CHANDLER CARRIES NITRO PAST PRINCETON

Publication: THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE
Published: Saturday, November 08, 2008
Page: 1B
Byline: D.J. WILLIAMS FOR THE SATURDAY GAZETTE-MAIL

NITRO 35
PRINCETON 17

Coaches always talk about getting their playmakers the ball. So after a 1-5 start with a sputtering offense that was struggling to score points, Nitro coach John Sowards decided to switch his playmaker, Mark Chandler, from wide receiver to quarterback.

On Friday night, Chandler showed once more why his coach made the right decision.

Chandler rushed for 156 yards and a touchdown, while also passing for 105 yards and a touchdown as Nitro used a 21-point fourth quarter to overcome visiting Princeton 35-17.

"I just stepped back and tried to throw the ball well," Chandler said. "If it wasn't anything there, I just ran it."

Chandler also scored on a 35-yard interception return.

Senior Tyler Kennedy also contributed 77 yards and two touchdowns as Nitro (3-7) accumulated 223 rushing yards for the game.

"The line blocked very well and I just ran as hard as I could," Kennedy said.

After averaging just 14 points in the first six games, Nitro averaged 32 points in its last three games with Chandler at quarterback and won two of three to end the regular season.

When asked about his switch from wide receiver to quarterback, Chandler replied, "In the beginning of the season, we were having quarterback problems. The coaches knew I could throw the ball and they told me to go to quarterback one day at practice. Then they put me in at quarterback in the Hurricane game. I just took control and got everybody together. We just started playing like a team."

Princeton (3-7) scored first on a 2-yard touchdown run by Justin Lester in the second quarter. It would add to the lead on a 27-yard field goal by Garrison Shay to take a 10-0 halftime lead.

Nitro threatened to score toward the end of the half when it had first-and-goal from the Princeton 4, but committed three consecutive penalties and ended up with a second-and-goal from its own 47, and failed to score. Despite being outgained 166 yards of offense to 91, Princeton still held a lead.

For the game, Nitro committed 10 penalties for 106 yards, while Princeton committed three penalties for 35 yards.

"Our kids lost their heads a little bit and it just snowballed," Sowards said.

But the second half was a totally different story for Nitro. On its first possession, Nitro used a six-play, 69-yard drive capped by a Kennedy 3-yard touchdown run to close the deficit to 10-6. Princeton would counter by scoring on a 1-yard run by Austin Harris. On the ensuing kickoff, Nitro's Larry West returned the kickoff 52 yards to Princeton's 23. Four plays later, Kennedy scored his second touchdown on a 10-yard run. At that point, Princeton still led 17-14.

Nitro would reel off 21 points in the fourth quarter on a Chandler 4-yard touchdown run, a Chandler 14-yard touchdown pass to Codie Sneed and a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown by Chandler to seal Princeton's fate.

Tevin Allen led Princeton with 48 yards rushing. Harris and Lester also contributed touchdowns.

"We just can't finish what we start, and the other teams do," said Princeton coach Ted Spadaro. "That is why we are 3-7. You have to give credit to Nitro because they played a better second half than we did."