Clovers getting close to winning streak with 8-6 lead

Cloverdale’s Tyce Jackson (5) leads a host of Cloverdale defenders in bringing down a Cascade runner.

Banner Graphic/JARED JERNAGAN

Weather delays finish of game to 5 p.m. today

CLOVERDALE — A big night has turned into a big weekend for the Cloverdale Clover football team.

The Clovers hosted the Cascade Cadets in a Western Indiana Conference football game. The two teams came in with a share of the Eastern Division lead on the line. In addition, it was Cloverdale’s homecoming.

A football game is usually 48 minutes long and these two teams played 43:27 of the game and the Clovers led 8-6 when mother nature exerted her power and the game was called due to lightning.

The two teams will resume their battle at 5 p.m. today.

The two teams traded turnovers to start the game with Cloverdale throwing an interception on its first possession. Cascade returned the favor as Logan Abner recovered a Cadet fumble to give the Clovers good field position at the Cadet-32-yard line.

Cloverdale’s offense couldn’t take advantage turning the ball over on downs, but Cascade immediately fumbled the ball backward into the end zone on the next play and recovered it for a Clover safety and a 2- 0 lead.

Cloverdale couldn’t get their offense going, but Cascade muffed a Clover punt at the 14-yard line and Tyce Jackson made them pay with a 14-yard TD run on their next play.

Cloverdale led 8-0 with 1:31 left in the first quarter.

The game settled into a defensive struggle as both teams punted to each other on their next two possessions. Cascade finally got something going as Chase Edwards hit Jason Mantooth with a 38-yard TD pass with :41 left in the half to cut the lead to 8-6.

Following the homecoming festivities at halftime, the two teams traded punts then traded turnovers.

Cascade intercepted a Jackson pass, then five plays later Trey Henry recovered a Cadet fumble.

The Clovers couldn’t capitalize, and the game turned into a defensive struggle.

The night ended just after Cascade punted the ball back to Cloverdale with 4:33 left to play in the game.

Lightning struck as the two teams were gearing up for a furious finish.