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Chiefs just one victory from a title

CHAMBERLAIN 23, RUTHERFORD 17: A 23-point run and a late defensive stand equal a spot in the 5A final.

By MIKE READLING
© St. Petersburg Times,
published December 1, 2001

SPRINGFIELD -- On the way to its Class 5A state semifinal game against Springfield Rutherford, the Chamberlain football team stopped off at Doak Campbell Stadium on the Florida State University campus.

The detour was meant to be a diversion and a chance to see what a college team does to prepare for one of its biggest games of the season.

It turned out to be a preview of what the Chiefs will find when they arrive here next weekend for the state championship game.

That's right, state championship game.

Chamberlain defeated Rutherford 23-17 to advance to the state finals for the first time.

The feat is even more remarkable when you consider that the Chiefs (12-2) hadn't ever won a playoff game when the postseason began four weeks ago and have gotten to this point courtesy of a 12-game winning streak.

Chamberlain will play Venice Friday night for the chance to take home the title.

"Everybody on that bus, from the coaches to the administrators to the players, thought they were going to come up here and win this game," Chamberlain coach Billy Turner said. "I was worried."

Turner should know by now that worry is not something he has to worry about. Especially when it comes to needing his defense to make a stand to win a game.

Chamberlain kept alive its streak of trailing early in the first quarter, as it did in the three previous playoff games, as Khoa Bui hit a 34-yard field goal to put the Rams up 3-0.

But Chamberlain came back to tie the score on a 25-yard Jason Riverol field goal, the beginning of a 23-point run that threatened to scare the Rams out of their stadium.

But Rutherford scored twice in the final 10 minutes, one touchdown capping a three play, 30-second, 68-yard drive and another coming on a 23-yard Devin Collier run to bring the Rams to within six.

Rutherford lost the onside kick attempt when Brian Clark smothered the ball at Chamberlain's 49, then held the Chiefs on a fourth down when they needed only the distance of one chain link to keep the ball.

So, with one minute, 30 seconds to go, Rutherford took over staring at 70 yards between it and a tie game with a possible extra point the only difference between a trip to state and a trip home.

That's when the Chiefs defense stood up.

On the Rams' first play from scrimmage, defensive lineman Al Mack burst through the line and cut inside, forcing quarterback Matt Hardin to step up into the pocket and face the pass rush.

"It was just a little juke play," Mack said. "When I got in there I just saw a clear lane to the quarterback."

As Mack closed in with a defender on his back, Hardin scurried forward and threw an off-balance wobbler off the wrong foot.

Trey Seaholm stepped forward to grab the interception, his first of the season.

"I'd been in that zone all night, he just finally slipped up and threw it right to me," Seaholm said.

When Seaholm finally fell to the ground, all Chamberlain had to do was run out the clock.

"All I could see was Seaholm not falling on the ground," said Turner. "But we've got a good football team. This isn't fate, this isn't destiny, we're just a good football team. We can win this thing."

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