Chippewa Valley outlasts Saline 31-26 in their 1st meeting (Story)

On Friday evening, Chippewa Valley traveled to Saline. The stands were filled for an eagerly anticipated opening game between two highly ranked teams in Michigan. The first quarter was dominated by the Hornets. They meticulously drove the ball early by spreading the field. They used quick dump offs and wide receiver screens to gain yardage. Saline struck first taking a 7-0 lead. They then drove to the 5 yard line again, but were held to a field goal.

Saline continued to dominate time of possession throughout the first half, using accurate throws by quarterback Andrew Arbaugh and the threat of athlete MJ Griffin (Temple commit). They added another field goal, extending their lead to 13-0. Chippewa Valley started to respond. Trailing 19-7, they drove for a late score, cutting the Saline lead to 19-14.

Chippewa Valley came out for the second half on a mission. A quick fumble by Saline led to a fast Chippewa Valley touchdown. They took their first lead, 24-19 with 6:21 to go in the 3rd. The Chippewa Valley offensive line started to create holes for a stable of quick and powerful backs like Marcel Lewis (Michigan State commit). Quarterback Tommy Schuster began to find his mark and look like the highly ranked quarterback that he is. On the first play of the 4th quarter, Chippewa Valley pushed in a short run for another touchdown and a 31-19 lead. In the 4th, the defenses buckled down a bit. Saline rushed for a touchdown with 3:00 to go in the game, cutting the lead to 31-26. Chippewa Valley got the ball back and again used their strong backs to pick up two first downs and seal the win.

Chippewa Valley showed that they are a powerhouse team led by an outstanding offensive backfield. They should be considered a state championship contender. Saline, while young and relatively inexperienced, should continue to improve and will be able to play with and defeat any opponent they face.