McClain crushes Madison-Plains, 56-22, on Senior Night

GREENFIELD – After what McClain Head Coach Randy Closson labeled a "humbling" experience in last week's 49-8 loss to Miami Trace, the Tigers rebounded in very impressive fashion Friday night, as they remained in the hunt for the Ohio Division III state playoffs with a 56-22 win over Madison-Plains.

In talking about his team before the game earlier this week, Closson said the Tigers needed to establish their running game while playing better defense.

McClain was successful on both counts.

Senior running back Dillon "Roscoe" East scored four first-half touchdowns on 192 yards rushing to pace the McClain Tigers to a 35-8 halftime lead over the Madison-Plains Golden Eagles and the rout was on.

After the Eagles returned the ensuing kickoff to the McClain eight-yard line, with a penalty added on, junior quarterback Matt Wilson answered for Madison-Plains with a four-yard touchdown at the 8:44 mark. Wilson ran it in for the two-point conversion and an 8-6 lead.

Less than a minute later, East responded with a 65-yard burst for his second TD of the first period. East added the two-point conversion and the Tigers were up, 14-8.

It was all McClain from that point, as the Eagles were without offensive standouts Ryne Davis and Steve Lemieux.

Clayton Burgess lit up the home scoreboard late in the opening period with a 21-yard touchdown run. Chris Sellman passed to a wide open Isaac Savage to pick up the two-point conversion and make it 22-8 MHS.

In the second quarter, East ran for his third touchdown of the first half. With 6:07 left before the half, East ran it in from four yards out and handed the ball to the referee. Sellman's extra point was good and the Tigers owned a 29-8 advantage.

East's TD was set up by a 10-yard run by Jordan Goble.

East added his fourth touchdown of the half with 1:45 left. The touchdown was only possible because of a long sideline completion from quarterback Thomas Schrader to Goble on a second and 21 play. On what public address announcer John Wend called a "third and two-and-a-half inches" play, East broke two tackles and was off to the races again. This time it was a 39-yard TD run. The extra point was blocked, but McClain headed into the locker room with a commanding 35-8 lead after Brandon Davis brought down Wilson as time expired.

Unofficially, the Tigers ran for 283 yards in the first half.

East added a 51-yard touchdown run in the third period and finished the night early, with 250 yards and five TDs to cap his Senior Night effort.

Schrader added a third-quarter TD and it was 48-8 after three.

Zack Puckett scored on a 19-yard run to complete the McClain scoring.

"I was really proud of how our kids responded to adversity (after the Miami Trace loss)," Closson said. "We had one of our best practices of the week – and it showed."

The Tigers (6-3) will take on the Hillsboro Indians (0-9) at the 2012 Rotary Bowl at Richards Field on Oct. 26.

Madison-Plains (4-5) hosts London next Friday.

Score by quarters

MPHS – 08 00 00 14 — 22
MHS –  22 13 13 08 — 56