Sept. 25, 2004, 10:13AM

Clear Lake wins one on the run

Falcons gain all of their yards on the ground in toppling Pearland

By NIKI HERBERT
 

LEAGUE CITY - It's easy to marvel at the speed of Clear Lake's running attack.

Quarterback Scott Oswald is deceptively fast. Elrick Jones, Geno Blow and Ronnie Feaster combine power with their nimble feet in the backfield.

But what really gets the offense clicking is the brains behind the moves. In Clear Lake's 35-27 win against Pearland in the District 24-5A opener for both teams Friday night, it was Oswald's precise decision-making and solid execution from his supporting cast that provided the difference.

"What can you say about a team effort," Clear Lake coach Troy Aduddell said.

"I tell you what, we stepped up and they played possibly their best game in the face of adversity (with three starters out). This is the best I've seen them play."

Oswald rushed for a game-high 237 yards and three touchdowns. Clear Lake (5-0, 1-0) amassed 349 yards - all on the ground. Oswald scored the game-clinching touchdown on a six-yard run with 2:23 left to give the Falcons a 35-21 lead.

"We did an awesome job tonight with our offensive linemen blocking and receivers blocking downfield," Oswald said. "We're clicking on all cylinders right now on offense."

Clear Lake led 21-14 at halftime behind two Oswald rushing touchdowns. Oswald broke a tie at 14 when he scored on a 13-yard run, which was highlighted by a juke on Pearland's Quinton Moore.

Oswald ran off the left side and as he turned up the field toward the end zone, Moore - the Oilers' strong safety who was the defensive co-MVP of 23-5A last season - stood waiting. Oswald got within an arm's length of Moore, faked left and ran right for the score.

"The quarterback does a great job, but I don't think enough credit goes to that line," Pearland coach Tony Heath said. "Their offensive line gets in your legs; they get you caught up, and it's very tough to get on the quarterback.

"The quarterback - give him all the credit. But I think their offensive line did a tremendous job."

The Falcons scored on their first two possessions, taking a 7-0 lead on Oswald's three-yard run with 7:47 left in the first quarter.

Pearland's Jake Moylan trimmed the lead to 7-3 on a 35-yard field goal.

But Clear Lake answered on its ensuing drive, going 76 yards in six plays with Jones capping it with a three-yard run at the end on the final play of the first.

Moylan made it 14-6 with a 39-yard field goal midway through the second quarter.

After Clear Lake failed to get much offense on its next drive, Pearland (4-1, 0-1) tied the game at 14 when fullback Michael Speciale scored on a one-yard run and ran in the two-point conversion.

"When you play a team like that, you have to play every ball," Heath said. "They're pretty good. We said they needed to make a few turnovers, and they didn't. "Our team played hard. I have no objection with what our team did. But we've got to fight back." "Our team played hard. I have no objection with what our team did. But we've got to fight back."

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