Chelsea Clinches Division, Playoff Spot With 14-7 Win Over Ypsilanti

Chelsea Head Coach Brad Bush congratulates his players after their victory

It had been raining all day Friday leaving the sloped football field in Ypsilanti muddy and slippery before it welcomed its gridiron warriors to it. As the temperature dropped, a foggy mist hung over the field resulting in conservative playing between the visiting Chelsea Bulldogs and the home Grizzlies. It became a battle in the trenches between two powerhouse defenses leading to a smashmouth game of old-school football between two very evenly matched teams. But it was the Bulldogs who would prevail with a 14-7 victory securing them with a playoff spot and a Southeast Conference White Division Title.

The Grizzlies received the ball first and drove downfield and had a first and goal at the Bulldogs 5 yard line but strong defensive play kept them out of the end zone as the Bulldogs were able to stop them on fourth down and take over possession.

Chelsea then was able to move the ball through a mix of runs and short passes and drove 94 yards using good clock control and finished the drive with an Aaron McDaniels 3 yard run into the end zone giving the Bulldogs an early 7-0 lead with Cullen Lindsay’s extra point being good.

With the weather and the field conditions, both teams tried to stick to a ground game. The Bulldogs hardnosed defense forced Grizzly quarterbacks Matt Harmon and Garvin Crout out of the pocket forcing them to scramble or throw errant passes. This would be an early pattern that would continue throughout the night.

With Chelsea up 7-0 Ypsilanti finally got the break it needed as late in the third quarter, Harmon was able to connect with his receiver Jalen Allen down the right sideline for a big 39-yard score and with the extra point tied the game up at 7.

The Grizzlies kicked the ball short to prevent a big return but the Bulldogs were able to get a good return from Kyle Simmerman to set them up at their own 43-yard line. Several passes to Hunter Neff and good ground gains from Jacob Grubbs and McDaniels were able to lead the Bulldogs to the end zone as McDaniels scored again from 1 yard out and after the Lindsay extra point, it was the Bulldogs with a hard fought for 14-7 lead.

But there was still almost a whole quarter of football left and the Grizzlies were not quitters. Although they sparsely had much of a crowd behind them in their homestands, despite it being their homecoming, they still persevered. But the powerful resilient Chelsea defense would not break as they made hit after hit, tackle after tackle, and kept the heat turned up on the Grizzlies.

As the Grizzlies were driving for the tying score it was Chelsea defensive back Doug Zarinnia coming up big at the right moment with a much-needed interception to stop the drive. Chelsea would move the ball in clock control and took a knee in victory formation giving them the victory and their sixth win on the season securing them a playoff spot for the 18th team out of the last 19 years.

“That’s a good football team,” Chelsea Head Coach Brad Bush said of his tough opponent. “We played a conservative game because of not just the weather, but because of their defense. They are much better than their record shows.”

The Grizzlies drop to 3-4 on the season and have their playoff hopes doused. They’ve lost several close games on the season. They were led by Harmon who threw for 81 yards and ran for 14. Emerson Wilson led them on the ground with 89 yards while Allen had 53 yards receiving. Deon Willis led the defense with 9 tackles.

“We played through a lot of issues this week but we battled through them and put them behind us and stuck to the game plan to get the great team win,” Chelsea quarterback Thomas Steele stated. “I’m proud of our team and how we played”

Steele would finish on the night with 144 yards through the air and 20 on the ground. Chelsea’s leading rusher was McDaniels with 59 yards while Neff made several spectacular catches finishing with 5 for 115 yards.

“I’m proud of all you guys,” Head Coach Bush told his team after the game as they gathered around him. “This is a big moment, you’ll remember this night forever. You stuck to the gameplan and we had no turnovers. You played great, the defense came up big,  and I couldn’t be more proud of you all.”

The Chelsea defense has been outstanding all season only giving up 71 points so far. And they didn’t fail to disappoint as they forced several turnovers on the night. Sophomore Garret Steele led the Bulldogs with 8 tackles and 1 interception. Owen Nikischer had a huge night with 5 tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle for loss, and a fumble recovery. Dion Mite had a sack, a tackle for loss, and forced a fumble.

“This means a lot, it’s a night I’ll never forget,” said Senior Defensive End and Western Michigan University commit Ronnie Buford. “This was more than just another win, this is for all those who came before us and the entire Chelsea community. I couldn’t be happier right now.”

