BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s varsity football team opens the 2014 campaign tonight with a home game against Indian River and will attempt to duplicate a rare feat it accomplished against the Indians in the opener last year.
In the season opener last year, the Seahawks beat Indian River, 30-28, for the first time ever after in the one-sided although typically very close rivalry with the Indians. Decatur will attempt to repeat the feat and possibly start a streak of its own with the season opener against the Indians tonight.
Last year, the Seahawks opened a 14-0 lead at the half against Indian River and withstood a late charge by the Indians for the first-ever win in the rivalry. Decatur led 30-22 late in the fourth quarter before Indian River drove down the field with 46 seconds left to score a touchdown and cut the lead to 30-28. The Indians then went for a tying two-point conversion, but the Seahawk defense stuffed the attempt and Decatur held on for the 30-28 win.
The win was a springboard of sorts for a successful season for Decatur, which finished the regular season with a 7-3 record. The Seahawks qualified as the third seed in the state 3A-South region tournament and eventually fell to Lackey in the semifinals. After the home game against Indian River on Friday, the Seahawks will play a string of games against tough Bayside North opponents including Queen Anne’s on the road, Cambridge-South Dorchester and Kent Island at home and Easton on the road. Decatur won’t play a Bayside South team until the October 17 matchup with Wicomico.