Clear Creek eighth graders found themselves in the losing column for the first time in years.
This group of players has enjoyed sustained success over the years, but suffered a defeat at the hands of the White County Warriors last Tuesday. The Bobcats had ball security issues and costly turnovers deep inside their own, and in Warrior territory proved to be the difference.
WCMS added two scores late in the game to secure a 28-20 home victory.
Aside from a turnover, CCMS seventh graders did everything right in the first half to build a three score lead. The Cats added another touchdown in the second half, and a late Warrior score saw CCMS come away with a 32-6 win.
“The eighth-grade game was my fault,” said head coach Willie Dodaro. “The preparation was poor. That many turnovers is very ugly. It’s a head coach’s job to get the kids prepared and I didn’t do that. I told the assistant coaches they had a great game plan; it was just all the turnovers. We should have blown those guys out, but unfortunately didn’t happen.
“The seventh grade controlled another good game, and we had a lot of positive things going. We had good blocking, good tackling and we handled the ball well, didn’t have any turnovers and penalties were at a minimum.”
Eighth grade
White punted after receiving possession to start the game, and CCMS drove 66 yards for a touchdown. Fullback Peyton Chancey tallied the score on an 8-yard run and added the conversion for a 8-0 CCMS lead.
The Warriors returned the ensuing kickoff 71 yards to pay dirt to trail by two. The Cats’ next drive covered 62 yards and ended when Chancey broke loose for a 40-yard touchdown run.
Behind 14-6, White answered with a 57-yard quarterback scramble to even the score at 14-all. CCMS put a drive together to progress inside White’s 5, but fumbled. A Warrior returned the ball to midfield where Chancey chased him down, stripped the ball and CCMS got it back.
However, another fumble ended the drive, and the score remained even at the half.
On the first play of the second half, Chancey broke free once more, and this time it was for a 49-yard touchdown and 20-14 lead. Chancey recovered his ensuing onside kick, but the Cats drive eventually ended at White’s 5.
WCMS sustained a long drive, and a short touchdown pass evened the score at 20-20 with 1:20 to play. The deep kickoff then pinned CCMS at its 2, and on first down, the Cats fumbled and White recovered in the end zone for a 28-20 advantage with a minute left.
CCMS passed its way downfield all the way to the Warriors’ 14, but an interception ended the game.
Seventh grade
The Bobcat defense forced two punts and two turnovers through the first 16 minutes of play. Meanwhile, the offense struck quickly for scores, and the first came on a five-play, 28-yard drive. Quarterback A.J. Callihan kept the ball from 2 yards out, and Madden Hopkins added the conversion for a 8-0 edge.
A fumble ended the Cats’ next possession, and the third time they got the ball, they covered 48 yards on two plays. Hopkins bullied his way for a 43-yard touchdown run as the Cats extended their lead to 16-0.
Clear Creek’s fourth and final drive of the half took just two plays. After Callihan ran for 15 yards, Hunter Newhart handled the final 4 yards for a 24-0 halftime advantage.
The teams traded possessions to begin the second half, and the Cats’ second drive added another score. After a 30-yard run by Ryan Rellinger, McCoy Sutton took the ball 38 yards around the left end. The touchdown and conversion ballooned the Cats’ lead to 32-0.
WCMS found success on its next drive, which was the final one of the game. The Warrior touchdown cut the Cats’ lead to 26 as time expired.
The eighth-grade Bobcats are 1-1 and seventh graders are 2-0. CCMS faced Union County at press deadline.