Javen Cook’s 122 yards rushing and Chris Boyd’s 142 yards on kickoff returns were keys to Clinton’s important 56-22 region win Friday night at Landrum.
Clinton took control of Region 1, AA in going 2-0 in region play among four teams. Winning this region is important because the champion keeps home field advantage as long as they are winning in the AA State Playoffs. Because of realignment for this season and next, Clinton is playing unfamiliar foes in a region this season – this was the first-ever football game between the Red Devils and the Cardinals.
Cook scored Clinton’s second touchdown, after Boyd’s kickoff return resulted in the Red Devils’ first touchdown, both in the first quarter.
Then, Clinton took control of the game on Boyd’s 27-yard TD catch, DJ Clark’s scoring reception with 21 seconds left in the first half, and Clinton’s drive after taking the second half kickoff. Clark found paydirt on a short run as Clinton put its 42nd point on the board (sandwiched among those three scores was Landrum’s one score, QB Ty Foster’s broken field scoring run).
Clinton quarterback Tushawan Richardson – last week’s Laurens County Touchdown Club’s player of the week – completed 6 passes in 12 attempts to lead Clinton’s 148 yards through the air, adding to 203 yards rushing.
Landrum’s 433 total yards was close to Clinton’s 451 and had nearly the same balance – 139 through the air and 294 rushing. Landrum had been averaging 38.8 points per game.
When the game was still close – 14-10 in Clinton’s favor as the first quarter ended – a Clinton punt pinned Landrum at its own 1-yard line; however, Foster broke contain for a long run, finished off with a Clinton personal foul, putting Landrum at the Devils’ 45. The Cardinals eventually punted and the result with 8 minutes to play before halftime was a Clark TD run and a Maison Tinsley 2-point conversion. On Landrum’s next drive, Clinton’s KJ Smith recovered a fumble at the Red Devil 28.
That set the stage for Clinton taking control of the game, at the end of the first half and the first possession of the third quarter, scoring 3 touchdowns to Landrum’s 1 touchdown; and Brett Young’s pick-six pushed Clinton’s lead to 49-16. Both teams added fourth quarter scores.
Homecoming is next for Clinton, this Friday, facing Blacksburg in their third Region 1, AA contest. After a bye week, Clinton finishes the season at Liberty, in a region-play-opening game that was postponed by Hurricane Helene.
