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Indians remain undefeated with win over Highland
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| Clark County’s Javis Vineyard powers his way past a Highland defender for a touchdown in the second quarter of Friday’s football game. Vineyard ran for four touchdowns in the Indians’ 44-0 win. |
By Brad Cameron/Gate City Sports Editor
EWING, Mo. - The third-ranked football team in Missouri Class 2 turned in another commanding performance Friday night to improve to 9-0 on the season.
Clark County scored four second quarter touchdowns to build a 38-0 halftime lead and the Indians went on to defeat the Highland Cougars 44-0 in a District 7 contest.
“They did what they needed to do,” said Clark County Head Coach Matt Smith. “They've done that all year so it is hard to complain with 9-0 and a lot of goose eggs and a lot of 40-plus point nights.”
Clark County has outscored its opponents 404-6 this season. The Indians have scored 40 or more points in seven games, while the defense hasn't allowed a touchdown since the third quarter of the third game of the season.
Despite the impressive numbers, Clark County got off to a sluggish start on offense. The Indians turned the ball over on their first offensive play of the game and punted the ball for just the 15th time this season in the first quarter.
“I didn't think we came out with a lot of energy,” Smith said. “I was pleased with what we did last week (against Macon). I thought we played well out of the gate, but it was against an opponent we didn't know about. I think the kids felt like they were going to be threatened and pushed and it was a little bigger atmosphere. Tonight, those things weren't a part of it.”
Still, the Indians built a 13-0 lead.
Javis Vineyard scored the first time he touched the ball on a 69-yard run, and Kolt Kiger kicked the extra point to make the score 7-0.
Clark County got the ball back on the ensuing kickoff. Ryan Whiston recovered a fumble by Dallas Job and the Indians took over at the Highland 34.
Quarterback Ethan Allen completed two passes on the drive to Bryan Plenge. The second bounced off the hands of Matt Morrow in the end zone, but Plenge caught the ricochet at the two-yard line. Vineyard scored two plays later on a two-yard run to make the score 13-0.
Clark County put the game out of reach in the second quarter.
Vineyard had a 78-yard touchdown run negated by a Clark County penalty, but the Indians needed just six plays to increase its lead. Vineyard scored on a nine-yard run to put the Indians on top 19-0.
Vineyard scored again on a 19-yard touchdown run, and Kiger kicked the extra point to increase the lead to 26-0. Allen had a 21-yard run and a seven-yard pass completion to Plenge to set up the touchdown.
Vineyard finished with 177 yards rushing on 13 carries behind the offensive line of center Neal Moon, guards Lynn Williams and Michael Brennan and tackles Cori Seth and Zach Nixon.
“Javis ran the ball well, and I was real pleased with the offensive line,” Smith said. “A year ago we threw for 270, 280 against them, but really didn't run the ball effectively against them at times. This year was kind of the flip of it. We did what we wanted to at the line of scrimmage, and we did what we needed to throwing the ball.”
Another Highland turnover on special teams allowed the Indians to score again. Kiger's kickoff bounced off the back of a Highland player, and Clark County recovered at the Highland 43. The Indians finished the five-play drive when Allen connected with Plenge on a two-yard touchdown.
An interception by Plenge led to Clark County's final touchdown of the first half. Plenge caught a 19-yard touchdown pass with 1:28 left in the second quarter to make the score 38-0.
Highland threatened at the end of the first half to end Clark County's streak of scoreless quarters. Matt Morrow intercepted a pass from Highland's Kyle Ellison, but the Cougars got the ball right back on an interception by Eli Harsher with 50 seconds left in the first half. Highland moved the ball to the Clark County eight, but a pass fell incomplete in the end zone on the final play of the first half kept the shutout streak alive.
“The one before halftime, I kind of put them in that situation with the way we handled the clock at the end of the half,” Smith said. “I told them at halftime that was on us, but at the same time I wasn't apologizing for it because that was a great opportunity for us to practice being in a situation where we have to get the ball back and score. We tried to put them in those situations in practice, but that is a perfect opportunity to practice it.
“That was our approach to that. It didn't work out, but I thought that was good to put them in that situation and it was also good that we bobbled that around and ended up letting Highland get down there deep and then we had to fire up and turn them away. We haven't had to turn a lot of teams away, so that was good. We got something out of it, so that was positive.”
Clark County scored its final touchdown on the first possession of the second half. Plenge caught his third touchdown pass of the game from Allen with 5:23 left in the third quarter.
Allen completed 12 passes for 155 yards, while Plenge finished with nine receptions for 104 yards.
