ADAMS TOWNSHIP — With an overwhelming ground game, Clinton-Massie ran over Batavia Friday night at Frank Irelan Field.

Clinton-Massie rushed for 202 yards in the first quarter, averaged more than 11 yards per carry in the first half and simply outmatched an upstart and short-handed Batavia squad that wasn’t quite ready for prime time.

The Bulldogs came into the game unbeaten in the American Division and 7-1 overall. With several impressive wins, Batavia had to feel like it had a chance to unseat Clinton-Massie from its lofty SBAAC perch.

Right from the start, that wasn’t happening.

Cooper Carmack accounted for 164 total yards and two touchdowns in the first half and Peyton Warren added 134 yards on the ground and two more scores as Massie held a 41-0 halftime lead.

The game was billed as an SBAAC Showdown between a pair of Southwest Ohio titans. Batavia’s passing game was set to challenge the Falcons secondary while the Massie ground game was in prime position to run at the Bulldogs.

With the return of center Owen Long, the Clinton-Massie ground game was in high gear from the opening drive.

Batavia played without Max Mehlman who did not dress for the game. He had 57 receptions for 912 yards and 13 touchdowns through eight weeks. His sidekick in the BHS receiver room Marcus Hughbanks came in with 50 catches for 1,016 yards and 12 TDs. Hughbanks finished with two catches for six yards against the vaunted Falcons DBs.

With Long leading the way up front, Massie ran the ball 30 times on the first 31 plays. That 32nd play was a scoring pass from Kaden Zantene to Carmack, who finished with a big game just a week after not playing against Western Brown.

With the offense clicking, the CM defense regrouped after a sluggish first series. Batavia had 27 of its 63 first half yards on the first drive but then struggled until well into the second half when the Falcons were substituting liberally with younger players. Ty Clutter led a physical, hard-hitting Massie defense with four tackles but it was as swarming, ball-hawking team effort that held one of the best offenses in the state to its worst night of the season.

SUMMARY

Oct 18, 2024

@Frank Irelan Field

Falcons 41 Bulldogs 8

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First Quarter

CM-Brady Dillion 1 yard run (Jack Thamann PAT) 7:55

CM-Cooper Carmack 69 yard run (Jack Thamann PAT) 2:15

Second Quarter

CM-Peyton Warren 7 yard run (Jack Thamann PAT) 11:53

CM-Peyton Warren 44 yard run (Jack Thamann PAT) 8:50

CM-Cooper Carmack 20 yard pass from Kaden Zantene (Jack Thamann PAT) 2:14

CM-Brady Dillion 21 yard run (PAT Failed) 45.5

Third Quarter

No scoring

Fourth Quarter

B-Antonio Pastura Jr. 9 yard run (Carson Harris to Bryce Eads) 7:59