Charlestown played spoiler to Salem’s homecoming Friday Night, improving their all-time series with the Lions to 25-21 with a 40-8 romp.  The Pirates (5-1 & 4-1 MSC), and again without leading tailback Antonyo Gaddie (healing a toe injury), switched to a very effective passing attack when Salem’s plan revealed an “all-in” stop run defense.  Senior QB Tristan Chester was cool, comfortable and very accurate in the pocket, completing 18 of 23 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns.  Charlestown ran the ball a mere 30 times for just over 100 yards, and mainly to cap big pass plays drives for touchdowns.  Jarren Anderson and Syd Gieseking lead the Pirates on the ground, accumulating nearly 50 yards and a touchdown a piece.  Charlestown put the first two touchdowns of the game in the first, one a 51 yard pass from Chester to Cameron Hopson along the edge of the end zone.  Salem put their eight points on the board midway through the second when they executed a halfback pass for a 41 yard touchdown that caught the Pirates off guard.  Chester answered with the Pirates before the half, hitting Hopson again for a 21 and a 12 yard strike to take a 26-8 lead at the break.  The twelve yard touchdown to Hopson was courtesy of a Salem turnover with just seconds remaining in the first half.  The Pirate defense dominated in the second half while Chester led the Pirate offense on long drives for touchdowns in the third and fourth to cap the 40-8 victory.  Cameron Hopson had a big night, catching six passes for 106 yards and three touchdowns.  Eli Daniel caught 5 for 66 yards and Garrett Woods four for 49 yards.  Chester and Hopson shared offensive player of the game honors while Quiton Fetz tallied 15 tackles and a sack to lock the defensive player of the game honor, sponsored by Coyle Chevy, Buick, GMS & Coyle Nissan.  The Pirates now prepare for Friday’s showdown at Corydon (5-1 & 4-0 MSC); what promises to be another emotional game as Coach Ward returns to the opposite sideline of his ole’ stomping ground.

Monday evening, the Charlestown JV Pirate Football (4-1 & 3-1 MSC) team made the short trip down Highway 403 for their turn at the Dragons of Silver Creek.  Silver Creek got on the board first, successfully kicking a 25 yard field goal to cap their first drive of the game.  The Dragons took their 3-0 advantage over the Pirates to the final seconds of the game when Charlestown drove the field to the Creek one yard line; which set up a Justin Farris touchdown run for the winning score.  Calvin McClelland added the point after with just 7 seconds remaining in the game.

Pirate Football is on the road this Friday at Salem (2-3 & 1-3 MSC) for another important Mid-Southern Conference contest.  The Pirates have out scored the Lions on the varsity gridiron 179-11 over their past five meetings.  Friday’s kick-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm at Salem, and will be broadcasted live by Pirate Pride Sports at www.CPPSB.com beginning at 6:45 pm.

All the drama, all the hype, all for a regular season game?  If it doesn’t make sense, you’re just not familiar with Pirate Football, especially since certain coaching moves occurred earlier this year.  The game, when the final score lite up the scoreboard, had been decided by the players on the field; more so than the coaches on the sidelines, but it was fun to witness.  Charlestown threw everything, except the kitchen, at the match-up; including picking the game for the annual homecoming celebration and honoring the 25th Anniversary of the 89 Championship Pirate Football team.  Regardlessly, the game was hard fought and the most memorable to date in the short four year football series between the two schools.  The Pirates remain undefeated against the Dragons, who are definitely more competitive on the gridiron this year.  Charlestown, still resting the team’s leading rusher (Gaddie), fought off four turnovers and uncharacteristic penalties to put the Dragons away; but not until the fourth quarter.  The Pirates (4-1 & 3-1 MSC) took a 21-0 lead on 16 yard Tristan Chester pass to Cameron Hopson, a one yard quarterback keeper, and a four yard Syd Gieseking run.  Silver Creek (2-2 & 2-2 MSC) scored on two drives to trail 21-13 at the halftime break, and more fumbles and penalties killed drives for both teams throughout most of the third quarter.  Charlestown did capitalize on a Dragon fumble from their own ten late in the third, and Anderson and Chester combined to tack on another score.  Silver Creek answered again with a five play drive to tighten the score to 27-20; but that was it for the visitors.  Charlestown put up three more scores, starting with a Tate Boley 60 yard punt return for a touchdown with little of nine minutes remaining in the game.  Jarren Anderson run the two finals scores in, one set up by a 42 yard reception from Chester to Garrett Woods.  Anderson led the Pirates on the ground, finishing the game with 111 yards on 23 carries (2 touchdowns).  Tristan Chester finished the game 10 of 14 for 145 yards of passing (1 touchdown); and Garrett Woods added 74 receiving yards on four catches.  Eli Daniel, who was crowned Homecoming King at halftime, added 43 receiving yards on four catches and 60 rushing yards on three carries.  CPPSB named Tate Boley (Offensive) and Quinton Fetz (Defensive) the Coyle Chevy, Buick, GMS, and Coyle Nissan Players of the Game.  Congratulations to Emily Barton, who was crowned Homecoming Queen, and the community of Charlestown, backed by a fantastic Bone Yard student section, who packed Dutch Reis Field loud and proud the entire game.

