Published: Friday, Oct. 09, 2009 / Updated: Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009 09:01 AM

Clover 54, Fort Mill 28

FORT MILL -- Fort Mill had the home-field advantage, but Clover dwarfed that with the all-too-important short-field advantage.

Clover (6-1) started seven first-half possessions in Fort Mill territory, and the Blue Eagles cashed in with six touchdowns for a 48-0 halftime lead that led to a 54-28 victory in the Region 3-AAAA opener for both on Friday.

“I thought we came out in the first half and did what we needed to do,” Clover coach Jet Turner said. “We executed well, built a lead and got a lot of kids some playing time.”

The Blue Eagles opened the game with a six-play, 62-yard drive that ended with a 6-yard touchdown run by Max Elliott. Senior Michael Mack recovered the ensuing onside kick, and Tyron Douglas ripped off a 20-yard run for a score three plays later.

The Yellow Jackets (0-7) came up short on fourth down on the next possession, and Douglas struck again on a 32-yard TD for a 20-0 lead with 5:59 left in the first quarter. Clover's Wing-T offense accounted for 185 yards in the first quarter alone, including nine rushing plays of 10 yards or more.

“Our special teams were horrendous,” Fort Mill coach Ed Susi said. “You can't give a team like that field position and expect to win.”

The Blue Eagles took to the air for two more scores. Quarterback Aaron Miller hit Elliott for a 16-yard score on the first play of the second quarter. Miller and Elliott combined for the highlight-reel play of the night on the next drive.

Miller hit Elliott with a swing pass, and the senior wingback was nearly dragged to the ground by a Fort Mill defender. Elliott, however, wiggled out of the tackle, broke another tackle and dashed 25 yards for his third touchdown of the game. Elliott finished with 151 total yards (110 rush, 41 receiving).

“(Elliott) is a great player, and that was a great individual effort,” Turner said. “Nothing he does surprises me.”

Clover's Derrick Carothers and Quantavious Kennedy added TD runs for the halftime margin. The Blue Eagles outgained Fort Mill 257-15 in the first half.

“Our offensive line blocked really well,” Elliott said. “We came on strong as a team. Everyone was really clicking tonight.”

The Yellow Jackets scored on two long drives in the third quarter. Quarterback Preston Fry scored on a 1-yard keeper, and fullback Max Simons added a 2-yard TD run.

Defensive lineman Will Chapman found the end zone on a 33-yard fumble return and Kyle Simon an 18-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.

Fry left in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. He will be re-evaluated today. Asa Kryst led Fort Mill with 11 carries for 136 yards. The Yellow Jackets resume action at York next Friday.

“We did some things well in the second half,” Susi said. “But I'm a little upset we stunk it up in the first half. I felt this was the first game where we really didn't improve, and that was disappointing.”

The Blue Eagles played mostly reserves in the second half. Clover lost five fumbles, and Turner re-inserted the first-stringers in the fourth quarter. Miller capped Clover's scoring with a 1-yard TD in the fourth quarter.

“We laid it on the ground too much tonight,” Turner said. “There's no doubt about that. Fort Mill is a good team. They didn't quit.”

Douglas finished with 105 rushing yards, and Kennedy added 80 yards on the ground.

Clover plays Northwestern next Friday.

CLOVER 54, FORT MILL 28

Clover.....20.....28.....0.....6.....--.....28

Fort Mill.....0.....0.....14.....14.....--.....54

SCORING SUMMARY

C -- Max Elliott 6 run (Jonathan Faile kick)

C -- Tyron Douglas 20 run (Faile kick)

C -- Douglas 32 run (Kick failed)

C -- Aaron Miller 16 pass to Elliott (Faile kick)

C -- Miller 25 pass to Elliott (Faile kick)

C -- Derrick Carothers 5 run (Faile kick)

C -- Quontavious Kennedy 2 run (Faile kick)

FM -- Preston Fry 1 run (Jordan Keaton kick)

FM -- Max Simons 2 run (Jack Gantzer kick)

FM -- Will Chapman 33 fumble return (Keaton kick)

C -- Miller 1 run (Kick failed)

FM -- Kyle Simon 18 run (Gantzer kick)

TEAM STATISTICS

.....CHS..... FMHS

First downs.....18.....11

Rushes-yards.....50-431.....31-229

Passing.....41.....15

Comp-Att-Int.....2-3-0.....2-9-0

Fumbles-Lost.....5-5.....4-3

Penalties-Yards.....8-55.....4-25

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- Clover: Elliott 7-110, Douglas 8-105, Carothers 5-44, Miller 3-4, Kennedy 12-80, B.J. Hinton 3-30, Garrett Duke 1-1, Courtland Bailey 1-0, Daquahn Brice 4-31, Jordan Moore 2-3, Davontay Brown 4-23. Fort Mill: Asa Kryst 11-136, Fry 12-17, Simon 2-28, Dwayne Grainger 3-37, Simons 3-11.

PASSING -- Clover: Miller 2-3-0, 41 yards. Fort Mill: Fry 2-9-0, 15 yards.

RECEIVING -- Clover: Elliott 2-41. Fort Mill: Simons 1-9, Trent Butler 1-6.

RECORDS -- Clover (6-1, 1-0)..... Fort Mill (0-7, 0-1).