It’s going to be a Bulldog versus Bulldog dogfight this Friday night as Chelsea will play host to Mason in the Division 3 Regional 11 football playoffs. Chelsea (11-0) crushed Reford Thurston in their Division 3 District Championship last Friday night, 51-14. They played a very strong, well-disciplined game and didn’t give up any scoring until late in the 3rd quarter.
Chelsea has outscored their opponents this season 570-199. They are averaging almost 52 points a game while their Havoc defense is only giving up 18 points a game on average. They are ranked 15th in the state and number 2 in Division 3. They are very strong on both sides of the ball, and their bench runs deep with several great backup players.
Mason (10-1) easily handled Fenton in their District Championship game, defeating them 49-0. They have outscored their opponents 399-164. Their only loss of the season was at home to Hastings (7-3), 54-49. They are ranked 40th in the state and number 5 in Division 3.
Both teams have common opponents this season as they both played Dexter and Harper Woods. Mason defeated Dexter in the first round of the playoffs, 45-21, and edged Harper Woods 24-18. Chelsea easily handled their rival Dexter 56-21, and they defeated Harper Woods, who is ranked 16th in the state and third in Division 3, in their first game of the season, 29-20. At that time, Harper Woods was top-ranked.
Many pundits have made their picks for this game and feel Chelsea, with its high-octane offense and home-field advantage, will pull out the victory; others feel Mason, with its tough defense, will pull off the upset. Kickoff is set for this Friday the 13th at 7 P.M. under the lights in Chelsea. The winner will take on the winner of Warren De Le Salle Collegiate-Harper Woods game in the Division 3 state semifinals.