Clear Creek football is set for a return to the championship game.
The eighth-grade Bobcats hosted Union County in the semifinals last Tuesday and sent the Panthers back to Blairsville with a 42-20 loss.
The seventh-grade Cats welcomed Fannin County to Ellijay the following day. The game was tied until the fourth quarter where CCMS made plays on both sides of the ball to secure a 14-8 victory.
Eighth grade
Head coach Willie Dodaro assessed the game, saying, “The eighth graders did what they needed to do. They needed to come out and be physical and run the plays and do their jobs on both sides. We won the line of scrimmage.
“With Kash Chastain getting three interceptions, and Ryan Rellinger’s 95-yard interception return, you couldn’t ask for more effort out of the defense. The offense moved the ball well and we never lost composure.”
Union had zero issue scoring on its first drive. Their first three plays all resulted in first downs, and the fourth play of the game was a 15-yard touchdown run.
CCMS trailed 7-0, and its opening drive was the longest of the game. UCMS was able to limit fullback Madden Hopkins’ big gains up the middle, but halfback Rellinger was there to attack the outside for 42 yards on four carries. His 9-yard run on the drive’s 13th play put CCMS on the board, and quarterback A.J. Callihan added the conversion.
The possession took 6:26 off the clock. The Panthers second drive ended when Chastain snatched his first of three interceptions.
Back-to-back 15-yard Rellinger runs advanced the Cats to near midfield before Callihan’s 31-yard completion to Hopkins down to the Panthers’ 16. Four plays later, Hopkins’ 2-yard dive added six more points to the Cats’ tally.
The 83-yard, eight play drive was followed by Rellinger’s’ two-point conversion to give CCMS a 16-7 lead at halftime.
UCMS was able to reach the end zone twice in the second half, but CCMS was there to intercept three more Panther passes. The Cats offense was more efficient in the second half as none of their three touchdown drives needed more than five plays.
An 80-yard series to start the third quarter saw Rellinger lose 5 yards before a 59-yard catch to move CCMS to Union’s 11. Two play later, Hopkins scored on a 4-yard run and CCMS led, 22-7.
Chastain picked off his second Panther pass when Union’s offense returned to the field. The Cats’ ensuing drive ended with a fumble, and UCMS took over at the Cats’ 21.
A 5-yard touchdown pass cut the Cats’ lead to 22-14 with 55 seconds left in the third. CCMS answered with a three-play, 65-yard drive that ended with Hopkins’ 51-yard touchdown run.
Callihan’s conversion bumped the Bobcats’ lead back to 30-14. UCMS went on to turn the ball over on downs at the 50.
Three plays later, Rellinger took an option pitch 35 yards around the left edge for the touchdown. While the conversion failed, CCMS held a 36-14 advantage with 4:04 to play.
Union picked up three first downs through the air before Rellinger intercepted the Panthers. He then returned it 95 yards to pay dirt as the Cats’ lead increased to 42-14 with just 1:33 left in the game.
A 45-yard quarterback keeper gave Union six more points, and the Panthers recovered the ensuing onside kick. However, the Panthers opted to test Chastain again, and he was there for an interception to cement the Cats’ win.
Seventh grade
Students were out of school last week because of fall break, which may have led to a sluggish game for the Bobcats.
“It was a learning experience for them,” Dodaro said. “The kids didn’t have that regular structure (of a school day). They hung in there and did their jobs.”
It was the seventh grader’s closest game of the season. Fannin stacked the line of scrimmage and blitzed straight up the middle for repeated losses, and sacks on passing plays. While the strategy held CCMS in check for much of the game, it also put their defense in a vulnerable situation.
The teams traded punts to begin the game, and the Rebels’ second drive started from their 13. While Fannin did attempt seven runs on the 12-play series, it was a pass that accounted for the game’s first points. When a CCMS defender was unable to make the tackle on a short completion, the Rebel receiver broke free for a 47-yard touchdown.
The successful conversion put CCMS behind 8-0 with 5:10 left in the half. Starting from their 45, Bobcat Silas West gained 7 yards before fellow halfback Noah Rice broke off consecutive 20-yard gains on sweeps.
Fullback Cal Morrison hit the middle for an 8-yard touchdown and also added the conversion to even the score.
Each team punted on its final drive of the first half. The Cats received possession to start the third quarter, and while they turned the ball over on downs, the drive took 6:21 off the clock.
On Fannin’s ensuing offensive play, Bobcat Slade Smith snatched a Rebel pass out of the air with one hand and the offense was back on the field. The Cats were stuck in reverse and forced to punt, and Fannin did the same.
With the score still tied and 3:55 left in the game, 46 yards stood between CCMS and the goal line. Fannin’s single line of defenders was unable to tackle Morrison on first down as he shrugged off Rebels and raced to the end zone. West was stopped on the conversion, but CCMS led 14-8 with 3:37 on the clock.
Fannin did earn a first down, but four straight incompletions ended their season. CCMS killed the final 1:49 off the clock for its championship game berth.
The eighth-grade Bobcats traveled to take on Lumpkin County at press deadline. CCMS seventh graders host Lumpkin today at 5 p.m.