By Tyler F. Thompson (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
NOTE: This story was updated to correct a misidentification of one of the players who scored a touchdown for Clever.
FAIR GROVE, Mo. — The 4-1 Clever Blue Jays knew the chance was there was a chance to pick up a huge Mid-Lakes Conference win on Saturday evening in Fair Grove.
The Jays swarmed together to best the Eagles (3-2) on their home turf, 13-10, for the come-from-behind win.
“Our whole mindset right now is 1-0. We try to think about the next game on our schedule as our most important game,” said Clever first-year head coach Mac Whitehead. “As far as the program, we are starting to see from fruition from our youth football. We have always had really good athletes. We have made such great strides since I took over in the wintertime.”
The Eagles amassed 105 yards of offense in the opening half, turned over the rock twice but came away with the buzzer-beating field goal to take the 3-0 lead to the locker room.
Conversely, the Jays had a mere 26 yards of total offense in the first half.
Much to the chagrin of the host Eagles, it ignited a spark in the locker room.
The play of the game undoubtedly came on senior Braden Baker’s 69-yard connection with Lucas Peebles, who evaded defenders down the far sideline for the score with 8:06 remaining in the fourth and with his Jays down 10-6.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
Kendall Piper splits time at tailback and linebacker, and job one on defense was stopping the run — making the Eagles one-dimensional.
Said Piper: “We knew they were a really big run-heavy offense, so our goal was to stop the run and let the passing game try and beat us. Came out with the win.”
The tight, often-times chippy, play was exactly what the Jays had expected and embraced.
“Oh, yeah. For years now, Fair Grove has been our rival,” said Piper. “This is our first win in program history. Very excited. When it was 3-0, Coach just said to run our stuff and calm down.”
This marks the first time in program history that Clever has authored a 4-1 record.
Quintin Lemmer found paydirt on his 9-yard run early in the third to give the Jays their first lead of the game.
The Eagles responded with a 9-play drive as Gage Hill pulled down the fade route in the end zone for the 11-yard score as the Eagles regained the lead, 10-6, setting the table for Piper’s big play.
CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO OF THE GAME
It wasn’t always seamless for either team, as countless flags and turnovers prevented either team from pulling away.
The grittiness, the resolve was evident, though.
And the Clever coaches noticed.
“We talk all the time, our big [mantra] is going to be ebbs and flows. We don’t want to get too high and too low; we want to live right in the middle,” said Whitehead.
Clever (4-1) hosts Buffalo (1-4) next week. Fair Grove (3-2) welcomes in Springfield Catholic (5-0) in Week 6.
