Suffolk football team advances in playoffs

Suffolk’s semi-professional football team, the Chargers, entered the wildcard round of the Atlantic Coast Football Association playoffs on Saturday against the Fredericksburg Bears, a team that had handed the Chargers a 21-0 loss on April 13.

History did not repeat itself on Saturday, however, as Suffolk rode a stifling defensive effort to a 16-7 win at Dré Bly Field in Virginia Beach.

“I promised a win, and we got it,” Chargers head coach Anthony Waddler said. “Everybody showed up in practice all week long.”

When the team arrived at Dré Bly Field before Saturday’s game, Waddler used the previous week’s loss on the same field to the Portsmouth Mustangs as a motivator, asking the Chargers to remember the 26-22 losing score on the same scoreboard.

“You play hard and play until the last down and we’ll come out with that win,” he said to the team. “That’s what everybody did.”

“I thought I was going to pass out, I was so excited,” team owner Angela Harper said.

Knowing a loss would mean the end of their season helped motivate the Chargers, as well.

“We wanted another game,” cornerback Andre “A.J.” Harper said. “It was either go hard or go home.”

The Bears struck first to take the lead in the first half, but they never scored again. Waddler singled out several players that were instrumental in shutting down the opponent, including linebacker/defensive end Clarence “Dion” Artis and defensive tackle/linebacker Antoine “Kingg” Smith.

“He kept the defense together,” Waddler said of Smith.

Andre Harper also got an interception that extinguished some of Fredericksburg’s momentum.

“I read the quarterback, he started rolling out to one side, so I kind of trailed behind him in a slower trail, and when I saw the dude open, he released the ball, and I just jumped on it before the receiver could get to it,” he said.

With about four minutes left in the game and the Chargers up 16-7, the Bears were challenging, when cornerback Swendell “Cub” Stephens came up with a backbreaking interception for the Chargers. He said he wasn’t even sure he had caught the ball at first. A teammate was involved in the play, as well, and Stephens said, “The ball fell in my lap. I just got up and took off with it.”

The Chargers’ offense also came to life, with rushing touchdowns coming from Kamron Bryant and Antonio McCray. Walter Boykins and McCray scored the two point conversions.

Bryant actually played the first half on defense at cornerback.

“Kam stepped in the second half and took over the offense and did good,” Waddler said.

Bryant threw for about 80 yards and rushed for around 50.

McCray contributed approximately 70 rushing yards. Wide receiver Kendrey Thurman had three catches for about 100 yards.

The Chargers (6-3) are the No. 3 seed in the American Conference. They advance to the divisional round, traveling to Maryland to face the No. 2-seeded Annapolis Thunder (6-2) on Sunday in Annapolis.

With the challenges involved, Angela Harper said, “I wasn’t expecting to get this far. I feel in my heart, I feel we’ll win it all.”

Just two wins separate the Chargers from the ACFA championship game.