Buford was all over the field and seemed to be in on every play as the 6 foot 5-inch speedster finished with a huge night as he had 5 tackles, a sack, 3 tackles for loss, forced a fumble, and had a big fumble recovery for his Bulldogs.

Chelsea returns home to host Ann Arbor Huron next Friday night. It will be Chelsea’s homecoming. Kickoff is a 7 p.m.

Chelsea Dominates Dexter 34-14

 

Doug Zarinnia picks off a pass in the first quarter for Chelsea. He would have two on the night.

 

The Chelsea Bulldogs football team came into Dexter with 21 wins in a row against their arch rival and the Dreadnaughts were looking to snap that streak in front of a large home crowd. But on a chilly, windy night it was not meant to be as Chelsea made several big plays to dominate early and never looked back en route to a 34-14 victory.

Dexter received the kick and moved the ball downfield but the strong Bulldog defense came up big as Doug Zarinnia jumped in front of Luke Coogan’s pass as he rolled to his right and made a great diving interception at the Bulldogs 10 yard line. The Bulldogs were unable to capitalize and both teams exchanged punts in the first quarter.

On a very good drive for the Bulldogs on first and goal at the Dreadnaughts 2-yard line, they lost the ball on a fumble and Dexter recovered. On the ensuing play right after, Dexter’s running back lost the ball and it was recovered by Dion Mite.

Chelsea quarterback Thomas Steele rolled out to his right on the Bulldogs first possession after Mite’s fumble recovery and he hit Hunter Neff near the goal line. Neff momentarily lost the ball but recovered the ball in the scrum that followed.  As he was getting up a Dexter player kicked him and a personal foul was called giving the Bulldogs first and goal at the one-yard line. It was going to be a scrappy game between the bitter rivals. Then it was Steele putting his head down on the keeper and getting the Bulldog score early in the second quarter, giving Chelsea the 7-0 lead.

After a great kickoff that resulted in a touchback Dexter’s Coogan rolled out to his left and it was Zarinnia jumping the route and getting his second interception of the night. A penalty gave the Bulldogs good field position. Steele immediately took advantage of the short field and launched a perfect long pass to Neff who got down to the 1-yard line. After the 41-yard pass play, it was Aaron McDaniels blasting up the middle behind his solid offensive line to give the Bulldogs a 2 touchdown lead with plenty of game left to play.

Dexter then took the kickoff and drove 72 yards in only 5 plays as Mason Loudermilk capped the drive with a 3-yard score to cut the Bulldog lead in half.  Chelsea came right back after a big kickoff return by Jacob Grubbs set the Bulldogs up near midfield. Steele wasted no time and hit Neff over the middle on a quick slant and Neff took it all the way for a Bulldog score, putting them up 21-7 with almost 6 minutes left to play in the first half.

The Bulldog defense forced another punt and it was a short one giving the Bulldogs the ball in Dexter territory. Steele threw a quick pass deep to Neff who took the ball to the 3-yard line where McDaniels would once again finish the job giving the Bulldogs a huge 27-7 lead going into halftime.

In the second half, the Bulldogs would once again score as Jack Smith burst into the end zone. Smith would finish on the night with 27 yards on 8 carries. Dexter would score late in the game as Coogan hit Andy Duran for a touchdown. Dexter threatened again but the Bulldogs held them as they had a first and goal and couldn’t put the ball in. The Bulldogs drove down the field and had a first and goal of their own but simply let the clock run out for an excellent show of sportsmanship, giving them the 34-14 victory and 22 straight wins over Dexter.

Neff was by far Steele’s favorite receiver on the night as he finished with 8 catches for 140 yards and 1 touchdown. Steele would finish the night early as Quinn Starkey took over late in the second half but he still finished with an almost perfect 14 completions on 15 attempts for 209 yards and one touchdown while running for 74 yards on 11 carries and one score. Sophomore Kyle Knight finished with 46 yards on 7 carries. The Bulldogs offense almost doubled Dexter on time of possession.

The Bulldogs defense only gave up 89 yards on the ground and forced 4 turnovers. Patrick Bertoni led the team with 6 tackles and a forced fumble, while Evan Vaughn had 3 tackles, 1 for a loss and James Mida had 2 tackles, both for big losses.

