Offense hits high gear, Chichester has another Pleasant day
UPPER CHICHESTER >> Jamese Byrd admitted he didn’t do what he was supposed to do on a punt return.
Shaheem Pleasant said that when he and his teammates do their jobs, his last name will be a good way to describe the mood in the Chichester locker room.
Byrd returned a punt 75 yards for the first touchdown, Pleasant had a pair of scoring runs and Damian Thompson and quarterback Nate Decenzi teamed up on a 94-yard completion to finish the scoring as Chichester got past Kennett, 25-6, in a nonleague game played in the rain at Anthony Apichella Memorial Stadium Friday night.
Byrd’s punt return came on the second play of the second quarter.
“I ran the opposite way,” Byrd said. “I saw the lane on that side, broke a tackle, and my lead blocker, Jacob Heacock, took out the kicker.”
It wouldn’t be the last time Chichester fans would be out of their seats saluting their team for an exciting scoring play.
“Getting those big plays and finishing, that’s what we can take out of this game,” Chichester coach Ryan Smith said after his Eagles improved to 2-0 while dropping the Blue Demons to 0-2.
“Being 2-0 is a good feeling. It wasn’t an easy week with the heat and the kids still not being in school. Now we’ll get back to our regular schedule as we get ready for our next game (at Pope John Paul II Friday night).”
Kennett first-year head coach Lance Frazier remains positive that his team will find success.
“They’re working at it,” he said. “We have kids who have been through several coaching changes. We’re just trying to give them the chance to be successful and fit into our system.”
A short Chichester punt midway through the second quarter put Kennett at the Eagles’ 35. Quarterback Sam Forte (16-for-25 for 304 yards) picked up 31 yards with a toss to Garrett Cox. After a snap sailed over Forte’s head for an 11-yard loss, the QB threw to Mitch Kosara (seven catches for 184 yards) for 26 yards and a touchdown.
A wide conversion kick kept Chichester ahead by one point at halftime.
With just over 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter, Chichester took over at its 35. On the first snap, Decenzi handed the ball to Pleasant, who sprinted 65 yards to the end zone.
“It’s not just me,” Pleasant said. “We’re all coming out here ready to play. I was supposed to run inside on the right and just kept on going. I really don’t mind playing in the rain. It lets me make moves that make the other guys miss.”
Three minutes later, Kennett missed a chance to make a first down at its 25. Two Decenzi completions to Byrd put the ball just short of the goal line, and Pleasant pounded over the right side of his line for six more points.
The teams traded interceptions before Chi stopped Kosara two yards short of a first down at the Eagles’ 5. After a short Pleasant run, it was Decenzi to Thompson for 94 yards to close out the scoring.
“I ran a slant, got behind everybody and cut it back to the left,” Thompson said. “We’ve put in a lot of work to get this far. It’s an amazing feeling being 2-0.”
