The Clear Creek Bobcats were in Fannin County and they clobbered the Rebels.
CCMS continued its league football slate last Wednesday, and the Bobcat defense continually made stops to quell Fannin’s aerial attack.
The eighth-grade Bobcats snatched three interceptions while the offense battered the heart of the Rebels’ defense. After giving up a pair of FCMS touchdowns to begin the game, CCMS settled in and rolled to a 34-13 victory.
The seventh-grade Cats struck quickly, and they kept the Rebels off balance all evening with their rushing attack. FCMS scored on Clear Creek reserves to avoid the shutout, and the Bobcats earned their first win of the season, 22-8.
“(Secondary) coach Heath Hinton made an adjustment and put us in man coverage. They were able to hit some passes when we were playing a zone,” head coach Willie Dodaro said of the eighth-grade Bobcats. “And our line was able to get some pressure on their quarterback. That changed the philosophy of what they were trying to do against us.
“Our seventh graders are catching on quick, and that’s really good.”
The Rebels’ passing game thrived early and withered late. A short pass and catch of 38 yards highlighted their first possession. An 8-yard touchdown run capped the five-play drive, and FCMS led 7-0 following the successful extra point.
CCMS fumbled on its first possession, but FCMS was forced to punt after it recovered the ball. However, the snap sailed high, and CCMS took over at the Rebels’ 17. Four plays later, fullback Cal Morrison scored from 3 yards out. Wingback Silas West added the conversion on a sweep around the right edge to give CCMS the lead.
Consecutive passes of 25 and 18 yards concluded Fannin’s third possession, and the latter gave FCHS a 13-8 edge. The Bobcats needed just two plays to take the lead for good. Morrison broke a tackle 5 yards past the line of scrimmage and ran for a 54-yard touchdown. His conversion moved CCMS ahead 16-13 with 16 seconds left in the first quarter.
West thwarted Fannin’s next drive with an interception on the Cats’ 1-yard line. CCMS then punted, but Fannin was punished once again when it decided to pass on its fifth possession. Safety Noah Rice swooped in for an interception and 55-yard touchdown return.
CCMS was stopped on the conversion attempt but led 22-13 at the half.
The teams traded punts to begin the third, and Clear Creek’s second drive of the quarter started at the Rebels’ 38. Morrison handled eight of 10 carries on the drive. His last run was a 3-yard touchdown, and CCMS pushed its lead to 28-13.
Rice was there for his second interception on Fannin’s next series. This time it took Clear Creek’s offense six plays to cover 60 yards. Braxton Newberry took a pitch over the right edge, made a Rebel miss and scored. The 31-yard run accounted for the final points to cement Clear Creek’s 21-point win.
FCMS received possession to begin the seventh-grade game. While the Rebels picked up a pair of first downs and progressed to the Cats’ 21, Parker Chancey made a tackle on fourth down to end Fannin’s threat.
For the second time in consecutive games, the Bobcat offense scored on its first snap. Quarterback Alex Raper kept the ball around the right corner, broke a tackle and outran a pair of defenders for a 79-yard touchdown. Chancey took the ball across the goal line for the two-point conversion.
On the Rebels’ next drive, Chancey and Raper sacked Fannin’s signal caller on first down. The drive ended with a interception by Bobcat Kamden Becker, and the CCMS offense was on the field at its 48.
Chancey and Raper swapped carries before going to the air. Raper connected with Chancey for a 31-yard pass following a CCMS chop block penalty. Chancey scored from 4 yards out to cap the eight-play drive.
CCMS took its 14-0 lead into the half, and the Bobcats fumbled the ball away to begin the third quarter. FCMS once again advanced into Clear Creek territory, but Lawson Pritchett broke up a fourth down Rebel pass.
After a CCMS punt, Fannin stalled on downs. Clear Creek put together a six-play, 69-yard scoring drive. The series was highlighted by a 17-yard Michael Sapp run and a 37-yard Chancey gain where he ran over a Rebel linebacker. A Raper 6-yard keeper added six points, and Chancey tacked on the conversion.
Leading 22-0 with 4:21 to play, CCMS reserves took the field on defense. FCMS kept its first team in and scored a touchdown and conversion to make the final 22-8.
The win improved the seventh-grade Cats’ record to 1-1. The eighth graders are undefeated, and CCMS is off this week.