The 0-6 Dreadnaughts host Tecumseh next week as they look for their first win while Chelsea (5-1) will travel to Ypsilanti and look to secure a playoff spot and a Conference title.

Hunter Neff reels in a deep pass

Hunter Neff fights for yardage

Jacob Grubbs burst upfield for a big gain

Evan Kucera zeroes on a DExter player

Dion Mite and the Bulldogs celebrate his fumble recovery

The Chelsea student section has a sign for DExter

Dozer The Pig Pigskin Picks

Hey, everybody, it’s me, Dozer the pig!  Ok, so last week after the Chelsea loss I was so upset and bothered by it I couldn’t even eat. I had no appetite whatsoever. Worst 5 minutes of my life!

I do not like to see the Bulldogs lose ever in any sport! But it happens but I still don’t like it. The worst is when they got to the state championship game in football & they got robbed! Lousy little blind ref! Call the hold you pipsqueak zebra! I’m still fuming over that. Hey, us pigs, we never forget! Especially when it’s dinner time. Which for me is all the time.

Anyway, let’s put that stinking Lincoln loss behind us and move forward. This week we hit the road and go take on the Tecumseh Indians. They are 2-1 on the year and are playing decent football. They beat Lincoln by 1. But that doesn’t mean anything. Heck John Wilkes Booth beat Lincoln by 1 once. What, too soon?

Anywho the Redskins, I mean Injuns, I mean Scalpers, I mean Indians are looking good. They are coming off an 11-7 win over Adrian. That sounds like a baseball score against the Detroit Mud Hens, I mean Tigers pitching. But after last week’s defeat, I know Head Coach Bush was not happy. So he will get his team on the right track.

I know he wasn’t happy because I called him. Here’s what he told me: “How did you get my number? Don’t ever call here again.” And as he hung up I heard him say,” How the heck does a pig use a phone anyway?” I’m sure he wasn’t annoyed I called, it was because he was busy working on a game plan and not the fact it was 3 in the morning,

Last weeks game had some bad moments in it. Missed tackles, dropped passes, division in the ranks. Everyone pointing fingers, blaming others. Look! You win as a team, you lose as a team. You go out there and do your job and you do it right, you do it well. Don’t worry about how it looks on hudl, wrap the guy up, you bring him down.  Thomas gets you the ball, it hits your hands, you catch it, don’t worry about getting hit, that’s the game. And if you got a problem with the coaches then quit! And same goes for parents, think you can outcoach them, man up and do it! Go coach somewhere. Obviously, you can tell I was mad about all the negative things being said after the game. My barnyard isn’t that far away, I hear everything!

You’re Bulldogs! Time to regroup. The season is already a third of the way done but there’s plenty of football left to play. We can still win the Conference. And go all the way. You all need to believe and achieve. Be a team. There’s no i in team unless you spell it wrong like stupid Spike the pig from Dexter would!

So I’ll be watching the game with my goat buddies Chester, Salina, and Chelsea. We have a very hi-tech entertainment system in the barn. We may be animals but we have style. Oh, no horses allowed. I can’t stand horses!

I got the Bulldogs bouncing back this week and stepping up all areas of the game and winning big. Go Bulldogs! Now I have to go, my human family just got Thompson’s pizza and I’m about to take advantage of that. I hope there’s no pork on it this time!

Chelsea Sophomore Garrett Steele Showing He Can Run With The Pack

Chelsea’s Garrett Steele brings down a Lincoln player for a loss 

Most high school football teams try to play all seniors if they can, because of their experience. But many high school coaches realize that skill and passion for the game can come before age and seniority. And Chelsea’s varsity football teams sophomore safety Garrett Steele has both of those attributes and more.

While it’s not rare for a sophomore to play on the Bulldogs, it’s not common either. And Steele just doesn’t play here or there or in “mop up” duty, he starts in the defensive backfield.

“Coach Bush and I had conversations about me playing varsity but there was not a specific date,” the 15-year-old stated referring to Chelsea Head Coach Brad Bush. “It’s a great honor being in this situation and everyone is very supportive of one another.”

Steele has been playing football since he was in 7th grade and it shows as the 6 foot 175-pound safety shows a skill set far beyond his age. He can read receiver sets and is able to shed blocks and picks to pick up and lock down his man. He has shown flashes of brilliance in coverage and is a hard hitter and has made several big stops for the Bulldogs so far this season. He is third on his team in tackles with 17 in 3 games including 1 tackle for a loss and one pass broken up.

