Seahawks Roll in Opener, 34-20

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's varsity football team withstood a late charge by host Rising Sun last Friday to win its season opener, 34-20.

The Seahawks opened the season with a rare road game out of the conference and out of the area last Friday against Rising Sun and turned in an impressive performance on both sides of the ball on their way to a 34-20 win. It got a little dicey for the Seahawks late in the fourth quarter when Rising Sun scored two touchdowns to cut the lead seven points at 27-20, but Decatur sealed the deal once and for all on Delante Tate's fourth touchdown of the game as the clock ran down.

Decatur scored on its first possession to take an early lead, but Rising Sun answered with a score of its own to match the Seahawks in the early going. That was it for the Rising Sun offense for a long time, however, as the Seahawk defense shut them down for much of the game. Meanwhile, the Decatur offense was clicking and built a 27-6 lead with under 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Rising Sun scored on a long drive to cut the lead to 27-13 with still a lot of time left. On its next possession, the Seahawks gained little or no yardage on first and second downs and faced a third and 15 after a penalty. Rising Sun picked off the ensuing pass and set up shop deep in Decatur's end. Rising Sun then scored to cut the Seahawks' lead to a too-close-for-comfort 27-20.

Decatur slammed the door, however, with a long, time-consuming drive that culminated with Tate's fourth touchdown of the game and the Seahawks pulled away for the 34-20 win. Decatur plays its home opener tonight against Washington and will play North Caroline at home next Friday. The Seahawks' next road game will be a big early season test against Queen Anne's on September 25.