year.

Completions to Bailey Edwards (three), Jacob Scheese, and Noah van Reesema, coupled with a Bush keeper for a third-and-one conversion took the ball to the Jaguar two, and Jacob Grob finished the job to put the Bulldogs up 7-0 after a Graham Kuras extra point.

Then Allen Park took the ball from their own 26 to the Bulldog 33 before Chelsea forced the punt. Chelsea got the ball back on their own 20, and Grob gave up a rare Chelsea fumble. The Jaguar offense came back on the field 29 yards away from the Bulldog endzone. Allen Park drove the ball down to the Chelsea five, but would turn the ball over to Chelsea on downs, as the Bulldog defense came up with another huge goal-line stand.

Chelsea then showed Allen Park who was boss, marching the ball 96 yards for another touchdown. Starting at their own four, the Bulldogs came up with a big third-down conversion with a Bush completion to Edwards. Then, on third-and-two from their own 33, Grob took a Bush hand-off, and raced 67 yards to make it 14-0.

After forcing another Jaguar punt, the potent Bulldog offense got the ball again, and Bush immediately launched a 49-yard completion to van Reesema, but Chelsea couldn’t convert as Kuras missed a 25-yard field goal attempt.

The first half ended with Chelsea up 14-0, but as soon as the second half started, the Bulldog offense really turned on the jets.

Allen Park was to receive the opening kick-off of the half, but mysteriously let the ball roll free, apparently forgetting the ball was live, and Chelsea fell on it on the Jaguar 28. Then it was 21-0, but not before a big fourth-down conversion with a completion to Scheese. Bush scored on a keeper from the three, and Kuras added the extra point.

Then Chelsea got the ball back at midfield after forcing another punt, and it was 28-0. This time Bush passed to Scheese over the middle on a third-and-six from the Allen Park 36, and Scheese went all the way.

Chelsea got the ball right back, after Quinn Kelly netted a huge sack to force yet another Jaguar punt. And it was 35-0. Bush connected with Trey Seitz for a big first-down completion on third-and-ten, and two plays later, Bush launched a floater to Edwards for a 39-yard completion down to the Allen Park four. Chelsea scored as the fourth quarter began on a short pass to Scheese, and Kuras added the extra point.

Coach Brad Bush then gave playing time to all of his players for the remainder of the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs (11-1) gave up a pair of touchdowns, Allen Park missed both of their extra points, and Chelsea won 35-12, making school history. This marks the first district championship for the Bulldog football team.

Next up is Coldwater in the Division 3 semifinals. The Cardinals are bringing a 12-0 record into this Saturday’s game that will take place at 1 p.m. at Jackson Withington Stadium.

The winner will play in the championship game at Ford Field on Nov. 28.

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