Cloverdale punishes Turkey Run, 33-0

Saturday, September 8, 2007

MARSHALL -- Cloverdale Head Coach Kyle Winkler wasn't looking past the Turkey Run Warriors Friday night, but he did seize an opportunity to prepare for next week's homecoming game against WCC foe Cascade, as the Warriors ran an offensive scheme similar the Cadets, albeit ineffectively, in a 33-0 loss to the Clovers.

It was evident that things were going to go Cloverdale's way when Dillin Gray scored early in the first quarter and the PAT attempt was botched, but ended up resulting in a two-point conversion that would give the Clovers all the points they would need as they led 8-0 at the conclusion of the opening stanza.

Cloverdale opened the second quarter by concluding a three-minute drive that netted another Gray score, this time on a six-yard run, at the 11:56 mark of the period. The Nick Keefer PAT try was no good, and the Clovers led 14-0.

Turkey Run then put together its only real sustained drive of the evening, taking nearly six minutes off the clock and advancing to the Clover 40-yard line, but a Jarrod Wrightsman pass was picked by Mitch Moy to nullify the Warriors effort to put points on the board.

The first half ended with the Clovers still up 14-0, but that quickly changed when play resumed. Keefer returned opening kick of the second half 75 yards to up the margin to 20-0 Cloverdale. Keefer's ensuing PAT try was blocked.

Turkey Run's next possession resulted in a three-and-out, and Keefer once again provided the Clovers with a scoring opportunity when he returned a Warrior punt 44 yards to the Turkey Run 34 yard line. On the very next play from scrimmage, Aaron Dayhuff scampered into the end zone, and the score was 26-0 when a two-point conversion try failed.

Cloverdale's final score of the evening came at the 4:20 mark of the third, when Jordan Hayden connected with Chad Cummings on a 25-yard TD pass. Keefer's successful PAT secured the final 33-0 margin.

The Clovers stayed on the ground in the fourth quarter, primarily by utilizing Levi Boller, who chewed up almost 30 yards on the ground in

Cloverdale's final offensive possession. More importantly, the Clovers were able to eliminate nearly five of the remaining twelve minutes of the ballgame.

Turkey Run was able to advance the ball into Clover territory, as the ballgame wound down, but was unable to mount a serious scoring threat. Winkler was questioning whether his ball club had any emotion in the first half despite their two-touchdown margin. He challenged his athletes to step up, and step up they did in the second, playing with a great deal more intensity, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

"I though we finally came alive in the second half," Winkler said. "We showed a lot better effort and a positive attitude."

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