by Phil Lozen for AnnArbor.com

Chelsea outscored Adrian 34-7 in the final three quarters on Homecoming night to top the Maples, 37-13, snap a three-game Adrian winning streak against the Bulldogs and avenge a triple-overtime loss last season.

The three-game streak was the longest against the Bulldogs since Milan took five straight from 1995-99.

More coverage: Boxscore at MLive.com

Despite putting 37 points on the scoreboard, it was the defense that put up the most impressive numbers against the defending Southeastern Conference White Division champion Maples.

Adrian quarterback Sebastian Johnson came into the night averaging nearly 300 passing yards a game. The Bulldogs held him to a season-low 191. The Maples were averaging 39.5 points as they opened the season 3-1. Chelsea held them to seven points until the Maples scored with just one minute left in the game.

Most impressive, however, was the job the Chelsea (4-1, 3-0 SEC White) defense did from the start of the second quarter until Adrian’s final drive of the game.

The Maples tallied only 100 yards in that span. The Maples (3-2, 1-2 SEC White) ran only nine plays in the third quarter. “To play the way we did against that offense was awesome, our defense played great,” Chelsea coach Brad Bush said. “We didn’t give him (Johnson) a lot of lanes. I felt like we kept him contained in the pocket tonight and that was huge.”

Three big plays on Adrian’s first drive may have helped set the tone for the Chelsea defense. The Maples were moving methodically down the field until, on 3rd-and-1 from the Chelsea 20, an Adrian touchdown pass was wiped out by a holding penalty. On the next play, Chelsea’s Kevin Watkins stuffed Adrian running back Marrcell Grayar , setting up 4th-and-1.

On that play Chelsea linebacker Tyler Geiger dropped perfectly into the passing lane and intercepted a Johnson pass, returning it to the Chelsea 38 and leading to a Bulldog field goal.

Adrian scored on an 81-yard touchdown pass on its next play from scrimmage, but after that it was all Chelsea.

The Bulldogs took the lead on a 4-yard scoring run from Colton Platt early in the second quarter and Zach Rabbit hit two more field goals to give Chelsea a 16-7 lead at the half.

Jarred Scheese hit Jack McDougall for a 27-yard score with 2:52 left in the third and Andy Nelson scored on a 4-yard run just more than five minutes later to put the game out of reach.

The Chelsea offense scored on all but two possessions, keeping the explosive Adrian offense off the field with four drives of nine plays or more. The Bulldogs piled up 413 yards of offense, 287 of it on the ground.

Berkley Edwards led the way with 105 yards on 20 carries, but five other Chelsea runners had more than 20 yards.

“Coach Bush came into the game wanting to spread the ball around,” Edwards said. “Our defense always plays good for us, so for us to be able to give them a rest by controlling the ball was a big positive for us.”

Chelsea hosts Lincoln next week and then finishes the season with three straight road games.

“It means a lot, we really have to leave it on the field. I’m not looking forward to it but in a way I am,” Scheese, a senior, said of what could be the final home game of his career.

Bush also knows the importance of his team’s final game at Jerry Niehaus Field.

“It’s especially important because Lincoln is a vastly improved team,” he said. “And it’s a big deal for our seniors, as well.”