Sykes scores 4 first-half TDs as Tigers rout East Clinton for 1st win

The McClain Tigers picked up their first win of the season with an impressive 42-0 shutout over East Clinton in Lees Creek Friday night.

Senior tailback Owen Sykes, who was sidelined last week due to an injury came back in this game and scored four touchdowns in the first half, all coming from running the football.

Sykes was like a one-man wrecking crew in the opening half of play, scoring almost at will, due mainly to his offensive line making several lanes for him to run through.

“Owen (Sykes), when he gets some space, can run,” said McClain head coach Keith Penwell. “He’s a really good athlete, and it was nice to see him get some positive carries because of our offensive line making holes for him to run through. Just super proud of them.”

The Tigers (1-3) took the opening kickoff and quickly marched downfield and scored the game’s first touchdown on a 22-yard run by Sykes, who was virtually untouched as he crossed the goal line.

Zane Adams, who has been Mr. Automatic with extra-point kicks, split the uprights, and it was 7-0 McClain with 7:36 still showing on the first-quarter clock.

After the McClain defense held the Astros (0-4) to a three-and-out on their first offensive possession, the ensuing punt was blocked, giving the football back to the offense on the East Clinton 31-yard line. But what looked like would be another scoring opportunity for McClain vanished on its next snap when the football was fumbled and recovered by the Astros.

The McClain defense continued to look sharp and got another three-and-out stop, forcing East Clinton into another punting situation.

This time, the Tigers’ offense took just two minutes and four plays to score on a 6-yard touchdown run by Sykes. It was set up by a nice 22-yard run by Jordan Bell on a play where he was able to break several tackles.

Adams converted the extra-point kick, and the McClain lead grew to 14-0 with 1:24 left in the opening period.

On the Tigers’ first offensive series of the second quarter, Sykes scored his third touchdown of the contest on a 9-yard run, and after another successful Adams PAT, it was 21-0 McClain at the 9:52 mark of the period.

The touchdown was set up by a nice 34-yard throw and catch from McClain senior quarterback Cohen Six to Adams.

The Tigers added their fourth touchdown of the opening half on Sykes’ most impressive run of the game, a 33-yard scamper around the left side of his line, and again he was untouched as he raced down the sidelines to pay dirt.  After Adams’ kick on the extra-point try was good again, it was 28-0, which is how the half ended.

The only negative in the game for McClain was penalties, which allowed the Astros to get automatic first downs, and it cost the Tigers at least one touchdown to be called back.

In the second half, the McClain defense continued to shine, especially the play of their front four, led by Noah Sponcil and Conner Frazier.

“I thought Conner (Frazier) and Noah (Sponcil) put on a clinic on defense tonight,” Penwell said. “Their technique was unreal where they extended their hands and were ripping through their line throwing them down, so that was pretty impressive.

“Then Andrew Roeder, our junior linebacker who plays like a madman out there, has that passion to get to the football. That’s what it takes to be a good linebacker, and he’s got it.

“We had two other new linebackers out there — a freshman and a sophomore — after Jordan Bell went out with a little injury, and they both played pretty well too,” Penwell continued.

The Tigers added two more touchdowns in the second half, despite a running clock, after Coach Penwell emptied his bench and allowed several younger players to get lots of varsity minutes and experience.

Senior quarterback Cohen Six took a snap and ran 29 yards for a score at the 9:41 mark of the third, which was the last action he saw in the game.

Freshman quarterback Hudson Lovett looked to have scored the Tigers’ final touchdown on a 35-yard run late in the third quarter, but it was nullified by a block in the back penalty. So, on the next offensive play for McClain, Lovett connected with junior Eli Douglas on a 30-yard touchdown pass as the third quarter clock ran out.

Neither team scored in the fourth period, and the Tigers’ defense finished the game with the shutout, heading into next week’s homecoming game against a really good Williamsburg (3-1) team.

“The biggest thing for me in tonight’s game was to see our offensive line really communicating and working hard together, and they did a really good job of that,” Penwell said. “It was also fun to get everybody into the game tonight. Obviously we can’t give them all equal playing time because that’s just not possible, but I’m pretty sure we got everyone on the field, and that feels pretty good.”

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