CINCINNATI — After having its kickoff delayed by 15 hours thanks to a thunderstorm, the anticipated season opener for Clinton-Massie against Anderson lived up to the hype Saturday morning.

In the end, it was Anderson’s high-powered offense that made just enough plays to hold off the Falcons, 29-22, at Charles L. Brown Stadium.

Anderson (1-1) lost a wild affair to Princeton 58-45 in week one. Clinton-Massie (0-1) didn’t have a week one opponent.

“What we did was amazing,” CM head coach Dan McSurley said. “(Anderson) was prepared. They played Princeton last week. They were preseason ninth in the state (in Division II).

“We haven’t had any kind of game under our belt. It was very difficult to come out here, travel last night, coming back this morning. That’s so hard. I thought my kids played well. I was really proud of their effort.”

A handful of key plays throughout the contest decided the winner, including a couple of huge calls that went the way of the home-standing Raptors.

The first was just before the half, with Anderson leading 14-7. Carter Vanhoose took a pitch and rumbled 53 yards for a Clinton-Massie touchdown. However, an illegal block was called on the Falcons, which negated the score.

The half would end one play later, with the Raptors still leading 14-7.

Clinton-Massie leveled the score on its first drive of the third quarter. A six-play, 57-yard drive ended in a Vanhoose 9-yard touchdown run. The score was knotted at 14, just 3:33 into the third quarter.

Anderson’s run-and-gun offense answered four plays later. Griffin Scalf found Evan Upchurch streaking down the sideline for a 42-yard catch-and-score. Anderson led again 21-14.

Massie drove right back inside the Raptor 5-yard line. A fourth and goal from the four became a fourth and goal from the two after Kody Zantene drew Anderson offsides. Vanhoose picked up the final two yards to pull CM within one.

Another offside infraction followed on the point after attempt. CM decided to send its offense back on the field, and Colton Trampler gave the Falcons the lead with a two-point conversion run. It was 22-21 Clinton-Massie with 11:57 left in regulation.

Three more key plays would determine the outcome.

Anderson raced back down the field. On third and goal from the one, Scalf scored on a quarterback keeper. McSurley said the game film showed the Anderson quarterback never had the ball, but the score stood. The two-point conversion made it 29-22 Anderson with 8:13 left.

“We had some really rough calls,” McSurley said. “Our film showed they fumbled twice, but we didn’t get it. We played a good team and just didn’t get any breaks. They had to play a perfect game to beat us, and they did. They played a perfect game.”

After recovering an Anderson onside kick attempt, Zantene tossed a 39-yard pass which Carter Frank pulled in with one arm. The Falcons were in business at the 12.

CM would only gain one yard on the series. Zantene attempted to find Carter Euten on fourth down. There was contact but no flag. The pass fell incomplete, and it seemed Clinton-Massie’s chances were finished.

However, the Falcon defense answered with three great stops to force a 4th and 9 from Anderson’s 12. It was the fourth time the Raptors faced fourth down, but the first time from deep inside their end of the field.

There was no punt unit on the field for AHS. Instead, Anderson went for it and got it when Scalf hit Santos Alvarez for a 13-yard completion. The Raptors would pick up three more first downs to run out the clock.

“I thought we played really well,” McSurley said. “We’ve got a game under our belt now. We’re going to take each week a game at a time, but we played a state-caliber-quality team. I’m really happy with our kids’ play.”

Vanhoose finished with 108 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 16 carries. Trampler had 75 yards on 11 carries.

Scalf finished with 260 yards passing on 30 of 38 completions with a passing touchdown. He also had 60 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

SUMMARY

Saturday, August 28, 2021

At Anderson High School

Anderson 29, Clinton-Massie 22

CM…0.7.7.8…22

A…6.8.7.8…29

1st Quarter

A – Griffin Scalf 1-yard run (kick failed) 8:13

2nd Quarter

CM – Carter Frank 4-yard run (Ean McGuinness kick) 5:41

A – Evan Upchurch 2-yard run (Scalf run) 3:05

3rd Quarter

CM – Carson Vanhoose 9-yard run (McGuinness kick) 8:27

A – Scalf 42-yard pass to Upchurch (Hayden Brooke kick) 7:28

4th Quarter

CM – Vanhoose 2-yard run (Colton Trampler run) 11:57

A – Scalf 1-yard run (Scalf pass to Brody Foley) 8:13

TEAM STATS

PLAYS: CM 45; A 67. FIRST DOWNS: CM 14; A 28. RUSHES-YARDS: CM 41-268; A 29-99. PASSING YARDS: CM 39; A 260. COMPLETIONS-ATTEMPTS-INTERCEPTIONS: CM 1-4-0; A 30-38-0. TOTAL YARDS: CM 307; A 359. PENALTIES-YARDS: CM 6-44; A 2-7. FUMBLES-LOST: CM 0-0; A 0-0. TIME OF POSSESSION: CM 25:01; A 22:59.

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Rushing (carries-yards): CM Carson Vanhoose 16-108 2 TD; Colton Trampler 11-75; Carter Frank 11-57; Kody Zantene 3-35. A Griffin Scalf 17-60 2 TD; Evan Upchurch 12-39 TD.

Receiving (catches-yards): CM Carter Frank 1-39. A Joey Faulkner 9-107; Evan Upchurch 7-78 TD; Santos Alvarez 7-51; Miles Havens 6-16; Connor Casey 1-8.

Passing (completions-attempts-interceptions): CM Kody Zantene 1-4-0 39 yards. A Griffin Scalf 30-38-0 260 TD.