Published: Friday, Aug. 22, 2008 / Updated: Friday, Aug. 22, 2008 01:13 AM

Clover's football title defense starts tonight

CLOVER -- Sometimes, it's easier to get to the top of the mountain than to stay there.

That's how Clover football coach Jet Turner described the upcoming season. His Blue Eagles and five other teams start the 2008 season tonight -- Week 0 for teams that weren't able to fill out their schedule -- and a lot of attention will focus on Turner's team.

A lot has happened since Clover won the Class AAAA Division II state championship last season, a 23-14 win over Beaufort. The Blue Eagles finished their best back-to-back seasons in school history after moving up from Class AAA in 2006.

Clover gets started at home tonight against the South Point Red Raiders of Belmont, N.C. The opposition doesn't get much tougher. South Point was 12-2 last season and has won three state championships in recent years.

Last year, Clover opened with a 33-12 win against Wilson of Florence, which went on to win the Class AAA state championship.

"This game will be a good test for our young players. We are starting off with a really good ball team," Turner said. "South Point has just about everybody back on offense, and we have a bunch of new guys on defense.

"I'm not going to argue that our offense is ahead of our defense. It usually is and not just because we have new kids there this season. They will improve, but we have to get more experience on that side of the ball."

Clover is 24-5 since moving up two years ago. The Blue Eagles were 11-2 their first season and won the Region 3-AAAA championship with an undefeated record.

They were 13-2 last season and finished second at 5-1 to undefeated region champ Northwestern. Clover's other loss was the Byrnes, which beat Northwestern in the Class AAAA Division I semifinals a week before destroying Summerville in the title game.

"We have proved we belong in Class AAAA," Turner said. "We have done well, and that's a credit to our kids and coaches. We've been able to make the jump and compete. Now, we have to maintain what we have done the last two seasons."

And as Turner said, a lot has changed since then. All but six starters graduated, and one coming back, Ricky Moore, starts on both sides.

The biggest talk in town, other than the state championship, was Turner's resignation last January. He got an offer from a private school, Orangeburg Prep, and was headed south.

A week later, Turner changed his mind.

"Time has flown by since last year," Turner said. "It seems like only yesterday that we were getting off the bus at Williams-Brice Stadium to play Beaufort for the championship. Now, we're getting ready for a new season.

"I came back for a lot of different reasons. You don't know how special a place is until you get ready to leave it. It became apparent to me that this is where we needed to be."

• ALSO TONIGHT: There are five more games, two involving area teams that made it to the state championship last year.

Great Falls, which lost to Blackville-Hilda in the Class A Division II championship, is on the road against Gilbert. Chester, defeated by Wilson in the Class AAA title game, travels to Union County.

Nation Ford is home against Forestview, Lewisville hosts Carolina Pride and Westminster Catawba is on the road against North Raleigh Christian.

• SCRIMMAGE: Northwestern will host Charlotte's Independence and Ridge View in a three-way scrimmage tonight at 6 at District Three Stadium.

There will be a $5 charge at the gate.