Chelsea High’s football squad pulled off a dramatic comeback, defeating Mystic Valley High 40-30 on Saturday afternoon at Malden Catholic Stadium. This triumph marked the Red Devils’ second consecutive win, bringing their record to 2-2 overall and 1-0 in Commonwealth Athletic Conference divisional play. “The shootout at the O.K. Corral,” head coach Mike Stellato aptly characterized the back-and-forth contest, which showcased both teams’ offensive capabilities from start to finish as they exchanged scoring drives throughout the afternoon. Yet when the final whistle sounded, Chelsea stood victorious.
The game’s opening moments foreshadowed the offensive onslaught to come. Mystic Valley received the kickoff and marched 80 yards downfield for a touchdown, adding the two-point conversion to jump ahead 8-0. Stellato’s Red Devils responded without hesitation. Jordan Virella orchestrated a six-play scoring drive that ended with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Sammy Mojica, and Juan Martinez’s extra point made it 8-7. A turnover by Mystic Valley at their own 35-yard line gave Chelsea another opportunity when lineman Kevin DeJesus, who had recorded two fumble recoveries the previous week, recovered the fumble. Virella directed the offense efficiently, and Chris Acosta punched in a one-yard touchdown to make it 13-8 by quarter’s end.
Early in the second quarter, the Chelsea defense forced a Mystic Valley punt. Taking over at their 45, Virella led another march downfield and scored from two yards out, with Martinez’s kick pushing the advantage to 20-8. Mystic Valley gambled on fourth and two from their own 40, but the Chelsea defense held firm. Before halftime, however, the Red Devils fumbled, allowing Mystic Valley to capitalize with a touchdown and two-point conversion, narrowing the gap to 20-16. “Our fumble and their score changed the momentum at that time,” Stellato observed, as his team watched a potential 28-8 lead evaporate into a mere four-point advantage heading into the locker room.
The third quarter turned nightmarish for Chelsea. An interception on their opening drive of the period resulted in a 70-yard return for a touchdown by Mystic Valley, flipping a 12-point Chelsea lead into a 22-20 deficit in minutes. The situation worsened when Mystic Valley’s offense found its rhythm again, pushing the lead to 30-20. But the Red Devils refused to fold. Acosta scored his second touchdown from four yards out to cut it to 30-27 and shift momentum back to Chelsea’s side. The defense forced another Mystic Valley punt, but a high snap sailed over the punter’s head, giving Chelsea excellent field position. Four plays later, Troy Crossley burst through from 11 yards out for a touchdown, putting Chelsea ahead 33-27.
Time remained plentiful with both offenses performing well, keeping the outcome uncertain. The Chelsea defense stepped up once more, forcing another punt and taking over at their own 20. Martinez then took a handoff and raced 80 yards untouched to the end zone, putting the game away at 40-27.
Multiple Red Devils turned in outstanding offensive performances. Virella completed 8 of 15 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown; Mojica caught five of those passes for 110 yards and the touchdown; and Martinez accumulated 110 rushing yards on five carries, kicked four PATs, and scored the touchdown. Crossley excelled on both sides of the ball, rushing for 78 yards on eight carries while recording five tackles, four assist tackles, and an interception on defense. DeJesus contributed five tackles and three assists alongside his fumble recovery. Martinez added five tackles and three assists from his defensive back position. “The defense bent, but it didn’t break,” Stellato noted, also praising linebacker Joseph Saez and defensive end Rony Gomez. “Mystic Valley is a very good team and features a stellar running back in Alex Arredondo, but we made the big plays and stops when we had to. “Our team showed a lot of character,” added the coach, whose squad reached 40 points for the second straight week. “We never quit and maintained a positive attitude even when we fell behind by 10 points.” Stellato’s Red & Black team will host Shawsheen Tech in their first official home game of the season under the lights at Chelsea Stadium Friday evening, with kickoff at 7:00.