Frazier leads comeback as Kennett tops Henderson

By Bryan Davis
bdavis@medianewsgroup.com
@btdavis25 on Twitter

KENNETT SQUARE >> There was a soul singer in the 1960s named Jackie Wilson who was know as “Mr. Excitement.” The nickname can now be transferred and given a 21st-century update thanks to Kennett High School quarterback Kalen Frazier.
The senior ran for three touchdowns, the last coming with 4:29 in the game to give the Blue Demons the lead for good as Kennett erased a 20-0 deficit and go on to post a 26-20 win over West Chester Henderson in the Ches-Mont League American Division opener for both teams.
“He is (exciting) in a lot of different ways,” said Frazier. “It’s hard because he’s my son. We have our battles. Trying to draw that line between coach and dad is always hard, but give him some credit for bouncing back. He made some nice plays out there.
With the game tied at 20-20, the Blue Demons took over on their 35. After two runs from David Lillis netted 15 yards. Frazier sent the home crowd into a frenzy when bounced a run to the outside and sped 53 yards for his third touchdown of the night and give them their first lead of the night with 4:29 left.
“It was a design play,” said coach Frazier. “If he’s reading the end, he pulls it. He did the rest.”
“We fought adversity for sure,” said Kalen Frazier. “I checked the play. We have a lot new guys on the line, the whole right side of the line are freshmen, so they stepped it up. I bounced it outside on purpose because there was a real big gap and I knew I could outrun everyone.”
Henderson’s next time with the ball was ended when Frazier made an acrobatic one-handed interception to get the ball back.
“That was huge,” said Frazier. “I dropped one. I should’ve had two, which I was angry about. I bounced back and did it for my team.”
The Warriors (1-1, 0-1) stopped Kennett and got the ball back with 2:03 left. They converted one fourth down, but couldn’t do it a second time as the Kennett crowd exhaled and walked out happy.
The first half was as sloppy as it could be for Kennett (2-0, 1-0 Ches-Mont American). They lost four fumbles, had four major penalties and had a snap that went over the punter’s head.
“That’s what we just talked about,” said Kennett coach Lance Frazier when asked if he was more happy about the win or more disappointed about the first half. “First half wasn’t acceptable. Disappointing, all the things that coaches are when you have a first half like that. We learned that we can overcome, even when we shoot ourselves in the foot.”
Henderson led 13-0 at half and opened the third with a bang when Casey Killoran returned the kickoff 83 yards to the Kennett 14-yard-yard. Three plays later, QB Eddie Smink hit Terrance Turman for a 4-yard score and a 20-0 advantage.
Kennett took the ensuing kickoff and drove 69 yards in nine plays. Lillis barrelled in from the five to put Kennett on the board. They scored on their next possession as Frazier snuck in from the two.
The crucial play in the game came a little later. The Warriors faced a 4th-and-4 on their 46, when head coach John Lunardi called for fake punt. Owen McCarthy was held after a two-yard gain and the Blue Demons took over.
“It’s certainly disappointing,” said Lunardi. “In that second half, we just let go of the momentum and couldn’t regain it. I’m taking the responsibility for that one. We tried to fake a punt to keep the momentum, and it bit us.”
Kennett methodically drove 52 yards in 10 plays and tied the score as Frazier scrambled in from the eight with 7:37 left in the fourth.
Jordyn Porter and Smink scored on TD runs to give Henderson the lead at the break. But, the Blue Demons defense showed its resolve in the second half and kept the Warriors in check.
For Kennett, Lillis was a workhorse, running 26 times for 172 yards. Frazier had 128 yards on 14 carries.
“He is a sophomore who didn’t get to play varsity much last year,” said Lance Frazier. “He was down on himself because he put the ball on the carpet a couple of times. He stayed in it. He ran angerily in the second half.

Kennett 26, West Chester Henderson 20
WC Henderson 0 13 7 0 — 20
Kennett 0 0 13 13 — 26
Scoring
WC Henderson — J. Porter 3 run (Smink kick)
WC Henderson — Smink 20 run (kick failed)
WC Henderson — Turman 4 pass from Smink (smink kick)
Kennett — Lillis 5 run (kick failed)
Kennett — Frazier 2 run (Barker kick)
Kennett — Frazier 8 run (Barker kick)
Kennett — Frazier 53 run (kick failed)
team statistics
WCH KCH
First downs 15 20
Rushes-yards 29-134 43-294
Passing 14-27-1 10-12-0
Passing yards 145 107
Total yards 279 401
Punts 4-34.0 2-41.5
Fumbles-lost 2-1 4-4
Penalties-yards 5-42 7-70
Individual statistics
Rushing — WCH: Smink 13-76 TD, J. Porter 13-49 TD, Turman 2-7, McCarthy 1-2. Kennett Lillis 26-172 TD, Frazier 14-128 3 TD, Jung 2-10, Barker 1-(-16).
Passing — WCH: Smink 14-26-1 TD 145 yards, Trice 0-1-0 0 yards. Kennett: Frazier 10-12-0 107 yards.
Receiving — WCH: Turman 5-23, Griesser 2-12, Krapf 2-11, Himsworth 4-49, W. Porter 1-50. Kennett: Wateerman 3-34, J. Good 4-44, Jung 1-12, Oscar 1-14, L. Good 1-3.
Interceptions — Kennett: Frazier.
Sacks — WCH: Turek.