ADAMS TOWNSHIP – As the saying goes, those who forget history are condemned to repeat it.

And because of having a memory like an elephant, Clinton-Massie, ranked sixth in the latest Associated Press Division IV poll, knocked off Columbus Bishop Hartley, ranked ninth in the latest Associated Press Division III poll, 34-31 at Frank Irelan Field.

Clinton-Massie remembered a fake punt Hartley ran against it in the 2012 playoffs and prepared for the possibility this week.

“We were trying to run the same one we got on them in 2012 for 80 yards,” Hartley head coach Brad Burchfield said going for it on 4th-and-5 at the Hartley 12 in the third quarter up 17-10 Friday. “The guy shot in the A gap, and usually they don’t. He made a great play and that’s why they won.”

The Falcons stuffed the Hawks at the Hartley 7 and scored three plays later to tie the game at 17 with 4:44.

“I thought they were going to punt it. We were ready for a return,” CM head coach Dan McSurley said. “But we actually practiced against that. Braxton Green is the kid who shut it down. I’m real proud of him, because he got roughed up at halftime (by me) and he came out and grew up. He turned into a man tonight. He played a big second half.”

“Our coaches are like elephants, they don’t forget a whole lot.”

Massie (4-1) forced a Hartley three-and-out a drive later and then scored on the subsequent drive to go up 24-17. Hartley helped Massie along with two personal foul penalties on one play.

The Hawks (3-2) scored a drive later to get even at 24, converting a 3rd-and-5 at the CM 8.

CM answered with quarterback Corey Stulz’s third TD of the night to retake the lead, 31-24. Brendan Lamb continued the drive by bowling over the Hawks with a 20-yard gain to the Hartley 4 on 4th-and-3.

The Falcons forced another Hartley turnover on downs and converted it into a much-needed 30-yard Grant Avey field goal. CM averted disaster by recovering a fumbled snap in the middle of the eight-play drive.

Two plays after Avey split the uprights, Hartley quarterback Miles Fleming hit Angelo Evans in stride for a 65 scoring bomb.

Massie recovered Hartley’s onside kick that the Hawks had several hands on and ran out the clock to secure the victory.

“These are two teams that are going to be playing for a long, long, long, long time,” Burchfield said. “This was tough ball game, well played on both sides. We made a few more mistakes than they did.”

Each team scored on their first half possessions, except for when Massie fumbled at the Hartley 41 with 2.8 seconds left in the half and Hartley ended the half with an incomplete pass.

Massie’s drive that ended with a fumble had reached the Hartley 11 with 1:29 left in the half, but the play was negated for holding. A failed halfback pass attempt on 2nd-and-21 set up the 3rd-and-23 where Massie coughed up the ball.

Hartley started the game with an 11-play, 61-yard drive that Matteo Agriesti capped with a 36-yard field goal. It avoided disaster on the drive by pouncing on its fumble.

CM answered with an 11-play, 70-yard drive that ended with Stulz’ first score of the evening, a 12-yard run. Massie had to convert a fourth down at the Hartley 28 earlier in the drive.

The Hawks answered and went up 10-7 a drive later with Jalan January’s 15-yard run. All six plays in the drive were runs, four of which resulted in first downs.

Avey knotted the game at 10 a drive later with 29-yard field goal.

Hartley took a 17-10 advantage into the break with 58-yard pass from Fleming to Philip Cole. The Hawks kept the drive alive with a fourth-down conversion earlier in that drive.

Clinton-Massie starts league play next week against undefeated Batavia. Both teams are expected to be near the top of the Region 16 standings when the official computer rankings come out next week.

SUMMARY

Sept 21 2018

@Frank M. Irelan Field

Clinton-Massie 34 Col Hartley 31

HA 10.07.00.14…..31

CM 07.03.14.10…..34

First quarter

H-Agriesti 38 yard field goal, 8:03

CM-Stulz 12 yard run, Avey PAT, 3:04

H-January 15 yard run, Agriesti PAT, 1:15

Second quarter

CM-Avey 29 yard field goal, 8:32

H-Cole 58 yard pass from Fleming, Agriesti PAT, 5:38

Third quarter

CM-Lamb 1 yard run, Avey PAT, 4:44

CM-Stulz 18 yard run, Avey PAT, 0:55

Fourth quarter

H-January 1 yard run, Agriesti PAT, 11:00

CM-Stulz 1 yard run, Avey PAT, 5:58

CM-Avey 30 yard field goal, 0:37

H-Evans 65 yard pass from Fleming, Agriesti PAT, 0:22

TEAM STATS

Hartley-15 first downs; 311 yards (156 rush, 155 pass); 4-11-0 passing; penalties 5-40; fumbles/lost 3-1

Massie-21 first downs; 311 yards (282 rush, 29 pass); 1-1-0 passing; penalties 4-40; fumbles/lost 0-0

INDIVIDUALS

RUSHING: Hartley-January 19-103, Fleming 5-24, Cole 4-15, Evans 2-9, Sawyer 1-5; Massie-Lamb 27-117, Stulz 10-67, Frederick 9-53, Vaughan 12-45

PASSING: Hartley-Fleming 4-11-0, 155 yards, 2 TD; Massie-Stulz 1-1-0, 29 yards, 0 TD

RECEIVING: Hartley-Evans 1-65, Cole 2-56, Kirkbride 1-34; Massie-Vaughan 1-29

TACKLES: Hartley-Anderson 9 Tucker 7 Sawer 5.5 January 4 Drake 4 Carreker 4; Massie-Olberding 9.5 Beam 5 Green 3 May 3 Sheeley 2.5 Seaman 2 Laake 2 Myers 1.5 Trampler 1.5 Noble 1 Frederick 1 Branham 1 Vanhoose 1 Speaks 0.5 Wolfe 0.5