CLEVELAND, OH- Chaney alumni, former and current teachers, as well as the student body have waited a decade for Cowboy football victory. Their patience, passion, and perseverance were rewarded Friday night as Chaney was victorious over Beachwood 61-20.
The Cowboys did not take long to get the party started, as very similar to last week, they drove straight the field on their opening drive. Quarterback Delshawn Petrosky and running back Migel Burgess took turns totting the rock, with Petrosky capping the drive with a touchdown plunge from inside the 5-yard line. After a quick three and out by the Bison offense, Chaney went right back to the ground game with Migel Burgess, who burst through the defense for a 28 yard run for the second score of the game.
Petrosky made his presence felt on the defensive side as well, picking off Bison quarterback Desmond Horne. It would be the second to last offensive possession for Horne, as he was relieved for Kendyn Wiggins in the second quarter. And it was the second quarter that Chaney exploded in all three phases of the game. It started on special teams; after an offensive possession ended by a costly holding call against the Bison, return man Deron Gilbert took it to the house with an 80-yard punt return that brought the Chaney bench and the entire crowd to its feet. The crowd fed off the energy just as much as the players, they could feel it. They could taste it.
Petrosky began letting it loose as the second quarter rolled on, connecting on two deep touchdown passes, one to Malcolm Lambert for 30 yards and another to Raymond Logan, in which Logan ripped a would-be interception of the cornerback’s hands. Petrosky finished with 74 yards passing and two touchdowns to go along with 39 rushing yards and another touchdown. Burgess was sensational, with only four carries he amassed 46 yards and two touchdowns. The Bison would not be shut out though, as the inserted QB Wiggins, who doubles as a running back and return man, took a kickoff 83 yards to pay dirt and put the first points of the game up for Beechwood. Chaney led 47-6 at the half.
The second half saw mass substitutions come in for Chaney, as Coach Amill looked to give his younger players some valuable playing time. Rayon Carter came in for Petrosky, but the offense still managed to post effective rushing numbers. The Bison defense did tighten up coming out of the locker room, allowing no points. Another deep touchdown pass, this one for the Bison, involved another change at quarterback. Dwight DeVaughn connected with Jeshaun Minter to make it 47-12 after the third.
Despite the change at quarterback for Chaney, the fireworks offensively did not stop. It what might have been the play of the game, on a third down and long, Rayon Carter launched it deep and hit Jason Hewlett for a 72-yard touchdown pass. The sophomore and the freshman celebrated in the endzone as they knew the victory had all but been assured. Patrons and students took to their feet and stood for the remainder of the fourth quarter. A pick-six late by Allen Underwood sealed the deal, and a Gatorade bath for Coach Amill followed. The final score read 61-20, Chaney wins.
Chaney wins, a small but powerful sentence that Cowboy fans waited a decade to hear. The celebration was loud, it was raucous, and it was well deserved. And for anyone who has ever put on a Cowboy uniform, it’s a win that simply means more. It means that Chaney football is back! And they’re ready for all comers.
Final stat lines: Chaney 353 Total Yards, 146 Passing 202 Rushing. 4/10 on 3rd Down. 1 turnover lost. Beechwood 214 Total Yards, 56 Passing 158 Rushing. 0/7 on 3rd Down. 4 turnovers lost.
