SOUTHSIDE – With their backs against the wall and their season on the line, Clay looked like a team playing with a purpose responding to adversity in dominating fashion with a 45-13 win over host University Christian, to likely secure its fifth straight playoff appearance.
After a devastating loss to Baker County two weeks ago in the District 5-5A title game, Clay head coach Josh Hoekstra told his team afterwards they no longer controlled their own destiny and the only way to get in the playoffs was to win out. His team has responded with back-to-back dominating wins including a 35-0 win over Palatka at home last week.
Led by a massive and quick offensive line featuring senior tight end Denaud Valmyr, tackles junior Ross Doan and senior Jason Brooks and junior guards Mikey Carns and Jordan Collins; the Blue Devils set the tone early paving way for another huge night for senior tailback Aundre Carter, who finished with 304 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries.
When Carter needed a breather, the line gave Cedric Brown and Tymious Goodman gaping holes to run through as well.
From the opening drive, the line cleared the lanes and gave quarterback Caleb Eason plenty of protection through out the night.
After four straight runs from Carter and Brown, Eason caught UC off guard by connecting with Spence Lesage for a wide open 35 yard touchdown pass to give Clay a 7-0 lead minutes into the game.
Carter broke off a 60 yard run on the next possession to set up the Devils at the 12, which led to a Brown 1 yard touchdown run and 14-0 lead halfway through the first quarter.
U.C. responded on its ensuing drive as quarterback Clayton Boyd rumbled 22 yards up the middle untouched cutting the lead to 14-7 with 4:17 left in the first, but that was as close as the Christians would get on the night.
Using its size and its speed, Clay began wearing down U.C. Two possessions later, Carter raced 61 yards down the right sideline untouched for his only touchdown of the night increasing the lead to 21-7 on the second to last play of the first quarter.
Eason connected with Ajay Belanger on a 25 yard fade route increasing the lead to 28-7 with under five minutes left in the second quarter.
U.C. drove inside the 11-yard line just before half, but a fourth down pass from Boyd that appeared to be out of bounds was picked off by Jordan Copeland in the end zone to nullify the score, which would have put U.C. back in the game.
Carter broke off a 75 yard run before being tackled at the 5-yard line seconds before the half, which led to a 22 yard field goal from Miss State commit Liz Fogarty giving the Devils a surprising 31-7 halftime lead.
Clay didn’t let off the gas on either side of the ball in the second half, linebacker Josh Colson got the second half started with a bang hitting Boyd for a 6 yard loss to force another three and out on the opening series.
Carter raced 39 yards on the first play of the third quarter for the Devils to put them well past midfield. Lesage took an end around and raced 46 yards untouched for an apparent score but it was brought back for holding.
Five plays later, Eason found Valmyr wide open in the left corner of the end zone for a 20 yard score and 38-7 lead midway through the third quarter.
After Dylan Taylor recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff return, Carter appeared to have found the end zone again after a 37 yard run but it was called back for a hold.
Cain Creery sacked Boyd on the next possession to give the Devils the ball back again near midfield. Goodman broke off a 28 yard run, which he capped the drive by rumbling 3 yards to make it 45-7 on the final play of the third quarter.
Backup freshman quarterback Ridge Jacobs 8-yard run in the closing seconds capped the game at 45-13.
“We knew we had to win out after that loss to Baker County,” Carter said. “We just had to go get it and we did.”
His coach echoed that statement as well.
“We came into the Baker County game with only 5 turnovers and we had two costly ones that night, so we preached the ball is the program and protecting the football better.” Hoekstra said. “We knew we had to win out from there and the kids responded really well. This is a good win against a great team and now we wait and see what kind of seeding we get whether its a six, seven or eight seed.”
Clay (7-3) will learn its fate Sunday at 11 a.m. when the playoff pairings are announced on the FHSAA playoff pairings show on the NFHSNetwork.
For U.C. (7-2) all is not lost as nemesis North Florida Christian also lost and the Christians can still be the No. 1 seed in Class 2A despite the loss.
