On November 14 the Chelsea Pride Spartans (9-1) beat the Beverly Panthers (8-2) in a blowout 27-7. Chelsea out-played its opponent right from kick-off and ended up playing its finest game all season. For a team known for its offensive talent it was its fearsome defense that worried its opponents most. On this day, the entire “Red,” “Black,” and “White” defensive units punished the Beverly ball carriers, forced turnovers and did not allow one pass completion.
Offensively the day belonged to the “dynamic duo”, Andre Cheek and Victor Rivera. Cheek with his power running game scored 2 TD’s & 3 Extra points and Rivera, the most elusive running back in the NEC, scored 2 TD’s. Rivera’s last TD was a 76 yard double reverse from Carlos Vasquez that deflated any chance Beverly had a at comeback.
Mikhel Collins played his best game of his youth football career at Inside Linebacker. He was in the backfield all afternoon disrupting the QB and RB with 3 sacks and 8 solo tackles. Irah & Shaddai Irung (twins) played their best game of the year, making 5 tackles between them including 3 for losses. Leonardo Almeida made a big 3rd down interception to stop a 2nd quarter drive and any thoughts of a Beverly comeback.
The Defensive front of Angel Negron, Jahhiah Carr and Sammy Cantor manhandled Beverly’s O-line all day, allowing Mikhel Collins, Andre Cheek and Francisco Roca to roam free as linebackers making tackles all over the field, most behind the line of scrimmage.
This game was never close. It was Chelsea’s day. Beverly threw everything they had at PRIDE but Chelsea wasn’t going to be denied its first Superbowl victory. Veterans like Oscar Lopez, Antoine Kelley, Carlos Vasquez, Victor Rivera and Mikhel Collins know how to win, period. They played as a TEAM. Last years defeat to Beverly in the semifinals taught them that there is no tomorrow in the playoffs. These players, this team. was special from the opening kickoff of the first game. Congratulations Chelsea Pride Spartans on a great 2010 season.