Kennett Upends Chichester
KENNETT SQUARE—For much of the first half, Chichester was winning the battle up front, moving the undersized Blue Demons seemingly at will. But despite some big plays leading to multiple trips in the red zone, the Eagles were, mostly, unable to capitalize. Though the Eagles (1-2) took a 6-3 lead into the brake at halftime, Kennett (5-1) poured it on in the second half, and won going away, 31-14.
“We sputtered a little bit in the first half,” said Kennett coach Lance Frazier. “We just decided we were going to keep grinding it, and pounding away with the roack. Our guys, even though we don’t have the biggest kids around, love that style of football.”
“We had two shots in the red zone where we came away with zero points,” said Eagles’ coach Ed Buck. “Those are big situations where we have to be able to make the plays.”
The first big break of the game came on the opening kick, when the Blue Demons fumbled, and Chichester recovered, taking over at the Kennett 34. But the Kennett defense came up strong, stuffing four straight plays to take over on downs.
Chichhester came up with a stop of its own on the other end. Kennett had marched inside the twenty on eight plays, but a sack from Walter Jones III left the Blue Demons to settle for a field goal.
Energized, the Eagles began to find some rhythm, and marched off a seven-play, 60-yard scoring drive, capped by a 38-yard scoring pass from Quadir Blackwell to Staring Reaves on a third and long, to take the 6-3 lead at the break.
“We’re growing as a team,” said Buck. “We’re rotating different guys through at QB trying to find the right fit. We’re playing through some inexperience, and hopefully we’ll start to c;lean up the mistakes.”
The Eagles looked like they might extend that lead coming out of the break, when Staring Reaves to the opening kick-off of the half 9-1 yards to the Blue Demon 7-yard line. But on just the second play from scrimmage, the ball came out, and an alert Will Oscar jumped on it to give the demons a first down at their own three.
Oscar had himself a night on defense. In addition to the fumble recovery, Oscar blocked a punt, which teammate Josh Barlow returned for a touchdown, and he had a pair of drive ending sacks.
“I just love playing football, and I’m just having fun” said Oscar. “This is my first year starting, and it feels great to be able to help my team get the win.”
Kennett took advantage of the fumble recovery, marching off the 97-yards on 13 plays, capped by a 23-yard jaunt from quarterback Kalen Frazier, a drive that ate up much of the third period. Frazier finished the night with 93-yards on 14 carries, adding 90 yards through the air on of 12 passing. Sparacino hauled in four of those balls for 71 yards, and added 105 yards rushing on 11 carries, scoring twice.
“The whole team stepped it up in the second half,” said
Frazier. “The O-Line was making the blocks to spring me and Julian Sparacino to run, and the defense, especially Will Oscar, was just great. Our defensive coordinator, Scott Gee, does a great job.”
Blackwell led the way offensively, rushing for 69 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Blackwell completed 4 of 13 passes for 47 yards and a touchdown, and was picked off once.
Zayir Bush added 40 yards on eight carries, while Reaves ran for 56 yards on just three carries.
Defensively, Avery Billups chipped in with an interception that set up the touchdown pass.
Kennett 31 Chichester 14
Chichester 0 6 0 8 –14
Kennett 3 0 7 21 –31
First Quarter
KEN—Barker 35-FG 3-0
Second Quarter
CHI–Reaves 38-pass from Blackwell 6-3
Third Quarter
KEN—Frazier 23-run (Barker kick) 10-6
Fourth Quarter
KEN–Barlow 26-Fum Rec (Barker kicks) 17-6
CHI—Blackwell 2-run (Reaves run) 17-14
KEN—Sparacino 46-run (Barker kick) 24-14
KEN—Sparacino 2-run (Barker kick) 31-14
Team Statistics
CHI—KEN
First downs 9-7
Rushes-yards 29–171 25-200
Passing 4-13 6-12
Passing yards 47 90
Total yards 218 290
Punts 1-34 0-0
Fumbles-lost 5-2 3-2
Penalties-yards 7-55 5-45
Individual statistics
Rushing—CHI Blackwell 22-69 (TD) Reaves 3-56, Bush 8-40 Degraphenreed 2-6 KEN Lillis 1-2 Frazier 14-93 (TD) Sparacino 11-105 (2 TD)
Passing — CHI Blackwell 4-13-47 TD, INT Frazier 6-12-90 INT
Receiving —CHI Reaves 2-40 TD Guy-Bruton 2-7 KEN Sparacino 4-71 Waterman 1-12 Kelly 1-7
INT—CHI Billups KEN Barlow
Sacks—KEN Oscar 2, Good
