Special to New Chapin News
The Chapin football team has experienced the full spectrum of the highs and lows of sports over the past two weeks.
A week ago, the Eagles pulled out a 41-38 victory over River Bluff in the regular-season finale. Chase Cline’s 49-yard field goal earned Chapin fourth place in Region 4-5A.
The pendulum dramatically switched a week later for the Eagles. This time, it was Chapin who watched in agony as Enzo Mori kicked a 44-yard field goal with two seconds left to lift the Knights to a 28-27 win.
Mori’s kick capped a furious comeback from 21-10 for Stratford in the fourth quarter. The final two minutes saw four lead changes.
The Knights took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. Chapin responded with a 1-yard touchdown run by Anthony Turnbow following a turnover and a 35-yard touchdown pass by Brady Albro to Khalen Bostick to take a 14-7 lead.
It remained a seven-point game until Mori’s 25-yard field goal with 9:57 left. Albro then completed a 45-yard pass to Bostick on third down to set up a 14-yard touchdown reception by Jacob Nerone with 3:52 left.
A questionable reception on a long bomb thrown by Jachin Davis set up a 2-yard pass to Jacob Deacon and a 2-point conversion by Elijah Riley to make it 21-18 with 3:01 left.
As Chapin looked to run out the clock, Albro’s screen pass was intercepted by Riley who returned it 55 yards for a touchdown. The PAT made it 25-21 with 1:32 left.
Albro made amends by driving the Eagles 80 yards in 56 seconds. His 22-yard touchdown pass to Jonathan Shepphard put Chapin back on top but the missed PAT kept the score 25-21 with 34 seconds left.
A few completions and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty set up Mori for the game-winning kick. Chapin finished the season at 6-5.
Photo by Charlie Bryant | The Gazette – Chapin and Stratford in the first round of the Class 5A Lower State playoffs
