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No. 3 Clippers sail past Jaguars

GRANADA – Cleveland Clippers co-head coach Kyle Atherton remembers a time when his team was on the receiving end of a high-scoring shutout loss. But on Friday night, the 9-Man, No. 3-ranked Clippers were the ones to come out with a 76-0 South West District win over the Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman Jaguars in Granada.

“We wish we weren’t in games like this. We’ve been on the other end of games like this,” Atherton said. “It’s not fun for winner or loser, but it’s better to go home with a ‘W’ than a loss.”

He credits the turnaround to returning several key players, including quarterback Carter Kopet. The 6-foot-1 junior produced two long throws to get the Clippers off to a 14-0 start.

“Carter’s a good athlete, and his football IQ is very, very high, but at the same time, we’ve got four seniors on the line blocking for him, a senior receiver and another junior receiver. So, he’s surrounded by a lot of weapons, too,” Atherton said. “He reads defenses well and our line give him time to throw the ball, which is huge.”

Junior receiver Austin Plonsky caught both touchdown passes, starting with a 39-yard bomb with 7:56 to go in the first quarter. Kopet had just completed a 19-yarder to senior wide receiver Jaiden Zishka to set up the score. Aaron Salmon kicked the extra point for the 7-0 start.

After the Clippers forced the Jaguars to punt, Kopet completed a pass to Carter Brink and ran seven yards before going to the air for a 40-yard connection with Plonsky. After a questionably fumbled snap, Brink caught a pass from Brandon Sietz for the two-point conversion.

After Zishka picked off a pass from Jaguars quarterback Derek Shoen, Kopet found Gavin Wenker in the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown and, with Salmon’s kick, 22-0 lead with 3:22 remaining in the opening frame.

Kopet and Plonsky connected again less than a minute later for another score before Kopet found Zisha for a short three-yard touchdown to start the second quarter. Salmon knocked in the PAT for the 36-0 advantage. Plonsky added a score on a 40-yard punt return, but Salmon missed the PAT.

Clippers senior running back Brandon Sietz, Wenker and Brink had 22-, 33- and 8-yard TD runs, respectively, to pile on to the team’s lead.

Mitch McCabe picked off one of Shoen’s passes and the Clippers came out and ran the clock down to end the half with a 62-0 lead.

Alex McCabe came in during the second half for the Clippers and launched a 27-yard scoring pass to Shane Rogers. The two connected again for the two-point conversion.

On the next possession, Shoen picked up 42 yards on six carries to get the Jaguars down to the Clippers’ 17, but the home team couldn’t get the final yardage of a fourth-and-4 scenario.

Shoen finished with 95 yards on 19 carries.

“He’s a guy that we look to step up a lot,” Jaguars head coach Ben Senf said. “He’s got that no-quit attitude and that’s something you really look for in a kid.”

Clippers freshman Lucas Mueller ran in one last score for the Clippers, who left the field with a 76-0 shutout win.

“It’s pretty tough. Edgerton/ Ellsworth was ranked ninth when we played them and now we’ve got (No. 3 Cleveland),” Senf said about playing two ranked teams in back-to-back weeks. “It’s not fun and we don’t like being a part of these, but it’s part of it. You’ve gotta take it and, hopefully, our guys can build from it.”

Kopet completed five of his first first passes and ended going 10-for-11 to rack up 175 yards to complement 10 yards rushing. Plonksy caught three passes, both of which were touchdowns, for 83 yards receiving. Zishka also had three receptions for 43 yards.

Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman (0-3) travels to Westbrook-Walnut Grove for a 7 p.m. district game next Friday, and Cleveland (3-0) plays at district opponent Madelia at 7 p.m. next Friday.

CLE 29 33 8 6-76

GHECT 0 0 0 0- 0

SCORING PLAYS

1st Quarter

C-Austin Plonsky 39 pass Carter Kopet (Aaron Salmon kick), 7:56.

C-Plonsky 40 pass from Kopet (Carter Brink from Brandon Sietz), 4:28.

C-Gavin Wenker 25 pass from Kopet (Aaron Salmon kick), 3:22.

C-Plonsky 4 pass from Kopet (Aaron Salmon kick), 2:41.

2nd Quarter

C-Jaiden Zishka 3 pass from Kopet (Aaron Salmon kick), 10:27.

C-Plonsky 40 punt return (kick failed), 8:49.

C-Brandon Seitz 22 run (Salmon kick), 6:44.

C-Wenker 33 run (2-PT fail), 5:25.

C-Brink 8 run (Salmon kick), 2:44.

3rd Quarter

C-Shane Rogers 28 pass Alex McCabe (Rogers from Alex McCabe), 9:48.

4th Quarter

C-Lucas Mueller 8 run (2-PT fail), 2:06.

TEAM STATISTICS

First downs: Cleveland 14, Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman 5. Passing: Cleveland 13-17-0-226; Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman 1-16-3-3. Rushing: Cleveland 20-187; Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman 28-106. Fumbles-lost: Cleveland 1-0; Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman 1-0. Penalties: Cleveland 2-25; Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman 3-18.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Offense: Rushing: Gavin Wenker (C) 4-43; Levi Baker (C) 4-60; Derek Shoen (GHECT) 19-95. Passing: Carter Kopet (C) 10-11-175; Alex McCabe (C) 3-6-0-51; Derek Shoen 1-13-4-3. Receiving: Jaiden Zishka (C) 3-83; Austin Plonsky (C) 3-43; Brock Olson (C) 2-24; Zach Jahnz (GHECT) 1-3.

Defense: Interceptions: Jaiden Zishka (C) 2; Mitch McCabe (C) 2; Leo Perales (GHECT). QB Sacks: Zach Jahnz (GHECT); Gavin Wenker (C); Sam Kaderlik (C).

St. James Area 7, Martin County West 6 – The Saints rallied from a 6-0 deficit to edge the Mavericks by one point during South Central White District football action Friday night in Sherburn.

No team or individual statistics were reported by either team.

Martin County West (0-3) plays host to Windom Area at 7 p.m. next Friday night in Sherburn in another district contest.

Redwood Valley 31, Blue Earth Area 14 -The Cardinals posted a 17-point victory over the Bucs during South Central White District football action Friday night in Redwood Falls.

No team or individual statistics were reported by either team.

Blue Earth Area (1-2) plays host to Class 3A, No. 4-ranked Jackson County Central at 7 p.m. next Friday night at Wilson Field in Blue Earth in another district game.

Iowa Preps

The North Union Warriors’ football game against the Bishop Garrigan Golden Bears on Friday night was postponed to tonight.

The Warriors and Golden Bears kick off Iowa prep action at 7 p.m. tonight in Algona, Iowa.

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