Miami Trace stays undefeated with win over McClain

GREENFIELD — The Miami Trace Panthers showed why they are state-ranked and undefeated in the Frontier Athletic Conference with a perfect 8-0 record after defeating McClain, 41-20 Friday night in Greenfield.

Miami Trace junior tailback Julian Baker, who is one of the top rushers in the conference, scored three first-half touchdowns on runs of 48, 19 and 66 yards.  He has one of the biggest and most physical lines to run behind that features Adam Guthrie, who is heading to Clemson University to play for the Tigers next fall.

Miami Trace dominated on both sides of the ball in the first half and led 34-0 at halftime.

McClain went in at halftime and regrouped, coming out in the second half and playing improved on both sides of the ball as they outscored Miami Trace, 20-7.

“I thought in the first half we didn’t execute very well,” McClain head coach Keith Penwell said. “So we went in at halftime and made some corrections and told our kids they needed to execute better, do their job, and we did that in the second half.

“I thought our offensive line did a great job in the second half of holding the pocket and pass blocking for Hudson (Lovett),” Penwell said. “Hudson did a nice job of getting the ball out quicker and our receivers ran good, routes and caught the ball and we moved the ball down the field.

“We had some bright spots in the second half that’s for sure, but we just have to play a full game and need a faster start.”

Baker scored the first touchdown of the game on a 48-yard run with less than a minute played and the Panthers led 7-0 after the PAT was converted.

Miami Trace scored their second touchdown of the opening quarter at the 2:06 mark when quarterback Baron Phipps hit Janson Smith on an 18-yard pass and catch, and it was 14-0 Panthers.

The Tigers looked poised to score with seconds remaining in the first quarter when Isaac Morgan recovered a Miami Trace fumble on the Panthers’ 33-yard line, but a 39-yard touchdown pass from Lovett to Eli Douglas was nullified by a McClain penalty.

Miami Trace extended their lead to 21-0 at the 6:08 mark of the second quarter on a 34-yard touchdown from Phipps to Cooper Enochs and added their fourth moments later on another touchdown pass to Smith, this one a 55-yarder, and it was suddenly 27-0 with 3:03 remaining in the second quarter.

The Panthers finished off the first-half scoring with 2:19 remaining before halftime on another explosive 65-yard scamper by Baker down the Miami Trace sideline where he was virtually untouched.

McClain was able to put together a nice drive and moved the football down to the Miami Trace 11-yard line, but failed to score as the first half ended with the Tigers trailing 34-0.

McClain opened the third quarter with an impressive six play, 64-yard drive that was highlighted by a 38-yard touchdown throw from Lovett to Leland Bond. After the 2-point try failed, it was 34-6 Panthers with 7:30 left in the quarter.

The Panthers answered the McClain score with another Baker touchdown run of 14 yards, his third of the game, and the Miami Trace lead was extended to 41-6 with 4:10 left in the third.

McClain scored their second touchdown of the game at the 9:31 mark of the fourth quarter when Dalton Rowland caused a Panther fumble and sophomore Landon McNeal scooped up the football and ran it in from 31 yards out. After a 2-point pass from Lovett to Gavin Anderson was converted, it was 41-14 Panthers with the running clock in effect.

McClain put together their most impressive offensive series and scoring drive at the end of the game when they drove 88 yards and scored on a 6-yard run by Bond with just 19 seconds remaining, making the final score 41-20.

“We did fix some things in the second half; it was just too little, too late,” Penwell said. “You can’t get down like that against a good football team like Miami Trace. They are really big up front, and Baker is so good at being patient and finding seams to run in.

“We didn’t tackle very well in the first half, but I thought we did a much better job in the second half.

“I thought our back did a better job in the second half. J.B. (Jordan Bell) and Landon McNeal did a nice job of blocking on the edge.”

McClain travels to Chillicothe next Friday, Oct. 17 to play the Cavaliers in another FAC contest at 7 p.m.