CHESTER – It has been a while, but the Fort Mill Yellow Jackets accomplished a lot with their win over the Chester Cyclones.
Fort Mill beat Chester 35-14 on Friday, Aug. 29 for the first time at Chester since 1998. It was also the first time they beat the Cyclones at Chester since 1995, but more importantly it was the first time the Jackets have started 2-0 since 2015.
Last week, the Jackets thumped Ballantyne Ridge 52-6, but hit the road for the first time this season heading to Chester on Friday.
The Jackets wasted no time taking the opening kickoff 70 yards on seven plays for a 25-yard touchdown pass from Quinn Kelly to Jameson Terrell with 9:17 left in the opening quarter.
Terrell and Kelly connected again on Fort Mill’s second series as this time it was a 31-yard pass with about 6:40 left in the opening quarter off a 50-yard four play drive.
“That fast start was key for us,” said Fort Mill head coach Rob McNeely. “We knew we were going to be in a dog fight.”
Chester put together a lengthy drive towards the end of the first quarter, which was aided by a couple of Fort Mill penalties. The Cyclones would score as the drive went into the second quarter to cut the Jackets lead in half.
Fort Mill’s offense stalled on its first possession of the second quarter turning it back over to Chester near midfield.
Chester blocked a Jackets punt on its next series with 2:38 left in the half and recovered at the Fort Mill 16-yard line. The Fort Mill defense held strong and pushed Chester back to force them to attempt a 30-yard field goal which didn’t come close.
Neither team was able to make anything else happen for the rest of the quarter as Fort Mill’s offense stalled taking a 14-7 lead to the locker room.
The Jackets opened the second half with an onside kick they recovered at midfield. That turned into some magic for Fort Mill as Kelly hit Josiah McKinzie for a 47-yard touchdown pass just three plays into the second half.
“We tried to steal one to start the second half and it worked,” McNeely said.
Chester moved the ball well on its first series after the Jackets scored. They were able to catch Fort Mill off guard by throwing their first pass of the game as picking up a couple of first downs. A face mask by Fort Mill pushed the Cyclones near the red zone. However, the Jackets defense came up big to stop Chester at the 21-yard line.
Fort Mill’s offense opened the fourth quarter with a fourth touchdown by Kelly hitting Joesph Duey for a 25-yard touchdown pass to put the Jackets up by three touchdowns.
The Jackets got a big turnover with an interception about 10 minutes left in the game. Fort Mill’s offense was forced to punt and Chester for the ball at midfield. That allowed the Cyclones to put together another scoring drive to cut the Jackets lead in half with 6:32 left in the game.
The Jackets offense was able to keep things moving as they took over at the Chester 29-yard line and then Kelly took it in from 2-yards out with 3:26 to again give Fort Mill’s offense a 21-point lead.
Unofficially, Kelly passed for 231 yards and four touchdowns in going 16-of-27, while rushing for 25 yards and a touchdown as well. His main target was Therrell, who caught five passes for 88 yards and scored two touchdowns. McKinzie caught three passes for 80 yards and scored a touchdown.
Broden Mitcheson carried the ball 13 times for 37 yards in the win.
McNeely said the team has been preaching not to just win on Friday, but winning starts earlier in the week with preparation.
“It is important for our guys to understand what winners do,” he said. “If we handle ourselves like winners at practice, then the results are going to come.”
Fort Mill will head to Blythewood next week seeking their third win in a row.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
