BY KATIE MCELVY
FOR THE LAFAYETTE SUN
LAFAYETTE — Chambers Academy honored its 25 senior athletes, including football players, cheerleaders and dance team members, before kickoff Friday, Oct. 23, then beat Sparta Academy 40-6 at Torbert-Allen Field.
The game was the final regular-season matchup for the No. 2 Rebels (9-1) before the AISA Class AAA playoffs begin. It was also Chambers’ seventh win this season by 30 or more points. Last year, the Rebels defeated nine teams by that same margin.
“Friday was a great way to celebrate our senior class. We had an outstanding crowd to celebrate their last regular season home game,” Chambers head coach Jason Allen said. “They have been a great group of young men to coach, and it has been an honor to be a part of their lives.”
Braxton Terry completed 8 of 10 passes for 160 yards and three touchdowns. Hunter Andrews was his top target with two catches for 77 yards.
Caleb Caulfield led the Rebel defense with five tackles, followed by Sam Stockman with three tackles and a fumble recovery and Brody Morand with three tackles. Trey Tigner intercepted a pass.
“Offensively, we played mistake-free football,” Allen said. “Defensively, we didn’t allow Sparta to get anything going. Special teams continue to improve as we’ve made great strides over the course of the season.”
Kicking off to start the game did not keep Chambers from quickly getting on the board. The Rebels forced a fumble on the first play from scrimmage by the Warriors (0-10), and Stockman recovered at the Sparta 25 yard line.
Braxton Terry hit Bryce Modling on his way to the end zone for the first score of the game. The Cohan McDonald extra point was good, and Chambers led 7-0.
Morand and McDonald made big plays on defense to force a three-and-out, and the Rebels took over at their own 45.
Andrews picked up a first down on a pass from Braxton Terry, and Christian Terry then ran in a 41-yard TD. McDonald booted through another PAT, and Chambers led 14-0.
Tigner intercepted a pass on Sparta’s next drive. Andrews cut loose for a 61-yard catch to move the Rebels inside the red zone, and Braxton Terry added the score on a keeper. McDonald’s extra point put Chambers up 21-0.
The Warriors then muffed the kickoff, and the Rebels recovered at the Sparta 8 yard line. Braxton Terry threw to Aiden Tilley for the TD to make it 27-0.
The Chambers defense forced another three-and-out, but the punt grazed a Rebels player, and Sparta recovered. Caulfield and Aiden Yerta then went to work, holding the Warriors to just 3 yards. This time, the Sparta punt pinned Chambers at its own 5 yard line.
That did not deter the Rebels’ offense, which set up a reverse to A.J. Noles, who took it to the house on a 95-yard run. The PAT was good, and Chambers started the second quarter leading 34-0.
Each team added a score in the second half. Braxton Terry hit Cohen Hand on a 20-yard gain and found Brewer Smith for a TD to make it 40-0. Sparta added a TD on its last possession to make the final score 40-6.
The Rebels will have a bye week and then open the playoffs Nov. 6 as the No. 1 seed from the East Region, hosting the No. 4 seed from the West Region. That opponent will be determined on Friday, Oct. 30, once the West Region finishes its regular season.
“We will go into the bye week with the sole purpose of evaluating our team and trying to get better fundamentally,” Allen said. “We will also try to look ahead to the playoff picture and get a head start on our potential opponents. It’s been a great year, but now, the real season begins.”
