After spotting host Randolph six points early, the Clippers, despite most of their time in shadow of their own goal post, didn’t allow another touchdown in the first half on Thursday.
But midway in the third quarter, the two teams traded interceptions inside the Cleveland 3 with Randolph capitalizing for the score.
After the Rockets went up 21-0 late in the final frame, the Clippers scored and recovered the onside kick. A Clipper win at that point would have been a miracle, but an interception ended any chance of narrowing their deficit, and the Rockets set up in V formation for a 21-6 triumph.
These are the Spark notes to what—if the Clippers were full strength and just one or two more plays would have gone their way—could reasonably been their second win this year.
“We spent the whole first half in our zone,” said head coach Erik Hermanson. “We couldn’t win the field position battle. We made so many great defensive plays, but those stands kind of have their price. When you run your offense with smaller, quicker guys, it isn’t a good thing to run on the 2-yard line. But there’s no question that we played as hard as we could possibly play.”
Tanner Simonette smoked out the first play after the opening kickoff for a 4-yard Randolph loss, but the Rockets found a hole in the middle after the next snap and ran 69 yards to the house. With the PAT kick, they were suddenly up 7-0 just a minute in.
Randolph’s ensuing kick got by the Clipper return line. Starting out on their 15, they managed to pick up a first down after a pair of Caleb Possin runs and a Kale Kelley spurt for 3 yards, but on fourth and 2, they punted away.
The Rockets started on the Cleveland 37 and got all the way down to the Clipper 2, but Brady Bostic came up with a huge sac for minus 7 yards, Kelley broke up a pass in the end zone, and the Clippers got the ball back on downs.
After the Clippers went three and out, once again, the Rockets drove to the Clipper 2 but were stopped short.
It looked like the Rockets would score again after Possin shanked the three-and-out boot, and the Rockets took over on the Cleveland 6, but sophomore David Draheim, back in pads for the first time this year after suffering a broken hand, sacked the quarterback for a 4-yard loss. After Kelley broke up another pass, the Clippers took over at their 12.
While the Clippers’ major offensive and defensive force Nick Simonette was still sidelined with an injury, Hermanson was glad to have Draheim on the O and D lines.
“It was incredible to get David back. If he would have been healthy every week, it would be a different season.”
After three incomplete passes, the Clippers punted again. Randolph took over on the Cleveland 35, but penalties backed them up, and after the punt, the Clippers finally had a bit of breathing room with the ball on their 35.
The Clippers managed another first down but turned the ball over on downs at the Rocket 49. After a pass for a first down, the Clipper defense stopped Randolph on fourth and 2 and got the ball back on downs.
Kelly ran for 11 yards, and Carson Lyons hauled in a 13-yard pass from his brother, but the drive ended when time ran out in the half.
Early in the third quarter, Braeden Smith snared a Randolph pass on the Clipper 3-yard line (above). But the Rockets in turn intercepted a Blake Lyons toss on the next play and took over on the 2. Two snaps later, they made a 1-yard run for a TD that, with the PAT kick, put them up 14-0.
“The thing that got us in trouble is when we freelanced a little bit and didn’t go with the Xs and Os,” Hermanson said. “Any time we went off script, it cost us.”
The Rockets had another short field, 29 yards, when they scored with 4:26 left to go in the fourth quarter for a 21-0 lead.
After a 35-yard Carson Lyons catch that put the Clippers on the Randolph 5, Blake Lyons dove a yard and a half for the TD. The Clippers missed the point-after kick but recovered the onside—not once but twice because the first one was a do-over after an inadvertent whistle—but an interception ended the Clippers’ chance of narrowing their deficit.
The Clippers gained 10 first downs, one less than the Rockets.
Blake Lyons completed 18 of 37 pass attempts for 115 yards. Sam Ternes’ one pass was caught for 10 yards. Carson Lyons grabbed eight passes for a total of 66 yards. Kelley caught six for 36 yards. Ternes caught two for 13 yards, and Simonette caught two for 22 yards.
Blake Lyons led the ground game with 69 yards in 13 carries. Possin had 16 yards in six carries. Kelly had 11 yards in four carries.
Possin punted eight times for a total of 208 yards.
With five solo tackles, three assists and a pair of timely pass deflections, Kelley led the defense. Gabe Sullivan had four solo tackles and two assists. Blake Lyons had five solos and two assists. Bostic had two solos and a sack. Gavin Karels also had two solo tackles. Tanner Simonette had three solos and a pair of assists with one sack. Smith had two solos and two assists to go along with two interceptions. Ian Vlasak and Possin each had one assisted tackle. Mason Kluntz had two solos and three assists with two sacks. Carson Lyons had two assists. Draheim had one solo, two assists and two sacks.
The Clippers host the fifth 2A school on their schedule, Norwood-Young America (Central), on Thursday. Undefeated, Central edged host Lester Prairie 14-12 last week.
Elsewhere in the district, Medford fell 34-0 to visiting NRHEG, WEM lost 28-0 to visiting USC, JWP lost to host St. Clair/Loyola 35-14 and visiting GFW upset Mayer Lutheran 14-13.
Carson Lyons on the run.
Kale Kelley looks for an opening to slide through.
Sam Ternes readies for a handoff.
Gabe Sullivan grabs a Rocket runner.
Brady Bostic and Gabe Sullivan go after the ball on the second onside. Sullivan came up with it.
Blake Lyons directs traffic.