While it looked like the visiting Martin County West was going to shut out the junior high Clipper boys in their season finale on Tuesday, Charlie Mons, seemingly stopped just beyond the scrimmage line after hauling in an Kyle Rain screen pass, somehow emerged from a pack of Mavericks and sprinted the 60 remain yards to the end zone.
While the Mavericks halted the PAT run, the Clippers avoided the goose egg with no time remaining.
It was a positive way to end their stellar season.
“A few plays here and there going our way would have made the difference,” coach Jesse Hastings told the Clippers. “But I’m proud of you for not giving up.”
MCW ran in a touchdown in the first quarter. The Clippers stopped the PAT, but trailed early 6-0. In the second quarter, the Clippers drove all the way to the Maverick 10, but an interception put a dagger in the campaign.
Isaac Schlief snared a Maverick pass to get the ball back for the Clippers, but the Mavericks only gave up a couple of yards, and the Clippers were forced to punt.
The Mavericks punted on their ensuing position, and the Clippers took over on their 30. Coming up with a little trickery there, the Clippers went with a halfback pass. Mons’ toss to Will Tarkey was a bit wobbly, but the ball found its target for 20 yards.
Later in the drive, Mons caught a screen pass, and Talan Samuelson took a handoff for a few yards, but ultimately the Clippers turned the ball over on downs with a dozen seconds left to the intermission.
After each team punted in the third quarter, the Mavericks came up with another touchdown, this one on a 30-yard run. The Clippers topped the PAT but trailed 12-0.
In the third quarter, the Mavericks intercepted another Clipper pass, took over on the Clipper 44 and, after a 29-yard run, dove the remaining half a yard for the TD. The Cappers stopped the PAT and scored on the following series.
Cleveland 44, Lester Prairie 8
The Clippers were coming off a decisive 44-8 victory at Lester Prairie on Thursday, October 8.
Rain flung four TD passes: two to Bentley Atherton, one to Nolan McLister and one to Tarkey. Mons and Tarkey each rushed in a TD. The Clippers were four for six on 2-point conversions.
But ultimately, the W was all about defense, defense, defense, said Hastings.
“Our defense creating turnovers and giving our offense short field position made it easy to spread the field and open our playbook up. We went to the air a lot on this one and it paid off.”
Hastings said the young Clippers are gelling as their season winds down.
“Everyone is flying around to the football trusting in their teammates that if I do my job, the guy beside me will do his, and we will be just fine. It has been a great group of kids to watch and help develop this season.”
Clippers 30, St. James Area 6
The Monday before, the Clippers downed visiting St. James Area 30-6.
Schlief pulled down a 17-yard Rain pass for the game’s first touchdown. The Clippers PAT pass was off target, but they led 6-0 with 3:30 left in Q1.
In the second quarter, a big sack by Leighton Entrekin kept the Saints in check, and the Clippers capitalized on it in the next series. Colter O'Keefe hauled in a Rain pass as did Tarkey, the latter for 40 yards.
With the Clippers perched on the SJA 7, Rain handed off to Tarkey for the TD and threw to Schlief for successful 2-point conversion for a 14-0 orange & black advantage with 20 seconds left until halftime.
In the third quarter, Rain found Atherton on a quick out, and the seventh grader ran the remaining 60 yards to the end zone. Rain hooked up with Tarkey for the 2-point conversion, and the Clippers were in front 22-0 with 3:30 left in the third quarter.
On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, the Saints ran 75 yards for a touchdown. The Clippers stopped the PAT and led 22-6 going into the final frame.
The Clippers final score came with 7:20 left in Q4 when starting out on the SJA 48, Mons took a handoff 18 yards, O'Keefe caught a pass for 20 yards, Davin McLister legged 2 yards and Nolan McLister caught Rain’s 8-yard pass in the end zone. Tarkey fought his way across the goal line for the 2-point PAT and a 30-6 final.
“Our Defense has played spectacularly all season,” Hastings said. “When it can limit our opponents to single digits in games, it makes life on the offensive side much easier as players and coaches. Coach Josh Rain praised the players after the game on how nice it was see everyone on the defensive line ‘stay gap disciplined’ all game, and how the defense would fire off the ball but not get too far up field or out of position after the snap.”
Hasting said the Clipper defense has opened the door for a strong offensive attack.
“We wanted to try and run the ball a little more following the GFW game, but St James had a larger five-man defensive line that we were struggling to move in between the tackles, so we hit some outside runs and a few of our bread-and-butter passing plays and followed up with even some triple option offense down on the goal-line that we have been working on. The team was happy to get back on the field and in a consistent rhythm of games.”
Cleveland 34, GFW 6
Despite their September 14 game at Madelia getting canceled the due to rain—which meant 20 days off since they last played: a win over LSH on September 8—the Clippers didn’t have much of a problem in Gibbon on September 28 as they rolled over the GFW Firebirds 34-6.
GFW received the opening kickoff and ended up driving right down the field, but it was their only TD, and the Clippers rolled big the rest of the way with Rain connecting with Atherton, Nolan McLister and Schlief for three passing TDs while Tarkey ran in another TD.
“This was certainly the largest team we have played this season, and with us having the last two weeks off due to the weather, we needed to get hit a few times to wake up,” Hastings said. “As expected, this was the case because after that it was full speed ahead running the ball and mixing in some timely passes.”
Hastings said the Clipper offensive line run blocking was the best it has been this season, and that paid big dividends.
“Inside and outside, they were creating gigantic holes for our running backs to get through. It was good to get back on the field against someone and mix in a little hard-nosed football in this one, when we can run the ball this well it sets up our passing game to basically due whatever we want out on the football field.”
While the season ended for the seventh graders after the MCW game, the seven eighth graders were invited to join the varsity team.
Above: Charlie Mons reaches out to hold off a St. James Area defender.
Talan Samuelson reaches out to stiff arm an MCW defender.
Blayke Holicky mixes it up with an MCW lineman while Miles Reintjes goes after the ball carrier.
Colter O'Keefe couldn’t quite pull in this pass during the MCW game.
Coach Jesse Hastings had a lot to smile about at the end of the MCW game, despite the loss. Beside him is coach Josh Rain.
The Clippers bring it in one last time after the MCW game.
Javan Fuller reaches out to corral the SJA quarterback.
Leighton Entrekin sacs the SJA quarterback.
Will Tarkey sprints downfield during the game against the Saints.
Quarterback Kyle Rain focuses on the snap during the game against STA.
Keegan Karels snares a SJA pass.
The junior high football team, from L-R, front row: Paxton Kluntz, Lincoln Ernsting*, Isaac Schlief*, Keegan Karels, Will Tarkey, Colter O'Keefe, Kyle Rain, Chase Harkins, Charlie Burkland and Talan Samuelson. Back row: Coach Connor Sanchez, coach Jesse Hastings, Bentley Atherton, Leighton Entrekin*, Nolan McLister, Jacob Walser*, Miles Reintjes*, Javan Fuller, Charlie Mons*, Desmond McMonagle, Blayke Holicky, Sawyer Roemhildt*, coach Doug Schweim, Davin McLister and coach Josh Rain. (*denotes eighth grader)