Rams get revenge, state title

A couple big special teams plays helped Carvers Bay capture last year’s Class A Division I championship against Chesterfield.

In Friday’s rematch, a couple big defensive plays helped the Rams return the favor.

The Bears turned the ball over three times, and Chesterfield stopped a two-point conversion attempt en route to a 13-6 win over Carvers Bay to capture the D-I state title at Oliver Dawson Stadium.

“It feels good,” Chesterfield coach Steve Taneyhill said. “We had T-shirts with ‘Unfinished Business’ printed on them and we kind of rode that all season. The way we’ve played the last four weeks is unbelievable.

“We’re not winning in the stat books, but we’re winning on the field.”

That was never truer than against Carvers Bay.

The Bears outgained the Rams 270 yards to 73 and held Chesterfield to 6 rushing yards.

“Chesterfield played well, especially on defense,” Carvers Bay coach Nate Thompson said.

“They made plays when they had to and we didn’t. We’ve been lucky enough to play and win here twice. Tonight, we just came up short.”

Trailing 7-0 at the start of the fourth quarter, Carvers Bay finally broke through the Rams’ defense as Johnathan Holmes scored from 5 yards out.

Thompson decided to go for the two-point conversion, much like last year when a Bears conversion gave them a one-point victory.

“You go for it when you have time and, at that point, we had time,” Thompson said.

But the conversion failed, and Carvers Bay trailed 7-6 with 10:43 left.

“We have two-point conversion defense as a special separate segment of our practice routine,” Taneyhill said. “I kind of laid into our guys about not giving up the

conversion and they responded.”

The Rams finally managed some offense two drives later. After a 49-yard punt pinned Carvers Bay deep, the Rams partially blocked the Bears’ punt and scored six plays later on a reverse run by Jonathan Murvin to put Chesterfield up 13-6. The conversion attempt failed.

After trading possessions, Carvers Bay mounted one last drive with less than two minutes left.

But, at the Chesterfield 30, Bears quarterback Arlington Scott fumbled the snap, and the Rams recovered.

“My center saw the blitz coming and went out a little early,” Scott said.

“I couldn’t recover the ball in time.”

Scott fumbled earlier inside Bears territory and also had a pass picked off and returned to the Carvers Bay 20.

Rams quarterback Akeem Johnson connected with Travis Gibson on a 20-yard touchdown pass to put the Rams up 7-0 at the half.

“That really hurt us and put us in a hole that we had to climb out of the rest of the game,” Thompson said.

Holmes rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown for the Bears. Carvers Bay had 15 first downs and started in or drove into Rams territory on most of its possessions but couldn’t punch it into the end zone.

“Chesterfield has a very quick defense, and they did a good job of getting to us all day,” Holmes said.

“That’s really what’s carried us this postseason,” Taneyhill said. “We haven’t allowed more than 10 points in any game this postseason, and I can’t say enough about the job my defensive line has done.”

Carvers Bay and Chesterfield end the season at 11-3.

CHESTERFIELD 13, CARVERS BAY 6

Carvers Bay 0 0 0 6 — 6

Chesterfield 0 7 0 6 — 13

Second Quarter

CH — Gibson 20 pass from Johnson (Edwards kick), 8:34.

Fourth Quarter

CB — Holmes 5 run. (Holmes run failed), 10:43.

CH — Murvin 10 run. (Johnson pass failed), 4:24.