By Gaylen Duskey
realfang@citlink.net
Clay methodically but surely and steadily dismantled Calhoun 40-6 Friday night ending the Red Devils' season with a 2-8 record.
Clay, sticking mostly to a solid ground game, had two touchdowns from Jordan Lucas and one each from James Brogan, Mitchell Schoolcraft, Alex Suite and Michael Gray. Suite and Brogan both scored on passes from quarterback Tyler Stewart. Travis Naylor kicked five of the seven extra point attempts for the 5-4 Panthers.
Calhoun's lone score came at the 3:25 mark when Lucas Wilson recovered an errant Clay snap on a punt attempt in the end zone.
Clay scored the first time it got the ball as Lucas scored from nine yards out at the 4:37 mark of the first quarter. The drive appeared to have stalled out two or three times but the Panthers kept pushing and finally got it down close where Lucas was able to break off the right side for the score.
The Panthers went for the onside kick on the kickoff and recovered at the Calhoun 33.
That drive was much quicker with Stewart hitting Brogan for the final 10 yards at the 2:30 mark.
While Calhoun's defense stiffened in the second quarter the Red Devil offense was not able to generate any offense and despite the better defense the Panthers were able to put another touchdown on the board.
Schoolcraft's one-yard run at the 1:19 mark was followed by a Naylor kick and the Panthers were on top 21-0 at intermission.
The Panthers took the second half kickoff and rolled down for another score with Lucas going 32 yards on a fourth down play to score at the 10:35 mark. The Panthers missed the extra point but were ahead 27-0 bringing in the first wave of substitutes from the bench.
The Panthers added another touchdown at the 3:13 mark of the third period when Stewart hit Suite on a 13-yard touchdown pass, again ending a drive that had appeared stopped.
Clay's final score came early in the fourth quarter when Gray scampered in from three yards out.
With the Calhoun reserves going against Clay's reserves the rest of the game was played between the 20 yard lines before Calhoun got a drive that went deep into Clay territory before stalling out. Clay then ran three plays and had to punt setting up Wilson's fumble recovery for the score.
Logan Moore led Calhoun offensively with 59 yards rushing on nine carries while completing two passes for 11 more yards.
Freshman Cole Ritchie carried the ball 13 times for 58 yards. Trent Phillips added 18 yards while Wilson had 13 and Casey Ritchie two. Phillips also caught one pass for 10 yards. Kirkland Allen had the other reception for a yard.
While Calhoun's season is over Clay has one more game heading to Tug Valley next Friday night. A win should put the 15th ranked Class AA Panthers in the playoffs.
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