Garrett shares the backfield with his cousin Braden who is a senior. His brother Thomas, who is also a senior, is the Bulldog quarterback.

“Getting to play on a team with my brother and cousin is an unbelievable experience that I will never get again,” Garrett said.  “I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys to play my first varsity season with.”

Garrett loves football but he also plays baseball but his major sports passion is hockey. He currently plays AAA travel hockey for the Oakland Jr Grizzlies.

“I love hockey so much and I’d really like to thank Coach Bush for being so supportive of me playing hockey and football at the same time this season, ” Garrett stated.

Being the youngest on a team with players mostly 2 or 3 years older than you could cause much division in most football locker rooms but Chelsea isn’t like that. All the players get along really well and everyone has been very supportive of Garrett and he feels no extra pressure on him because of his age or grade.

“Whether you’re a senior, a junior,  or a sophomore playing on varsity has a lot of pressure but that’s why we play the game,” said Garrett.

Garrett thanks his family for all their support (Mother Gretchen, Father Tucker, brother Caden, sister Savannah)  but most importantly his quarterback brother Thomas for all the support and leadership he has shown him all summer and for the start of this season.

The Bulldogs are a third of the way through the season and stand at 2 wins and 1 loss overall and travel to Tecumseh Friday to take on the Indians.

“I feel we are starting to figure things out defensively and offensively and once we do we will be a team others won’t want to play,” Garrett asserts.

Dozer’s Pigskin Picks

We are pleased to announce a new weekly feature on our website. It is called Dozer’s Pigskin Picks. Who is Dozer you ask? Well, Dozer is a pig. Not just any pig but the worlds smartest pig. And he can talk!

Dozer lives in Chelsea and he is a proud Bulldog and loves the Chelsea community. And he really loves Chelsea sports. Especially football. He has very strong ties to Chelsea football going back several generations as his great, great, great, grandpa took part in Chelsea High Schools very first game. As the original Chelsea pigskin.

“I’m very proud of that,” Dozer snorted. “A rich tradition was born that day and I’m glad my family was a part of it.”

Dozer knows sports. And loves Chelsea football almost as much as he does eating. And Dozer understands the rivalries too, as he cannot stand Dexter!

“The other pig that lives in my barnyard went to Dexter,” Dozer growls. “his name is Spike and he’s dumb as a brick and nobody likes him. Hmmph, Dexter!”

So without further ado here’s Dozer for his prediction and thoughts on the upcoming home game this Friday against Ypsilanti Lincoln.

“Hey everybody I’m Dozer the pig and I want to talk Chelsea Bulldog football. I just found out Chelsea won the voting so we will be the Mlive game of the week in our area. That’s cool, that’s cool. I voted quite a bit. I hope you all did too. So this weeks game is against Lincoln. Lincoln, what has he done since he freed the slaves.

What? Oh, my bad, I’ve been informed that it’s not Abe Lincoln, who is dead, but Lincoln High out of Ypsilanti. Pshh, Railsplitters. I bet they don’t even really have a clue where that name came from. Anywho Lincoln has given up an average of 32 points a game in their 2 losses this year. But they’ve racked up an average of 27 points per game in those losses. But they haven’t faced a defense like Chelsea’s.

Those boys up front are big! I haven’t seen that much beef since I visited my friends in the cattle barn at the fair. Oh, the Chelsea fair. Cotton candy, caramel corn, everything on a stick, everything deep fried, mmmmmmmm!

What? Oh whoops got sidetracked there for a minute. Chelsea is strong up front and has a lot of depth. They shut down a very good Pinckney team last week only giving up one touchdown on their first drive. My homey Ronnie Buford had 3 sacks, 8 tackles, and 2 of them for loss. Braden Steele, Garrett Steele, Doug Zarinnia, and Patrick Bertoni did great in the defensive backfield. And Owen Nikischer has been a beast at Middle linebacker. Owens crazy. He’ll hold the door open for a little old lady then smash it on some Dreadnaught kid. Heh Heh, I love that Owen!

