Blue Eagles shift focus to off-season
The Clover High School football team assumed command in the first quarter of Friday’s match against York, but was unable to sustain it, falling 35-3 in the regular-season finale for both teams.
The Blue Eagles moved the ball on the opening possession, starting at their own 32.
On fourth and one, Cody Payne gained first down yardage to the 44. Several plays later, Tanner Tolson rambled to York’s 42 for another Blue Eagle first down. But on the next play, a lost fumble nullified Clover’s early success.
After the Clover defense forced a three-and-out, the Blue Eagle offense cranked it up once again, this time from their own 20.
Aided by a solid ground game and two personal fouls against the Cougars, Clover moved the ball to York’s 27, where Willy Clark gained first down yardage to the 21. The drive continued with quarterback Noah Lindsay gaining first down yardage at York’s 12.
When the Cougar defense stiffened, senior placekicker Sam Edmunds booted a 23-yard field goal, staking the Blue Eagles to a 3-0 lead with 18.9 seconds left in the first quarter.
York’s Cougars, a state finalist participant last season and playoff-bound this season, scored 21 second-quarter points and added two more scores in the second half to seal the win.
“I thought the first quarter was fantastic, that’s what we wanted to do,” said coach Chad Smith. “Good things were happening. They got a score then we got it. I got a little greedy there, going for it on fourth and two. But at the same time, I knew if we were gonna win, then we had to pick stuff like that up, and they made us pay.”
Added Smith: “My personal opinion, if you can’t gain two yards, you don’t deserve to win. We didn’t gain them. We didn’t win.”
He said York played better defense than the two previous years.
“I think we missed some chances,” he said. “They did a good job. They were gonna make sure we had to throw it to move the ball. We had a hard time doing that. Hat’s off to them. They came in with a good game plan. We’ll have to get better.”
Smith said he is encouraged by the number of players returning from a young Blue Eagle team.
“Our guys that are in the weight room were at it today,” he said. “Honestly, we’ll take about two weeks, and then we’ll go in, starting at the beginning of December. It’ll be football season again and we’re excited about that.”
With more freshmen coming in, Smith expects to restore the ninth-grade program.
“We should be able to field three teams with the numbers we currently have,” said Smith, who added that the junior varsity team played well. “Beating York that last game was definitely a major accomplishment We’re very excited about the JV team’s play.”
Next year begins the 5A alignment mandated by the S.C. High School League.
“It’ll be different,” said Smith. “Honestly, our schedule probably will take a step down, which is a good thing. As of last week, our schedule this year was the hardest in the state of South Carolina. I don’t think that’s changed after last Friday’s games.”
Smith said next year’s 5A region will have its advantages.
“We don’t have to worry about points anymore,” he said. “You can play those natural rivalries and not get punished with anything because next year’s gonna be simply how you finish in the conference.”
Smith said Clover will rotate home games with York and South Point High in Belmont, N.C., every other year, beginning next season.
“This is a very good thing from a fundraising standpoint,” he said. “The crowd for the Belmont South Point home game will be comparable to the York crowd here.”
Meanwhile, Smith said he feels good about the off-season.
“We’re not like a lot of schools, Smith said. “We want our kids playing multiple sports. We have a little bit more time. We’re not gonna push our kids football-wise year-round. At the same time, our kids will be in the weight room. They’re gonna be getting better and they’re gonna be competing.”
This story was originally published November 10, 2015 at 10:06 AM with the headline "Blue Eagles shift focus to off-season."