Rivalry matchup
Wildcats roar past Dragons despite Maddox’s firepower
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Clinton’s Aalijah Davidson (2) slips past Oak Ridge’s Rush Douglas (24) on the opening kickoff of Friday night’s rivalry game at Blankenship Field. Davidson returned two kick- offs for 39 yards and had 100 yards rushing on 15 carries in the Dragons’ 48-21 loss. - Tony Cox
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extra points for a 7-0 Clinton lead with 9:08 left in the first quarter. The Wildcats then turned the ball over on downs. The Dragons, hurt by an 8-yard sack of Benjamin by Amonte Bishop, were forced to punt on their next drive. Blane Collins booted the ball 48 yards, but it was returned 20 yards to the Dragon 36 by Ja’Rell Jemerson. Oak Ridge scored in five plays, capped by a 9-yard TD pass from Stansberry to Will The Wildcats started their next drive at their own 44 and needed just four plays to tally again. Stansberry hit Jemerson for a 30-yard gain on the first play, and Jermi- chael Howard, in relief of Porter, scored on a 7-yard run for a 21-14 lead with 5:51 showing. Pearson, who had five touchbacks on the night, backed up the Dragons to their own 20 with another kick into the end zone. Clinton turned the ball over on downs after trying a fake punt from its own 26-yard line. Oak Ridge took pos- session and scored in six plays, with Stansberry calling his own number on a 2-yard touchdown run — the Wildcats’ fourth TD of the quarter — and a 28-14 lead with 1:43 left in the half. Clinton opened the second half at its 20 after another Pearson touch- back, going on a 14-play scoring drive that took 7:12 off the clock. Benjamin was sacked by Tevoirea Threat and Tobja Walters, and was relieved by Nelson for one play. The Drag- ons’ No. 2 quarterback promptly lobbed a 34- yard pass to Maddox. Three penalties on Oak Ridge helped the Dragons move deep into Wildcat territory. Maddox ended the drive by catching a 14-yard TD pass from Benjamin. The Dragons trailed 28-21 at that point with 4:48 to go in the yards and two touch- downs on his 20 carries. Defensively, Cody Miller led the Mavericks with 11 tackles, includ- ing one tackle for loss and a sack. Anderson County will host crosstown rival Clinton (2-4) on Friday in a non-region game. Clinton is coming off a 48-21 Region 3-5A loss to Oak Ridge. 100224 Farm Day 2x4.indd TONY COX | THE COURIER NEWS Clinton senior receiver Bo Wright picks up a few extra - Tony Cox
Despite stellar efforts from Clinton receiver Bryson Maddox and defensive player Bo Wright, the host Oak Ridge Wildcats powered their way to a 48-21 victory over the Dragons on Friday at Blankenship Field.
Maddox hauled in 10 catches for 217 yards and all three Clinton touchdowns. He became the first Dragon receiver with a 200-yard game since J’Quan Thomas caught 16 passes for 237 yards against Anderson County in 2016.
Wright made a school-record 23 tackles for the Dragons, breaking the mark of 22 set last season by D’mon Marable.
The game between the longtime rivals last week left Clinton with a record of 2-4 overall and 1-1 in Region 3-5A. Oak Ridge improved to 3-2, 2-0. The Wildcats avenged their season-ending playoff loss to Clinton in 2023.
Dragon starting quarterback Jaylon Benjamin finished the game 10-for-19 passing for 161 yards and three touchdowns.
Camden Nelson followed him and went 5-for-12 for 131 yards. Each signal-caller threw an interception.
Donnavin Pencek caught a game-best 67-yard pass for Clinton.
Running back Aalijah Davidson added 100 yards on 15 carries.
Ryker Armes made 10 tackles for the Dragons and Jaxon Herrell eight.
Lucas Butz added five tackles, including a sack and another tackle for loss totaling 10 yards.
Damillyan Porter rushed 17 times for 151 yards and a score for Oak Ridge.
Rush Douglas added seven carries for 90 yards, and Jermichael Howard had five for 35 yards, each with a TD.
Wildcat quarterback Blaine Stansberry went 10-for-20 passing for 155 yards and three TDs, and rushed for another score.
