03/28/2024
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CLINTON – Clinton capitalized on a pair of East Bladen mistakes to score 30 points in the 1st quarter en route to a 56-25 Southeastern Athletic Conference football victory Friday night.

“We laid an egg to start with,” said Eagle Coach Robby Priest. “The guys came out like they were scared to death.”

The Dark Horses recovered an onside kick to start the game, and senior Patrick Morrisey raced 50 yards around left end on the next play. Junior Onias Robinson carried for the 2-point conversion and an 8-0 Clinton lead with only 10 seconds gone off the clock.

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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong

The Eagles were pushed back to their own 5 yard line after a spinning Clinton kickoff. Eagle senior Tim McLean banged into the line to pick up a 1st down, but a penalty led to a punt that was deflected and only traveled 8 yards to the Eagle 23 yard line.

Three plays later the Dark Horses scored on a weird play. Quarterback Blake Smith’s pass was batted away by the Eagle defender but ricocheted right to junior Samir Register to complete a 5-yard touchdown play and give Clinton a 14-0 lead.

The Eagles fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Clinton’s Elijah Kirby recovered at the East 16 yard line. On the next play, Smith connected with junior Jeriah Goodman for a touchdown, and Robinson ran the conversion for a 22-0 lead at the 6:01 mark.

On the 2nd play after an Eagle punt, Smith rambled 34 yards for a touchdown, and Robinson pushed the lead to 30-0 with another conversion run with 2:57 on the clock.

The Eagles regrouped and mounted a 66-yard drive that consumed 10 plays. Senior Javius Brooks blasted through the line and dashed 38 yards. Javius Brooks grabbed a 6-yard pass from senior Ahmad Powell to convert a 4th-and-5 play. Powell scooted around right end on the quarterback keeper on a 10-yard touchdown run. Sophomore Blaine Pope nailed the extra point kick to trim the margin to 30-7.

The Dark Horses answered with a 50-yard, 4-play drive that Smith capped with a 19-yard TD pass to freshman Nydarion Blackwell for a 36-7 lead 8:09 before halftime.

Back came the Eagles with a 60-yard drive in 11 plays. Javius Brooks ignited the march with a 9-yard run, and his brother, junior Masion Brooks, powered into the line for gains of 7 and 5 yards. McLean bolted 17 yards and totaled 29 yards in the drive including a 1-yard dive for the touchdown that trimmed the margin to 36-13 at halftime.

East Bladen ground out a 65-yard scoring drive in 12 plays to start the 2nd half. Javius Brooks carried 8 times for 42 yards in the march including runs of 5, 6, 4, 8, 9, 4 and 3 yards for the touchdown that sliced the lead to 36-19 with 5:20 left in the period.

Masion Brooks recovered a Clinton fumble on the next play from scrimmage, but a quarterback sack by the Dark Horses T. K. Raynor helped end the threat on downs.

Senior Jakwan Wilson popped loose on a 20-yard TD run for the Dark Horses that upped the count to 42-19 at the end of the 3rd quarter. Onias Robinson scored the next Clinton touchdown on a 3-yard run that pushed the lead to 48-19.

After the kickoff, McLean darted 7 yards, and Masion Brooks bulled through 2 different groups of potential tacklers and galloped 58 yards for an Eagle touchdown that cut the margin to 48-25.

Two plays later Wilson broke free on an 86-yard touchdown run. Senior Jerry Boykin tacked on the 2-point conversion run for a 56-25 final margin.

Despite all the scoring the Dark Horses only held a 374-323 edge in total yards and a 334-317 advantage in rushing yards.

Javius Brooks led the Eagle runners with 115 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. McLean piled up 95 yards on 23 rushes and ran for a touchdown.

Masion Brooks ran for 92 yards and a touchdown on only 9 attempts. The burly junior also anchored the Eagle defensive effort. “He’s a stud,” said Priest.

Wilson gained 107 yards and scored 2 touchdowns on only 3 carries to lead the Dark Horses. Morrisey scored a touchdown and racked up 77 yards on only 3 attempts. Smith ran for 62 yards and a touchdown and completed 3 of 5 passes for 40 yards and 3 touchdowns.

The Eagles, now 3-3 in league play and 4-6 overall, will have to wait until Saturday when the NCHSAA brackets are released and should receive a playoff berth based on their very difficult schedule. Clinton finished 2nd in the conference with a 7-2 record and is assured of a playoff berth.

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