FROM STAFF REPORTS

The Chelsea High School boys’ soccer team earned a 4-2 victory over section rival Talladega.

However, the victory didn’t come without a fight from Tigers on their senior night March 31.

Chelsea struck first midway through the first half when midfielder Ashley Page penetrated into the Talladega back line and pushed a subtle pass through to a streaking Travis Mitchell, who buried the shot into the bottom left corner of the goal to give the Hornets a 1-0 lead.

The lead didn’t hold up long as Talladega responded with a cross from senior Dillon Wood to freshman Jack Bailey, who chest trapped the ball in the box and blasted a shot into the right upper corner of the net to knot the game at 1-1.

Chelsea soon responded with a carbon copy of their first goal as Page drew in the Talladega back line again and dished the ball to a open Mitchell, who notched his second goal and gave Chelsea a 2-1 halftime lead.

Early in the second half, the game settled into a defensive struggle until Talladega’s Brandon Andrade was fouled in the box and was awarded a penalty shot. Andrade calmly drilled the ball into the left side of the goal to tie the game at 2-2.

Only a few minutes later, Mitchell nearly notched his third goal of the game as he penetrated the right side of the box and tried to beat Talladega goalkeeper Maurice Butler on the near post. However, the ball deflected off Butler and into the feet of oncoming Chelsea midfielder Shelton Smith, who poked in the easy goal to put the Hornets back on top 3-2.

Moments later Smith sent a cross from the left side of the field over Butler’s head past the goal to the right base line, where Travis Mitchell ran in, gathered it and pushed it into the lower right corner of the goal to finish off a hat trick and cement the Hornets’ 4-2 victory.

GIRLS

The Chelsea High School girls’ soccer team defeated Talladega 10-0 in a high school soccer match March 31.

Kaity Potter, Kayla Ogletree and Lauren Swee led the Hornets with two goals each in the victory.

Chelsea goalkeeper Ashleigh Niven recorded the shutout.