LEES CREEK — Williamsburg spoiled East Clinton’s senior night, downing the Astros 31-7 in a Southern Buckeye Conference National Division showdown.
After an offensively lethargic first quarter for both teams where all three of Williamsburg’s drives ended in punts, and two of East Clinton’s drives ended in interceptions and another with a punt, the second quarter spawned points quickly.
Alex Ervin started the point parade on the second play of the quarter with a 33-yard TD strike.
The Wildcats (5-3, 2-1) recovered the onside kick at the EC 42, then hit a halfback pass to the 5 and then scored a play later on a Trysten Gries’ romp to paydirt.
In less than a half-minute, it was 14-0 Williamsburg.
“We didn’t have it. It just wasn’t our night,” EC head coach Steve Olds said. “Losing (running back) Isaiah (Conger) on that first series hurt, too. Football is a weird game. We get two stops coming out. We come out on offense, gashing them, moving the ball well. Some things go wrong, it just sucked the life out of us. They get a score, come back with an onside kick, then hit the halfback pass, from that point on we were playing catch up.
“It was just one of those nights.”
The Astros (4-4) clawed back and responded to Williamsburg’s second score with a 65-yard drive that ended with Jaden Singleton hauling in a 50/50 ball from Jared Smith, eluding a defender and traversing the final few yards to the end zone.
The Wildcats pushed its advantange back to two touchdowns on the subsequent drive on another Gries TD, this time by air via a 34-yard pass from Ervin.
The third quarter was almost like the first, but it at least resulted in a 27-yard Luke Lindsey field goal at the 1:38 mark of the period to make it 24-7 Williamsburg. That drive started at the Wildcats 6 and advanced to the Astro 14 after a flea flicker to Bryce Lillie, but an offensive penalty and East Clinton’s defense stopped the drive.
Williamsburg started the final quarter with a fumble to East Clinton. The Astros however turned the ball over on downs at the Wildcats 10 with 10:04 left in the game.
The Wildcats then rolled 90 yards in 16 plays in nearly nine minutes to seal the victory when Gries walked into the end zone from a yard out.
SUMMARY
October 8, 2021
@East Clinton High School
Williamsburg 31 East Clinton 7
W^0^21^3^7^^31
EC^0^7^0^0^^7
First Quarter
No scoring
Second Quarter
WHS – Ervin 34 pass (Lindsey kick), 10:43.
WHS – Gries 5 run (Lindsey kick), 10:17.
EC – Singleton 42 pass from Smith (Runk kick), 6:20.
WHS – Gries 34 pass from Ervin (Lindsey kick), 4:01.
Third Quarter
WHS – Lindsey 27 FG, 1:38.
Fourth Quarter
WHS – Gries 1 run (Lindsey kick), 1:11.
