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Show Falcons Overcome WH By KEITH DUNCAN Journal Sports CLEARFIELD - Overcoming adversity! The Falcons do it the way, they earn the -- right. THE PAST couple of football seasons havent been especially successful for the Clearfield Falcon football program and their veteran mentor, Brent Hancock. Its been a little of everything, from losing disheartening overtime games to other seasons where talent has run rather thin. Even this season, amidst a moment where Clearfield finds themselves 2 overall and in league play, adversity has always found itself present and a wall this team has had to climb over in every 3-- If 2-- 0 game. BUT IF thats what it takes to win football games, then the 84 group wouldnt have it any other way. Last Friday night the Clearfield gang overcame the bad stuff, including a 14-- 0 Weber lead, and went on to defeat the Warriors in double overtime, 21-2- 0. THE VICTORY pushed the Falcons to a record of in league play and leaves them tied with Bonneville and Box Elder for the Region One league lead. Meanwhile, Weber, Roy and Layton are still winless at This Friday in Clearfield the Falcons take on the Bonneville Lakers, a team which has always given them fits and who Clearfield hasnt 2-- 0 0-- 2. were going for the region championship. Mark Adams Clearfield Defensive back At halftime we talked about our intensity to score with the football. The kids knew they could do it which is the feeling I got from them. But Clearfields chance came when Weber fumbled deep in their own territory and a few plays later James Nickerson hauled in a beautiful 20 yard reception from Brad Sherwood. Later on it was Sherwood who ran in another touchdown from two yards out which knotted the score at 4 at the end of regulation. 'IN THE first overtime, neither team could post a score but Clearfield's defense really began to shine especially in the backfield where Mark Adams and Eric Murray were defending their end zone like a couple of secret service agents protecting the president. In the second overtime, Clearfield scored first with Greg Bose-ma- n carrying it in from two yards out. Adams kick was good and Clearfield led Weber matched Clearfields touchdown effort as Terry Farnsworth scored from a yard out but the game came to a close as Webers two-poiconversion pass attempt was tipped by Murray and thus gave the Falcons the win. WE COULDNT be happier about our competition factor, said Hancock, Weve got people battling for every spot on the team. The juniors are clawing away and 14-1- 21-1- 4. have earned themselves several spots on the team. The juniors are clawing away and have earned themselves several spots on the team. If you let down, you know theres someone right behind ya ready to take your spot. Now weve got back kids like Brad Weathers, Darrell Hicks, Bruce Browning and others back. When you combine those kids coming back with efforts like Bose-maCarter, Openshaw and others are putting in, it can't but help make something happen. n. WERE STILL lacking a little intensity, but the way we came back in the second half gives everyone a dose of what real intensity can do for ya. Hopefully that will prove good for us." Murray, one of the five juniors presently starting on the Clearfield team, was the hero in the second overtime after knocking down Webers pass attempt that if successful would have won the two-poi- game for the Warriors. Murray gets a lot of help from his father w ho is a learfield assistant coach and w ho pla ed four ) ears of C professional football in the Canadian Football League as a defensive back. "He gives me a lot of help." said the oung Murray about his father. Craig. THE PLATER who received a bunch of praise for his efforts in the game against Weber was senior Mark Adams, who was a pillar of strength in the two overtimes and who intercepted two passes on the evening. "In that first overtime we were in a man defense and was the free safety My job was to cheat and go 1 MURRAY actually knocked down a couple of passes in the two overtimes. In fact in Weber's first overtime offensive series, all of their plays were passes and Clearfields Adams, Murray, Todd Ferguson and Mark Glauser were successful in denying any of those attempts. I was confident we'd stop them on their two-poitry, said Murray, The tight end didn't run a real good route and all I did was lounge out and knocked the pass away. nt THE OTHER juniors besides Murray that have earned starting spots are Jeff Folk, Vaun Waite, Craig Carter and Paul Taylor. . where ever Tracy Wilson went and they ended up going to him three of the four times. But double-teameWilson couldn't get the job done for them. IN THE second half, basically the same thing happened and we held them. As a defensive backfield. we've really been coming together in the past couple of games. Talking a lot has really helped us. IT WAS a team win. we never gave up against Weber. I knew we were going to win. If we get by the Lakers, we're going for the region championship, said Adams. from Journal Sports 12 yards out. Mike Tremeas boot was good and Davis led But Davis had to enjoy that first possession while it lasted because they wouldnt get another long hold like that until "well into the second quarter. 7-- 0. KAYSV1LLE - The balloons and banner never quite got out of the stadium here last Friday night as high wires tangled them up. -- AND DURING a shaky first half of prep football, non-leagu- BUT REMEMBER adversity, because Clearfield would have to overcome it again. In the Falcons opening possession of the second half a drive went 70 yards before they fumbled and nullified the drive. we get by the Lakers, By KEITH DUNCAN beaten in a number of seasons. AFTER THE Bonneville-clash- . then Clearfield will meet Bountiful e in a meeting before resuming league play again. Ive been through the good times and bad, said Hancock, "A guy like me has to be optimistic all of the time. ITS ALWAYS great to come from behind and win and the win over Weber was a typical team effort. The kids could have given up on themselves several times but took advantage of key situations and turned in a victory. 