It’s difficult to not have mixed feelings about the 2020 Clipper football season.
On the one hand, they got it in—although two regular season games less than normal—something that seemed doubtful in early September…even with the proposed spring season.
On the other, the Clippers, if they could have maintained full strength, were probably a notch or two better than their 2-5 record.
Their season ended on Tuesday when they fell 28-6 to visiting New Ulm Cathedral in the first round of the sections.
Head coach Erik Hermanson said football is all about routines, but this fall was anything but that.
“Normally if you ask me in fifth week on Wednesday what are we doing I know. I know where we are. I know what we are working on. The last couple years…last year with all the horrible injuries and this year not knowing who would be eligible and not knowing if we are going to play...I think this team was incredible at adapting. Our list of lineups and possible combinations was incredible. People were playing all over the place and doing whatever it took for the team, and that just represents what Cleveland is all about. That’s what our whole school does. That’s what our teachers do and our kids and our town. They do what it takes, and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
The Greyhounds, ranked sixth, scored with 2:16 left in quarter one when they got around the third-seeded Clipper backfield for a 45-yard touchdown pass. The Clippers stopped the PAT run.
Eric Rohlfing returned the ensuing kickoff to the Cleveland 38. The Clippers fumbled the ball away two plays later, but the defense held, and the Cathedral punter dipped his knee to the ground on the punt, giving the Clippers the ball back on the Cathedral 41.
From there, Cleveland got within 14 yards of a goal but couldn’t punch it in. The Clippers didn’t have an answer for Cathedral’s deceptive three-running-backs-side-by-side offense either, and the Greyhounds marched the all the way for a score. With the PAT run, NUC was up 0-14.
But the Clippers managed to score six points late in the second half. Taking over at the Cathedral 43, Alex McCabe connected with Isaac Mueller twice before hooking up with Tyce Shook in the corner of the end zone. The Clippers missed the PAT pass but were on the board with 44 seconds before the intermission.
The Greyhounds took the ball downfield after the second-half kickoff, but the Clippers held them at 10-yards from the goal line. But the quarterback rolled right on the Greyhound’s next series for a 71-yard touchdown run. With the PAT run, the Clippers were down 22-6.
On the first play after the kickoff the Crusaders intercepted a McCabe pass on the Cleveland 20 and easily scored again with 7:29 left in Q3. The Clippers stopped the PAT run for the 28-6 final.
McCabe kept the ball seven times for 50 yards and completed 10 of 26 pass attempts for 103 yards and a TD. He was picked off twice. Shook caught four passes for 23 total yards. Mueller had three catches for 70 yards. Blake McVenes had seven carries for 37 yards and two catches for five yards. Ben Holden had once catch for 5 yards.
“I just wanted to be back with my teammates,” said Holden, who returned to the football field this year after missing last season.
Tommy Kennedy led the team with 14 tackles, one of them behind the scrimmage line. Rohlfing had 10 tackles with two behind the line. Lucas Walechka had 11 tackles. Holden had five tackles with three behind the line and one fumble recovery. McVenes forced a fumble.
It was the last game for seven seniors (Cameron Seely, who missed the last game too, was stuck at home). They didn’t know if they would have their one final season but came out and competed with their whole hearts.
“Ben, who didn’t play last year came in for the whole season and was incredible and a great leader,” Hermanson said. “People like Eric, who was injured all last year and didn’t get to play this year had an incredible season. Blake in the backfield along with Tyce and Isaac, just so skilled, so talented out there on the edges. Jackson Gibbs hasn’t ever played. Last year he came out too late and didn’t get to play, but he comes in and plays half the season as a starter this year, and then of course Al (McCabe), playing on one leg for us, just the heart of the team and again just representing what Cleveland’s all about.”
Tyce Shook gained control of this pass in the end zone for the Clippers’ only points.
Alex McCabe bursts through the line for a nice gain.
Blake McVenes on the run.
Eric Rohlfing returns a kick in the first half.
Fischer Knish trys to strip the ball on this play.
Henry Strobel returns a kick.