Turnovers doom Clovers against Cascade

Saturday, September 17, 2011
Cloverdale defensive back Justin Grever goes high to haul in an interception during the first half of Friday's game against Cascade. The Casdets went on to win the game 54-14 over Cloverdale

CLOVERDALE -- On a cool and crisp evening just perfect for football, the Cloverdale Clovers did battle with the Cascade Cadets, but came up short, losing 54-14.

Cloverdale took the opening kickoff out to the 30 yard line, but on the second play from scrimmage coughed up the ball and watched Brody Comer of Cascade pick up the ball and run it in for the first Cascade score of the night with only 40 seconds off the clock. Turnovers would be what the Clovers could not overcome on the night as five of the Clovers eight turnovers would lead to scores for the Cadets.

"We had a solid game plan, we're a two-back offense and we wanted to establish the running game early," Clovers coach John Butler said. "But we shot ourselves in the foot with all the turnovers."

Both teams struggled to move the ball in their next couple of possessions. Alex Arthur picked off Justin Wilson to give the Cadets a first and 10 from the Cloverdale 20 yard line with 8:15 seconds to go in the first quarter.

Cascade moved the ball down to the Cloverdale one yard line when Colin Smith found Austin Butler in the corner for a Cadet touchdown. With the score, Cascade was up 14-0 with 5:52 left in the first quarter.

The Cadets tried an onside kick but Cloverdale recovered and started in great field position from their own 45. Both teams would get penalties in the next series, but Cloverdale could not move the ball and was forced to punt to Cascade.

From the 20 yard line, Colin Smith took it around the outside and got down to the Cloverdale 40 yard line before they turned the ball over to Cloverdale on a fumble by Arthur.

Cloverdale found its rhythm as Wilson hit Trevor Lockwood for a quick 12 yard gain and Cascade helped with a personal foul on the play moving the ball to the Cadet side of the field on the 43 with first and 10 with 1:27 left in the first quarter.

Wilson again hit Lockwood for another seven yard gain before he found Ethan Atwood in the end zone for the Clovers' first touchdown of the game at the buzzer to end the first quarter. At the end of the first quarter, Cascade led 14-8.

Cascade got the ball to start the second quarter and drove the ball down the field before Justin Grever picked off a pass from Smith at the Cloverdale one yard line.

The Clovers took possession with 7:07 seconds left in the second quarter. Jordan Brinkman took a couple handoffs and gave the Clovers some breathing room out to the 15 yard line before a Wilson pass to Grever was bobbled and picked off by Arthur. A flag on the play backed up the Cadets to the 30 yard line, but a Smith to Arthur pass would again get them down to the Cloverdale one yard line. Smith kept the ball and took it in for a touchdown with 4:41 to go, to put the Cadets up 21-8.

Cloverdale went three and out on the next possession and a punt out of bounds and the Cadets took over on their own 26 yard line.

The Cloverdale defense shut them down and forced a punt situation. The Cadets faked the punt and Smith hit Arthur for a big gain to the Cloverdale 32 yard line for a first down. Two plays later and Smith found Eric Bobidilla in the end zone for a touchdown with four seconds left in the second quarter. Cascade led at the half 27-8

Cloverdale kicked off in the second half, but the Cadets picked up where they left off in the first half. Three three plays into the half, Smith took the ball around the end and into the end zone for a touchdown, giving Cascade a 35-8 advantage.

On its next possession, Cloverdale turned the ball over again, leading to another Cascade score.

The Clovers turned the ball over eight times for the game, seven leading to scores. The Clovers did march the ball down in the third quarter when Wilson hit Chuck Strunk in the end zone for the Clovers' second touchdown of the night.

"Defensively we tried something different putting in a 3-4 defense, we had some kids kind of banged up" said Butler. "I'm really proud of the kids, now we prepare for South Putnam next week."

At Cloverdale

Cascade -- 14 13 20 7 -- 54

Cloverdale -- 8 0 6 0 -- 14

Rushing -- Brinkman 12-44, Couse 1-15, Grever 1-0, Brumfield 1-1, Wilson 8-(-2)

Passing -- Wilson 10-24 195 yards 2TD, 5 INT

Receiving -- Atwood 3-93 TD, Strunk 4-44 TD, Lockwood 3-22, Sanders 1-10, Cloverdale 5-26