With visiting Lester Prairie capitalizing on a Clipper fumble turnover to put the first points on the scoreboard on Tuesday, it was hard to avoid visions of last year’s section loss and last week’s loss to Martin County West as well.
But the Clippers quickly recovered, and it was all about them the rest of the way in a decisive 57-8 victory in the first round of the Section 2A playoffs.
Quarterback Carson Lyons said last year’s one-and-done section game wasn’t talked about among the Clippers before Tuesday, but it was in the back of everyone’s mind.
“We didn’t want that to happen again, so we came out and played our style of football.”
With the win, the third-seeded Clippers will rematch second-ranked MCW today (Saturday) back in Trimont at 2:00 p.m. The Mavericks beat Madelia 40-10 to reach the semifinals.
The Clippers turned the ball over on a fumble during the first play after the opening kickoff. The Bulldogs took over on the Clipper 15, and four plays later, they ran the final 2-yards across the goal line. Catching a lob to the end zone for the PAT, they led 8-0 just two minutes into the first quarter.
But the Clippers didn’t waste any time lighting up their half of the scoreboard. Braeden Smith returned the kickoff 24 yards to midfield. After a Tanner Simonette 6-yard run, Lyons, on a keeper, picked up 27 more.
The Bulldogs interfered with Smith on Lyons’ pass in the end zone, and half the distance set the Clippers up on the Bulldog 9. From there, Smith rushed for 7 yards before Tony Hollerich ran in the touchdown. Kiptyn Coon’s PAT boot made it between the uprights, and the Clippers were only down by a point, 8-7.
Behind a mobile sophomore quarterback who was not afraid to throw, the Bulldogs got off 10 plays after the kickoff and drove to the Clipper 30 but turned the ball over on downs.
Thirteen plays later, Lyons, forced out of the pocket, found his way for a 32-yard run to the house. With the Coon kick, the Clipper were in front 14-8 a few seconds into the second quarter.
“They have a good quarterback, and obviosity (sophomore Bennett Herrmann) is a great receiver, one of the top receivers in the league,” said head coach Erik Hermanson. “But our offense didn’t get down after the early turnover and stuck with the process and knowing if you play one play at a time and use your athletes and your skilled guys, you’re going to come out on top, especially with how hard our line works.”
With three more TDs in the second quarter, the Clippers blew the game open.
After a Bulldog intentional grounding infraction, the Clippers got the ball on downs on their 45. Simonette rattled off a few yards from there, and Wyatt Krenik caught an 8-yard pass. The Bulldogs interfered with Hollerich during a pass, and the penalty set up the Clippers on the Bulldog 18.
A false start shoved the ball back 5 yards, but the call went to Hollerich again, this time on a handoff, and the sophomore sprinted his way to the end zone. With the Coon kick, the Clippers led 21-8.
Four plays after the kickoff, Lyons picked off a Bulldog pass and returned it 69 yards to the Bulldog 11. After a Jack Mons catch for 4 yards, the Clippers got into the end zone on a Lyons keeper, but the play came back for a holding penalty that pushed the Clippers back to the 17. But after an incomplete pass, Lyons ran the ball across the goal line again. Coon’s kick put the Clippers up 28-8.
“When a play does break down, you have someone as explosive as Carson who can just make plays,” Hermanson said, “especially now that we’re in playoffs. He can’t run as much during the regular season, but now that he’s here, he can really turn it on.”
But even with 20 seconds left to the intermission, the Clippers weren’t done scoring. The Bulldogs went to the air on the first play after the kickoff, but Lyons was there again for the interception. This time he sprinted 40 yards to the goal, and with the Coon kick, the Clippers suddenly found themselves up 35-8.
Two more orange & black TDs came in Q3.
After the opening kickoff, the Bulldogs went three and out. On the first play after the punt, Simonette took a handoff 59 yards down the middle to the end zone. Later, Smith intercepted a Bulldog pass and ran it 60 yards to the end zone. Both of Coon’s point-after kicks were on target, and the Clippers led 49-8.
The final quarter was a chance for developing players to shine. Owen Lloyd scored on a 4-yard run. Pierce Lyons ran in the PAT for the 57-8 final.
With big plays, including three picks and the Bulldogs moving the ball well at times, Cleveland didn’t have all that many more first downs than the Bulldogs: 13 compared to Lester Prairie's 10. The Clippers coughed the ball up twice, and both times the Bulldogs recovered. Penalties were similar. The Clippers were flagged for six infractions, and it cost them 60 yards while the Bulldogs had six penalties for 50 yards.
Lyons completed seven of 14 passes for 41 yards. He kept the ball away from the hands of the Bulldogs. Taking over behind center in the final frame, Mons was three for four in passing for 26 yards.
No one caught more than a couple of passes. Smith hauled in two for 15 total yards, Sam Ternes caught one for 3 yards, Krenik grabbed two for 10 yards. Hollerich pulled down two for 3 yards, and Mons caught one for 4 yards. Jake Mueller caught two Mons passes for 23 yards. Tyler Smith caught a Mons pass but didn’t gain any ground on it.
Simonette took eight handoffs and gained 82 yards on them as well as one TD. Lyons kept the ball six times for 84 yards and a pair of TDs. Hollerich gained 38 yards on his four carries and scored twice. Lloyd ran four times for 21 yards and one touchdown. Pierce Lyons took five Mons handoffs 14 total yards and scored a two-point conversion.
The Mons-Coon holding-kicking combo was perfect in its seven PAT kicks.
Hollerich returned the opening kickoff for 11 yards while Smith returned the kickoff after the touchdown for 24 yards.
With two solo tackles and seven tackle assists as well as a forced fumble, Jackson Shouler led the defense. Emerging as a defensive force as the season went along, Kiptyn Coon made three solo tackles and recorded five tackle assists.
Lyons made one solo tackle, assisted two others, and stepped in front of two Bulldog passes, returning one for a TD. Simonette had one solo tackle and one assisted tackle and made one tackle behind the line. Krenik made three solo tackles and deflected four passes. Hollerich had three solo tackles and one assist and deflected one pass. Smith made two solo tackles and five assists and made a pick six.
Austin Tarkey and Urijah Hoheisel each made one solo tackle and two assists. Jake Mueller had three solo tackles and one assist. Garrett Heldberg made one solo tackle and four assists. Ternes, Adam Rain, Carsyn Ryg and Henry Boelter each assisted a tackle.
On the other side of the section 2A bracket, St. James rolled over GFW 49-0 and will travel to top-seeded Mayer Lutheran tomorrow. Mayer Lutheran had a first-round bye.
Although rain might make tomorrow’s game a slop fest, Hermanson said, the Clippers have athletes who want to compete, and they can play every kind of football there is.
“It’s going to be who wants it more, the team who wants to compete and wants to win.”
Above: Carson Lyons was the leading rusher and scored three running touchdowns, one on a pick six.
Jackson Shouler got low on this play for the tackle.
Tanner Simonette fights for some hard yards.
Wyatt Krenik breaks up a Bulldog pass.
Garet Peterson pressures the Bulldog quarterback.
Tony Hollerich slips around a Lester Prairie defender.
Owen Lloyd pivots to an opening.
Pierce Lyons ran in a PAT for his first varsity points.
Tyler Smith steadies after catching a Jack Mons pass.
The bib girls had lots to cheer about.
Jess Shouler sang the “Star-Spangled Banner.”