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Photo by Todd Lester
Homewood quarterback Woods Ray (13) attempts a pass during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Homewood wide receiver Aron Marsch (10) runs for a touchdown during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea defenders combine to tackle Homewood wide receiver Aron Marsch (10) during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea running back/defensive back Chris McNeill (7)and Chelsea running back/safety Kyler Simmons (31) combine to tackle Homewood wide receiver Aron Marsch (10) during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Chelsea quarterback/safety Nick Sulenski (13) runs for a touchdown during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Homewood wide receiver Jackson Parris (5) runs the football during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea offensive/defensive lineman Brady Clements (54) attempts to tackle Homewood running back Jordan Kiwoi (34) during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Chelsea running back/linebacker Evan Durham (20) tackles Homewood running back Jordan Kiwoi (34) during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Chelsea running back/linebacker Evan Durham (20)tackles Homewood quarterback Woods Ray (13) during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Chelsea quarterback/safety Nick Sulenski (13) attempts a pass during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Homewood wide receiver J.C. Daniel (6) catches a touchdown pass during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Homewood defensie back Taylor Patterson (7) pursues Chelsea quarterback/defensive back Hayden Garrison (2) during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Homewood band member during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Homewood band performs during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Homewood defensive back Brian Condon tackles Chelsea quarterback/safety Cooper Griffin (14) during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Chelsea wide receiver/defensive back Thomas Simpson (15) narrowly misses catching a long pass during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Chelsea running back/linebacker Evan Durham (20) attepts to tackle Homewood running back Jordan Kiwoi (34) during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Chelsea wide receiver/defensive back Evan Jones (10) defends a pass to Homewood wide receiver Aron Marsch (10) during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Homewood wide receiver Parker Sansing (22) intercepts a pass during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Homewood wide receiver Parker Sansing (22)celebrates a turnover during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Homewood quarterback Woods Ray (13) attempts a pass during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
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Photo by Todd Lester
Homewood wide receiver Aron Marsch (10) fights off Chelsea wide receiver/defensive back Evan Jones (10)during a game between Homewood and Chelsea on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Chelsea High School.
CHELSEA – Homewood High School jumped out to a 28-0 lead and withstood a furious fourth quarter rally from Chelsea en route to a 37-35 win in a key region contest Friday night.
The Hornets (0-4, 0-2 in Class 6A, Region 5) capitalized on a couple of special teams miscues from the visitors in the second half that sparked a 28-point final frame for the hosts. Senior Cooper Griffin (45-yard blocked punt return for a touchdown) and Anderson Brooks (fumble recovery for a touchdown) provided the ammunition for a spectacular second half from Chelsea junior quarterback Hayden Garrison.
The signal caller connected on touchdown passes of 80 yards (M.J. Conrad) and 88 yards (Matt Gray) in the final period and tallied 285 passing yards after amassing 20 yards in the first half. A last gasp effort from Harrison to Griffin just across midfield came up short in the final few seconds as the clock ran out.
“I am really proud of our guys coming off of our loss last week. You know we played almost a perfect first half – we had 45 offensive snaps and never punted. But the two bad snaps in the second half hurt us and put them back in the game,” Homewood coach Ben Berguson said.
The Patriots (3-1, 1-0) offense featured an array of players that accounted for a large production of the output (443 total yards), including junior quarterback Woods Ray (21-of-26, 314 yards, two touchdowns). Ray accounted for all four first half Patriots scores (two passing, two rushing).
“He did an unbelievable job, he is a great player,” Berguson said.
Aron Marsch (nine receptions, 99 yards, a touchdown), Jackson Parris (seven receptions, 147 yards) and J.C. Daniel (two catches, 46 yards, a touchdown) were the benefactors of Ray’s prolific night.
“They were taking everything deep away (in the first half) so we were just hitting the check down routes,” Ray said.
The Hornets string of three consecutive possessions with a touchdown in the final frame was capped by an 8-yard scoring run out of the Wildcat formation from running back Sloan DeWeese; however, the two-point try failed and Homewood held on for the victory.
Homewood continues region play next week at home against Woodlawn. Chelsea has an open week.
