Elizabeth Clark | News Journal
ADAMS TOWNSHIP — From the opening kick, Coldwater dominated Clinton-Massie like few teams have in recent years.
The Cavaliers came to town, raced out to a 28-0 lead and cruised to a 31-15 win at Frank Irelan Field.
“We knew that was going to be a state-caliber team,” Clinton-Massie head coach Dan McSurley said after the game. “There’s only maybe two or three teams in the state that can beat them. They overwhelmed us with speed and execution.”
The Falcons (1-1) couldn’t move the ball in the first half. They didn’t get a first down until the first play of the second half.
On the other side of the ball, the defense struggled to stop Coldwater in the first half.
“They really came out and smacked us in the face,” said McSurley. “We tried to run power football, we just didn’t have the horses to do it. Their five linebackers were very, very good, elite linebackers.”
A key sequence in the first half came after the Cavaliers went up 8-0. On a third and five play for Massie’s offense, Kaden Zantene threw an interception. The Falcon defense, though, came up with a stop to force a Cavs punt. However, Peyton Warren fumbled the kick and Coldwater recovered at the CM 18. Five plays later, Coldwater scored and went up 15-0.
McSurley said the Falcons should have learned “a lot from this game” and that’s why you play teams like Coldwater who are likely going to win an eighth state championship in program history.
”I look at the bright side,” McSurley said. “If we hadn’t played a team like that, we would never have known … there was no way we could ever improve and get better. That’s why you play programs like this and we’ll have another one next week (at Tri-Valley). And we’re going to have a Harrison team come in. It doesn’t get any easier. We had a reality check. We got out-physicaled, out-executed. We weren’t ready to play, discipline-wise, speed-wise it was overwhelming.”
Clinton-Massie had just 131 yards of total offense while Coldwater gained 319. The Falcons averaged 3.5 yards per carry for the game but had just 12 yards on 11 first half rushing attempts.
SUMMARY
Aug 30, 2024
@Frank Irelan Field
Cavaliers 31, Falcons 15
CW^15^13^0^3^^31
CM^0^0^7^8^^15
First Quarter
CW-Miles Pottkotter 4 yard run (Baylen Blockberger pass to Brady Lefeld) 6:38
CW-Cadin Obringer 8 yard pass from Baylen Blockberger (Bryce Couchot PAT) 1:02
Second Quarter
CW-Mason Welsch 28 yard pass from Baylen Blockberger (Bryce Couchot PAT) 7:27
CW-Cadin Obringer 3 yard pass from Baylen Blockberger (Conversion failed) 26.4
Third Quarter
CM-Logan Chesser 15 yard pass from Kaden Zantene (Jack Thamann PAT) 2:40
Fourth Quarter
CW-Bryce Couchot 38 yard field goal 11:51
CM-Logan Chesser 1 yard run (Cash Mounce pass from Kaden Zantene) 6:09
STATISTICS
CM: 9 first downs, 32-113 rushing, 1-4-1 for 15 yards passing, 1 fumble lost, 2-20 penalties
CW: 18 first downs, 38-204 rushing, 9-13-0 for 115 yards passing, 0 fumbles lost, 7-49 penalties
INDIVIDUALS
CLINTON-MASSIE
RUSHING: Eli Muterspaw 8-36-0, Peyton Warren 6-29-0, Kaden Zantene 6-28-0, Logan Chesser 12-20-1
PASSING: Kaden Zantene 1-4-1, 15 yards, 1 TD
RECEIVING: Logan Chesser 1-15-1
TACKLES: Eli Ruther 0.5, Ty Martin 3, Brendan Musser 2, Mason Martini 1, Nolan Phipps 8.5, Brady Russell 3.5, Cooper Carmack 1, Bret Gray 1, Tye Clutter 7.5, Peyton Brewer 5, Brady Dillon 0.5, Tristan Trampler 3, Hunter Monds 7.5
COLDWATER
RUSHING: Miles Pottkotter 11-71-1, Braxton Taylor 10-55-0, Baylen Blockberger 10-50-0, Cody Depweg 4-24-0, Caleb Schroer 1-3-0, Ethan Elander 2-1-0
PASSING: Baylen Blockberger 9-13-0, 115 yards, 3 TD
RECEIVING: Mason Welsch 4-89-1, Cadin Obringer 4-25-2, Ethan Elander 1-1-0
