CYFL Game of the Week: 10U Chocowinity endures standoff to remain undefeated

Published 3:15 pm Saturday, September 23, 2017

CHOCOWINITY — The 10U Chocowinity Indians and Washington Saints put their respective undefeated starts on the line Saturday afternoon. The Indians got all the scoring they needed in the third quarter en route to a 14-6 win to improve to 3-0.

The Saints got the ball to start the second half and broke the scoreless deadlock. Max Vansant made up for a delay of game penalty on the first play by picking up 8 yards on the ground. Jeremiah Glaspie then cut outside on consecutive plays, finding more success the second time, to move the chains.

10U Saint Jeremiah Glaspie delivers a stiff arm to a Chocowinity defender.

A deceptive handoff fake by Vansant yielded 5 yards. Washington then drew Chocowinity offside to pick up another first down. Even though Chase Haddock stuffed a run attempt at the line of scrimmage, Glaspie ran in from 7 yards after getting a strong block from Keondrick Melton on the next play.

The 2-point try was no good, giving the Saints a 6-0 lead with 2:19 left in the third quarter.

Chocowinity took little time to answer. The Indians started 3 yards shy of Washington territory. Michael Warren rumbled for 18 yards on the first play of the series. He one-upped himself by shedding defenders at the line of scrimmage to break loose for a 30-yard touchdown run. Gabe Kassnove scooted in for the conversion to go ahead, 8-6, just a minute after Washington took the first lead of the game.

The Saints, looking to answer back, fumbled the ball away on an attempt at a reverse on fourth-and-10. Even though it gave the Indians a short field, they were able to bleed out the clock. Washington linemen swarmed, dropping Kassnove in the backfield for a loss of yardage, but Chocowinity was still able to add to its lead after a 3-yard score by Warren.

Washington had 1:30 left on the clock with only one time out. It needed a touchdown and the conversion just to force overtime, but Brian Salinas was able to make the game-sealing stop for Chocowinity.

The Indians were methodical in their first drive, by a sack by Javen Styons and a tackle-for-loss by Chase Hewitt forced Chocowinity to punt. Their defense stood tall by forcing the Saints three-and-out on their first drive, but couldn’t capitalize as a fumbled snap derailed Chocowinity late in the first half.