Published: Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009 / Updated: Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009 01:36 AM

Clover 35, York 7

CLOVER -- Tyron Douglas and Max Elliott combined for 348 yards and four touchdowns as Clover ran all over York en route to a 35-7 win in the annual rivalry matchup at Memorial Stadium.

Douglas broke a 55-yard scoring run midway through the fourth quarter to give him 207 yards on 18 carries. Elliott fought his way to 141 yards on 17 carries to give him 1,026 yards for the year and join Douglas as five Herald-area players to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark.

“York plays hard. Those guys are well-coached and they get after it for four quarters and give them credit,” Clover coach Jet Turner said. “I thought our guys really responded well ... had some guys step up and make big plays and I'm proud of our team.”

The Clover offense that is more accustomed to clock-churning drives needed only three plays to get on the scoreboard. After forcing a York fumble on the Cougars' opening drive, Elliott, who is headed to the Shrine Bowl, took his second carry of the game straight up the middle untouched for 34 yards.

The two sides scrapped back and forth for the remainder of the first quarter, and a Clover fumble by Jordan Moore with 2:20 left in the first setup the Cougars first score.

York needed a 7-play, 71-yard drive to level the score. Walker took a pitch from Matt Haynie and then dove into the end zone to tie the game on the first play of the second quarter.

Tied at 7 at the half, York coach John Barrett was hopeful his Cougars could pull the upset and steal a playoff birth.

“Our kids played extremely hard and we felt real good going in at halftime, but they just had too much firepower for us and we couldn't stop them,” he said. “We just didn't have an answer for them in the second half.”

Clover (8-3, 3-2 Region 3-AAAA) looked like it would counter the Cougars score on its next drive, but a fumble at the goal line gave the ball back to York. Both teams combined for nine fumbles and turnovers proved to be the difference in the second half for the Blue Eagles.

“It was good that we finally started creating some turnovers. We need to do that and that was big,” Turner said.

After Walker put Clover ahead 14-7 with 4:38 left in the third, the wheels began falling off for the Cougars. Travis McConnell's only carry of the game for York turned the tide in favor of Clover.

He fumbled on the Cougars next play, setting up a short field for the Blue Eagles. After a holding penalty backed up Clover on first down, Elliott ran in from 28 yards for the Blue Eagles' second score in 16 seconds.

Clover added two more scores in the fourth, a 1-yard plunge by Garrett Duke, who played for the injured Aaron Miller, and Tyron Douglas' 55-yarder.

The offensive production certainly helps the Blue Eagles head into the playoffs with a bit of momentum.

“We've played pretty well the last few weeks. You know we've hurt ourselves with some turnovers in crucial situations but I think we're playing our best football now and that gives us a chance in the playoffs,” Turner said.

A chance to make a run at the state championship, which it last one in 2007.

York finishes the season 3-8 and 2-3 in Region 3-AAAA.

“We're very proud of our team. It of course wasn't the season that we wanted but they showed a lot of heart and character and we're very proud of them. I appreciate them, especially our seniors,” Barrett said.

CLOVER 35, YORK 7

York.....0.....7.....0.....0.....--.....7

Clover.....7.....0.....14.....14.....--.....35

SCORING SUMMARY

C -- Max Elliott 34 run (Jonathan Faile kick)

Y -- Quastin Walker 3 run (Logan Bass kick)

C -- Tyron Douglas 23 run (Faile kick)

C -- Elliott 28 run (Faile kick)

C -- Garrett Duke 1 run (Faile kick)

C -- Douglas 55 run (Faile kick)

TEAM STATISTICS

.....YCHS.....CHS

First Downs.....6.....12

Rushes-Yards.....34-69.....51-412

Passing-Yards.....4-37.....1-21

Fumbles-Lost.....4-2.....5-3

Penalties-Yards.....3-32.....5-50

Individual Statistics

RUSHING -- York: Walker 17-58, Shamal Sanders 2-2, Matt Haynie 7-3, Stephen Maree 2-5, Cortaveous Heath 1-9, Travis McConnell 1-(-4), Corey Dover 1-(-2), Kent Thompson 1-1, Jamie Revis 1-1, Spencer Carroll 1-(-4). Clover: Elliott 17-141, Douglas 18-207, Jordan Moore 1-9, BJ Hinton 10-51, Duke 3-(-2), Quontavious Kennedy 2-6.

PASSING -- York: Haynie 4-9-37-0, Dover 0-1-0-0, Carroll 0-2-0-0, Walker 0-1-0-0. Clover: Duke 1-1-21-0, Aaron Miller 0-1-0-0, Douglas 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING -- York: Michael Dover 2-17, Kent Thompson 1-12, Eric Simpson 1-8. Clover: Douglas 1-21.

RECORDS: York 3-8, 2-3 Region 3-AAAA..... Clover 8-3, 3-2