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Many expected the Chelsea-Monroe football game to be a battle Friday night and it was just that as the Bulldogs held off the Trojans 26-17 to finish with a 6-0 overall record on the season.
Monroe entered the game with just one loss to state ranked Saline and the large Trojans front line looked to give the Bulldogs fits in the running game and that is exactly what happened as the Trojans racked up 278 yards on the ground in the game.
Chelsea started fast when Trent Hill returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a score to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead. It was the second straight week the Bulldogs returned the opening kickoff for a score.
Monroe answered with a 38-yard field goal to make it 7-3 and it stayed that way until the second.
Following a punt, Chelsea took over with just over two minutes remaining in the first and would drive 70 yards, eating up over five minutes and scoring on a one-yard TD run by Hill. The XP was no good and the Bulldogs led 13-3.
The next drive Joe Taylor picked off a Trojan pass at the Bulldogs 18 and two plays later Griffen Murphy hit Taylor with a slant pass and he blew by everyone for an 82-yard touchdown. Another missed XP made it 19-3 Bulldogs at the half.
Early in the second half, Monroe picked off a pass at its own three-yard line and the Trojans offensive line took over. Monroe drove 97 yards on 12 plays and scored with the two-point conversion to make it 19-11 early in the fourth.
Chelsea had a three and out and punted back to Monroe. The Trojans then went on an 87-yard 13 play drive that ended with a touchdown with 1:48 left. They went for two, to try to tie it, but the pass fell incomplete to make it 19-17.
Monroe tried an onside kick, but Chase Kemp was there to grab it on the 45. On the first play Hill broke free and sprinted 55-yards to seal the win with 1:33 left.
The Trojans drove into Bulldogs territory, but Ben Strzyzewski intercepted a pass in the endzone to end it and give the Bulldogs the 26-17 win.
Strzyzewski was in on 12 tackles to lead the defense. Taylor and Corbin Steele were in on 10 each, while Kemp and Carson Gray each had nine.
Hill finished with 102 yards on 13 carries and two scores, while Cole Munson ran for 15 on two carries.
Taylor caught the one pass for 82 yards, Nicholas Fisk two for 20, Munson two for 17, and Lucas Hanifan one for 18. Murphy was 6-11 for 137 yards passing.
