Chelsea High School Football record through week 7: 16-5 (3-0 week 7; 14-4 SEC).

The Bulldogs survived a scare this week. The freshmen and JV won easily, which wasn’t much of a surprise. But the expected easy win for the varsity did not materialize. In fact, they were 1:14 from losing to Dexter for the first time in 11 years. Dexter is massively improved from just a few years ago, but with Chelsea’s wealth of talent, few expected the varsity to have to struggle for a win on Baker Road.

This was the first game since the loss of the starting quarterback, so some offensive struggles were to be expected. They weren’t immediately apparent, as Adams led two early scoring drives, giving Chelsea a 13-7 lead. But after those scoring drives, the offense bogged down significantly … and Dexter’s offense, led by a dynamic quarterback (whose throwing mechanics resemble Michael Vick’s), came alive and gave the Chelsea defense immense problems. The Bulldogs were fortunate to take a 19-17 lead into halftime.

The second half was another rollercoaster. Dexter took a 23-19 lead, then Chelsea took a 26-23 lead in the fourth quarter — and with that drive, the offense also began to look more productive. Then, with 1:14 left, Dexter regained the lead, 29-26. The missed extra point left Chelsea the option for a game-tying field goal … if the offense could move the ball again.

A third-and-long situation on the third play of the drive left the Dexter student section confident enough to chant “S-E-C! S-E-C!” and to gather on the track to prepare to rush the field after the victory. But their celebration was delayed as Adams threw a short pass to Connell, who turned it into a first down. Several completions and one quarterback scramble for a first down later, the Bulldogs were threatening. And they did more than threaten; with nine seconds left, Adams threw a pass to Schwarze in the end zone for the winning score.

On the enusing kickoff, the Dexter return team elected to attempt to relive the Stanford-Cal lateral bonanza, but they succeeded only in losing yards and draining the clock as the stunned Dexter crowd watched.

Final score: Chelsea 33, Dexter 29.

A lesson for both sides: don’t assume victory. After 11 consecutive years of wins over Dexter, we Chelsea faithful got a bit comfortable on the winning side of the rivalry, and the near-loss was perhaps a bit more surprising than it really should have been. On the other hand, after a few minutes of superiority on the scoreboard, the Dexter faithful — really, just the students — forgot about the time remaining on the clock.

In any case, this game shows Dexter has closed the gap quite a bit; just a few years ago, the Dreadnaught football program was one of the most miserable in the area. That is no longer the case. In the coming years, we here in Chelsea should no longer be surprised if Chelsea/Dexter games are close — or if Dexter wins one before too long.

Encouraging: for much of the game, new quarterback Adams looked uncomfortable in the pocket, and his receivers did not help his confidence by dropping a few passes. But the last two drives of the game, he seemed to settle into the job. The last two drives were executed under pressure, trailing in the fourth quarter; on both drives, he led the offense to touchdowns. If those drives are any indication, the Chelsea offense is in good hands after the loss of Seelbach.

Eye-catching: Chelsea wore brand-new white pants for the game; the pants combined with the white away jerseys to produce an all-white look. It was an interesting move, but far too monochromatic. Without any color or contrast, they were just … white. The white pants with the home blue jerseys might be worth a try, but the all-white look was not the most appealing look the Bulldogs have displayed. And, after Friday’s close call, there’s no telling when they might choose to wear the white pants again.