ADAMS TOWNSHIP — Friday night’s game between Clinton-Massie and Edgewood was hardly a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
In fact, you could say it was over after two plays.
The 2023 Clinton-Massie Revenge Tour took centerstage on the opening kickoff as Liam Lamb had a big hit on the return and Andrew Smith recovered the fumble. On the first play from scrimmage, Eli Muterspaw rumbled 30 yards and the rout was on.
When the dust had settled, Clinton-Massie improved to 2-0 with a 42-0 win.
Edgewood defeated Clinton-Massie 27-20 last season just one week after Waynesville defeated Clinton-Massie as part of an 0-4 Falcon start.
My how things have changed after one season. The Falcons whipped the Spartans last week 38-8 and made it two in a row on the revenge tour with the convincing win over the Cougars.
“It was (revenge) but it really wasn’t,” Clinton-Massie head coach Dan McSurley said. “We’re a year older. The kids executed the gameplan, in all phases of the game.
“Last year we were just so young. We lost 26 seniors from the year before. We just didn’t have it figured out. It took us a while. We ended the year on a good note and brought this team into the season on an even better note.”
Running behind a bulldozing offensive line of sophomore Dakin Johnson, junior Marshall Hunter, sophomore Owen Long, senior Tayten McCoy and senior Justin Beekman, the first-team offense ran for 374 yards on just 29 tries.
“They’re just athletic; they move and they come off the ball,” McSurley said of the offensive line. “And they’re going to get better. That’s what’s exciting.”
Logan Chesser had 171 yards on 7 rushes with 2 touchdowns, one of which was an 81-yard gallop through the EHS defense. Cooper Carmack had 52 yards on the ground while Jack Elkins ran for 74 including a 59-yard TD run, Muterspaw had 48 and Phipps 27 with two scores.
“That’s the beauty of the wishbone,” said McSurley. “You can get all three backs involved in the game. It’s a nice package to have.”
Peyton Brewer led the defense with 6 tackles while Phipps had 5.5 stops.
Massie special teams forced three turnovers on kickoff and punt returns.
“The kicking game was outstanding,” said McSurley. “The defense shut down a Wing-T team. They pretty much didn’t get anything on the ground. We’re playing at a high level. It’s amazing what a difference a year makes. I feel good where we’re at.”
McSurley said about the only downer from Friday’s encounter was an injury to Edgewood’s Braden Sullivan.
“32 was their best player,” McSurley said. “I feel bad. Hopefully he’s OK. I think that kinda took the wind out of their team.”
The defense is tough and fast. Phipps and Brewer were the top tacklers but the unit swarms well and has playmakers at all three levels.
“We’re deep in the secondary,” the CM coach said. “The defense is swarming, we got some lean dudes.”
Ty Clutter had a key play early, shooting a gap and bringing down a ballcarrier near the goal line. Brewer had a sack on the next play. Carter Martin and Phipps teamed for a big loss on the next series. Later, Elijah Groh and Eli Ruther had negative plays for the Falcons in the second half.
SUMMARY
Aug 25, 2023
@Frank Irelan Field
Clinton-Massie 42, Edgewood 0
E-0-0-0-0=0
CM-14-21-7-0=42
SCORING
First Quarter
CM-Eli Muterspaw 30 yard run (Ean McGuinness PAT) 11:47
CM-Logan Chesser 81 yard run (Ean McGuinness PAT) 1:51
Second Quarter
CM-Jack Elkins 59 yard run (Ean McGuinness PAT) 11:37
CM-Nolan Phipps 1 yard run (Ean McGuinness PAT) 1:55
CM-Logan Chesser 2 yard run (Ean McGuinness PAT) 0:34
Third Quarter
CM-Nolan Phipps 6 yard run (Ean McGuinness PAT) 5:25
STATISTICS
Rushing: E (31-112) Kyle Franke 15-61, Miller Fall 11-55, Braden Sullivan 1-9, Ryan French (3-(-4), David Rumpler (1-(-9); CM (40-393) Logan Chesser 7-172-2, Jack Elkins 3-72-1, Cooper Carmack 5-53-0, Eli Muterspaw 7-48-1, Nolan Phipps 6-27-2, Peyton Warren 3-18-0 Bret Gray 2-4-0, Mason Martini 2-3-0, Ryan Anderson 1-1-0, Liam Lamb 3-(-7)
Passing: E (3-6-0, 60 yards) Ryan French 3-5-0, 60 yards; Kaiden Ruppert 0-1-0; CM (0-0-0)
Receiving: E (3-60-0) Brayden Smith 1-51-0, Kyle Franke 1-5-0, Charlie Flege 1-4-0; CM (0-0)
Tackles: CM Eli Ruther 0.5, Peyton Warren 0.5, Bret Gray 1, Nolan Phipps 5.5, Tristen Trampler 0.5, Mason Martini 0.5, Hunter Monds 2, Brady Russell 0.5, Liam Lamb 1, Miles Theetge 1.5, Brendan Musser 2.5, Andrew Smith 1 Peyton Brewer 6, Ty Martin 1, Ty Clutter 3.5, Carter Martin 2, Brighton Rodman 1, Elijah Groh 3.5
Fumble Recovery: CM Andrew Smith 1, Elijah Groh 1, Peyton Warren 1, Wade Collett 1