The defense will have to be strong as they face the speedy senior quarterback Cam Thompson who is a dual threat.  He can run and throw and is their most explosive weapon. Other big players on their team are running back Derrick Thomason and wide receiver Matthew Moorer. Moorer, a 2017 track and field state champion in the 400-meter dash, will be an explosive threat for Thompson in the passing game. Chelsea is going to have to be aware of him at all times and lock him down. They also can’t let Thompson get loose and have to lock him up fast and make him throw bad passes with lots of pressure.

The Chelsea offense struggled a bit last week but Head Coach Brad Bush is going to fix that. I know he worked with those kids all week because there’s way too much talent on that team to not rack up a lot of points. They’re big up front & they got speed.

I have to say, this is going to be a very exciting game but I’m all in for the Bulldogs! Go dawgs!!!! I’ll be watching it online while pigging out on pizza. Yeah pigging out is an offensive term but not for me, we pigs can say it!

Chelsea Defense Comes Up Big In 10-7 Comeback Victory Over Pinckney

 

Chelsea Sophomore Garrett Steele wraps up Pinckney’s back in the first quarter

It was fourth and short again for the Chelsea Bulldogs. They were too far away from the end zone for a field goal and yet too close for a punt and needed a score, down 7-0 with time winding down. Bulldog quarterback Thomas Steele rolled out to his left and threw a quick pass to his receiver Hunter Neff who had no chance at the reception as he was draped and held by the Pinckney defender. This was the second time on the night this had happened to the Bulldogs and Chelsea Head Coach Brad Bush was livid at the lack of the call. But this was how Chelsea’s night was going. Try as they might, they just weren’t getting the calls and things weren’t going their way offensively.

The Pirates, who are back in the Southeast Conference White Division, were playing the Bulldogs for the first time in 19 years. They came into the game off a big victory over Ypsilanti Lincoln. Pinckney boasts a lot of size up front on both sides of the ball. And they used that to their advantage right away as the drove down the field on their first possession after kickoff, a drive that took only 4 minutes and moved 69 yards capped off by a Levi Collins touchdown run.

The Bulldog defense gathered off the field and proudly proclaimed that this was “their house and that the Pirates weren’t going to score again!” And they kept their word.

While the Bulldog offense just couldn’t get the running game going (just 64 yards on the night), the defense played true to their word keeping the Bulldogs in the game. Led by Sophomore Garret Steele’s team leading 9 tackles (.5 for loss), Owen Nikischer’s 8, Braden Steele’s 7, and Western Michigan commit Ronnie Bufords 8 tackles with 3 sacks the Bulldog defense was relentless.
“Our defense played extremely well tonight,” Coach Bush stated after the game. “They kept us in this game, they never gave up, and they gave us every chance to win. I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

And it was the defense who forced a fumble with Patrick Bertoni returning it 23 yards for the Bulldogs. But again the drive would stall. After another great Quentin Beck punt (48.3 average on the night), the Pirates were backed up on their own end. They had tried a fake field goal earlier which the Bulldogs thwarted and this time on a fourth a 1 they tried a fake punt with punter Levi Collins running right but the defense swarmed him and Pinckney lost 3 yards on the play giving the Bulldogs the ball on the Pinckney 48 yard line with just a little over 5 minutes left in the game and down by a touchdown.

The Bulldogs offense moved the ball with a couple short runs by Aaron McDaniels and on third and long, Steele, under a lot of pressure as he rolled to his left launched a perfect 33-yard strike to the speedster Aiden Chisholm who made a fantastic catch over Pinckney’s Nolan Houghteling for the score! Cullen Lindsy kicked the extra point to tie the game.

“It felt amazing to make that catch for my team late in the game,” Chisholm excitedly said. “It was an even better throw by Thomas (Steele) under pressure. That game meant a lot to the team and to be able to help them win it was something I’m never going to forget!”

Cullen’s kickoff went deep to the Pirates right side where the kick returner dropped the ball then tried to run behind a wall towards his own sideline but the Bulldogs grabbed him early and forced a fumble which the Pirates recovered. The Pirates were pinned deep in their own territory at their own 8-yard line with just over 2 minutes to go in the game.

The Bulldogs forced a 3 and out and as the Pirate punter Collins got the kick away two Bulldogs were able to get their hands on it deflecting it and Chelsea took over at the Pirate 24 yard line with plenty of time for them to move the ball closer to a game winning score.