Tyree Porter and Dallas Frendt made interceptions for the Wildcat defense, and Porter also recovered a fumble.
Penalties plagued the Wildcats, and at one point things got so chippy between the teams that they were ordered to their respective sidelines.
Oak Ridge amassed 16 penalties for 150 yards, and Clinton had eight for 58 yards total.
The Dragons forced an Oak Ridge punt on the game’s opening possession, partly because of Butz’s third-down sack of Stansberry.
Taking over at its own 32-yard line, Clinton marched 86 yards in four plays for a score.
Davidson reeled off a 44-yard run to the Oak Ridge 18-yard line. Benjamin found an open Maddox over the middle on the next play, and the Dragon receiver shook off one tackle and walked into the end zone.
Emanuel Ortiz kicked the first of his three extra points for a 7-0 Clinton lead with 9:08 left in the first quarter.
The Wildcats then turned the ball over on downs. The Dragons, hurt by an 8-yard sack of Benjamin by Amonte Bishop, were forced to punt on their next drive.
Blane Collins booted the ball 48 yards, but it was returned 20 yards to the Dragon 36 by Ja’Rell Jemerson.
Oak Ridge scored in five plays, capped by a 9-yard TD pass from Stansberry to Will Pressley. Pearson, who was 6-for-6 on extra points, made it a 7-7 game with 11:15 left in the half.
Porter recovered a Dragon fumble on the Clinton 39 moments later, and it took just two plays for the Wildcats to reach paydirt.
After an incomplete pass, Porter made his longest run of the night, going around left end 39 yards for a touchdown.
Oak Ridge was up 14-7 with 8:24 on the clock.
Big plays helped the Dragons tie the score quickly. Benjamin hit Maddox on a 35-yard pass. Two plays later, Benjamin tossed a short pass to Maddox on the left sideline, and he broke away from the first defender and made a beeline diagonally for the center of the field and into the end zone to complete a 48-yard TD run.
Ortiz’s kick tied the score at 14-14 with 7:20 left in the half.
The Wildcats started their next drive at their own 44 and needed just four plays to tally again. Stansberry hit Jemerson for a 30-yard gain on the first play, and Jermichael Howard, in relief of Porter, scored on a 7-yard run for a 21-14 lead with 5:51 showing.
Pearson, who had five touchbacks on the night, backed up the Dragons to their own 20 with another kick into the end zone. Clinton turned the ball over on downs after trying a fake punt from its own 26-yard line.
Oak Ridge took possession and scored in six plays, with Stansberry calling his own number on a 2-yard touchdown run — the Wildcats’ fourth TD of the quarter — and a 28-14 lead with 1:43 left in the half.
Clinton opened the second half at its 20 after another Pearson touchback, going on a 14-play scoring drive that took 7:12 off the clock.
Benjamin was sacked by Tevoirea Threat and Tobja Walters, and was relieved by Nelson for one play. The Dragons’ No. 2 quarterback promptly lobbed a 34-yard pass to Maddox.
Three penalties on Oak Ridge helped the Dragons move deep into Wildcat territory.
Maddox ended the drive by catching a 14-yard TD pass from Benjamin. The Dragons trailed 28-21 at that point with 4:48 to go in the third period.
Oak Ridge responded with a 40-yard scoring pass from Stansberry to Pressley that gave the hosts a 35-21 lead with 2:24 left in the third.
Porter intercepted Benjamin two plays later and returned it to the Dragon 16.
A pair of plays after that, Stansberry found Malik Howard for a 12-yard touchdown pass and a 42-21 lead with 41.8 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Maddox caught a 21-yard pass from Benjamin, and Nelson entered the game as the fourth quarter began. Each team turned the ball over on downs before Frendt intercepted Nelson and Oak Ridge punted.
Nelson connected with Pencek on a 67-yard pass, but the Dragons turned the ball over on downs at the Wildcat 15.
The Wildcats drove 93 yards in 10 plays to cap the scoring, with Douglas crossing the goal line on a 31-yard run with 1:05 left in the game.
New kicker Frankie Orteiza’s extra point missed.
Clinton faces its other county rival this Friday when the Dragons travel to Anderson County.