MANKATO — Picking up a much-needed district win in the quest to host their week nine game, the Clifton-Clyde football team dominated Rock Hills 54-6.
The Eagles started the game on their own 10-yard line and drove down the field and in three plays. Gage LeClair scored the first points of the game on a nine-yard option pitch, with Joseph Fahey punching in the two-point attempt to go up 8-0. After three straight negative plays for the Grizzlies, they botched the punt and gave the ball to the Eagles on the 2-yard line, which was immediately run in by Fahey to go up 16-0 early.
After a penalty stalled the following Grizzly drive and forced a turnover on downs on a botched snap, Fahey found Landon Begnoche deep for a 31-yard reception and got tackled on the 1-yard line. Fahey found Begnoche again, after two negative plays, for a 7-yard touchdown pass to go up 22-0, which they would take into the second quarter.
Forcing another Grizzly turnover on downs to start the second quarter, Fahey punched in his third touchdown of the game with a 10-yard run and converted the two-point attempt to go up 30-0. Two plays into the following Grizzly drive, James Jarvis and Fahey combined to force a fumble, which the Eagles recovered. With the short field, the Grizzly defense forced a turnover on downs.
After a sack from Gage LeClair and Emitt Tiemeyer put the Grizzlies on their own 2-yard line, Kyzler Damman made a diving interception to give the Eagles the ball back. One play later, Fahey received a pitch from Damman and scored his fourth touchdown of the game to go up 38-0.
An interception by LeClair gave the Eagles the ball at their own 27-yard line, and in one play, LeClair took a pitch from Fahey and scored a 53-yard touchdown to go up 46-0.
With their backs against the wall, the Grizzlies marched down the field thanks to a big pass that put them on the Eagles’ 16-yard line. Wanting to get points on the board, the Grizzlies decided to kick a rare field goal from 42 yards out. Fahey blocked the kick attempt and recovered the ball and returned it for his fifth touchdown of the game to put the Eagles up 54-0 after Aekely Goeckel converted the two-point attempt. The Grizzlies, on their final offensive drive of the game finally found the end zone but failed to convert the PAT to give the final score of 54-6 as the game ended at halftime due to the mercy rule.
Fahey went 2-4, passing for 46 yards and a touchdown, and Damman went 5-8, passing for 27 yards.
LeClair had 77 yards rushing and a touchdown on four attempts, and Fahey had 51 yards on five attempts with three touchdowns.
Begnoche had 46 yards receiving on two catches with a touchdown, and Fahey had 20 yards on three receptions.
Striker Affolter had nine tackles, including two for loss and a sack, and LeClair had six tackles and an interception. 13 Eagles recorded a defensive stat (tackle, interception, sack) in this game.
