Blake Lyons’ second touchdown in Cleveland 30, visiting Medford 0 on Friday, when the senior bulldozed the last 2 yards of a 7-yard run, can serve as ‘Exhibit A’ in a case for the benefits of a strength and conditioning program.
“I just put the ol’ shoulder down,” said the 185-lb quarterback. “The weightlifting helped this year.”
Head coach Erik Hermanson agreed.
“Over 100 days of lifting…It really shows hard work pays off. We’ve been talking about it since last Thanksgiving. If people got in the weight room, doing the program, it was going to pay off. Last year against Medford, we got hit on the 5-yard line and went down. This year Blake ran the guy right over. Not only Blake, but all the guys who put their time in…You could tell. Medford players were cramping and tired and wanting to sub out. Our guys were fresh.”
Sticking with what was getting the job done, the Clippers rushed for 160 yards, more than in any game last season, and passed for 84 yards. Last year, they always had more air yards than gains on the ground. The O line made the running game happen, and that was also a testament to the weight training program, Hermanson said.
“Noah Hermel never started a game in his life, and he starts at center tonight and did a great job. Those senior leaders on the line like Nick (Simonette) and juniors David (Draheim) and Mason (Kluntz) and AJ (Alex Johnson) also a senior…Those guys have been pounded because they have been playing against people bigger and stronger their whole lives, but tonight they made the difference. I think they are the heroes of the game.”
Starting out on their own 30 after the opening kickoff, the Clippers clicked off eight running plays, including three Lyons keepers and a 26-yarder by Kale Kelley, before Lyons connected with Brennan Kortuem in the flats. From there, the senior said ‘no problem’ and broke four tackles (above) before reaching the end zone for a 13-yard catch and run. With a Caleb Possin PAT kick, the Clippers were in front 7-0 early.
That was all the scoring in Q1. Both teams punted on their next possessions. After the Tigers punted again, it looked like the Clippers had capitalized on a 65-yard drive when Lyons again hooked up with Kortuem, this time in the end zone, but the catch was ruled out of bounds, and the Clippers turned the ball over on downs on the Medford 11.
But Medford went three and out again, and, in a 55-yard drive that featured a 24-yard Possin run, the Clippers scored again when Lyons rolled right from 6 yards out. Possin’s point-after boot was right of the upright, but the Clippers were in front 13-0.
With Carson Lyons hopping on a fumble caused by his brother, the Clippers got the ball back near midfield two plays after the ensuing kickoff. They turned the ball over on downs, but Lyons picked off Medford’s pass on the next play and legged his way to the Medford 28.
“He threw it right in the middle of the field,” Lyons said. “I read it. I saw his eyes.”
Lyons kept the ball for 15 yards before the seven-yard TD keeper. This time, Possin’s PAT boot found its way over the crossbar, and the Clippers were up 20-0 with 1:10 to go before the break.
Body bagging the Tigers, the Clippers scored again right after the kickoff when Lyons intercepted again and ran 25 yards for another touchdown.
“He threw it right to me, and Braeden Smith made a great block to get me in there,” Lyons said.
Possin’s foot put the Clippers in front 27-0 at the half.
The second half was running time, as agreed by the coaches. With a Possin 25-yard field goal in the Clippers’ second possession of the third quarter, the Clippers put the finishing touches on the triumph.
The rest of the game was time for younger players to get game time with sophomore Sam Ternes taking over as quarterback and later eighth grader Jack Mons.
“We talked about it at the half, to keep the intensity up,” said Blake Lyons. “If we do that, the younger kids are going to get in, and that’s what we want.”
Kelley ran the ball a dozen times for 70 total yards. Lyons kept the ball after 10 Hermel snaps for 57 yards and a pair of TDs. Possin took three handoffs for a total of 32 yards. Carson Lyons ran the ball one time and got a yard out of it.
Blake Lyons completed eight of 17 pass attempts for 42 yards and one TD. On a wildcat, Carson Lyons uncoiled one pass. It went 31 yards before Bode Bartell hauled it in near the sideline. Ternes was successful in two of three throws for 7 yards while Mons completed two of his four pass attempts for 4 yards.
Carson Lyons hauled in four passes for 30 yards. Kortuem caught three passes for 13 yards and a TD. Possin caught two passes for 13 yards. Bartell caught two passes for 36 yards. Garrett Heldberg grabbed a 6-yard pass. Tanner Simonette snared a 4-yard pass.
Aligning with attributes built into the school song, the Clipper defense was firm, strong and united, limiting the Tigers to just 19 yards on the ground in 19 attempts and 18 yards in the air with four of 11 complete passes.
Possin wrestled six tackles. Jackson Shouler and Smith each had four tackles. Tanner Simonette had one sack. Blake Lyons intercepted twice and forced a fumble, which Carson Lyons recovered.
Possin was three for four in PAT kicks and made a 22-yard field goal.
“Caleb did an incredible job punting last year,” Hermanson said. “Our punting team was one of the highlights last year, never giving up a blocked punt, and that helped us stay in games. Caleb put a lot of work in his place kicking this year. It’s more like a machine, like it used to be in the Aaron Salmon (Immanuel Lutheran, 2018) days. From Jackson Shouler snapping it to Kale holding it. It’s those three guys working together. It’s going to be a nice weapon.”
Hermanson said captains Kelley, Kortuem, Nick Simonette and Blake Lyons showed tremendous leadership in making sure the weightlifting worked and practices so far this fall were effective.
“They are the perfect example of what we want a Cleveland football player to be.”
On Friday, the Clippers will take on host Waterville-Elysian-Morristown. The Buccaneers are coming off a 26-8 road win against Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop. Last year the Clippers led the Bucs until the last quarter but fell 16-6.
“They have a very big, strong line,” Hermanson said, “and it will be against our speed. It will be like the Olympic sprinters against the Olympic shot putters.”
Elsewhere in the district, JWP lost to host Lester Prairie 29-13, Mayer Lutheran lost to host USC 20-8, Randolph topped host NHREG 28-16, and NYA rolled over host St. Clair/Loyola 53-0.
