Chelsea Overpowers Calera with Dominant Rushing Attack
CALERA, AL – The Chelsea Hornets secured a decisive 42-25 victory over Calera on Friday night in Shelby County, relying on a powerful ground game that proved too much for the Eagles to handle. Though Calera mounted a significant comeback attempt, the Hornets pulled away in the second half to seal the win.
The Hornets established their dominance early, building a 21-0 lead just two plays into the second quarter. The initial scoring surge was led by a formidable rushing duo. Chase Malone punched in a 1-yard touchdown run, while Morgan Barnes found the end zone on two separate occasions with scoring runs of 9 and 28 yards.
Despite the early deficit, Calera refused to back down. The Eagles orchestrated a spirited rally, narrowing the gap to 21-19. Quarterback Drew Majewski connected with Cayden Specks for two touchdowns on passes of 9 and 20 yards. A 37-yard touchdown pass from Kristian Gallups-Whatley to Ean Williamson brought Calera within striking distance.
However, Chelsea regrouped and answered with 21 unanswered points to put the game out of reach. The Hornets’ offense finished the night with an impressive 453 total yards, 332 of which came from their relentless rushing attack.
Key Performers
Chelsea:
- Chase Malone: 27 carries for 172 yards and 3 touchdowns
- Morgan Barnes: 14 carries for 87 yards and 3 touchdowns
Calera:
- Drew Majewski: 16-of-22 passing for 3 touchdowns
- Cayden Specks: 5 catches for 111 yards and 2 touchdowns
With the win, Chelsea improves to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the region. The Hornets will return home next week to host the winless Paul Bryant Stampede (1-4, 0-3). Calera, now 0-5 (0-3 in the region), will have a bye week before welcoming the Brookwood Panthers (1-4, 0-3) at Ricky M. Cairns Memorial Stadium on October 3rd.
