Clarke takes another win

SAYDEL – A game in which only one touch down and one field goal scored in the contest, Clarke walked away with a 10-0 win over Class 3A Saydel Friday.

The first quarter began with Clarke receiving the ball, returned by Javier Munoz. Met by a strong Saydel defense, the Indians searched for a first down before being forced to punt on lack of downs. A punt by Rafael Avalos sent the ball into Eagle territory.

While going to recover the punt, Saydel’s Spencer Ahrens muffed the ball and was unable to get it back before Clarke special teams recovered it.

Taking back over at Saydel’s 44-yard line, Clarke was again unable to gain much forward momentum. On fourth-and-11, Clarke opted to make a play. Quarterback Ryan Diehl looked for Peyton Lynn but the pass fell incomplete.

A big run by Saydel on their possession was negated by a flag on the play, as the two teams continued to share flags that would move Saydel up and then back. On third-and-18 at Clarke’s 36-yard line, Saydel quarterback Turner Bennett looked to Tyson Spargur just across the five-yard line for the pass to be broken up by Clarke’s Bowen Page. An incomplete pass on fourth down turned the ball back over to Clarke. Clarke would turn the ball over on lack of downs to end the first quarter.

Saydel started the second quarter at their own 30, pushed back as far as the 19-yard line before making a short punt for Clarke to take over at their 47. A fumbled snap at the 36 had Saydel recover the ball, but despite making two first downs, a flag that lost them a first down pushed them back further punting on lack of downs.

Clarke would make their single touchdown of the night on their next drive. Starting from their 48-yard line, a pass from Diehl to Gavin Page to Urijah Fry moved the ball from the 24 down across the 50. Making their way downfield, a pass to Fry at the 13-yard line had him up the middle and across the goal line for the first points on the scoreboard. A kick after by Avalos moved the score 7-0. Saydel attempted to make a play for points before the half ran out, again having to punt on lack of downs.

The third quarter had the Eagles start with the ball and the Indians holding them back in their own territory. On third-and-eight, a fake handoff by Bennett had him rollout and look deep down field to Landen Soma, who took the pass all the way down the field for a 78 yard touchdown, just out of reach of Clarke’s Azahel Herrera.

The touchdown came back, however, for an ineligible player downfield. Bennett’s subsequent pass intended for Shane Scott was intercepted by Bowen Page, who brought the ball back to the 16-yard line. Blocked from ground play, Avalos kicked for a field goal on fourth-and-16 from the 23 with just under nine minutes left in the quarter.

Both teams would continue in pursuit of more points just to come up of the goal.

Clarke hosts Interstate 35 (0-2) at 7 p.m. tomorrow. In 2023, Clarke won over the Roadrunners 34-0, and fell last year 42-6.

Game stats

Clarke 10, Saydel 0

Clarke 0 7 3 0

Saydel 0 0 0 0

Rushing

Cl – Ryan Diehl 9-(-2), Gavin Page 1-3, Javier Munoz 10-42, Urijah Fry 23-112(1), Bowen Page 1-10. S – Spencer Ahrens 1-(-4), Blake Mears 3-2, Gabe Hyde 8-26.

Passing

Cl – Diehl 2/7-19. S – Turner Bennett 9/22-42(-2).

Receiving

Cl – Fry 1-22, Peyton Lynn 1-(-3). S – Ahrens 2-12, Shane Scott 1-4, Landen Soma 5-25, Hyde 1-1.

Tackles (total-solo)

Cl – Gavin ½, Tate Shriver 2 ½-2, Azahel Herrera 1-1, Munoz 1 ½-1, Fry 9-8, Tyson Page 1, Jared Perdomo Sanchez ½, Bowen 2-2, Lincoln Hill 1-1, John Sanga 1, Luke McAtee ½, Remington Binning 3 ½-3(-2 ½), Levi Cotner 1, Ethan Danley ½, Rafael Avalos 1. S – Ahrens 3-1(-½), Mears 5 ½-3, Scott 1-1, Tyson Spargur 1 ½-1(-1), Michael Wilson 1-1, Damian Pestana 3 ½-2(-1), Soma 3 ½-2, Hyde 1 ½-1, Vincent Wheeler 1 ½, Damion Nowman 9 ½-7(-2), Mario Pleitez 2-1, Cooper Hanasz 6 ½-4(-2 ½), Sahi Contreras 2-1.

Sacks

Cl – 0. S – 0.

Interceptions

Cl – Herrera 1, Bowen 1. S – 0.

Fumble recoveries

Cl – Bowen 2. S – Pestana 1, Nowman 1, Pleitez 1, Hanasz, 1.

Punting

Cl – Avalos 2-82. S – Pestana 5-184.