Tigers unable to shield Astros
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
GREENFIELD — The McClain Tigers' second home game of the season looked similar to their season opener. On Friday, McClain allowed 395 rushing yards for a 26-6 non-league loss to the East Clinton Astros at McClain Field.
Next season, the matchup will be a South Central Ohio League game, but this year it was the Astros being more physical on every aspect of the game for the non-league win. The Astros' defense held the Tigers to 37 net rushing yards as a team. In Week 1, MHS had 23 rushing yards against Adena.
McClain (1-2) finished with 79 yards of total offense, and the Astros totaled 436 yards of offense.
In the first three weeks of the season, the Tigers have totaled 353 yards of offense.
"We knew coming in they (EC) were a pretty good football team. Their record probably deceived a lot of people being 0-2, but they played two outstanding football teams to start the season," McClain head coach Randy Closson said. "Offensively, we have to put points on the board, execute and finish drives. Tonight we didn't do that."
Of the 395 yards on the ground for EC, they were led by Austin Miller with 175 yards on 22 carries. Miller averaged 7.8 ypc. Max Morrow averaged 16.1 ypc against MHS, finishing with 97 yards on six rushes.
In East Clinton's first two games (against Waynesville and Adena), they totaled 226 yards on the ground, combined.
The Tigers were first to score Friday with a 3-yard touchdown from junior Dillon East with 8:34 left in the second quarter. McClain's touchdown drive began on the East Clinton 13-yard line with Camron Cooper making an interception, giving the Tigers the close field position.
The first play of the touchdown drive was East with a 7-yard blast, followed by a 3-yard run by Cooper on a quarterback keeper. On first-and-goal, East went through the middle of the Astros' goal line defense for the score. The PAT was wide right for a 6-0 score.
After the MHS score, the rest of the game was mostly East Clinton, though the score was tied at six at halftime.
MHS had chances to score more points in the first half, but a couple penalties and turnovers took away those chances.
"I thought our first series we did some good things. We moved the ball … we were kind of clicking offensively, then it seemed like we would shoot ourselves in the foot with a penalty here or a mishandled snap there and find ourselves behind the chains," Closson said. "You can't do that and be successful against good football teams … and we did that."
The Astros (1-2) put the ball into the end zone on the ensuing possession after the MHS touchdown.
The nine-play, 85-yard drive was capped off by a 1-yard touchdown run by Matt Blackburn with 4:54 left in the second.
East Clinton's scoring drive consisted of many big plays, including the first play of the drive with Miller running for 17 yards, followed by a 14-yard run by Zach Bosier. Miller came back, this time with a 32-yard run, but a 15-yard penalty ended up putting EC on the McClain 37-yard line. A 17-yard run by Blackburn, followed by runs by Miller and quarterback Dalton Floyd, put the Astros at the 1-yard line.
The opening kickoff to start the third quarter was the beginning of the end for McClain when Morrow took the ball on a 90-yard journey that ended in the end zone for six points. The kickoff return gave EC a 12-6 lead as the 2-point conversion was unsuccessful.
Following a punt by the Tigers, the Astros put together a five-play drive that ended with Miller running for a 52-yard touchdown (on a second-and-5 play from their own 48-yard line) with 6:14 left in the third. The PAT was blocked for an 18-6 Astros lead.
The final touchdown of the night was a 2-yard run by Morrow, diving into the end zone with the ball popping out, but not before the touchdown. The drive went 46 yards on 11 plays.
The second half also had the EC defense dominate with interceptions from Mitch Manchino and Nate Witkemper. A safety by the Astros made the score 26-6 with 3:09 remaining in the contest.
"In the second half, it seemed like we pressed too much," Closson said. "East Clinton established the run and dared us to try and stop them."
MHS will travel to London for their fourth game of the season next Friday. LHS is 0-3 overall, and MHS is 1-2. London lost Friday to West Jefferson, 28-14.
GAME NOTES: Thomas Schrader (MHS) had one reception for 25 yards … Isaac Savage (MHS) had two catches for 17 yards … East led MHS with 37 yards on nine carries … Floyd (EC) was 5-of-8 for 41 yards passing, 2 interceptions (26 yards rushing) … Cooper (MHS) was 2-of-8 for 32 yards passing with two interceptions … Will Henderson (EC) had one catch for 17 yards … Miller had three catches for 19 yards … Blackburn (EC) rushed for 39 yards … Morrow returned two kickoffs for 119 yards … Cooper returned his interception for 35 yards … Chris Sellman (MHS) had an interception, returning it for five yards … MHS had six first downs (one passing, two rushing, three from EC penalties) … EC had 18 first downs (17 rushing, one passing) … MHS had four penalties for 35 yards … EC had 13 penalties for 125 yards.[[In-content Ad]]
Next season, the matchup will be a South Central Ohio League game, but this year it was the Astros being more physical on every aspect of the game for the non-league win. The Astros' defense held the Tigers to 37 net rushing yards as a team. In Week 1, MHS had 23 rushing yards against Adena.
