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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong
ELIZABETHTOWN – Clinton capitalized on a pair of East Bladen mistakes to score two touchdowns and hand the Eagles a 14-0 defeat Friday night in their non-conference football opener.
A fumble on East Bladen’s second possession of the game was recovered by Clinton’s Jatiyuhn Wilson at the Eagle 17 yardline. Two plays later quarterback Knowlydge Evans was pushed into the end zone from a yard out on the first play of the second quarter to put Clinton up 6-0.
On Clinton’s first possession of the second half, the Eagles jumped offside on a fourth down and five play to give the Dark Horses a first down at the Eagle 27 yardline. On the next play Evans broke loose off the right side for a touchdown run. Davion Smith ran the 2-point conversion for a 14-0 lead with 6:19 left in the quarter.
“Lots of mistakes tonight,” said Eagle Coach Robby Priest. “The defense played good and gave us a chance to win. The offense sputtered. If it wasn’t linemen missing blocks, it was backs missing assignments.”
The Eagles ran for 158 yards led by senior Eric Chancy who rushed 11 times for 70 yards. Senior Shy Pone carried 12 times for 40 yards. Sophmore quarterback Zach Meares completed 4 of 11 passes for 19 yards. Chancy had two receptions for 13 yards.
Clinton rushed for 175 yards topped by Evans with 58 yards on 17 attempts.
A 27-yard kick-off return by Pone with a personal foul penalty tacked on put the Eagles at the Clinton 41 yardline following the second Dark Horse TD. Chancy popped free for a 13-yard run to the 21 yardline, but a pair of quarterback sacks ended the threat.
On the first play after the Eagles were stopped on downs, junior Kasey Price pounced on a Clinton fumble at the Dark Horse 33 yardline. An 8-yard pick-up by Pone and a 6-yard burst by Chancy produced a first down at the 18 yardline, but the Eagles were stopped again on downs at the 13.
The Eagle defense forced a trio of Clinton turnovers. Pone intercepted a pass in the first quarter, and Price and junior Lawson Hester recovered fumbles in the second half.
“We will see some improvement between the first and second games,” said Priest whose Eagles will travel to North Brunswick Friday night for their final non-conference game.
On a brighter note Coach Priest shared that he had undergone his final chemotherapy treatment Friday morning and will not have to return to the doctor until a check-up in three months.
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