Courtland quarterback Ryan McBroom fights off an attempted sack by defensive end Chris Jones to complete a third-quarter pass. McBroom was 8-for-19 on the night. View More Images from this story Visit the Photo Place

RUSSELL'S RETURN SPARKS CHARGERS

High school football: Chancellor 14, Courtland 7

Date published: 11/7/2009

BY ADAM HIMMELSBACH

Sometimes tubas are bopping and cymbals are clashing when Chancellor's Tony Russell waits to return a kickoff.

Sometimes cheerleaders are yelling.

And sometimes, music is thump-thump-thumping from a stadium's sound system.

But most of the time, the din does not affect Russell. That's because most of the time, Russell doesn't hear a thing.

"I just zone out," he said last night. "It's almost like stuff's moving in slow motion."

But to the fans in the bleachers and to the Courtland players on the field on this frigid night, there was nothing slow about Russell's fourth-quarter burst.

After Courtland had tied the game and seized momentum, Russell gathered the ensuing kickoff and returned it 84 yards for a touchdown, sending Chancellor to a 14-7 victory that clinched at least a share of the Chargers' second straight Battlefield District title.

For the Chargers, it was the second consecutive victory against a team that had been undefeated in the district.

Chancellor (6-0, 7-2) toppled James Monroe, the defending Group AA, Division 3 champion, last week. The Chargers can complete their second consecutive perfect district season with a win against Culpeper next week.

"A lot of people were saying we were gonna rebuild this year," Chargers linebacker Joel Elliott said. "So it's sweet to come back and do this."

Chancellor did not dominate statistically, but it did not have to.

The Chargers' defense slowed Courtland for most of the game, and the offense was poised and relatively mistake-free.

Junior quarterback Micah Cunningham ran for 77 yards on 17 carries and Josh Ernest added a 1-yard touchdown run.

Kirk Wilson led Courtland with 91 yards on 12 carries.

Despite the loss, the Cougars (5-1, 6-3) could still reach the Region I, Division 4 playoffs. The Cougars face James Monroe next Friday.

"We've got to roll up our sleeves and go to work now," Courtland coach J.C. Hall said. "We either win next week, or we're done. That's the bottom line."

At the start of last night's game, Chancellor looked like it would have its way with Courtland.

The Chargers took the kickoff and had a calculated and precise 11-play drive that ended with a 1-yard plunge by Ernest.

But both teams tightened their belts after that.

Over the rest of the first half, there were six punts, two failed fourth-down conversions, and zero points.

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Date published: 11/7/2009