Burke, Southern score big victory

A huge game from Davonte Burke helped Southern keep in the mix for a playoff spot in the heated Class 2A South Region as it toppled Chesapeake, 35-7, last night.

Burke scored three touchdowns - one rushing, one receiving and one on a kickoff return to open the second half - as the Bulldogs (6-2) jumped out to a 21-0 lead and cruised to the win.

"We just stepped our game up tonight and won an important game," Burke said. "It was important because we want to keep up in that point race, and we've got tough games the next two weeks (Annapolis and Arundel), so we had to get this one down and finish strong."

Burke rushed for 45 yards on nine carries, part of a Southern ground game that stung Chesapeake for 177 yards on 31 attempts. Ryan Sullivan was the team leader with 78 yards on nine carries and a touchdown, while Jerel Williams carried six times for 34 yards and added a score.

Chesapeake (0-8) got 65 and 58 yards rushing from Brandon Bryley and Lester Emerson, respectively, and had a moral victory of sorts late in the fourth quarter when Dylan Whelchel punched in a quarterback sneak from inside the 1 - the Cougars' first score since Week 3 against North County.

"That was a big positive for us," said Chesapeake coach Merlin Means, whose team closes the season with South River and Glen Burnie. "We've taken some hits on the chin this year, but we had a little of that spark today, and it's nice to walk off the field with something to show for it."

Burke got the scoring started in the first quarter, plunging 13 yards to make it 7-0 after Micah Strickland connected for the first of five successful extra-point attempts. Sullivan scored in the second quarter off a 3-yard run, then Burke hauled in a 25-yard pass from Dylan Rawlings for Southern's only completion to make it 21-0 just before the half.

Southern (6-2) 7 14 14 0 - 35

Chesapeake (0-8) 0 0 0 7 - 7

First Quarter

SO Burke 13 run (Strickland kick)

Second Quarter

SO Sullivan 3 run (Strickland kick)

SO Burke 25 pass from Rawlings (Strickland kick)

Third Quarter

SO Burke 95 kickoff return (Strickland kick)

SO Williams 8 run (Strickland kick)

Fourth Quarter

CH Whelchel 1 run (Musgrove kick)

PASSING: SO - Wells 0-2=0 yards, Rawlings 1-1-1=25 yards; CH - Emerson 1-4-0-1=9 yards, Whelchel 2-6-0-0=6 yards; RUSHING: SO - Williams 9-78-1, Burke 9-45-1; CH - Bryley 16-65, Emerson 17-58.