Highland had one more good scoring chance in the third quarter. The Cougars moved the ball to the Clark County 15, but Ethan Horton sacked Ellison for a 20-yard loss on third down. An incomplete pass on fourth down ended the drive.
Clark County hosts Brookfield in the final district game Thursday.
Clark County scored four second quarter touchdowns to build a 38-0 halftime lead and the Indians went on to defeat the Highland Cougars 44-0 in a District 7 contest.
“They did what they needed to do,” said Clark County Head Coach Matt Smith. “They've done that all year so it is hard to complain with 9-0 and a lot of goose eggs and a lot of 40-plus point nights.”
Clark County has outscored its opponents 404-6 this season. The Indians have scored 40 or more points in seven games, while the defense hasn't allowed a touchdown since the third quarter of the third game of the season.
Despite the impressive numbers, Clark County got off to a sluggish start on offense. The Indians turned the ball over on their first offensive play of the game and punted the ball for just the 15th time this season in the first quarter.
“I didn't think we came out with a lot of energy,” Smith said. “I was pleased with what we did last week (against Macon). I thought we played well out of the gate, but it was against an opponent we didn't know about. I think the kids felt like they were going to be threatened and pushed and it was a little bigger atmosphere. Tonight, those things weren't a part of it.”
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Javis Vineyard scored the first time he touched the ball on a 69-yard run, and Kolt Kiger kicked the extra point to make the score 7-0.
Clark County got the ball back on the ensuing kickoff. Ryan Whiston recovered a fumble by Dallas Job and the Indians took over at the Highland 34.
Quarterback Ethan Allen completed two passes on the drive to Bryan Plenge. The second bounced off the hands of Matt Morrow in the end zone, but Plenge caught the ricochet at the two-yard line. Vineyard scored two plays later on a two-yard run to make the score 13-0.
Clark County put the game out of reach in the second quarter.
Vineyard had a 78-yard touchdown run negated by a Clark County penalty, but the Indians needed just six plays to increase its lead. Vineyard scored on a nine-yard run to put the Indians on top 19-0.
Vineyard scored again on a 19-yard touchdown run, and Kiger kicked the extra point to increase the lead to 26-0. Allen had a 21-yard run and a seven-yard pass completion to Plenge to set up the touchdown.
Vineyard finished with 177 yards rushing on 13 carries behind the offensive line of center Neal Moon, guards Lynn Williams and Michael Brennan and tackles Cori Seth and Zach Nixon.
“Javis ran the ball well, and I was real pleased with the offensive line,” Smith said. “A year ago we threw for 270, 280 against them, but really didn't run the ball effectively against them at times. This year was kind of the flip of it. We did what we wanted to at the line of scrimmage, and we did what we needed to throwing the ball.”
Another Highland turnover on special teams allowed the Indians to score again. Kiger's kickoff bounced off the back of a Highland player, and Clark County recovered at the Highland 43. The Indians finished the five-play drive when Allen connected with Plenge on a two-yard touchdown.
An interception by Plenge led to Clark County's final touchdown of the first half. Plenge caught a 19-yard touchdown pass with 1:28 left in the second quarter to make the score 38-0.
Highland threatened at the end of the first half to end Clark County's streak of scoreless quarters. Matt Morrow intercepted a pass from Highland's Kyle Ellison, but the Cougars got the ball right back on an interception by Eli Harsher with 50 seconds left in the first half. Highland moved the ball to the Clark County eight, but a pass fell incomplete in the end zone on the final play of the first half kept the shutout streak alive.
“The one before halftime, I kind of put them in that situation with the way we handled the clock at the end of the half,” Smith said. “I told them at halftime that was on us, but at the same time I wasn't apologizing for it because that was a great opportunity for us to practice being in a situation where we have to get the ball back and score. We tried to put them in those situations in practice, but that is a perfect opportunity to practice it.
“That was our approach to that. It didn't work out, but I thought that was good to put them in that situation and it was also good that we bobbled that around and ended up letting Highland get down there deep and then we had to fire up and turn them away. We haven't had to turn a lot of teams away, so that was good. We got something out of it, so that was positive.”
Clark County scored its final touchdown on the first possession of the second half. Plenge caught his third touchdown pass of the game from Allen with 5:23 left in the third quarter.
Allen completed 12 passes for 155 yards, while Plenge finished with nine receptions for 104 yards.
Highland had one more good scoring chance in the third quarter. The Cougars moved the ball to the Clark County 15, but Ethan Horton sacked Ellison for a 20-yard loss on third down. An incomplete pass on fourth down ended the drive.
Clark County hosts Brookfield in the final district game Thursday.
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| Chiefs fall in final seconds |