Chelsea ran the ball conservatively and was faced with another fourth down. This time Coach Bush called on his kicker Lindsay to do his thing. Lindsay in only his first year ever kicking in football made the 32 yard 3 pointer with ease and then some to give the Bulldogs a 10-7 lead with little time left in front of a large, excited home crowd.  The defense did the rest as the Pirates tried to run sideline out routes but ran out of timeouts and time as the Bulldog faithful erupted in joy after watching one of the most exciting comeback victories in Chelsea history.

“It’s just like soccer to me,” Lindsay explained when called upon to make the big kick for the lead and the eventual victory. “I’ve been in front of crowds before, I just went with it. I did what I had to do, just went out there and executed. I’m so pumped, I’m happy for the team to get the victory.”

“We’ve never had a soccer style kicker before,” Coach Bush said about his kickers game winning field goal. “But he’s used to competing and he’s a calm, laid back guy. I felt good about it the whole time.”

The Bulldogs were outgained in yardage overall by the Pirates especially in the running game. The Pirates Collins had 118 grounds on the ground while their quarterback Wurzer was 14 for 22 for 121 yards. Steele led the Bulldogs through the air with very similar stats, going 11 of 17 for 147 yards. The big difference was Steele’s touchdown pass late in the game.

“That’s a good football team, a really good football team,” Coach Bush said of the Pirates. “I felt they outplayed us for about 3 1/2 quarters. Our defense made great plays for us, came up big. Pinckney is a great defensive team but I think we need to go back and look at our offense, I was a little disappointed with our production on offense tonight, but in the same sense, we found a way to win the game.”

“We really stepped up tonight with our defense,” Bulldog defensive end Ronnie Buford said. “They came out strong, they got us on the first drive, but we came up big after that. I feel amazing, amazing, this was a great team win.”

Chelsea will get back to work after the long labor day holiday weekend as they start school on the 5th and will be hosting  Ypsilanti Lincoln on Friday the 8th. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Lincoln will come in looking for their first victory of the season while Chelsea remains undefeated at 2-0 (1-0 in Conference)

Cullen Lindsay hits the game winning field goal for the Bulldogs

Aiden Chisholm reels in the game tying touchdown pass for the Bulldogs

Bulldog Ronnie Buford brings down quarterback Jack Wurzer

Bulldog quarterback Tomas Steele keeps the ball for a Bulldog first down

It was Disney Theme night for the Bulldog fans

Chelsea Head Coach Brad Bush Looks on

Nehemiah Mite (34) and Owen Nikischer (32) attempt to bring down Pirate Levi Collins

Hunter Neff leaps over a Pirate for a catch

Chelsea Junior Jack Smith brings down Pinckney’s Nick Cain

Noah Palmer leaps as he and his teammates take the field

 

Chelsea Opens Season With Big Win In Milan

Chelsea’s Arraon McDaniels breaks the plane for the score

A crispness was in the air on a late summer evening in Milan as a huge crowd turned out to watch one of the most anticipated first games of the high school football season. The Big Red played host to the Chelsea Bulldogs with both teams coming off big seasons last year.

Chelsea won the coin toss and deferred until the second half and the Big Red started their season deep in their own territory and their first drive ended quickly in a 3 and out as the Chelsea defense stood strong in the trenches. Chelsea took over off the punt and moved the ball slowly downfield and had to settle for a 33-yard field goal from Cullen Lindsay.

Milan was able to move the ball on the ground but Chelsea came up big on a huge 4th down and 2 play, stopping the Milan back short of the first down. Chelsea took over and struck quickly with their first touchdown of the season as they faked a reverse and Hunter Neff launched a 74-yard bomb downfield to Ryan Sanborn for the score to put the dogs up 10-0 after Lindsay’s extra point kick.

The Chelsea defense again forced Milan to punt and the Bulldogs drove down the field with short quick passes and runs. Aaron McDaniels capped off the 42-yard drive with a right dive into the end zone for the score. The Bulldogs would take a big 17-0 lead into the halftime.

In the third quarter, both teams would go back and forth playing tough defense as both teams had several large players up front. One of the more interesting match ups was watching Chelsea Defensive End Ronnie Buford go up against Milan’s two-way lineman Michael Furtney. Both players announced their commitment to college their junior year, Buford to Western Michigan, Furtney to Wisconsin.

