Jackson runs past McClain on senior night

GREENFIELD — It was senior night for eight McClain players Friday night, and despite losing 32-12 to the Jackson Ironmen, the Tigers fought hard and competed the whole game.

Jackson used a solid running attack to control the Frontier Athletic Conference game, especially behind tailback Tate Rosler, who carried the football 17 times for 126 yards and four touchdowns. The Ironmen rushed for a total of 267 yards, and they passed for another 56 yards on the night.

“This was a really physical game, and I’m super proud of our kids. They didn’t back down and competed very well,” McClain head coach Keith Penwell said. “We ran a little different defense tonight and put some big bodies out there because of what Jackson does. We tried to eat up some people and get some of our guys free to make tackles.

“But they figured it out in the second half and did a nice job.”

Things looked good to start the game when McClain took the opening kickoff and went 80 yards on 11 plays and scored the first touchdown on a 1-yard pass from Hudson Lovett to Hunter Peabody. The big play of the drive was a 30-yard pass completion from Lovett to Gavin Anderson.

The impressive opening drive also used up almost half the first-quarter clock, but the 2-point try failed, and the Tigers led 6-0.

Jackson answered on their first offensive position, using a 12-play drive that used up most of the remaining time in the first quarter as quarterback Landon Rapp scored on a 2-yard run to tie the score at 6-6 after their extra-point kick was blocked by McClain’s Brady Binegar with just 0.14 seconds left in the opening quarter.

All 12 plays of the drive were on running plays.

After the evenly played first quarter, the second frame saw only the Ironmen put points on the scoreboard.

The game remained tied at 6-6 until late in the second quarter when Rosler scored his first touchdown of the game on a 6-yard run at the 3:14 mark, and after an unsuccessful 2-point try, Jackson led 12-6.

After a McClain fumble on their next possession, the Ironmen capitalized quickly when Rosler scored again, this time on a 6-yard run with just two minutes remaining in the opening half another failed 2-point try by Jackson made the halftime score 18-6.

The McClain defense played extremely well in the first half, and if not for the lost fumble that resulted into an Ironmen touchdown, the deficit would have been just six points.

Jackson looked like they might put the game away on their first offensive series of the third quarter when they drove down to the Tigers 6-yard line, but a Binegar interception ended the scoring threat.

McClain was unable to get anything going on its next offensive set and had to punt.

This time, the Ironmen needed just four plays to score on another Rosler run, this one from 10 yards out, making the score 25-6 after a converted PAT.

McClain managed to put together an impressive scoring drive late in the third quarter, using 10 plays to go 63 yards, and having Lovett run the ball into the end zone from 17 yards out on a quarterback keeper. The third ended with Jackson still leading 25-12.

McClain’s defense continued to play hard in the fourth quarter, holding the Ironmen to one touchdown with only 5:53 left in the game, but  Rosler’s fourth touchdown run of the game made it 32-12 after another successful PAT.

The Tigers put together another scoring threat late in the game, but an interception by the Ironman sealed the victory.

“I told our boys after the game not to focus on the end game but to focus on each individual battle,” Penwell said. “If you win enough battles, you will win the war, and I felt we were doing that tonight. Jackson played hard and they’re physical, and you know what you’re going to get when you play them.

“I thought we were in the game, and our kids competed. We were physical and hustled to the football, and we had a lot of positives tonight.”

Hudson Lovett turned in a fine all-around game for McClain, as he rushed for 73 yards on nine carries and completed 21-of-36 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown.

“Hudson (Lovett) made some big plays for us tonight. along with Gavin Anderson and Leiland Bond,” Penwell said. “I thought Brady Binegar also played a great game, as he always has that motor that goes and goes, and he was everywhere tonight.”

Coach Penwell spoke a little bit about what his eight seniors have meant to him and the Tiger football program.

“These eight seniors have really worked hard, they’re really fun to be around and they never quit,” he said. “This was their last home game and I think they gave it their all. I’m just super proud of them.”

Stat leaders for McClain: 

Rushing — Lovett 9 carries, 73 yards, 

Passing — Lovett 21-36, 218 yards, 1 touchdown. 

Receiving — Gavin Anderson 6 catches, 75 yards; Leiland Bond 3 catches, 50 yards; Hunter Peabody 7 catches 37 yards, 1 touchdown; Brady Binegar 2 catches, 21 yards; and Holden Lyons 1 catch, 11 yards.

McClain (4-4) travels to Miami Trace next Friday, Oct. 16 to face the FAC first-place Panthers at 7 p.m. at MTHS.