Trailing host Cleveland 20-16 with a minute and a half left in Q4, Martin County West was threatening from the Clipper 25, but Brayden Seeman’s interception (above) put a dagger in the long drive and secured a fourth-straight win for the junior high boys football team today (Tuesday).
The Clippers, who rolled over visiting Norwood Young America 45-16 just 24 hours earlier, got off to a discouraging 1-4 start this year, but they are hitting their stride and are now 5-4.
The Clippers did get off to a good start against MCW though when Jake Mueller intercepted a Maverick pass and took it 100 plus yards to the house. MCW stopped the PAT run, but the Clippers were in front 6-0 early.
In the second quarter, on the first play after the Mavericks turned the ball over on downs, Tony Hollerich took a Pierce Lyons pitch 81 yards for the touchdown. The PAT pass was incomplete, but the Clippers were up 12-0.
Later in the half, after Mueller legged 20 yards, Hollerich scored again, this time from 40 yards out. It was Hollerich again on the PAT with a pass to Gauge Bock for 2 points, and the Clippers led 20 to zip.
The Mavericks didn’t throw in the towel though, completing a 60-yard catch and run for a touchdown followed by a 2-point conversion pass to narrow their deficit to a dozen, 20-8 at the intermission. They scored again in the third quarter, this time on a 9-yard run that, with a successful PAT pass, pulled them within 4 points before Seeman’s pick.
The Clippers kept their foot on the gas pedal. One play after the turnover, Hollerich struck again, this time with a 74-yard touchdown run.
The Mavericks thwarted the PAT pass to limit their deficit to 10 points, but Aaron Riebe fell on the Clippers’ squib kickoff. After the next Clipper snap, Hollerich, carving up the Maverick defense, weaved 48 yards to the end zone to put the finishing touches on the 32-16 triumph.
The Clippers succumbed to powerful competition in their first two games: a 16-6 loss at Lester Prairie followed by an 8-33 defeat at home at the hands of Waterville-Elysian-Morristown.
They picked up their first win in their third outing three days later, dispatching host Le Sueur-Henderson 28-13, but the following Monday, they lost on the artificial turf at Janesville, 36-22.
The next Tuesday didn’t go much better with a 30-24 defeat to host USC, but they rolled over visiting LSH two days after, 43-0. The following Monday, they topped host Randolph 36-6.
The Clippers finish their season on Monday when they host GFW.