“Milan is really good up front,”  Chelsea Head Coach Brad Bush stated. “They’re a really good team and Furtney is probably the best lineman I’ve seen in the Ann Arbor area in my 21 years of coaching.”

The Bulldogs defense again would come up with a big 4th down stop giving them the ball and the big lead near the end of the 3rd quarter. The Bulldogs struck fast with quarterback Thomas Steele throwing a deep pass to Neff for a big 61-yard score and an even bigger 24-0 lead.

“I was really excited for this game,” Steele said about making his first start at varsity quarterback for the Bulldogs. “It started off a little rough but then we settled down and started playing our game. I love playing with these guys, it’s a great group.”

Chelsea had more opportunities to run the score up but in a show of good sportsmanship, they took another Lindsay field goal for a 27-0 lead. Milan scored late in the game to close the gap but the Bulldogs walked away with a big 27-7 victory.

“Defensively we played really well,” Coach Bush stated. “Special teams were a big factor. Breaking in a new kicker for him (Cullen Lindsay)to be 100% on extra points and field goals is a big deal.”

The Bulldogs were led by in rushing by McDaniels and had 182 yards in passing which was more than Milan had overall in team yardage. Hunter Aeschbecker led Milan with 90 yards rushing. The Bulldogs were led on the defensive side of the ball by Buford who had 8 tackles, while middle linebacker Owen Nikischer had 6.  Nicholas Baugher led the Big Red with 7 tackles while Victor Knight had 6.

Milan will host Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central next week while the Bulldogs head home to host the Pinckney Pirates.

“They’re a good team,” Coach Bush said of the Pirates. “They’ve been out of the league several years and now they’re back in so it’s been since 1999 since we’ve faced them. ”

Kickoff is set for 7 in Chelsea.

The teams face each other for the coin toss

Aidan Chisholm carries for Chelsea

Chelsea’s Ronnie Buford jumps to break up a pass

Thomas Steele scrambles for Chelsea

Hunter Neff throws a bomb for Chelsea

Aaron McDaniels gets stopped short of the goal line

 

Chelsea’s Patrick Bertoni Locking The D Backfield Down

When opposing quarterbacks line up against Chelsea, they look over the defense and look to see where number 17 is. And then they change up their play. Because Chelsea Defensive Back Patrick Bertoni plays the position like a pro. He covers well, he hits hard, he jumps routes, and he picks off passes.

Bertoni, who has been playing organized football since 7th grade,  had the rarity of starting every game for the 11-1 Bulldogs in 2016 and had 6 interceptions earning him honorable mention on the all SEC team. Quarterbacks learned right away not to throw his way and receivers would try to run away from him.

“I’m really excited for my senior season and I’m hoping to have an even better season this year,” Bertoni said.

Bertoni is very involved as he is participating in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), National Honor Society (NHS), Orchestra, student council, St. Mary youth group, and is a student liaison to the school board. He also starts on the Chelsea basketball varsity team.

“I like playing both sports (football and basketball) and I can’t decide which one I like better,” Bertoni states. “I’m a better person for playing them and I can’t say enough great things about the guys on my teams.”

When Bertoni does get the spare time he likes to spend it with those people that are close to him. He enjoys doing puzzles, going camping, and listening to music. He plans on attending the University of Michigan after he graduates.

“I would like to thank all my family, my teammates, and my coaches for helping me be the person I am today,” Bertoni said. “But most of all I’d like to thank God for all he has blessed me with.”

Patrick is the son of Rob and Sue Bertoni and he has an older brother Daniel, and two older sisters, Colleen and Kelly.

Chelsea Football’s James Mida Ready For The Trenches

 

James Mida leaps to hit the banner pre-game 

Many football pundits are saying that the linemen for the Chelsea football team this season are deep and might be among the best group of players ever. And anchoring that line will be Senior James Mida, who mainly plays defensive end, but can play offense and like a Swiss army knife, he can and will do it all. He will do whatever his coaches ask of him and whatever it takes to help his team, like all the defensive linemen on the team.

 

“We have what we think is the most athletic defense to come through in a while,” Mida excitedly proclaims. “I mean, I think the team looks great! The Offense looks really good from what I’ve seen, very balanced. There is a lot of talent on both sides of the ball.”

