Turbeville -- The first three offensive plays of the game for East Clarendon High School in its football game against Scott’s Branch on Friday went for first downs. The only reason the fourth one didn’t end up moving the chains is because it was a 5-yard touchdown run.
That set the tone for the game as the Wolverines rolled up 557 yards of total, including 450 on the ground, in a 47-8 triumph for Homecoming at Shad Hall Field.
The victory helped ECHS finish 4-5 in the regular season and 3-1 in Region 5-Class A, good for second place. That means East Clarendon will be hosting its first home playoff game since 1998 when it plays host to Military Magnet next Friday.
“I’m just happy for the kids,” said first-year East Clarendon head coach Larry Cornelius, who inherited a team that went 1-9 a year ago. “First and foremost, that’s what it’s about. We’re trying to improve this program. Last week we had a big win against Carvers Bay (14-12).
“I think having that home playoff game is cool for the community. We haven’t won a playoff game since 2006 so there’s a lot riding on next week. We’ll be working hard. The coaches will be working hard to get a good game plan together. .
Scott’s Branch finished with a 0-10 record.
The Wolverines truly dominated the game. They ran 63 offensive plays to just 38 for Scott’s Branch. They limited the Eagles to minus 14 yards rushing while giving up 145 passing yards.
“We’re just not a physical team right now,” said Eagles head coach Randall State, who just completed his second season at the Summerton school. “We’ve got to get in the weight room and become more physical. They went up and down the field on us, and people have been doing that all year. We’ve just got to get in the weight room.
“I congratulate them. East Clarendon is tough and they played hard. You’ve got to give them props.”
The Wolverines received the opening kickoff and started at their 28-yard line. Running back Rod Shaw went for 12 yards on first down H back Ryan Sullivan grabbed a shuffle pass from quarterback Takoda Cornelius and went 42 yards to the Eagles 18.
A 13-yard run by Jyre Fulton moved the ball to the 5, setting up Cornelius for a 5-yard scoring run. The extra point attempt was no good, leaving the score at 6-0 with 10:14 still left in the first quarter.
The next time ECHS got the ball, the Eagles actually forced it to punt after three downs. That would be the last time SBHS would be able to make a stop until late in the fourth quarter.
East Clarendon amassed 34 first downs, most of them coming via the running of Shaw. The senior finished with 226 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries. Most of the damage came in the first half when he had 181 yards and three TDs on 17 carries.
“Rod always brings the energy,” Coach Cornelius said. “He has great speed once he breaks it. He does a great job. He’s our workhorse in the backfield. We try to give him rest here and there, but we’re going to feed him the ball for sure."
The Wolverines got the ball back at their 13 on the next possession. Each of the first five plays went for first downs, including consecutive 17-yard runs by Shaw. That set them up at the Scott’s Branch 13.
Cornelius completed a 5-yard shuffle pass to Sullivan before Shaw scored from eight yards out to make it 12-0 with 1:26 left in the first quarter.
ECHS needed 10 plays to go 79 yards for a score on its next possession. Shaw scored from seven yards out and placekicker Zachary Sharpley added the extra point to mke it 19-0 with 5:38 to go in the second quarter.
Scott’s Branch scored its only touchdown when Jordan Kind caught a pass over the middle from quarterback Jo’QuellJackson. Kind made a couple of nice moves before fumbling the football around the East Clarendon 8. The ball rolled into the end zone and Gabriel Johnson recovered for the score.
Jackson then threw to Kind for the 2-point conversion to make it 19-8 with just over three minutes left in the first half. That was way too much time for the Wolverines as Shaw scored on an 8-yard run with 45 seconds to go in the first half. Hunter Mixon ran for two points to make it 27-8 at halftime.
ECHS ran 32 plays in the first half with 14 of them going for 10 yards or more East Clarendon finished with 24 plays of 10 or more yards.
The East Clarendon defense had 12 tackles for loss among the Eagles’ 38 offensive plays. That doesn’t include Matthews’ Pick 6 either.
The game was marred with the football being moved 43 times because of penalties. East Clarendon was penalized 27 times – that’s right, 27 times – for 204 yards. Scott’s Branch penalized 16 times for 119 yards.
Whit Nesbitt scored the first two touchdowns of the second half for ECHS. He caught a 15-yard scoring pass from Cornelius in the third quarter and ran in from two yards out in the fourth quarter.
East Clarendon’s final touchdown came when Hunter Matthews intercepted a pass and returned it 61 yards for a score on the next-to-last play of the game.
Takoda Cornelius complete 6 of 9 passes for 88 yards and a score while rushing for 58 yards and a TD on four carries. Tyquan Wilson ran for 48 yards and a score on eight carries, and Jay Webb ran for 45 yards on seven carries. Sullivan had three catches for 65 yards.
Kind had three catches for 24 yards for the Eagles. Nyren Bowman had a 62-yard catch.
All Rights Reserved | The High School Sports Report 1986-2021