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Eagles fall to CPS to end season
The game was played without the scoreboard as it had been struck by lightning during a storm during the week, meaning the time for the game would be kept on the field. Clarke Prep got all the points they would need on the opening kickoff as Brett Bradford gathered in the kick at his own 19- yard line and raced 81 yards for the touchdown. Hunter Mayton converted the PAT and the Gators led 7-0. The Gator defense held Jackson at bay, forcing a punt. On the first play for CPS Taylor Becton found a seam in the middle of the field and raced 44 yards for the Gator score. J.D. Powell converted the point-after touchdown try and the lead was 14-0 early in the quarter. Another Eagle punt gave the Gator offense the ball at their own 37-yard line. Clarke Prep needed five plays to find the end zone with Tanner Tucker capping the drive with a 22-yard scoring run. Powell made his second kick, increasing the lead to 21- 0 in the first frame. On the third Jackson play Powell sacked the Eagle QB, forcing a fumble. Dillion Rowell scooped up the loose pigskin and returned it 18 yards for the touchdown. Powell kicked the PAT as the Gators tightened their stranglehold 28- 0 as the first quarter came to an end. Clarke Prep's Nick Pugh came up with a fumble recovery on the next JA possession, giving his team the ball at their own 32-yard line. On the first play Powell tossed a screen pass to Chad Dickinson who raced 58 yards to the Eagle 10- yard line before being forced out-of-bounds. On the next play Powell hit Dickinson with a 10-yard scoring pass. Powell's kick was true and Clarke Prep had a 35-0 lead midway through the second quarter. The Eagles were able to put together a drive and moved down inside Gator territory when Lee Shields picked off a pass at the 10-yard line and returned it 61 yards to the Jackson 29-yard line. Back-up QB Tanner Tucker flipped a 29-yard TD pass to Jason Gates on the first play for the Gators. Mayton made the kick and CPS held a 42-0 lead. The Eagles came right back with a strong drive that ended at the Gator 3-yard line as the second quarter expired. Neither team was able to score in the third quarter but on the last play of the frame Shields recovered an Eagle fumble near midfield. Following a JA penalty, the Gators had the ball at their own 32-yard line. Reserve fullback Mark Lear broke containment and rumbled 63 yards for the touchdown. The attempt was blocked by Trey Lambard, but the Gators had a 48-0 lead early in the fourth quarter. In the closing minutes of the game Clarke Prep was able to score two more times, in a span of less than 30 seconds. The first score came when Randy Nichols sprinted 54 yards, on a one-play drive, for the score. The attempt was blocked but CPS led 54-0. On the ensuing kickoff the ball bounced off a Jackson player and the Gators retained possession. Lear scampered 55 yards on the first play for the final score in the game. Mayton made the kick and the Gators ran away with a 61-0 victory. Lear led all rushers with 125 yards on three carries and two scores. Nichols had 56 yards on three carries and a score. Becton had 47 yards on two carries and a score. Bradford added 37 yards. Dent Beard led the Eagles' rushing attack with 74 yards on 11 carries. Josh Williams added 32 yards rushing on four carries, plus he caught seven passes for 91 yards. Logan Barnes was 10-of-21 passing for 111 yards and one interception. The loss ended the Eagles' season with a disappointing 0- 10 mark in Coach Mike Garrett's first season as head coach. "It was a frustrating and disappointing season. But when I think back on it I saw a group of young men that faced a lot of adversity grow up. They faced adversity and kept fighting. We lost to a superior team (Clarke Prep). We need to get our program heading in that direction. The only way we can get better is to keep working hard," Coach Garrett said.
This Friday the Gators (8-2, 7-1) return home to host the Pike Liberal Arts School Patriots in the first round of the Class AAA state playoffs.
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