Clear Creek Middle School football is still undefeated.
The seventh and eighth-grade Bobcats hosted Dawson County last Wednesday, and the day got rolling with the latter’s 20-0 victory.
The seventh-grade game had plenty of quick scores, and by the end, CCMS came out on top, 34-22.
Possessions were limited in the eighth-grade matchup, and two ended in turnovers for the visiting Tigers, who punted to begin the game.
“We didn’t have a real good balanced attack until later in the game,” said head coach Willie Dodaro. “I told the boys every game is going to get a littler harder now. We’re suffering from some bumps and bruises. We were good in some points of the game, and not so good in other parts. We got the win, but we need to make a lot of improvements in the coming weeks.”
CCMS fullback Madden Hopkins bullied his way for a 38-yard run on the second play of the drive for a first and goal at the 6-yard line. Two plays later, quarterback A.J. Callihan kept the ball on a 1-yard sneak to cap the four-play, 45-yard series.
DCMS’ shotgun offense continued to blend the run and pass, and when they went for it on fourth and 11 from the Clear Creek’s 35, Bobcat McCoy Sutton was there for the interception at the 15.
Halfback Ryan Rellinger had consecutive runs of 14 and 23 yards before Sutton ran for 14 more. Jeremiah Few also had a 10-yard rush on the drive, and Callihan’s 22-yard completion to Hopkins on the drive’s eighth play gave the Cats a fresh set of downs at the 9.
Kash Chastain scored from 2 yards out, two plays later. The conversion failed again, and CCMS led 12-0 with 51 seconds left in the half.
The Cats received the ball to begin the third. Hopkins ran for 32 yards on the drive, and Rellinger had another long gain of 14. The eight-play, 58-yard series concluded with a 2-yard Callihan touchdown run. Chastain added the conversion, and CCMS led 20-0 with 3:20 left in the quarter.
DCMS was able to gain two first downs on its next possession. However, Jeremiah Patterson was able to knock the ball loose from a Tiger running back, and Callihan recovered.
CCMS was forced to punt but drained 4:34 off the clock. Dawson’s final drive ended on downs at its 24, and the Cats knelt to kill the clock.
The seventh-grade matchup consisted of five quick-strike touchdowns in the first half as none required more than four plays.
“I think they got a little too complacent with how well they’ve been playing,” Dodaro said of the seventh-grade Cats. “We’re grateful for the great blocking we had up front for Cal Morrison, we just couldn’t break it to the outside. We had big interceptions by Noah Rice.
“We need to be a little better prepared mentally for each game. Everyone wants to make the playoffs and is fighting for a spot.”
Clear Creek’s first scoring drive covered 65 yards on just two plays. Fullback Cal Morrison scored the game’s first touchdown on a 49-yard dive through the heart of Dawson’s defense. Quarterback Slade Smith added the conversion.
The Tigers turned the ball over on downs to begin the game and punted on their second possession. Their third drive concluded with six points when they broke a 60-yard touchdown run.
CCMS led 8-6 with 6:25 left in the half, and its third drive covered 59 yards. This time Morrison romped 35 yards to pay dirt on a punishing run on the fourth play of the drive. He added the conversion for a 16-6 advantage.
CCMS cornerback Rice then intercepted a Tiger pass, and the Cats offense was back on the field at Dawson’s 27. After a run by Silas West, Morrison and Lian Hup, Smith kept the ball for a 3-yard touchdown. Hup crossed the goal line on the conversion, and the Cats’ lead swelled to 24-6 with 1:18 left in the half.
DCMS answered with a 58-yard slant pass for a touchdown. It capped the three-play, 65-yard series, and CCMS led 24-14 at halftime.
Clear Creek embarked on a 58-yard touchdown drive to start the third quarter. Morrison and Hup shared five straight carries to advance the offense to the Tigers’ 8-yard line. West ran for the remaining yards on the sixth play of the drive.
The conversion failed as CCMS extended its lead to 30-14.
Rice intercepted his second pass of the game for the Cats, and the offense took over at Dawson’s 30. The three-play possession ended with a hard-nosed run by Hup, who extended the ball across the goal line as Tigers desperately tried to bring him down.
Hup also scored the conversions, and CCMS led 38-14 with 27 seconds left in the third.
DCMS scored on its final drive. The Tigers used 12 straight rushes to score and trim the Cats’ lead to 16 points with only 35 seconds remaining.
The win improved the seventh graders to 3-0, while the eighth-grade Cats are 4-0. CCMS scrimmaged Towns County at press deadline.