Slow start dooms Allen Park in regional final loss to Chelsea

By Jake Thielen | MLive.com
on November 13, 2015 11:31 PM, updated November 14, 2015 12:42 AM

Allen Park struggled to get its offense going in its Division 3 football regional final, and the Jaguars ran out of time late in a 35-12 loss Friday night against Chelsea.

Chelsea (11-1) took control early, scoring on the first possession of the game to take a 7-0 lead.

Allen Park (10-2) responded on its ensuing possession by driving to the Chelsea 4-yard line, but the Jaguars’ Antonio Mangiapane was stopped short on a 4^th-and-2 play that swung the momentum back to the Bulldogs.

With the offense unable to replicate the success of its first drive, Allen Park trailed 14-0 at halftime and fell behind by a 35-0 margin in the second half.

Chelsea kept the Jaguars off the scoreboard until the fourth quarter when senior Nate Berrelez scored on a 3-yard run to make the score 35-6.

Allen Park scored one more time, on a 7-yard run by Mangiapane with 1:35 to play, but the Jaguars failed to recover the ensuing onside kick. Chelsea ran out the clock to seal the victory.

Allen Park coach Tom Hoover said his team battled, but just couldn’t recover from its early deficit.

“We some made mistakes that we haven’t made all year,” Hoover said. “We were under pressure and didn’t respond well.”

Mangiapane threw for 144 yards and ran for 53 yards and a touchdown in the loss. Berrelez caught a team-high six passes for 86 yards and ran for 17 yards.

The Jaguars’ 10-2 mark was the program’s best season since 2006 when they also went 10-2. The regional final appearance was the team’s first since 2004.

http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/-1343111753150349145/slow-start-dooms-allen-park-in-regional-final-loss-to-chelsea/

Chelsea 35, Allen Park 12: Bulldogs advance to football semifinals for first time in school history

By Jake Thielen | MLive.com
on November 13, 2015 10:41 PM, updated November 14, 2015 12:19 AM

Chelsea took control of the game early and never looked back as the Bulldogs defeated Allen Park, 35-12, in a Division 3 football regional final Friday night at Allen Park High School.

The win sends Chelsea (11-1) to the state semifinals for the first time in school history. The No. 9 ranked Bulldogs will meet No. 3 Coldwater in that game to decide who gets to play in the Division 3 final at Ford Field.

Chelsea opened the game strong, scoring on its opening drive, and it built a 14-0 lead at halftime thanks to rushing touchdowns from seniors Jacob Somodi and Jacob Grob.

The Bulldogs recovered the opening kickoff of the second half following a misplay by Allen Park and took advantage of the solid field position. Junior quarterback Jack Bush extended the Chelsea lead to 21-0 on the ensuing drive with a 3-yard touchdown run.

Bush also had success through the air in the second half as he connected with senior Jacob Scheese on a pair of touchdown passes to put Chelsea up 35-0 and trigger a running clock with 11:54 to play.

Allen Park scored twice on touchdown runs from senior Nate Berrelez and junior Antonio Mangiapane in the fourth quarter, but the Jaguars ran out of time. After recovering an onside kick, Chelsea was able to take a knee to run out the clock on a 35-12 victory.

Chelsea coach Brad Bush said the Bulldogs had never made the state semifinals previously because of a combination of bad draws and playing poorly at the wrong time. The Bulldogs had lost all five previous times they had reached the regional final.

“We’ve had so many teams in this spot, good teams, and we haven’t been able to get to the finals,” Bush said. “It was (losses to) Farmington Harrison, Inskter with Devin Gardner – I’m proud of just not these guys but all the guys that have played here because we finally have broken through.”

Jack Bush said the win felt good, but the team is still focused on its goal of winning a state title.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling, the first time in school history – something we dreamed about from the beginning,” Bush said. “Now we have to get one more to get to Ford Field.”

Bush threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns on 16-of-20 passing and added 11 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Grob led the Bulldogs with 74 yards rushing on five carries, which included his 66-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

Scheese had four catches for 67 yards and two scores, while senior Bailey Edwards had five catches for 87 yards.

http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/-3904715724195069170/chelsea-35-allen-park-12-bulldogs-advance-to-football-semifinals-for-first-time-in-school-history/