Previous meeting (week 4): Chelsea d. Adrian 21-10

Chelsea Varsity Football 2007 record: 11-0

We’ve got spirits, yes we do! But they come alive on the field.

As the Bulldogs were defeating Tecumseh in the first round of the SEC playoffs — the rumor is that there are other conferences represented, but I’m skeptical — they were keeping one eye on the game between familiar conference foe Adrian and last year’s playoff spoiler Fowlerville; the winner would be making a visit to Jerry Niehaus Field the next Friday evening. Most seemed to expect a Fowlerville victory, which would have given Chelsea the opportunity to make up for last year’s last-minute loss in the third round; however, apparently due to a failure to read the approved script, Adrian decided to win the game, setting up another SEC rematch. Can you feel my excitement? Probably not, because my excitement is being overshadowed by my trepidation.

This rematch brought its own exciting minefield to the SEC Syndicated Reruns Postseason Tour. Chelsea’s week 3 game against Tecumseh was not among the the closer games of the season; by the fourth quarter, the outcome was apparent. In contrast, Chelsea’s week 4 game against Adrian was still in doubt in the fourth quarter; with the offense unable to mount substantial drives, and with the dangerous Brent Ohrman running the Adrian offense, the defense had to make several crucial second-half stops in its own territory to seal the victory. (Actually, the defense gave up only three points the whole game and shut out Adrian in the second half.) Would the Chelsea offense find more success the second time around? Would the Chelsea defense be able to replicate its show of strength against Ohrman and his merry band of majestic Canadian symbols? Inquiring minds want to know! (Which is exactly why inquiring minds will continue reading.)

4. Score more points. Don’t forget that one.

Adrian won the coin toss and followed the advice of Sir Conventional Wisdom, the knight in obvious armor, by choosing to take the ball in the second half; that turned out to be a good choice, as Sir Conventional Wisdom rode in on his mighty predictable steed and smote the Chelsea offense, forcing a three and out.

After Chelsea’s punt, the Adrian offense marched down the field and, after a strong drive, gave up a touchdown. No, seriously: the Adrian offense gave up a touchdown. As Adrian was beginning to make eyes at the end zone, Ohrman encountered a few rabid Chelsea defenders and promptly fumbled the ball; Chelsea’s Stu Mann, moved at the sight of such a helpless little football lying on the cold turf, scooped up the ball and cradled it in his arms as he ran 71 yards for a touchdown. And just like that, when it looked like an Adrian touchdown was nigh inevitable, Chelsea held a 7-0 lead.

Crowds gather to watch Nick Hill exercise.

Who loves ya, baby? Dean Roberts loves ya, baby!

Of course, the quick defensive touchdown meant the defense had to go right back out on the field, and it didn’t seem likely Adrian would punctuate every drive with a timely and devastating turnover; in the short term, this turned out to be true, as the second drive ended with an Adrian touchdown. Even worse, that wasn’t the end of the early fireworks; still in the first quarter, Adrian scored a second touchdown not just to take a 14-7 lead, but also to surpass its point total from the week 4 game. And while the Adrian lead was a problem, more disconcerting was that it was beginning to look as though the defense might not be able to replicate its earlier outstanding effort.

Ah, but just when the game was beginning to look bleak, the Chelsea offense came out and asserted its authority, putting together a lengthy scoring drive that not only tied the score, but also gave the defense a much-needed break. And just as encouraging as the touchdown and the extended time of possession was the the complete team effort that powered the drive; at times this season, the offense has been on the shoulders of just one player, but this scoring drive featured key plays from a number of different players.

Taylor Hopkins: gravity’s best friend.

With the score tied, the defense went back onto the field and, as it had done on Adrian’s previous drives, began to give up yardage; with time winding down in the first half, it looked like Adrian was going to score yet again. But this drive was not like the others; the defense had another outcome in mind. Adrian had the ball inside the 10 yard line, and with Ohrman’s happy feet, a touchdown seemed likely. But on three consecutive plays, the Chelsea defense made monumental stops — the first of which prevented what looked to be a certain touchdown — to keep Adrian out of the end zone; after the third stop, Adrian couldn’t spike the ball in time to salvage a field goal attempt, and Chelsea escaped to the locker room with the 14-14 tie intact. And, perhaps more importantly, the remarkable defensive stand brought a spark to a Chelsea sideline that had been flat and lifeless for much of the first half.

Donny Riedel is a popular guy. Take a number, please.

It’s the end of your run as you know it, and I feel fine.

When the second half began, it felt like an entirely different game with an entirely different Chelsea team on the field. Thanks to Sir Conventional Wisdom, Adrian had the first possession in the second half; however, Chelsea’s defense maintained the momentum it gained from the three stops at the end of the first half, so Adrian came away with nothing. And when Chelsea got its hands on the ball, the offense began to look like its assertive, defense-devouring self; after several first downs, Chelsea was inside Adrian territory, and it looked like the Bulldogs would retake the lead. But the offense stalled, and the punting unit took the field; a superb punt from Jeff Adams pinned Adrian near its own 10 yard line … but there was a flag near the spot of the punt. An Adrian player had contacted Adams after the punt, and the flag — only a five-yard penalty — left coach Brad Bush with a choice: decline the penalty and give Adrian the ball in poor field position, or take the penalty and take a chance on the resulting fourth and two. Bush chose the latter, but Adams’ pass fell incomplete; as a result, Adrian took possession in better field position.

You cannot stop Nick Hill; you can only hope to watch him score.

Would Chris Schmelz care for a football? Yes, he would.

Initially, that sequence of events seemed to give Adrian the momentum yet again; they started marching down the field with first-half ease. But the Chelsea defense was back to its old ways, and the drive died inside Chelsea’s 25 yard line, leaving Adrian a chance at a long field goal. Ohrman’s kick was plenty long enough, but it was just a few inches too far to the left; the ball hit the upright, prolonging the tie and giving Chelsea a boost of confidence. And Chelsea’s offense made good on that confidence this time; Donny Riedel finished a lengthy Chelsea drive with a hard-fought 10-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter to give Chelsea its first lead since midway through the first quarter.

Though there was a quarter of football yet to be played, that touchdown seemed to be the beginning of Adrian’s end; in stark contrast to its offensive efficiency through nearly three quarters, Adrian’s next three possessions were punctuated by timely and devastating interceptions. Between the second and third interceptions, Michael Roberts kicked a field goal that pushed Chelsea’s lead to 10 and really did seal Adrian’s fate; after the final interception, Chelsea was able to run out the clock and celebrate yet another extension of the 2007 season.

Do not adjust your monitor; this is a high-contrast image.

Leftovers:

• Adrian significantly outgained Chelsea, 385 to 245; however, Adrian had only one more first down than Chelsea (21 to 20). The bulk of Adrian’s offense came from passing (289 passing, 96 rushing); nearly all of Chelsea’s offense came from running (226 rushing, 19 passing). But the really notable statistic is the first half yardage totals: at the break, Adrian had a 243-67 advantage over Chelsea. In that context, the 14-14 tie at halftime was a big accomplishment for Chelsea (and most likely a big disappointment for Adrian).

• The first quarter was rough, but ultimately, Chelsea’s defense was up to the task of shutting down Adrian for the second time this season; Adrian scored 14 points in the first quarter and no points in the last three quarters. And without a doubt, those three stops to end the first half rank among the biggest plays of the year.

• Officially, Chelsea’s SEC record is 7-0, but I like to think it’s actually 9-0 now.

Next week:
Chelsea, having won the SEC playoff, faces the Trojans of East Lansing; the game is in Chelsea at 7:00 PM. Be there; be loud; be supportive.