Chiefs football takes 38-21 loss to Lucy Beckham

By John Smithson

The North Myrtle Beach Chiefs football team finished their regular season with a 3-7 record but still made the 5A Division playoffs with a game last Friday at Lucy Beckham, The Bengals finished their season 6-3 and the number 5 seed in the lower state playoffs and were favorites to move on. But the Chiefs and Bengals were tied 21-21 at halftime before Lucy Beckham won 38-21.

It was as they say closer than the score indicated. The Chiefs scored first in the game after the Bengals kickoff was a touchback. From their 20-yard line quarterback Will McNeely ran for one yard. Jayden Wilson, back from an injury, ran 20 yards to the Chiefs 41.

McNeely ran for three yards on first down, then took off down the right sideline for 56 yards and a touchdown, fighting off the last Bengals defender in the red zone for the TD. Nico Miller added the PAT, and the Chiefs led 7-0.

The Bengals had a 37-yard return of the Chiefs kickoff, and from their 49 began a 13 play and 51-yard drive to a tying touchdown, with fullback Jack Lamonica and quarterback Finn Gunter doing most of the running. Lamonica scored the touchdown on a 2-yard run and Aiden Beman’s PAT made it 7-7.

After another touchback by the Bengals kicker the Chiefs began their second possession on their 20. McNeely ran for five yards on first down, fumbled but Parker Stephenson recovered at the Chiefs 19. A second down run by Wilson netted 13 yards to the 32. The Chiefs surprised the Bengals when H back Dustin Clement rushed for 51 yards to the Bengals 17. Three plays later McNeely ran for a first down at the 2-yard line and scored on the next play for a 14-7 Chiefs lead.

Miller’s kickoff was taken at the Bengals 8-yard line by Brendan Dick and he ran 92 yards for the Bengals tying touchdown and 14-14 score with less than a minute left in the first quarter.

That score was followed by another Bengals touchback and another Chiefs drive for a touchdown. This time Wilson ran twice for a first down and the end of the first quarter, then the Chiefs stayed on the ground for an 80-yard drive on 12 plays. The Chiefs got a boost from a personal foul by the Bengals on a second and 17 play that moved the ball to the Chiefs 43. McNeely ended the drive on a two-yard touchdown run and another Miller PAT made it 21-14.

The Bengals drove to the Chiefs 30 on their next possession but were forced to punt after a seven-play drive to the Chiefs 30. That punt set up a Chiefs first down at the NMB 9 and they had to punt after the Bengals defense stopped the Chiefs offense on their 13-yard line.

Miller’s punt was downed at the Chiefs 48 and the Bengals offense used a Chiefs pass interference penalty and 20-yard Gethers run to the Chiefs 13 to set up short runs by Lamonica for the tying touchdown with :31 left in the half.

Lucy Beckham received the second half kickoff but couldn’t get a first down and punted to the Chiefs at their 12-yard line. The Chiefs began a 12-play drive on the ground with McNeely doing most of the running as they advanced the ball to the Bengals 23. On fourth down the Chiefs decided to go for it but came up short and turned the ball over on the Bengals 20.

The Bengals drove to the Chiefs 13 as the third period ended and three plays into the fourth quarter Lamonica scored from one yard out and the Bengals led 28-21.

Another Bengals touchback put the ball on the 20 for their next offensive series. The Chiefs lost two yards on three plays and were set to punt but the snap to Miller was over his head  and through the endzone for a safety and 30-21 Bengals lead.

Following the Chiefs free kick to the Bengals 48, Nick Buggie returned the ball to the Chiefs 32. On first down the Bengals had an offensive pass interference penalty that put the ball on the Chiefs 47.

A Chiefs personal foul penalty helped the Bengals to a third and five play at their 27 yard-line. Lamonica got the first down at the Chiefs 20, and three more Lamonica runs set up a first down on the Chiefs 6. Gethers scored on the next play and Lamonica rushed for a two-point conversion and a  38-21 Bengals lead with 7:10 left on the game clock.

The Chiefs had good field position after the kickoff due to an unsportsmanlike penalty by the Bengals on the kickoff and a 20-yard runback by Brayden Pagan to the  Chiefs 43. However, the Bengals defense held and a fourth down McNeely pass was incomplete and the ball went over to the Bengals at the Chiefs 38.

With 5:40 left in the game the Bengals slowly ran out the clock using ten running plays, the game ending on a kneel-down at the Chiefs 10-yard line.

The Chiefs continued their late season improvement as they scored 21 points in the first half, with another outstanding performance by McNeely who rushed for 144 yards on 22 carries and scored all three Chiefs touchdowns. Jayden Wilson’s return helped a lot as he ran for 142 yards on 17 carries. The offensive line also continued their excellent performance, opening holes for both runners.

Now the Chiefs coaches begin to plan for next year, evaluating personnel and positions for improvements to next year’s program.