Chiefs escape with late flurry

Deven Persaud's second-half running and a staunch defense allows Chamberlain to pull away from Brandon for an opening-week win.

By MIKE READLING
Published August 26, 2006

BRANDON -- It became evident, even as Chamberlain took Brandon into the half with a six-point lead, that the winner was going to be the first team to find a crack in the opponent's defense.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, it was Chamberlain coach Billy Turner who found the crack and running back Deven Persaud who exploited it in the third quarter. Turner's eye and Persaud's legs - for one possession at least - were enough to help Chamberlain get out of Brandon with a 26-0 win.

After a first half in which Chiefs sophomore quarterback Dontae Aycock was efficient and effective (6-of-10, 58 yards) it looked like more of the same to open the third. Three straight passes (two completions for 41 yards) placed the Chiefs at the Eagles' 26-yard line. That's when Turner put his halftime plan into action.

"(The Brandon defense) started to spread out a little bit," Turner said. "They were taking their middle linebacker and moving him outside, I guess to shut down the sprint out or the run around the end."

That observation led to calls for inside handoffs and pitches, and it worked. Persaud turned his first carry into a 21-yard gain, followed by a two yards to the Brandon 3. On the next play, he took the handoff and willed his way into the end zonefor a 13-0 lead.

After that it was a matter of Chamberlain's defense containing the Brandon offense, which lined up without suspended running back Mike Brown, expected to be one of the county's top rushers this year. First-year defensive coordinator Ray Rairigh's squad was able to do just that.

Brandon's longest run from scrimmage in the second half was 12 yards, and the Eagles finished with negative rushing yards on the night as quarterback Tracy Burr was sacked five times.

[Last modified August 26, 2006, 08:36:24]