Hosting Lincoln for the final regular season game, with a chance to host their week nine game, the Clifton-Clyde football team ended the Leopards’ seven-game win streak with a 48-44 victory.
The Eagles started the game strong with a kick return that saw the Eagles start on the Leopards’ side of the field, but they weren’t able to take advantage of the short field. The Leopards on their first drive of the game drove down the field, and thanks to some big plays, scored first to go up 8-0. After another short kick that put the Eagles on their 35-yard line, one catch by Trenton Benne brought them to the Leopards’ 20-yard line, but after a slip due to the weather, the Eagles turned the ball over on downs. The Eagles’ defense did their job on the following drive with Emit Tiemeyer strip-sacking the quarterback to force a fumble, which the Eagles recovered and capitalized, finding the end zone in three plays with a 16-yard pass by Kyzler Damman to Tiemeyer to make it an 8-6 game.
After a failed onside kick that put the Leopards on the Eagles’ 35-yard line, before punching the ball in to make it a 16-6 game after one quarter. After driving down the field before the quarter end, the Eagles stalled out near the goal line. The Leopards tried to be aggressive and went for it on fourth down deep in their own territory and failed on a fourth down, but the Eagles couldn’t capitalize and gave the ball back to the Leopards after a turnover on downs. The Eagle defense stood strong and after a bad snap sent the ball out the back of the end zone (after the Leopard QB kicked it out), it was a 16-8 game.
A great return on the safety kick by Damman put the Eagles on the 25-yard line, it would be Damman scoring on a 17-yard run after breaking a tackle to make it a 16-16 game. The rain continued to mess with the Leopards, with the Eagles botching the snap on fourth down, and a team sack gave the ball back to the Eagles on the 23-yard line, with a quick score on a 24-yard pass from Joseph Fahey to Benne to make it a 24-16 Eagle game going into halftime.
Lincoln came out of halftime hot, scoring in just two plays to take a 24-24 game. After a punt from the Eagles and a turnover on downs from the Leopards, the Eagles scored on a 21-yard pass from Damman to Gage LeClair to make it a 30-24 Eagle lead. Lincoln retaliated with a scoring drive of their own to make it a 30-30 game. After an Eagle drive that ended in an interception to end the third quarter, the weather continued to be an issue for Lincoln, as a fumbled throw made it fourth and 34, and a bad snap gave the Eagles the ball on the Lincoln 25-yard line. After a great catch from Tiemeyer, Fahey scored on a 6-yard run to make it a 36-30 game.
Forcing a turnover on downs and starting the drive on the Lincoln side of the field, the Eagles turned the ball over on downs. After a Lincoln penalty on fourth down pushed them back, they muffed the snap and threw the ball away to give the ball back to the Eagles. Damman found Fahey for a 15-yard passing touchdown to make it a 42-30 Eagle lead and took precious time off the clock. With their backs against the wall, Lincoln scored in just two plays with 1:40 left in the game, now down four points, 42-38. Lincoln was able to recover an onside kick to get another possession, and after a sack pushed the Leopards back, a deep pass led to Lincoln taking the lead 44-42 with 47 seconds remaining. Needing to work some magic, Damman found Landon Begnoche for a 12-yard gain, then a pass interference on Lincoln gave the Eagles the ball past midfield. After an offsides on Lincoln pushed the Eagles up more, Damman found Begnoche again for another first down, and with three seconds on the clock, Fahey threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Damman to give the Eagles the 48-44 victory.
Damman went 11-22 passing for 139 yards and three touchdowns, Fahey went 4-9 passing for 43 yards and two touchdowns.
Benne had six receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown, LeClair had three receptions for 36 yards and a touchdown, Tiemeyer had 34 yards receiving on two catches and a touchdown, Begnoche had 20 yards on two receptions.
Fahey had 43 yards rushing on 18 carries with a touchdown.
James Jarvis led in tackles with 13, Tiemeyer and Begnoche had 10, and Gage LeClair had 8.
Clifton-Clyde will go on the road on Thursday to face Little River. Lincoln and Sylvan-Lucas tiebreakers gave them first and second in the district, despite a three-way tie with a 4-1 district record.