Mida, like most Chelsea athletes, is a multi-sport participant. He wrestles, does track and field, and archery (but not with his school).  He also plays baritone in the marching band. He loves each sport he performs with equally because they all complement each other for him.

“I love the team and family environment of football,” Mida explains. “I love the conditioning and physicality of wrestling, and I love track because it is the sport I can  relax with and heal up any injuries I might have acquired in my other sports.”

Mida lived in Ann Arbor for the first ten years of his life so when he moved to Chelsea it was a big change for him. Not only was it a smaller city, he noticed right away how it was a much closer community. He wasn’t used to living in a place where everyone cared for each other and looked out for each other.

“That’s why I love football like a family,” Mida explains. “We’re like a band of brothers, like Chelsea. We all feed off each other, thrive off each other, look out for each other. It’s amazing how everyone on the team looks out for one another.”

Mida knows the expectations are always high for the Bulldogs, with their great record of District Championships, undefeated seasons, and a trip to the state championship game in 2015. And that’s where the C9 program comes in Head Coach Brad Bush and his staff are encouraging.

“To be successful we all need to live up to C9, where every unit matters and helps the other,” Mida said. “I have no doubt we will do more than just buy into the program, but we will make it succeed, on and off the field.”

In his spare time, when he ever finds any, he likes to watch youtube and Netflix videos, play video games, lift, practice for any sport he is playing, and eat. He also works on a farm baling hay with his close friend Zack Taylor.

 

As he enters his senior season, Mida hopes to earn a scholarship by playing his heart out in any sport he does. He’d like to go into law enforcement after High School, or possibly teaching. And then there is the possibility of enlisting in the United States Armed Forces.

Mida is the son of Robbie Hinsman, Rob Elie, and he has 2 sisters Mary Mida and Amarah Hinsman. He also has two close friends that live with his family, Danny Nelson and Brian Vannewkirk.

As he steps out on the field after practice Mida begins to reflect on his senior football season.

“We’ve worked hard, all of us,” Mida states. “I’m very happy on this field. It’s a great place to play, the fans, the coaches, the players. Now it’s time to make our hard work pay off and us seniors can go out with a bang or a whimper. And we all know Bulldogs don’t whimper!”

 

 

 

Chelsea Football Has New Gunslinger In Town

Chelsea’s Thomas Steele prepares to throw a pass in a scrimmage  

Chelsea High School has had its fair share of great quarterbacks over the years including Cameron Hawkins, George Royce, Chris Brigham, and last years All State selection Jack Bush. All hold their places firmly in the record books.  Looking to add his name to that select group of Chelsea all time greats this year is Thomas Steele.

Steele will be set up behind center this season and is looking forward to it and will be following a legacy of Steeles who quarterbacked the Bulldogs, his father Tucker on the 1990 team and his Uncle Pat on the 1993 team. Steele has a team first mentality and a winning attitude.  Steele has been playing football competitively since he was in the 7th grade and he likes to compete and win in any sport he plays, whether it’s ice hockey or baseball. And his most favorite sport is the one he is playing at any given time.

“It’s an honor to follow in the footsteps of my dad and uncle,” says Steele. “It’s a great tradition I’m proud to be a part of.”

Steele brings skill, intelligence, and leadership to any sport he plays. He puts in lots of time on the field receiving instructions from his Head Coach Brad Bush and his other coaches while trying to help lead some of the younger less experienced players. The Bulldogs are coming off two spectacular seasons including playing in the 2015 State Championship game at Ford Field in Detroit. Steele feels the team can build on that and keep moving forward.

“I really believe that our success as a team will depend on the amount of time and hard work each one of us puts in,” stated Steele.

When Steele isn’t on the field he is hunting, fishing, or spending time with his family. His family is very important to him and although this will be his last year playing sports for Chelsea, he is really looking forward to it and the opportunities it brings.

“It’s my last year which is kind of sad but I’m really happy about going on the field and getting to play out there and compete with my little brother Garrett,” said Steele. “Also, my cousin Braden is on the team so this will be a really extra special season.”

Steele works for the family business when not competing in sports, Steele Heating And Cooling of Chelsea. He also works at the Dexter Cider Mill. He is unsure of his future plans but that may change depending on how his sports seasons go. Thomas is the son of Tucker and Gretchen Steele and has 3 siblings, Savannah, Garrett, and Caden.

The Bulldogs open the season August 25th at Milan.