Chester is 12-0 for the first time in over 80 years. Here’s how the Cyclones advanced

“This group is real close-knit. They’ve been close-knit from the start to now, and it’s just paying off,” said Chester coach Victor Floyd of his team. “All the work they’ve put in ... The senior class has seen the good and the bad, and now they’re getting to enjoy it.”

The Cyclones scored late in the first quarter on the first of Pha’Leak Brown’s three touchdown jaunts, putting Chester ahead, 7-0. A 14-yard touchdown pass from Zan Dunham to Zion Mills early in the second quarter extended the Chester advantage, with Brown’s second trip to pay dirt giving the home side the 19-0 lead it took to the half.

Broome controlled much of the third quarter, with a 25-yard touchdown run by CJ Littlejohn and two-point pass from Brenden Taylor to Keyvon Graham reducing the deficit to 11 for the Centurions. The Broome defense hauled in an interception in the left side of the end zone as the horn sounded to end the third quarter, giving the visitors what looked to be a good shot to draw closer.

Chester’s defense stiffened, however, forcing a three-and-out. Brown scored again from 25 on the ensuing drive, followed by a one-yard Stan Mills touchdown run just shy of 50 seconds later. Mills added a 15-yard score on the ground for the home side.

After the Cyclones forced another three-and-out on the Centurions’ second fourth-quarter possession, Taylor and Graham hooked up again, with Graham snagging a 38-yard strike in the right side of the end zone to close the scoring.

“They’re extremely athletic. I think what they do is they take a really good angle to the football, and they get hats to the ball,” said Broome coach Lynn Fleming of the Chester defense. “They’re a physical group, and they’re very disciplined.”

Turning point

The Cyclones’ first drive of the second quarter changed the game. Chester ran the ball for the first 11 plays of the drive, maneuvering from its 15 to the Broome 14. The Cyclones elected to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 14, with Zan Dunham faking the run and rolling right. Dunham found a wide-open Zion Mills almost directly under the goal post, and connected with him on a touchdown that put the Cyclones ahead by two scores.

“We knew they’d have 11 up there trying to stop the run, so we felt like the middle of the field would be open if we could get the throw off,” said Floyd. “The guys did a good job on the fakes, we were able to get the throw off, and we made a play.”

Critical

The two scores in under a minute in the fourth quarter largely quelled any momentum Broome may have built. Chester’s first touchdown capped a seven-play, 56-yard drive that took just shy of three minutes. The Cyclones then forced a fumble on the kickoff, recovering the ball at the Broome 1. The home side needed just two plays to find the end zone and salt away the game.

“We’ve been talking the whole year about finishing and playing four quarters, and that’s what we did,” said Floyd.

Star contributions

Brown carried 14 times for over 125 yards in the contest, rushing for three touchdowns. Stan Mills ran for over 80 yards and two more scores on 15 carries, while Dunham rushed 20 times for 108 yards.

Littlejohn rushed 10 times for 58 yards for Broome, including a 25-yard touchdown run. The junior was all over the field for the Centurions, adding several key defensive plays to his offensive output.

“You just can’t say enough about him,” said Fleming of Littlejohn. “Every team we play, everybody’s got a comment about CJ. He plays with so much passion, he plays with so much heart. He wants to make a play, every play.”

On deck

Chester will host Southside in third-round 3A playoff action. That game is slated to begin at 7:30 next Friday. Broome‘s season concludes at 5-7.

Box score

Broome 0;0;8;7;-;15

Chester 7;12;0;20;-;39

SCORING SUMMARY

First quarter

CHS – Pha’Leak Brown 25 run (Henry Glenn kick) 2:56

Second quarter

CHS – Zion Mills 14 pass from Zan Dunham (kick blocked) 5:11

CHS – Brown 11 run (conversion failed) 1:28

Third quarter

BHS – CJ Littlejohn 25 run (Keyvon Graham pass from Brenden Taylor) 3:39

Fourth quarter

CHS – Brown 25 run (Dunham run) 7:31

CHS – Stan Mills 1 run (kick failed) 6:42

CHS – Stan Mills 15 run (kick failed) 2:54

BHS – Keyvon Graham 38 pass from Brenden Taylor (Owen Wilson kick) :3.2

RECORDS: Broome 5-7, Chester 12-0.