Indian River comeback to claim 1A Championship over Tatnall

WILMINGTON, Del. – Indian River rallies to claim 1A Championship over Tatnall, 47-45, Saturday afternoon.

Indian River started early in the first quarter with a touchdown from Dylan Grise to Michael Peranteau, putting IR ahead 6-0.

Tatnall responds with a touchdown from Quinn deViere to Chris Gordon6.

The Hornets then score, with a touchdown from Gino Greer, a safety from Gordon and a field goal from Fletcher Jones, Hornets led 17-6.

Grise responds with a deep pass to Darnell Stokes, IR trailing 17-14.

IR follows up with a handoff to Stokes and Indian River takes the lead 21-17 by the half.

Coming back from the half, Stokes scores again with a deep pass from Grise to further the lead.

Hornets with the ball, and it’ll be a pick-six from Nolan Stainiszewski, IR up 35-17

The Hornets then go on a four score streak with two touchdowns from Gordon and two from RJ Moore, Tatnall up, 45-35 late in the third quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter Grise hands off to Stokes and he’ll score, IR trailing 45-41.

Two minutes left in the fourth quarter, IR fourth and eleven, Grise Passes it to Peranteau he passes it to Jayvion Chandler and he’ll run it in for a touchdown. 

Indian River is able to hold off Tatnall and take home a DIAA championship for the first time since 2011.

When asked about being champions and fighting through the mistakes, Coach Phillip Townsend and Darnell Stokes had this to say.

“I’m just proud for the kids, I’m proud for the community. It’s been a long time, we’ve gone through some ups and downs with the football team and the program and we’ve got a great group of kids here. They believe in the process, they believe in what we’re doing and they go out and execute. (Townsend)”

“We’re not a team that argues, we don’t point fingers at nobody. We just stay calm, and you see the outcome of staying calm. We don’t fingers like ‘he messed up, he messed up, he messed up.’ We just play as a team because we’re brothers. (Stokes)”