Cleveland’s six points in Thunderbirds 30, Clippers 6 in the first round of the section playoffs on Tuesday came in the third quarter when Gabe Sullivan took a Blake Lyons handoff 10 yards… through the rain saturated Winthrop field and into the end zone.
Although it was the first ever points for the senior, what he will remember most fondly about being in an orange & black uniform will be the time spent with the rest of the Clippers.
“Just bonding with my teammates while playing football.”
Relying on the legs of its big backfield while a steady and hard rain pelted the field—similar to when the two teams met during Cleveland’s homecoming game—Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop harvested a touchdown in each quarter and an ensuing PAT run after all of them except their attempt in the third quarter.
Mason Kluntz recovered a fumble on the GFW 25 to set up Sullivan’s TD. Blake Lyons ran a couple of times including 3 yards to keep the drive alive and then connected with his brother Carson Lyons for 3 yards before Sullivan took the ball up the middle for the score.
“Gabe was so awesome tonight,” head coach Erik Hermanson said. “I’m so glad he could get a touchdown.”
Caleb Possin’s PAT kick after Sullivan’s TD didn’t make it through the goal posts.
Despite the loss, head coach Hermanson said, like all season, the Clippers left it all out on the field.
“We’re so proud of them. Their improvements this year were just incredible. It would have been fun to play a team like this that loves to run in nicer weather because the last couple weeks of practice—and we had beautiful weather every day—we were just getting so much better. When you can’t throw the ball down field, it just limits everything we do, and it makes it so easy to play defense against us.”
Blake Lyons completed 13 of 21 passes for 79 yards. He was picked off twice. Carson Lyons caught six of his brother’s throws for a total of 45 yards. Kale Kelley had six catches for 31 yards. Tanner Simonette hauled in one pass for three yards.
Lyons kept the ball 13 times for 43 yards. Sullivan had six carries for 31 yards. Kelley had one carry for one yard.
Kelley took four kick returns for a total of 38 yards.
With 10 solo tackles, one assisted tackle and a pair of tackles behind the line, it was a good night for Sullivan on defense.
“If a guy from Cleveland makes a tackle, it’s usually Gabe, and that’s what we’ll be telling them at the district meeting when we vote for him for defensive player of the year,” Hermanson said.
Brady Bostic, one of the senior quartet, had four solo tackles a pair of assists. The team’s center and a linebacker, he said the camaraderie that he built with his teammates will be his takeaway.
“Playing with everyone I love and having fun.”
“Brady has hardly played football in his life, and he stated playing all the time this year,” Hermanson said. “We never had problems with snaps. We never had to worry about that. He was just so reliable, both side of the ball. He is a really good football player. I wish he would have played his whole career."
Ian Vlasak had one solo and four assists. Another of the four seniors on the team, his favorite football memory will be the practices.
“They were fun, competitive, we worked hard.”
Playing in the downpour of during his last game was fun too, despite the loss and the end of a career,” said the 245-pound offensive lineman and linebacker.
“You win some and lose some. It’s just a chapter that closed, and you start a new one.”
Vlasak was only eligible for the B squad last season, so it was a big step up for him from last year to this year, Hermanson said.
“Ian turned into a guy who had never played a varsity game before to a guy who played all the time, a guy you could count on, a guy who made great plays, and that’s just huge growth.”
An injury kept end Carter Barto out for the entire season, but he was always on the field with his teammates.
“Football has been a big part of my life growing up, so it’s said I couldn’t play, but it was still really good being here every day for the team. I still felt like I was a part of the team.”
Hermanson said Barto likely would have been a difference maker in some of the Clipper losses this season.
“We missed Carter so much this year. He’s such a good athlete and very smart. He was a guy who could set the edge. You could just count on him for his whole side of the field on offense and defense. Luckily, and I will be rooting for him, he gets to play basketball this year, and you will see his athletic ability and what he could have done for us had he played.”
Blake Lyons had five solos and five assists. Kelley had two assists and deflected one pass. Nick Simonette had one assist.
Tanner Simonette had three assists. Braden Smith had two solos and one assist with one tackle behind the line.
Kluntz had six solos and two assists with two tackles behind the line. He also recovered a fumble. David Draheim had one assisted tackle. It was behind the line. He also recovered a fumble. Carson Lyons had two solos and four assists. Max Esser had one solo tackle. It was behind the line.
In the final huddle, Hermanson urged returning players to get back into the weight room. He said the players who had lifted consistently coming into this season were the ones who had the biggest gains, didn’t get hurt and played both sides of the ball.
“Lifting is a huge component of football. If our players buy into that, we’re going to be successful.”
The third-ranked T-Birds went on to fall 22-0 to second-seeded Lester Prairie. On the other side of the section 2A bracket, USC topped St. James 14-6 but were defeated 42-0 by top-seeded Mayer Lutheran. Mayer and Lester Prairie will square off at New Prague on Friday.
Above: The Clippers bring down a GFW runner in the midfield puddle.
David Draheim recovers a GFW fumble. Signaling the possession are Blake Lyons, Gabe Sullivan and Ian Vlasak.
Nick Simonette on the block.
Gabe Sullivan dives after a T-Bird fumble.
Carson Lyons gets wrapped up as he leaps for a grab.
Gabe Sullivan slipped a tackler and ran 10 yards to the end zone.
Seniors Carter Barto, Ian Vlasak, Brady Bostic and Gabe Sullivan.
Classmates Ellie Dylla, Lilly Lamont, Greta Hahn, Jorden Rossow, Chloe Anderson, Mariah McCabe and Laci Hollerich pose with seniors Carter Barto, Ian Vlasak, Brady Bostic and Gabe Sullivan after the game.
Lilly Lamont and Ellie Dylla kept dry under an umbrella.
Kiya Sohn and Ava Kluntz were among the dedicated fans who toughed out the rain.
Addie Gibeau, Stef Cink in front and Greta Hahn, Chloe Anderson, Mariah McCabe and Savannah Meyer in back stuck with the Clippers despite the rain.