BERLIN- The Berlin Cadet Dolphins this week completed a perfect dream season with a 32-13 win over the Wicomico Green Terrors in the Salvation Army “Red Shield” League championship on a cold, blustery night on Tuesday.
The Cadet Dolphins finished the regular season with a perfect 9-0 record but two-time defending champion Wicomico stood between Berlin and a perfect season. The Dolphins trailed early, came back to take a lead and relinquished the lead again before steadily pulling away from the Green Terrors in the title game.
After the Dolphins went three and out on their first possession, the Green Terrors took over on downs and quickly opened a 6-0 lead on a 60-yard touchdown pass. Although Wicomico would briefly tie the game, it never led again as the Berlin offense got cranked up and the defense settled down.
The Dolphins answered quickly and scored four plays later on a 38-yard touchdown run by Devin Daniels. A successful extra point put the Dolphins ahead, 7-6. After stopping Wicomico, the Dolphins took over deep in their own territory and went on a methodical eight-play drive featuring big runs by J.J. Purnell and Daniels, who took it in with a big run up the middle to put Berlin ahead, 13-6.
Wicomico was resilient early, however, and came back to tie the game at 13-13 in the third quarter. Berlin then went on another long drive highlighted by a 38-yard run by Purnell. Daniels finished the drive with his third touchdown of the game to put the Dolphins ahead for good at 19-13. After a successful onside kick, Daniels scored again for Berlin to put the Dolphins ahead, 26-13, at the end of the third quarter.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Wicomico went on a long drive in an attempt to get back in the game, but Berlin recovered a fumble and took over deep in its own territory. The Dolphins then drove the length of the field for its final score, the big play coming on a reverse by tight end Devin Scott, who took the ball down to the one-yard line. Daniels punched it in from there on a dive play for his fourth touchdown of the game as Berlin beat Wicomico, 32-13, to capture the championship and complete its perfect season.