BIG ‘DOGS — Newberry High squares up against Chapin Friday.
Despite out-gaining Chapin High offensively by nearly 200 yards (385 to 199), the Eagles scored 17 unanswered second-half points to defeat the Bulldogs at Mike Ware Field, 17-10.
The win was the first for CHS against NHS since 1989, ending a 12-game Bulldog winning streak.
After winning the coin toss for the first time of the season, Newberry mustered only 25 yards in its opening possession, including getting 10 yards in Chapin penalties, before being forced to punt from mid-field.
After holding CHS to a three-and-out, Newberry got 33 yards from the end zone before fumbling over to the Eagles.
After another Chapin three-and-out, Newberry was looking at a third and 21 from its own 10-yard line in the waning minutes of the first quarter.
Marcus McMorris, who had a career-high 130 yards rushing on eight carries, raced across the Chapin sideline untouched and unchallenged as after his touchdown: Aaron Ransdell converted the PAT for the 7-0 Newberry lead.
“We had fumbled the snap earlier on that possession,” said Newberry head coach Sam Baird. “Having to get 21 yards on a third down at your own 10-yard line, we were hoping to get a few yards, and then punt. Everybody though did exactly what they were supposed to do on that play and Marcus scored from 90 yards out.”
Chapin fumbled over to Newberry’s Lance Brehmer three plays later.
The first play of the second quarter saw Ransdell convert Newberry’s first field goal of the season with a 21 yard kick for the 10-0 lead.
After an exchange of three-and-outs, Chapin would fail to convert a 4th and 7 with an under-thrown incomplete pass at the Newberry 15.
Newberry had to burn two time-outs on its next-to-last possession of the opening half.
Bulldog quarterback Tyler Bishop’s pass to Kerry Workman fell incomplete in the end zone.
Chapin attempted a fake punt but Sean Campos-McJunkins tackled the Eagle runner one yard shy of the first down.
With 9.4 seconds to go in the half, Bishop threw a pass to McMorris, who tried to stretch it in from the three, but fell just inches short with .2 seconds to go.
“We had our chances,” said Baird. “Unfortunately we had used all of our time-outs, but we couldn’t get a play off...”
Despite having a 10-point lead, Baird was wary.
“I didn’t think a ten-point lead was going to hold up because Chapin is good at what they do.”
Chapin took its second half opening possession at its own 37-yard line.
After Quentin Ray broke up a pass around the end zone on a third down, Colden King’s 35-yard field goal attempt was good after bouncing off the left upright at the 9:58 mark.
While the field goal attempt was bouncing in Chapin’s favor, the momentum of the night had also.
Newberry was forced to punt from mid-field with 9:09 left in the game with a 10-3 lead.
A late hit along the Newberry sideline turned a one-yard first down carry into an automatic first down just 20 yards from the Bulldog end zone.
Chapin quarterback Michael Weimer’s 17-yard pass to Victor Frick tied the score at 10 after the King PAT with 7:27 left in the game.
With the 2009 contest being the tightest defensive match-up of the 16-series meetings, the humidity and the intensity of the game itself took its toll with cramps being a main factor on both sides of the field during the second half.
“We were getting worn out,” said Baird. “We just have to do a lot of rebuilding and soul searching this week.”
Two weeks ago, McMorris made a spectacular run during the Broome game where he dove over several Centurion players yet no penalty was called.
On Newberry’s next-to-last possession of the evening, Bishop threw a third and 6 pass to McMorris who leapt over several Eagles and kept his footing in a 40-yard dash to the end zone.
Unfortunately for Newberry, the play was called back for that leap.
Forced to punt, Newberry tried to send the game into overtime.
Chapin kept pushing its way to the end zone looking for its first lead of the evening.
Chapin went 3-11 on third down conversions for the night, with all three successful efforts on the team’s final scoring drive.
Looking at a third down from the Newberry 10, Frick took it in for the touchdown and a 17-10 lead after the King PAT, with just 89 seconds left in the game.
Newberry was forced to go to the air each play, but a frustrating second half ended with three incomplete passes and a 14-yard sack.
“It was more than disappointing,” said Baird. “We’d been working hard on our plays in practice. Last week we were much focused and very intense but we didn’t have that during this game.”
Newberry, 2-2, will travel to Ninety Six Friday for a 7:30 p.m. kick-off against the 4-1 Wildcats.
“Ninety Six is a well-coached, if not better coached than Chapin was, team,” said Baird. “They’re going to take advantage of our disadvantages as they’ll be well-prepared offensively, defensively and special teams wise.”
This will be Newberry’s fourth trip to Ninety Six since 1927.
This will be Newberry’s last non-region game of the season. “You hope to always have a good outing before you go to region play,” said Baird.
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