By Gaylen Duskey
realfang@citlink.net
It is not unusual for Seth Moore to be the workhorse of the Calhoun Middle School offense.
What is unusual is when the Red Devils have no change-of-pace back to complement the hard-charging eighth grader.
That was the case Thursday night and despite a heavy, heavy load and a yeoman's effort by Moore the Red Devils were not able to overcome the Mustangs as Clay came away with a 28-14 homecoming victory.
But it wasn't for the lack of trying by Moore.
Calhoun's offense consisted of Moore, Moore and more Moore. The Red Devils ran 36 offensive plays - 35 runs and one pass - and Moore was the ball carrier on 32 of them. He was also the target of the pass.
Usually Moore has some offensive help in the backfield from speedy Jakob Holcomb.
But Holcomb was not at the game and that left carrying the offensive load on Moore as well as painting a giant bulls eye on his back.
Moore used his 32 carries to roll up a season-high 256 yards rushing while scoring two touchdowns and the extra points. This despite the Mustangs going after him defensively on virtually every play.
Still he ran over, through and away from the Clay defense, often dragging several tacklers with him.
On the season Moore has carried the ball 91 times for 1,080 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also has scored seven extra point runs.
He also led the defense with 16 tackles while playing virtually every snap.
Clay caught Calhoun early when big Austin Rose broke through the line and scampered 56 yards for the score at the 4:28 mark of the first period.
That lead did not last long as Moore countered with a 62-yard touchdown run 21 seconds later. Both extra point attempts failed and the score was tied at 6-6 at the end of the first period.
That did not last long as the Mustangs scored twice in the second period with Logan Murphy scoring from seven yards out. He added the extra points and Rose adding a one-yard score. Alex Grose hit Kolt Carmean for the extra points after that and Clay held a 22-6 halftime lead.
The Mustangs had one more score from Murphy on a 48-yard gallop right before the end of the third period after Calhoun had marched down the field after recovering the onside kick. The Red Devils were inside the Clay 20 when they turned over the ball.
Calhoun had one more run in it as Moore scored from a yard out to cap a long drive. Moore added the extra points setting the final score.
Murphy led Clay with 103 yards rushing while Rose added 78.
Quarterback Caden Hicks backed Moore with three carries for eight yards.
Defensively Connor Ritchie had seven tackles while Hicks, Johnny Hart and Chris Thornton all added five and Evan Nicholas had four tackles and recovered the onside kick to start the second half.
Calhoun, 2-4, will try to get back on the winning path next Thursday when Wirt County comes to Mount Zion while Clay, 4-2, will try to continue its winning ways when it travels to Guyan Valley.
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