Red Devil gridders win third straight, 32-0
The streaking Chelsea High football team rolled to its third straight shutout victory in impressive fashion with a 32-0 blanking of Charlestown in a contest played across the Mystic River Friday night.
The Red Devils set the tone of the contest from the outset, taking the opening kickoff and marching 60 yards in eight plays for a touchdown. Junior running backs Sammy Rivera and Elyer Lobo chewed up large chunks of yardage en route to the endzone, with Yvad Rosado taking the ball in for six from four yards out. Jeffrey Mejia kicked the PAT for a 7-0 Chelsea lead.
The Red Devils soon added to their advantage when Charlestown fumbled the ensuing kickoff and senior Anthony Cuellar recovered the loose pigskin at the Charlestown 25. The Red Devils needed just five plays to accomplish their second TD of the night, with Rivera earning the scoring honors. Sammy also went in for the two-point conversion to make it 15-0.
The Red Devil offense soon was back in business in the second period thanks to an interception by junior linebacker Christian Calix at the Charlestown 45. Lobo eventually brought the ball over the goal line from five yards out to increase the CHS advantage to 21-0 at the half.
After a scoreless third frame, Chelsea put the game away with another TD in the final period. A 10-play Chelsea drive culminated with a 10 yard run by Rosado for his second score of the contest.
Sophomore kicker Mejia applied the coup de grace with a 28 yard field goal after a Chelsea drive late in the game.
“It was a nice team win in which a lot of our players made solid contributions,” said CHS head coach Mike Stellato. Rivera, Albie Alicea, and Nelson Vega earned their coach’s plaudits on offense, while Cuellar, Josue Sanchez, Nate Budwah, and Calix earned special mention on the defensive side of the ball.
The Red Devils, who now are 4-2 on the year, return home Friday in search of their fourth straight win when they host Lynn Tech under the lights at Chelsea Stadium. Kick off is at 7:00 p.m.
CHS soccer boys win two, tie one
The Chelsea High boys soccer team won two of its three contests this past week, improving their overall record to 12-1-3 on the season and clinching first place in the Large School division of the Commonwealth Athletic Conference.
The Red Devils easily handled Mystic Valley, 5-0, Tuesday. Junior Wilbur Tejada put Chelsea on the board with an unassisted goal when he dribbled past two MV defenders at the top of the box and then beat the MV keeper from about eight yards out.
Captain Luis Cruz, Chelsea’s All-Scholastic candidate who leads the CAC in scoring with 24 goals and 10 assists, reached the back of the MV net twice to make it a 3-0 Chelsea lead at the intermission. Tejada assisted on the first goal and Christian Torres earned the assist on Luis’s second marker when he delivered a ball into the box that was headed in by Cruz.
The Red Devils added to their advantage in the second half as CHS head coach Mick Milutinovic used all of his players. Senior Juan Diaz, assisted by Dominic Hightower (who has become invaluable for the CHS squad with his ability to play at any position on the field) and senior Ronald Alfaro-Castro scored the Chelsea goals. Chelsea keeper Jose Ortiz earned the shutout.
The day before on Monday, the Red Devils took care of business with a 4-1 win over a non-league foe, Arlington Catholic. Cruz reached the back of the AC net twice in the first half. Teammate Gustavo Barahona also accounted for two goals, one in each half.
Milutinovic once again was able to use all of his players to give them valuable playing experience. AC broke the CHS shutout bid with a marker with about two minutes to play. The contest featured the return to action of Red Devil freshman Oscar Murillo, who had been injured a few games earlier against Everett.
The Red Devils traveled to Shawsheen Tech last Wednesday and managed to come away with a 1-1 tie. Shawsheen scored early in the contest when a Chelsea player committed a costly foul just outside the box, giving Shawsheen a set play opportunity that the Techmen capitalized upon with a header.
From that point on, the Red Devils had to play catch-up against a Shawsheen team that always features a strong defense and utilizes an off-sides trap. However, the constant Chelsea pressure in the second half eventually paid off with about 15 minutes to play when senior Anthony Ortiz made a nice run down the wing and delivered a crossing pass into the box. The ball deflected off a Shawsheen player into the net for the equalizer.
“Shawsheen always is a tough opponent, especially at their place,” said CHS assistant coach Evan Protasowicki. “When they get a lead, it’s very difficult to come back on them.”
The Red Devils will conclude their regular season with two home contests today (Thursday) against Northeast Regional and Monday against non-league for Hudson, which will feature Senior Day festivities. Northeast is in second place behind Chelsea in the CAC Large with a loss (a 4-1 defeat to Chelsea in the teams’ first encounter) and three ties, whereas Chelsea is undefeated with two ties. Thus, even if Northeast prevails, the Red Devils will maintain their advantage in the standings. Still, the contest should be a good one, with a number of Chelsea boys playing on the NE team, creating a bit of a natural rivalry between the two clubs.
Volleyball team enjoys a successful Senior Night
The Chelsea High volleyball team ensured that its Senior Night festivities truly would be a festive occasion with a 3-0 shutout of divisional rival Fellowship of Christian Academy Tuesday in the local gym.
“The team played well and all nine of our seniors had a hand in the victory,” said CHS head coach Lisa Ceccherini. Malicia Ivanis and Simone Gomes combined to lead the attack from the middle with solid spikes all over the floor. Captain Rebeca Torrento and fellow outside hitters Claire Pizarro and Stephanie Moni delivered key kills into openings in the Fellowship defense.
Captain Marina Melendez and teammate Tivisay Sanchez turned in an outstanding job as setters, while fellow seniors Marlene Cole and Marilyn Flores came through with some clutch serves under pressure.
“It was a solid team effort and it was fitting that our seniors truly led the way to victory on their night,” noted Ceccherini.
The CHS junior varsity team foreshadowed the varsity’s victory with a triumph of their own in the preliminary battle with Fellowship.
The Lady Red Devils were set to wrap up their 2013 season this week, trekking to Greater Lowell yesterday (Wednesday) and to Pope John XXIII in Everett Friday.
Cross country teams ready for CAC Meet
The Chelsea girls and boys cross country teams concluded their regular season this past week and now will focus their attention upon the upcoming league meet of the Commonwealth Athletic Conference which is set for this Saturday at Greater Lowell.
The boys competed in a tri-meet with Essex Aggie and Mystic Valley, defeating the latter, 22-39, but falling just short against the former, 27-30.
CHS junior captain Jeffrey Estrada ran well, finishing third overall in 18:02. Junior Brian Horn was sixth in 18:54 with teammate Biruk Mulaw right behind in 19:00 flat. Also running well for Chelsea were Jay Pedroia in 10th overall with a clocking of 19:08, Sam Hernandez in 11th in 19:23, Elvin Rivera in 12th in 19:26, and Louis Madariaga in 13th spot in 19:29.
“We don’t have a runner who’ll be near the very top, but we have a good pack of runners who hopefully can stay together and will run well this Saturday,” said CHS head coach Don Fay.
The Chelsea girls’ squad trekked to Tyngsboro this past week and came out on the short end of a 15-48 decision to Notre Dame Academy, the CAC champion.
Wendy Becerra was the first Lady Red Devil across the line, coming home in sixth place in 24:53. “Wendy improved by more than 10 minutes from her time on this course last year,” said Fay. “She has really worked hard this year and has gotten much faster. ”
Finishing in an official 11th place was CHS captain Yessenia Motta, together with teammates Eva Hernandez in 12th spot and Melanie Nguyen in 13th, all of whom crossed the line together in 28:52.