BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s varsity football team fell behind early in their Class 3A-South region semifinal game with Lackey on Friday and never fully recovered, eventually falling 14-6 in a well-played, low-scoring game, but the loss did little to tarnish what was otherwise a remarkable season for the Seahawks.
The Seahawks entered the 3A-South playoffs with a 7-3 record and a number-three seed and faced off against second-seeded Lackey in southern Maryland last Friday. Early in the second quarter, Lackey scored on a 16-yard touchdown pass to take a 7-0 lead with 10:39 remaining in the half.
Lackey scored again with under a minute remaining on a drive that lasted just two plays in 19 seconds. The Lackey quarterback threw a 43-yarder deep into Decatur territory, then scored on a 13-yard touchdown pass with just 48 seconds remaining before intermission to extend its lead to 14-0 at the break. That was it for Lackey, but it proved to be all the scoring they would need.
With just under eight minutes remaining in the third, Decatur got on the board with a three-yard touchdown run by P.J. Copes to cut the lead to 14-6 with a lot of time left. However, the Seahawks never really got another whiff at the end zone. On two fourth quarter drives for Decatur, one ended in a punt and the Seahawks turned it over on downs on the other. Despite being shut out in the second half, Lackey held on for the 14-6 win and advanced to the 3A-South championship game this weekend.
Nonetheless, it was a remarkable season for the Seahawks, who, after falling to 2-3 following a Homecoming loss to Easton, reeled off five straight wins to finish at 7-3 and reach the state playoffs. Decatur beat old rival Indian River for the first time ever in the season opener, then lost to Queen Anne’s in week two. After beating Cambridge-South Dorchester in its third game, Decatur then dropped two straight to Kent Island and Easton.
Decatur then went on a big roll, winning their last five games to finish at 7-3. During the stretch, the Seahawks beat North Caroline, Wicomico, Bennett, Parkside and county rival Snow Hill in the annual season finale to finish at 7-3 and earn the number-two seed in the state playoffs.