Chelsea Football Stumbles in Season Opener

The Chelsea football team got off to a slow start and could not overcome three turnovers as the Bulldogs fell to Grand Rapids Northview 34-14 in the season opener Friday night.

Northview used the big play early to take a 21-0 lead in the second.

The Wildcats scored on passes of 75 and 65 yards and capitalized on a bad snap on a punt by the Bulldogs to score on a five-yard run for the big lead.

Chelsea got back into the game late in the half when Nick Christian hit Max Herter with an 18-yard scoring pass with nine seconds left to cut the lead to 21-7 at the half.

After stuffing a fake punt by Northview to start the third, the Bulldogs punched it in when Tyson Hill busted across from a yard out to cut the lead to 21-14.

Northview quickly answered with a 59-yard TD run a minute later for a 28-14 lead.

The Wildcats picked off a pass off a deflection and returned it deep into Chelsea territory and scored on a five-yard TD pass to make it 34-14 and that would be the final.

Christian finished 9-15 passing for 83 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.

Hill rushed for 118 yards on 22 carries and Thomas Shemwell added 48 yards on six carries.

JJ Turnbow caught four passes for 31 yards, Shemwell three for 15, Herter three for 44 and a score, Jimmy Sciackitano two for nine yards, and Sam Borcherding one for nine.

Regan Plank was in on nine tackles to lead the defense. Myles Bieber and Seth Anstead were in on five tackles each.

The Bulldogs return to the field Friday night when they host Edwardsburg.

Photos by Mike Williamson