9 it appeared that the Davis Dart football team wasnt going to get out alive either as an opportune Woods Cross team took advantage of every break and forced the Darts to work hard for their fifth consecutive victory. But Santa didnt leave enough tricks in their bags and eventually the powerful Davis football ;ram stormed over the Wildcats for a 4 win which left them at 0 in Region Four play. . 35-1- 2-- THIS FRIDAY the Darts hit the road and will be hosted by the Bountiful Braves who are in league. The Braves, led by the talented sophomore quarterback Joey Covey, were beaten up by Highland High in their opener but last week destroyed the East Leopards. Davis next game after that will pit them against the Bonneville Lakers who are presently 0 in their league. 2-- ALL YEAR weve been a team which has capitalized on other peoples mistakes and we were hoping that when the opponents got the breaks, it wouldnt break our backs. Well, it finally happened. Woods Cross tore a page out of our book and capitalized many times. But the thing that kept us in it and what makes me so proud of these kids was that they never gave up on themselves, which can easily happen. WE DIDNT panic which is again another sign of maturity for this club, said Dickson. The breaks Woods Cross got started with the opening kick-of- f which the Wildcats recovered after surprising the Darts with an kick. Even though their possession lasted just four plays, it put the Dart defense on the field longer than it should have been. on-si- BUT WHEN Davis got the ball for their first possession, it was lights out for Woods Cross. First it was Mike Robinson up the middle, then it was Chris Card to the left and finally David Kinard to the right. All in all the Darts went 84 yards in 8 plays, all runs, and finally scored when Card dashed in IN DAVIS next possession, Casey Lloyd had his first pass intercepted and from there the Wild-- , cats proceded to drive 65 yards in 11 plays for their first score. The running of Joe Hawkins and Lee Watson was instrumental as was the passing of the Woods Cross QB. In the ensuing kick-of- f, Davis was shocked again as the low kicked ball bounced off a Davis player and into the waiting arms of a Woods Cross player. Even though the Wildcats didnt mount a drive after that, they continued to let Davis defense spend some time on the field. WHEN THE Darts did get the ball, Card fumbled on the first play and gave Woods Cross the ball on the Dart seven-yar- d line. Four plays later Woods Cross had gone ahead 7 as Woods Cross faked a field goal and instead passed into the end zone for a touchdown. If there was ever a time for a ' crucial Davis drive and a score, it was now, according to Dickson. We had to put something together before the half ended, he said. And Davis did. They marched 75 yards in rushing plays to score another TD. This time it was Lloyd 14-- 1 who boot-legge- 1 it in from 10 yards d out. The try proved less and Davis still trailed two-poi- nt fruit- 14-1- 3. Chris Card (31) puts move on WX defender and goes TIME was running out in the second quarter, the Darts finally turned a Woods Cross mistake into gold. Greg Norton intercepted a Wildcat pass and made a brilliant 20 yard return all the way to the Woods Cross line. Two plays later Norton caught a pass from Lloyd which took it to the WX 31 yard line. Then Davis got the break of all breaks as Lloyd stepped back to pass with just four seconds remainAS high school. Someone must have put some firework juice in Davis halftime refreshments because the Dart came back to dominate the second half. 45-ya- rd -- ing and while going down in the grasp of Woods Cross defenders, he flung a perfect pass 3 yards into the waiting arms of big No. 87, Roger Clawson. The large Davis homecoming crowd went ape as the Darts came back to lead at halftime. 1 19-1- 4 THE HALFTIME festivities were highlighted by fireworks as the school celebrated both homecoming and their 70th birthday as a SOME OF the second half highlights were a Carter Hatch interception which snuffed WXs first possession, a safety by the Dart defense as Todd Marriott and Steve Pearson smothered WX's QB, another interception by Kelly touchdown drive Ryujin, a 99-ya- rd highlighted by Cards 76 yard burst and some superb blocking by the Davis offensive line, a 14 yard touchdown run by Mike Robinson, some more great defense by Pearson and Marriott who gave the Wildcats fits in the second half and another long punt return by Greg Norton which went for 43 yards. The Davis runningback stpry was both sad and happy last Fri- - 12 yards for Davis first score in 35-1- 4 Region Four Victory. performances turned in by a Davis in years. All year weve been a team which, has capitalized on other peoples mistakes and we were hoping that when the opponents got the breaks, it wouldnt break our backs. Jim Dickson Davis Coach day. The sad news is that Davis David Kinard may be out of the line-u- p for at least two weeks due to another ligament pulled in his knee. The good news however, was the impressive game Card had. He rushed for 226 yards for the evening which is one of the finest junior FOR THE night the Darts total- led 424 total yards and held Woods Cross to a mere 20. Hawkins was held to 58 yards rushing and Watson to 44. 1 Other outstanding individual performances included that of. Robinson who carried for another 83 yards. On defense Vaughn had 13 tackles, Marriott 11 Cas-dorp- h and Clawson 8. IT WAS a great football night, said Dickson, "If the fans didnt get their moneys worth last Friday, then they'll never get it. About our running game, Chris (Card) is really doing well but Im happy that he realizes there are some kids up front who are playing just as well or even better right now. All of those kids have great games Friday night. |