McClain (1-2) finished with 79 yards of total offense, and the Astros totaled 436 yards of offense.
In the first three weeks of the season, the Tigers have totaled 353 yards of offense.
"We knew coming in they (EC) were a pretty good football team. Their record probably deceived a lot of people being 0-2, but they played two outstanding football teams to start the season," McClain head coach Randy Closson said. "Offensively, we have to put points on the board, execute and finish drives. Tonight we didn't do that."
Of the 395 yards on the ground for EC, they were led by Austin Miller with 175 yards on 22 carries. Miller averaged 7.8 ypc. Max Morrow averaged 16.1 ypc against MHS, finishing with 97 yards on six rushes.
In East Clinton's first two games (against Waynesville and Adena), they totaled 226 yards on the ground, combined.
The Tigers were first to score Friday with a 3-yard touchdown from junior Dillon East with 8:34 left in the second quarter. McClain's touchdown drive began on the East Clinton 13-yard line with Camron Cooper making an interception, giving the Tigers the close field position.
The first play of the touchdown drive was East with a 7-yard blast, followed by a 3-yard run by Cooper on a quarterback keeper. On first-and-goal, East went through the middle of the Astros' goal line defense for the score. The PAT was wide right for a 6-0 score.
After the MHS score, the rest of the game was mostly East Clinton, though the score was tied at six at halftime.
MHS had chances to score more points in the first half, but a couple penalties and turnovers took away those chances.
"I thought our first series we did some good things. We moved the ball … we were kind of clicking offensively, then it seemed like we would shoot ourselves in the foot with a penalty here or a mishandled snap there and find ourselves behind the chains," Closson said. "You can't do that and be successful against good football teams … and we did that."
The Astros (1-2) put the ball into the end zone on the ensuing possession after the MHS touchdown.
The nine-play, 85-yard drive was capped off by a 1-yard touchdown run by Matt Blackburn with 4:54 left in the second.
East Clinton's scoring drive consisted of many big plays, including the first play of the drive with Miller running for 17 yards, followed by a 14-yard run by Zach Bosier. Miller came back, this time with a 32-yard run, but a 15-yard penalty ended up putting EC on the McClain 37-yard line. A 17-yard run by Blackburn, followed by runs by Miller and quarterback Dalton Floyd, put the Astros at the 1-yard line.
The opening kickoff to start the third quarter was the beginning of the end for McClain when Morrow took the ball on a 90-yard journey that ended in the end zone for six points. The kickoff return gave EC a 12-6 lead as the 2-point conversion was unsuccessful.
Following a punt by the Tigers, the Astros put together a five-play drive that ended with Miller running for a 52-yard touchdown (on a second-and-5 play from their own 48-yard line) with 6:14 left in the third. The PAT was blocked for an 18-6 Astros lead.
The final touchdown of the night was a 2-yard run by Morrow, diving into the end zone with the ball popping out, but not before the touchdown. The drive went 46 yards on 11 plays.
The second half also had the EC defense dominate with interceptions from Mitch Manchino and Nate Witkemper. A safety by the Astros made the score 26-6 with 3:09 remaining in the contest.
"In the second half, it seemed like we pressed too much," Closson said. "East Clinton established the run and dared us to try and stop them."
MHS will travel to London for their fourth game of the season next Friday. LHS is 0-3 overall, and MHS is 1-2. London lost Friday to West Jefferson, 28-14.
GAME NOTES: Thomas Schrader (MHS) had one reception for 25 yards … Isaac Savage (MHS) had two catches for 17 yards … East led MHS with 37 yards on nine carries … Floyd (EC) was 5-of-8 for 41 yards passing, 2 interceptions (26 yards rushing) … Cooper (MHS) was 2-of-8 for 32 yards passing with two interceptions … Will Henderson (EC) had one catch for 17 yards … Miller had three catches for 19 yards … Blackburn (EC) rushed for 39 yards … Morrow returned two kickoffs for 119 yards … Cooper returned his interception for 35 yards … Chris Sellman (MHS) had an interception, returning it for five yards … MHS had six first downs (one passing, two rushing, three from EC penalties) … EC had 18 first downs (17 rushing, one passing) … MHS had four penalties for 35 yards … EC had 13 penalties for 125 yards.[[In-content Ad]]