Win a must if Lake wants chance at football playoffs
Falcons blank Clear Brook 17-0;
tied with three others with 2-2 district marks
by Chuck Hlava
November 6, 2002
Clear Lake Citizen
Wouldn't you know it, Brazoswood has come to life and into the District
24-5A football playoff picture in the last two weeks by beating a couple
of favored teams. Now the post-season lineup from the district is a little
more muddled. With only one game remaining four teams with identical 2-2
district records are vying for two playoff spots.
Unbeaten Clear Creek (4-0 and 8-0), by virtue of its win over Galveston
Ball on Saturday is the 24-5A outright champion. That's the only given.
The
four others, going alphabetically: 1. Alvin (2-2
in district), one of the strong favorites prior to the season, faces
elimination if it loses to Clear Creek in the regular season finale on
Friday; 2. Ball (2-2) may not make it either, especially if it drops
Friday's game to Clear Lake; 3. Brazoswood (2-2) has been taken off
life-support with back-to-back wins over Ball and Alvin. If the Bucs
defeat winless Clear Brook (0-4) they're in, no matter what; 4. Clear Lake
(2-2) has to defeat Galveston AND Clear Creek has to defeat Alvin in order
for the Falcons to make the playoffs.
For
those who like to do their own match, here's what happened this season in
head-to-head encounters: Alvin defeated Clear Lake, Clear Lake defeated
Brazoswood, Brazoswood defeated Alvin and Galveston Ball. Galveston Ball
defeated Alvin.
Last
week Clear Creek hung on to defeat Ball 16-13 to clinch the 24-5A crown.
Clear Lake defeated Clear Brook 17-0 and Brazoswood edged Alvin 43-42 in
overtime.
Clear
Lake had a tough time getting started against the Wolverines. The week
prior to that, against Clear Creek, the Falcons came out blazing from
first snap. Not on Friday.
Clear
Brook' defense set the Falcons on their heels with a three and out on
Lake's initial drive, driving the offense back behind the ten yard line.
Brook did a little better on its first sortie. The Wolverines made it to
Lake's 35 where and had an opportunity to score but quarterback Corey
Sonnier overthrew a wide open Morgan Taylor. Another receiver, Robert
Maxey, was open at the goal line. Brook then attempted a 52-yard field
goal, which fell short.
The
teams then traded series and Lake's ended also with a failed try when Duff
was wide left on a 33-yard attempt at the end of the first period.
The
Falcons didn't score until 7:57 of the second period, and that drive of 44
yards and seven plays had to get a jump start due to a Brook turnover.
That's when defensive back Michael Nemer intercepted a Brook pass at the
Wolverine 44. Running back Chris Sprott carried the ball four times for 30
yards on that drive, the last one three yards to the one. From there
quarterback Michael Fritz dove in for the score and Tommy Duff's kick made
it 7-0.
Clear
Lake took a 10-0 halftime lead when it marched 58 yards on a combination
of runs and passes, ending with Duff's 31-yard field goal with 1:26 left
in the half.
The
final score came when Sprott put the game out of reach with 3:48 left in
the fourth quarter from five yards out. Duff's point-after made it 17-0.
While
Clear Lake's offense was by no means awesome (136 rushing yards, 94
passing), Clear Brook was kept under 70 yards total offense for the second
consecutive contest. Sprott led the rushing
parade with 61 yards on 16 carries. Fritz was 9-of-17 for those 94 yards,
and had no interceptions.
Sonnier
was 3-12-1 for 34 yards. The Wolverines' top rusher was Adrian Callis, who
had four carries for 15 yards
