The Chelsea football team opened SEC White play by holding off a stingy Pinckney Pirate team 7-0 in a defensive battle Friday night.
Scoring opportunities were limited in the contest between the two White rivals.
Pinckney received the opening kickoff, and the Bulldogs defense forced a punt to take over on their own 30.
Chelsea drove 70 yards, and it was capped off by a two-yard touchdown run by Caden Steele to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead with 1:30 left in the first.
The defenses dominated until the second half when the Bulldogs drove deep into Pirate territory but missed a field goal and the score stayed 7-0 Chelsea.
The Pinckney offense got going in the fourth when the Pirates had a first and goal from the Bulldogs two.
Chelsea stuffed them for a one-yard loss on first down and back-to-back penalties, including a personal foul, moved the ball back to the Bulldogs 23. The Pinckney drive stauled with an incompletion and the Bulldogs defense stopped them short on fourth down to give Chelsea the ball back.
The Bulldogs punted after three plays and the Pirates quickly moved to the Bulldogs 30 with just over two minutes remaining.
After an incompletion, Pinckney was called for a hold, setting up second and 20.
Chelsea appeared to ice it with an interception, but the teams were called for offsetting penalties for a repeat second down.
Indy Hurst came up with a big sack to push the Pirates back eight more yards for a 3rd and 28.
Pinckney completed a short pass, and a fourth down pass fell incomplete, and the Bulldogs held on for the win.
The Bulldogs improved to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the SEC White. They host Ypsilanti in another White matchup Friday night.
