Decatur wins in instant classic to advance to Maryland state title game
Stephen Decatur won a thriller over Milford Mill in the Maryland 2A semifinals, 35-34, before a raucous home crowd to advance to the Maryland state finals.
It was a seesaw battle from the start, with Decatur going up 28-7 before Milford Mill came marching back. Careen Bolden led the way for the Seahawks with three touchdowns on the night.
Here's how it all went down Friday night in Berlin
Decatur jumps out to big lead
Davin Chandler opened the scoring with a touchdown to give the Seahawks the 7-0 lead, but Milford Mill evened things up with a rushing touchdown to make it 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Decatur quarterback Brycen Coleman scored on a QB keeper in the second quarter to give the Seahawks the 14-7 lead, and then special teams came into play in a big way. After Milford Mill snapped the ball over the punter's head on a subsequent possession, Bolden jumped on the ball in the end zone for his first touchdown of the night and a 21-7 lead
Special teams continued to be a big factor as Ethan Bradshaw then recovered a blocked Milford Mill punt and Bolden scored his second TD on the next Decatur possession to make it 28-7.
As the first half came to an end, however, Milford Mill quarterback Deshawn Purdie completed a long TD pass to make it 28-14.
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Milford Mill comes charging back in second half
Milford Mill opened the scoring in the second half with a touchdown, but Decatur blocked the extra point try to keep the score at 28-20
And Milford Mill wasn't done scoring touchdowns. After another one and a failed 2 point conversion made the score 28-26, Purdie completed another long TD pass and Milford Mill made the 2 point conversion to take the 34-28 lead.
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A big change gives Decatur back the momentum
Needing a surge in momentum, Decatur made a bold change that paid off big, moving Bolden to quarterback and Coleman out to wide receiver. Bolden scored on the QB sneak to cap off a strong drive and give Decatur the 35-34 lead.
From there, it came down to a decisive Decatur 4th and 1 with 1 minute left, and Coleman converted it on a QB sneak to seal the victory for the Seahawks.
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What's up next for the Seahawks
With the exciting semifinals win, Decatur will next face Huntingtown in the Maryland state championship game at the Naval Academy next week, with the exact time and date to be determined.
This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Decatur wins thriller to advance to Maryland state title game
