MONROE — With seemingly every break going against it, Clinton-Massie’s storybook 2023 football season ended Friday night with a 21-3 loss to Archbishop Alter in a Region 16 semifinal game at Hornet Stadium.

The Falcons (12-1) close out what turned out to be a great season but, in the mind of head coach Dan McSurley, not the type of season most people outside the team expected.

“These seniors, I’m so proud of them,” McSurley said. “I don’t think anybody and their brother thought that a team as young as we were would go out and run the table 12 straight games.”

The finale of the season was never in doubt. Alter, a young team just like Clinton-Massie so a 2024 rematch could well be in the offing, raced out to a 21-0 lead and never looked.

“We knew at the beginning of the year, the region went through Alter,” McSurley said. “That’s the way it’s going to be. You have to go through the GCL (Greater Catholic League) to win a regional championship.

“We have a lot of guys coming back but we know who we have to go through, it’s these guys. I think we’ll give them a good shot next year but (tonight) they were just better than we were.”

But the Falcons were lurking in the shadows all night, just a whisker away from making it a better game.

“That’s a great team we played,” McSurley said. “I think our kids are going to grow from that experience.”

The Falcons had 204 yards of total offense, with 157 coming on the ground on 54 carries. Alter’s defense made Massie earn every inch of turf. Kaden Zantene was good passing early but the Knights were able to get pressure late in the game and record several sacks.

After Alter’s offense stalled on the opening drive of the game, Clinton-Massie fumbled the ball on its second play from scrimmage. The Knights went 16 yards in five plays to grab a 7-0 lead. That scoring drive, though, was not without controversy. On first and goal from the 4, Brendan Musser came out of the pile with the ball before whistles blew.

McSurley was not happy when the officials signaled no fumble and allowed Alter to maintain possession. After the game, the CM coach said it was a bad call but it didn’t decide the outcome.

“It was a clear fumble,” McSurley said. “Not saying that was the difference in the game but it would have been a lot closer.”

On the next Alter possession, Massie came within inches of an interception, but instead the Knights executed the tip drill to perfection and caught a seven-yard pass. Eventually, Rod Owens capped that drive with a 25 yard scamper to paydirt.

On Massie’s next play from scrimmage, Zantene had a wide open Cash Mounce but the ball was just off his fingertips and went incomplete. Mounce may not have scored but he was behind the defense for a big play. The drive stalled and Massie punted.

Three plays later, Noah Jones broke no fewer than four tackles on a 75-yard jaunt to the end zone and a 21-0 crowd stunning Alter lead.

Massie then embarked on a 17-play drive that took 6:27 off the clock. Normally that’s a touchdown type drive but the Falcons failed to get any points. The key play of the drive was a fullback screen that gained 14 yards but McSurley felt with a break it could have been a touchdown for Eli Muterspaw.

“We had the (right) play call on that fullback screen but didn’t reach the endzone,” McSurley said.

However, the Massie running back was tackled at the 6 where it was first and goal with 50 seconds to go until half. With a score and getting the ball to start the second half, the Falcons had the chance to get right back in it.

Zantene spiked the ball on first down then three running plays netted just four yards and left the Falcons two yards shy of the goal.

To start the third, Clinton-Massie had a 10-play drive end at the 20 with the score still 21-3. In all, Massie ran 27 of 28 plays from scrimmage and was unable to dent the Alter defense.

Brendan Musser recovered a fumble on the next drive which Massie turned into another 17 play drive and an Ean McGuinness 41 yard field goal.

McGuinness then recovered the ensuing onside kick but the Falcons were unable to turn that into points.

SUMMARY

Nov 10, 2023

Division IV Region 16 Semifinal

@Monroe High School

Alter 21, Clinton-Massie 3

A^7^14^0^0^^21

CM^0^0^0^3^^3

First Quarter

A-Mike Rose 1 yard run (Tony Arcuri PAT)

Second Quarter

A-Rod Owens 25 yard run (Tony Arcuri PAT) 11:16

A-Noah Jones 75-yard run (Tony Arcuri PAT) 6:45

Third Quarter

No Scoring

Fourth Quarter

CM-Ean McGuinness 41 yard field goal 10:04

STATISTICS

First Downs: A-9, CM-14

Plays-Yards: A 32-230; CM 66-202

Fumbles Lost: A 2-2; CM 2-2

Penalty-Yards: A 2-14, CM 3-23

Rushing: Alter (26-182) Noah Jones 15-117-1 Rod Owens 4-32-1 Gavin Conner 5-29-0 Mikey Rose 2-4-1; CM (57-154) Cooper Carmack 12-45-0 Tristen Trampler 10-41-0 Eli Muterspaw 12-33-0 Ty Clutter 10-28-0 Nolan Phipps 4-17-0 Jack Elkins 3-12-0 Kaden Zantene 6-(-22)

Passing: Alter (5-6-0, 48 yards) Gavin Conner 5-6-0, 48 yards; CM (3-9-0, 48 yards) Kaden Zantene 3-7-0, 48 yards, Jack Elkins 0-1, Cooper Carmack 0-1

Receiving: Alter (5-48-0) Carter Sheets 2-24, Joe Doorley 2-13, Jimmy Nagle 1-11; CM (3-48) Cooper Carmack 2-34, Eli Muterspaw 1-14

Tackles: Brendan Musser 1.5, Nolan Phipps 4.5, Tristen Trampler 2, Miles Theetge 4, Brighton Rodman 3, Carter Martin 1, Ty Clutter 2.5, Elijah Groh 2.5, Hunter Monds 4, Eli Ruther 1, Peyton Brewer 1