Eagles set school scoring mark in big win over Clovers

South Putnam running back Matthew Goodpaster tries to break away from the hold of a Cloverdale defender on Friday night.

Banner Graphic/JOEY BENNETT

CLOVERDALE -- The South Putnam Eagles traveled the short drive down 231 to visit the Cloverdale Clovers on Friday night, and the game couldn’t have turned out in a more opposite fashion for both teams.

The Class A No. 12-ranked Eagles took advantage of a young, inexperienced Clover team and pummeled Cloverdale 84-0. South is now 1-0 on the season and in the Western Indiana Conference, while the Clovers are now 0-1 in both settings.

The Eagles scored on their first nine possessions and added two defensive scores in opening an incredible 71-0 halftime lead.

“This was a great way to open the year. We have a lot of seniors who have worked hard and really pushed us to this point and it was a great win and feels good,” South Putnam head coach Chuck Sorrell said.

The Eagles, known last year as a team that picked up most of their yardage in the passing game, only attempted one pass in the game – but still racked up 495 yards in total offense and 438 yards rushing on just 33 total plays in setting the school record for points in a game.

South finished the night with three players rushing for better than 100 yards, only had two possessions all night they did not score, one punt and one that ended the first half. South’s only pass attempt went for a 57-yard touchdown and they used their size, depth and athletic ability to dominate in every phase of the game.

The domination wasn’t just offensively, the Eagles held the Clovers to negative total yards in the game (-33) and forced eight turnovers and scored twice defensively. The overmatched Clovers struggled to get anything going offensively or stop the Eagles during the game.

“We don’t make excuses, we got it handed to us tonight. We need to learn to play with heart. We are young and learning. We do not have a lot of experience, even with some of our seniors. We will get there,” Cloverdale head coach Tom Winders said.

Luke Switzer opened the scoring on the Eagles first possession by accounting for all 77 yards on the drive capping it off from three yards out for the first of his three touchdowns of the night. The name Switzer would be called often on the night as you will notice as this article continues.

The eldest Switzer, Hayden, struck quickly on the Eagles’ next possession. The senior hauled in Riley Stone’s only pass attempt on the night for a 57-yard scoring strike just 1:54 after their first score. After Ethan Harcourt’s second PAT kick of the night, the Eagles led 14-0 and were just getting warmed up as they would put another 29 points on the board in the first quarter alone.

Luke Switzer used his defensive prowess on the next possession to intercept a Clover pass attempt and then just three plays later score from five yards out and South held a commanding lead at 21-0 with still 7:15 left to play in the first quarter.

Defense ruled again, as the Eagles picked up a safety as they forced a fumble in the end zone that the Clovers recovered and South led 23-0. Matthew Goodpaster broke up the Switzer brother touchdown run with a 51-yard sprint up the middle just one play after the free kick and Harcourt added his fourth PAT kick and South led 30-0 with just 4:33 left in the quarter.

“They were really dominating tonight. They are big, strong and we couldn’t do much to stop them,” Winders said.

South’s backfield depth began to show up on its next possession. Sophomore Jeremiah Hibbeln got in the act in scoring from 69 yards out and giving the Eagles a 36-0 lead and there was still 2:04 left to play in the first quarter. Hibbeln made the most of his opportunities because on the next Eagle possession, he took the first play from scrimmage 53 yards for another touchdown and a 43-0 lead.

Hibbeln (121), Luke Switzer (128) and Goodpaster (104) all rushed for over 100 yards and multiple touchdowns on the night.

“Our offensive line was impressive tonight. We wanted to be a good running team. We know we can throw the ball and we will have to at times this year, but we really wanted to run the ball. Our lineman have led the way for us,” Sorrell said.

The Eagle onslaught continued into the second quarter. Luke Switzer picked up his third touchdown on a 35-yard run, Goodpaster added a 20-ard run, then Hayden Switzer picked up a backward pass by the Clovers and scored from 37 yards out on a fumble recovery. Harcourt giving his left leg a workout nailed all three of those PAT kicks and the Eagles led 64-0 with 6:09 left to play in the half.

The Clovers fumbled the ball on the ensuing kickoff and Goodpaster accounted for 17 yards of the next drive, scoring from a yard out for his third touchdown of the night and the Eagles led 71-0 at the half as the only drive the Eagles did not convert into points was the final drive of the half which the Eagles took a knee to end the half.

“They are not all going to be like this, but it felt really good to run the ball like this and get the win,” Sorrell said.

The Eagles began to play some of their junior varsity players to start the second half and if you were not paying attention, you might not have noticed as the third Switzer brother, Caiden, scored on a 34-yard touchdown run early in the second half. The Eagles led 77-0 with 5:43 left to play in the third, but mercifully the score dictated a running clock and the time raced by in the second half.

A little spark by the Clovers late in the third came as the Clovers drove to midfield on the strength of Logan Rambo on the ground and Marquise Lee-to-Dalton Weist passing connection, but another interception, one of six thrown by the Clovers stopped the drive around midfield.

“We are going to keep working, keep trying to get better. This team will learn and we will get better,” Winders said.

Although the fourth quarter was pretty short in possessions with the running clock, the Eagles added another score with Kaden Childress plunging in from three yards out and Harcourt kicked the PAT to give the Eagles their final margin.

“Our senior leadership on the line really showed up. They have taken the younger guys under their wings and showed them the way, particularly in the weight room,” Sorrell said.

Cloverdale will travel next week to Twin Lakes in a non-conference game, while the Eagles will travel to Owen Valley.

1st Quarter

SP – Luke Switzer 3 run (Ethan Harcourt kick), 7-0, 10:58.

SP – Hayden Switzer 57 pass from Riley Stone (Harcourt kick), 14-0, 9:04.

SP – Luke Switzer 5 run (Harcourt kick), 21-0, 7:15.

SP – Defensive Safety, 23-0, 5:36.

SP – Matthew Goodpaster 51 run (Harcourt kick), 30-0, 4:33.

SP – Jeremiah Hibbeln 69 run (kick failed), 36-0, 2:04

SP – Jeremiah Hibbeln 53 run (Harcourt kick), 43-0, :07.

2nd Quarter

SP – Luke Switzer 35 run (Harcourt kick), 50-0, 8:51.

SP – Matthew Goodpaster 20 run (Harcourt kick), 57-0, 6:23.

SP – Hayden Switzer 37 fumble return (Harcourt kick), 64-0, 6:09.

SP – Matthew Goodpaster 1 run (Harcourt kick), 71-0, 4:27.

3rd Quarter

SP – Caiden Switzer 34 run (kick failed), 77-0, 5:43.

4th Quarter

SP – Kaden Childress 3 run (Harcourt kick), 84-0, 5.57.

Individual statistics

Rushing – South Putnam: Luke Switzer 7-128, Jeremiah Hibbeln 3-121, Matthew Goodpaster 8-104, Caiden Switzer 3-65, Kaden Childress 7-13, Aiden Beadles 1-11, Riley Stone 3-(-4). Cloverdale: Seth Firkins 2-2, McGuire Lee 2-(-5), Logan Rambo 2-10, Jordan Hendricks 1-5, Dalton Weist 4-4, Hunter Fox 4-(-11), Xavier Evans 7-(-22), Brayden Blevins 4-(-20), Caleb Wallace 3-(-23).

Passing – South Putnam: Riley Stone 1-1-0 57. Cloverdale: Brayden Blevins 0-2-2 0, Caleb Wallace 0-3-1 0, McGuire Lee 2-5-3 27.

Receiving – South Putnam: Hayden Switzer 1-57. Cloverdale: Dalton Weist 2-27.