The Clear Creek eighth-grade Bobcats earned a much-needed football victory last week.
CCMS traveled to White County Thursday to battle the Warriors. Four quarters were not enough to decide a winner, and after two overtime periods and a goal line stand, the Bobcats secured a 42-40 win.
The seventh-grade Cats were up next and had to shake off an six-point halftime deficit. CCMS scored 28 unanswered points over the final two quarters for a 36-14 victory.
Eighth grade
“It was a very emotional win,” coach Willie Dodaro said. “It’s been a long time. They’ve been through the battle since they’ve been in rec and now all the way through seventh and eighth. This year they’ve seemed to rise to the occasion. They surely battled in this one until they were victors and it was well-deserved against a well-coached and sizable White County team.”
Hunter Britain had a big day for CCMS with 209 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He scored from 8 yards out on the Cats’ first drive. Cheyne Smith’s conversion gave CCMS an early 8-0 edge.
White’s first drive ended with a punt, and its second was halted at Clear Creek’s 49. The ensuing nine-play CCMS drive concluded with a 4-yard run by fullback Michael Bushey. Britain’s conversion put the Cats up 16-0 with 3:30 left in the half.
WCMS responded with a 50-yard sweep for a touchdown on its next offensive play, and CCMS led 18-6 at the half.
Britain was there again to start the second half and scored on a 48-yard run to cap a four play, 62-yard drive. CCMS led 22-6 1:36 into the third quarter, but on the third play of White’s next drive, a 53-yard bootleg cut the Cats’ lead to 22-12.
Both teams went on to turn the ball over on downs, and a Warrior fumble recovery and 38-yard return for a touchdown trimmed the Cats’ edge to 22-20 in the fourth quarter.
CCMS answered with a 51-yard, seven-play possession that ended with a 10-yard Britain touchdown run and 28-20 advantage. A 20-yard quarterback keeper on the sixth play of White’s next series added a touchdown. The conversion evened the score at 28-28 with 1:19 on the clock.
In overtime, each team received an offensive possession that began at the opposing team’s 15-yard line. White scored first and Smith intercepted the conversion pass. Britain scored on the Cats’ first play on a pitch to the left.
The conversion failed, and the score was still tied, 34-34. CCMS got possession to start the second overtime. On the first play, Britain tested the right side for a 15-yard sweep into the end zone. He added the conversion to push Clear Creek’s lead to 42-34.
White answered immediately with a touchdown run on first down. However, the Warrior running back was met by a wall of Bobcat defenders on the conversion to preserve Clear Creek’s win.
“It was really emotional for us and the kids because we wanted so much for them to win a game. Maybe now we’ll catch fire and get Lumpkin and Union in the next two weeks,” Dodaro said.
CCMS began last week on Monday with a 28-0 loss to Fannin County.
Seventh grade
Bobcat Mac Burnett recovered a fumble on White’s opening drive at Clear Creek’s 30. Fullback Peyton Chancey scored from a yard out 15 plays later and added the conversion for an 8-0 CCMS lead to start the second quarter.
WCMS responded with a 55-yard touchdown pass on the second play of its next drive, and the conversion tied the score.
CCMS fumbled on the kickoff and White recovered at the Cats’ 46. A first down pass saw the Warrior receiver break tackles and weave around Bobcats and into the end zone for a 14-8 advantage.
Clear Creek’s second drive of the third quarter covered 31 yards on four plays and ended when Chancey took the ball across the goal line from 5 yards away.
The score tied the game at 14-14 in the final minute of the third. WCHS was then held on downs at Clear Creek’s 44, and Douglas Callihan took the ball around the right side to pay dirt on the Cats’ ensuing offensive play.
The conversion failed as CCMS opened a 20-14 lead, and the Bobcat defense was there to take care of the rest. CCMS held WCHS on downs at the Warriors’ 10, and Chancey scored from a yard away and added the conversion for a 28-14 lead.
Bobcat Chaz Curtis ended White’s next drive with an interception, which he returned 56 yards for a touchdown ahead of Chancey’s final conversion.
CCMS was forced to make some adjustments after cornerback and halfback Mason West left the game with an injury.
“Losing him was a big loss for us. We had to regroup and had to put different characters in different places to make up the difference,” Dodaro said. “(Free safety) A.J. Callihan moved to corner and Joe Baughman moved from linebacker to free safety. That was their main threat, their passing game, and we were able to hold them to no scores in the second half.
“Chancey helped us control the clock and helped us put the game away in the second half and helped us come out as victors.”
The win was Clear Creek’s second in four days after trouncing Fannin 40-0 Monday.
“We had to face two physical teams. Two in one week is a pretty big challenge. (The seventh and eighth graders) stepped up to the plate. This group doesn’t get down on themselves or pout around. They just want to find a way to win,” Dodaro said.
“I’m blessed to have these assistant coaches. They did an outstanding job preparing these kids for these two games.”