The St Joseph Bears stepped out of SMAC play on Friday night, travelling to Chelsea. Their opponent, the Chelsea Bulldogs, entered this game as the #1 ranked team in the Division 4 AP Poll. St Joseph battled this State Championship contender, but a 10-point second quarter could not be overcome in a 24-14 Bulldogs victory.
In the first quarter, St Joseph scored first. With four minutes left in the opening frame, Matthew Lanier ran in an 11-yard touchdown, putting the Bears on the board. Chelsea answered late in the quarter with a 9-yard pass from Lucas Dunn to Cole Munson. This evened the score at 7-7 after the first twelve minutes.
The second quarter was pivotal in Chelsea’s victory. Two minutes into the frame, Lucas Dunn tossed a 49-yard score to Lucas Hanifan. Hunter Shaw added a 26-yard field goal that gave the Bulldogs a 17-7 halftime lead.
Neither team would score in the third quarter of play. St Joe closed the gap early in the fourth quarter, when Lanier powered across the goal line from a yard out. Chelsea responded with some security, as Cole Munson ripped off an 11-yard rushing score.
Mistakes cost St Joseph in this game. The Bears missed a 37-yard field goal try in the first quarter, and a 32-yard field goal in the third frame. Sandwiched in between these misses was a fatal fumble at the Chelsea two-yard line in the second quarter. In the fourth quarter, St Joseph turned the ball over on downs at the Chelsea 29.
Matt Lanier led St Joseph with 129 rushing yards. Trey McGinnis added 88 rushing yards. Chelsea was led by Lucas Dunn and his 12/18 passing performance for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Lucas Hanifan hauled in 121 receiving yards. Trenton Hill led the rushing attack with 93 yards.
Next week, St Joseph will return to SMAC play against Battle Creek Lakeview. Chelsea will look to conclude their third straight undefeated regular season against Dexter.
