CHELSEA — Football is a game of inches, and the Edwardsburg Eddies found that out in the Division 3 regional championship game against Chelsea Friday night.

After letting a pair of 15-point leads slip away, the Eddies found themselves on the verge of elimination with the game tied at 34-34 in the closing seconds.

But Chelsea’s Christopher Rouse missed the game-winning field goal sending the contest into overtime.

Edwardsburg did not waste its second chance and scored a 42-40 victory to win its second regional championship in three years.

The second-ranked Eddies (12-0) will face top-ranked Muskegon (11-1) in the Division 3 semifinals at 1 p.m. at East Kentwood High School.

Edwardsburg led 8-7 after one quarter on a 19-yard touchdown run by Nick Bradley and built up a 22-7 lead following runs of 39- and 45-yards by Bradley.

Bryce Jubenville caught a touchdown pass by Jack Bush after the opening Edwardsburg score and when Thomas Steele scored on a 19-yard pass from Bush, Chelsea trailed 22-13 at halftime.

Again the Eddies opened up a 15-point lead, this time when Bradley, who finished with 201 yards rushing on 20 carries, scored from 26-yards out.

Chelsea would rebound again, this time with a pair of touchdowns.

Steele caught a 28-yard pass from Bush and Cameron Cooper scored on a 57-yard run to cut the Edwardsburg lead to 28-26.

Kyle Shrider, who finished with 107 yards rushing, upped the Eddies’ lead to 34-26 heading into the fourth quarter.

A Bush 3-yard touchdown run tied the score at 34-34 and set up the dramatic finish at the end of regulation.

Chelsea would drive down to the Edwardsburg’ 11-yard line where Roush would attempt a 28-yard field goal that bounced off the left upright.

In overtime, Chelsea chose to play defense first, but gave up a 10-yard Shrider touchdown run on the very first play of overtime. He would then add the 2-point conversion, which would turn out to be the biggest play of the night.

On Chelsea’s possession, Jubenville caught an 11-yard pass from Bush to make it 42-40. However, the two-point conversion failed when Bush was unable to connect with his receiver.

As usual, the Edwardsburg Wing-T was unstoppable as the Eddies rushed for 461 yards. Cameron Ekanayake was 2-for-3 for 31 yards passing.

The Eddies’ defense allowed the defending state runners-up 372 yards of total offense, which was split evenly between rushing and passing.

 

EDWARDSBURG 42, CHELSEA 40

At Chelsea

Edwardsburg 8   14   12   0   8 – 42

Chelsea                     7     6   13   8   6 – 40

E – Nick Bradley 19 run (Austin Cline run).

C – Bryce Jubenville 5 pass from Jack Bush (Christopher Roush kick).

E – Bradley 39 run (run failed).

E – Bradley 45 run (Kyle Shrider pass from Cameron Ekanayake).

C – Thomas Steele 19 pass from Bush (run failed).

E – Bradley 26 run (run failed).

C – Steele 28 pass from Bush (Roush kick).

C – Cameron Cooper 57 run (run failed).

E – Shrider 7 run (run failed).

C – Bush 3 run (Bush run).

E – Shrider 10 run (Shrider run).

C – Jubenville 11 pass from Bush (pass failed).

Varsity records: Edwardsburg 12-0, Chelsea 11-1.