Dragons roar early but fall to Panthers
Clinton quarterback Mason Eckerson looks downfield for an open receiver during the Dragons’ 49-31 loss to Powell on Friday night, Oct. 23. Eckerson completed 27 of 49 passes for 343 yards and four touchdowns against the Panthers. (photo:Tony Cox )
The win clinched the Region 2-5A title for Powell, which improved to 8-1 overall and 6-0 in region play. Clinton fell to 3-6, 3-3 but still has a shot at the playoffs if it can defeat Halls in its regular-season and home finale Thursday.
The Dragons’ game against the Panthers featured a combined 802 yards in total offense, 124 plays and 32 possessions but also 32 penalties and 10 fumbles. Clinton, behind the passing and running of quarterback Mason Eckerson, racked up 399 total yards. The Dragon offense had 17 of the 32 series in the contest. The Panthers drew 17 penalties for 167 yards while the Dragons were flagged 15 times for 116 yards.
Eckerson went 27-for-49 through the air for 343 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions and caught an 11-yard pass from receiver Will Young on a trick play. Young caught a game-high 11 passes for 92 yards and a TD while teammate Austyn Phillips grabbed six passes for 90 yards and two scores. Brenden Hayden added three catches for 89 yards and a TD and returned an interception 51 yards for the visitors.
Clinton kicker Manny Ortiz went 4-for-4 on extra points, reaching 100 career point-afters made, and connected on a 39-yard field goal to end the first half.
Ziyer Oliver paced Clinton’s defense with 14 tackles and a forced fumble. Reed White made 12 tackles with a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery, and Charlie Turbyville collected 10 tackles. Jaxson Alcorn and Hayden also made a sack for the Dragons, and Torpedo Rodriguez and Davontae Fortson recovered fumbles.
Powell quarterback, former Dragon Jaylon Benjamin, threw 13 times for 20 yards and 185 yards with three TDs and an interception against his former team. Panther running back Keshawn Thomas had 13 carries for 117 yards and a score.
Rodriguez recovered a Benjamin fumble after a Reed sack on the first possession of the game, but Powell tallied first when Jamison Smith stripped Young of the ball on a screen pass and Isaias Amador returned the fumble 38 yards for a touchdown. Hunter Dryer made the first of his seven extra points to give Powell a 7-0 lead.
The Dragons tied the game after Eckerson ran 29 yards to set up a 27-yard TD pass to Young, who caught his own tip in the end zone.
Powell went up 14-7 with 8 seconds left in the first quarter on a 7-yard TD run by Johonauan Moore.
Clinton attempted a 41-yard field goal in the second stanza, but Ortiz’s boot was blocked by Joshua Kay. Eckerson later hit Phillips for a 48-yard TD pass to tie the game at 14-all.
Ortiz’s field goal as time expired gave Clinton a 17-14 halftime lead.
An interception by Damere Askew led to a 6-yard Benjamin TD pass to Dezion Jackson to give Powell the lead for good at 21-17 in the third quarter. Jackson threw a 35-yard TD pass to Merron Middleton moments later for a 28-17 advantage.
Hayden caught a 40-yard Eckerson toss that was first ruled as an interception, setting up an 18-yard TD pass to Phillips.
Powell answered with an 18-yard run by Thomas before Hayden reeled in a 47-yard Eckerson TD pass to bring Clinton within 35-31 going into the fourth period.
The Panthers provided the final margin on a 1-yard run by Owen Dyke and a 33-yard pass from Benjamin to Dalvin Farmer.