Charlestown Pirate Pride Sports Broadcasting encourages all of Pirate Nation to vote for Charlestown Pirate Football QB Tristan Chester for this week’s Touchdown Friday Night Player of the Week.  Chester was nominated after his four touchdown pass performance in last Friday’s 47-20 victory over North Harrison.  Vote by logging on to the www.wave3.com sports page at www.wave3.com/category/57726/touchdown-friday-night.  Tristan is competing against five other local high school football players, and ALL VOTING MUST BE COMPLETED BEFORE NOON WEDNESDAY!  Show the Louisville metro area what Pirate Pride means, take a second and vote for Tristan, as well as encourage your friends and family to do the same! GO PIRATES!!!!!

The Pirates won their second straight MSC game Friday night, in front of a packed Bone Yard and very spirited student section.  The Pirates started their game with North Harrison, ending the first two Cougar drives with a pair of Eli Daniel interception; however fumbled the ball three times in the first half.  One of the fumbles led to a late first quarter Cougar touchdown.  The Pirates (3-1 & 2-1 MSC) answered in the second, scoring two touchdowns on passes from Senior QB Tristan Chester to Cameron Hopson and Eli Daniel to take a 14-6 advantage to the halftime break.  The Pirate’s Tate Boley received the second half kickoff and returned it 90 yards to open the half with a Charlestown score.  North Harrison fumbled on their next two drives, of which the Pirates took full advantage of, scoring on an eight yard TD run by Jarren Anderson and a 22 yard Chester to Garrett Woods toss.  The Pirates, leading 34-6 saw the Cougars score to cap a ten play 75 yard drive near the end of the third.  Charlestown opened the fourth with a seven play 72 yard drive, scoring when Chester hit Woods again for a touchdown strike of 17 yards.  Pirate reserves and Cougar reserves both scored late in the fourth the make the final 47-20 in the home team’s favor.  Jarren Anderson led the Pirate rushing stats with 109 yards on thirteen carries, Woods led the Pirate receiving stats with four catches for 77 yards, while Tristan Chester finished 13 of 19 for 201 yards of passing.  Eli Daniel was named the Coyle Chevy, Buick, GMC and Coyle Nissan Defensive Player of the Game and Tristan Chester was named the Offensive Player of the Game.  The Pirates host the Silver Creek Dragons next Friday for Homecoming; in a game that will also honor and recognize the 25th Anniversary of the 1989 Pirate Football Championship team.

Pirate Nation students (@CHSBoneYard on Twitter) have declared the theme for this Friday’s home football game as “Merica'”.  So parent and fans, wear as much red, white & blue to the game Friday night, supporting not only our Pirate Football team; but also the spirited CHS students who are stepping up and making Pirate Nation Proud!  The Pirates (2-1) will host MSC foe North Harrison in the Bone Yard, with a 7:00 pm kick-off.  Tailgating in the CHS parking lot will begin between 5 and 5:30 pm.  Additional features at this Friday’s game include Little Pirate Football Night and the recognition of the 2014 Lady Pirate Softball Sectional Championship team.  If you have a social media Twitter account, consider following @CHSBoneYard and Pirate Pride Sports Broadcasting @CPPSB.

The Charlestown Pirate Football team (2-1 & 1-1 MSC), coming off last Saturday’s last second heart breaker versus Brownstown in the “Oil Can”, showed little sign of let down Friday night at Clarksville.  The Pirates, didn’t rebound, they took their emotional frustrations out on their next opponent….sorry Generals, for the eighth consecutive time; routing Clarksville 35-0 before cruising to a 49-28 conference win.  Generals fans were allowed their fun, and the Generals padded their stats; as Clarksville Coach Steve Cooley left his varsity in the entire game when Coach Ward pulled his starters, well before mid-way through the third.  Charlestown (who won the coin toss and deferred) struck pay-dirt on their first drive, and it only took two plays to march 61 yards.  Junior Syd Gieseking capped the drive with a 5 yard touchdown run.  The Pirates’ second drive took four plays, encompassed 61 yards and again was finished with a Gieseking 21 yard TD run.  Charlestown stopped the third General possession with a Junior Tate Boley interception of an attempted 21 yard Kissell (Cville QB) pass.  After a Pirate punt, the Generals fumbled on the Charlestown 30 yard line, recovered by Boley.  Sophomore Antonyo Gaddie ran over half the Clarksville team on the next play, rolling 82 yards for another Pirate touchdown to make it 21-zip.  The Generals punt on their next possession before the Pirates marched 60 yards in five plays, highlighted by a Gaddie 10 yard TD to push the score to 28-0 midway through the second.  Clarksville punts on their next drive before Senior QB Tristan Chester hit Senior Eli Daniel for a 67 yard touchdown strike, on the second play from scrimmage, to take a 35-0 halftime lead.  Gaddie opened the second by returning the kick-off 85 for a touchdown, however a Pirate penalty nullified the score.  Charlestown scored on their first drive of the second half after nine plays ended with a six yard touchdown pass from Chester to Sophomore Garrett Woods.  Clarksville (2-1 & 1-1 MSC) got on the board with six minutes remaining in the third, but failed on the ensuring conversion.  Charlestown responded two plays later, including a 49 yard Junior Jarren Anderson TD run to make the count 49-6.  Junior Kicker Jose Arredondo missed the school record of eight PAT’s in one game by when, kicking a perfect seven extra points during the game.  Clarksville scored three times against the Pirate reserves before attempting an on-side kick with seconds remaining in the game.  Pirate QB Tristan Chester finished 8 for 11 for 126 yards and two TDs and was named the Offensive Player of the Game.  Kyle Flowers, who finished the game with 12 tackles, was named the Defensive Player of the Game.  Charlestown opens home play Friday, hosting North Harrison (1-2) in the Bone Yard.