BRODHEAD - The Brodhead-Juda football team was celebrating its 25th year as a co-op for homecoming. Former players and marching band members filled the stadium as the current football team bamboozled their way past Clinton, 33-20.
Ethan Douglas ran for 193 yards and Vinnie Mazzarisi tacked on 139 more as the Cardinals rushed for 392 yards as a team on 50 carries.
"We want to run the ball. It's what we want to do," Cardinal head coach Jim Matthys said.
To start the game, Brodhead forced Clinton to punt after just three plays. Quarterback Beau Benner kept the ball on a QB sweep right for 12 yards on the first play of Brodhead's drive. On the next play, Douglas broke a tackle in the backfield and dashed 57 yards for the score and the 7-0 lead.
Clinton's next drive stalled and ended on a turnover on downs at the Brodhead 33-yard line. Brodhead-Juda marched back to Clinton's 18 yard line before giving the ball back themselves. The Cardinals defense, which allowed just 264 total yards on 69 offensive plays, forced yet another three-and-out. Cardinal lineman Jeff Rackow broke through on fourth down and blocked the punt. On the next play, Mazzarisi pounded his way two yards into the end zone. A blocked extra point left Brodhead with a 13-0 lead with 2:08 left to play in the first quarter.
Clinton starting quarterback Gavin North (5/17, 53 yards) worked his team down field but turned the ball over on downs again - this time at Brodhead's 36-yard line. Brodhead-Juda got 11 yard runs from Benner and Mazzarisi and a 6-yard run by Douglas over the next three plays. A play-action pass on the fourth to Douglas went for 19 yards and put the Cardinals at the 17-yard line.
The next play, Benner fumbled on a botched hand-off in the backfield, scrambled around to the right side of the field and crossed the goal line at the pylon for a touchdown. A fake-kick pass failed, but Brodhead led 19-0 with 7:52 left to play in the second quarter.
Clinton punted on its next possession, and Brodhead countered with a 5-play, 60 yard drive that Douglas capped off with a 16-yard run. Another missed opportunity for an extra point gave the Cardinals a 25-0 lead at halftime.
In the second half, Clinton had to switch quarterbacks, as North was injured. His replacement was freshman Aaron Roth (7/16, 135 yards); he showed flashes of brilliance.
That brilliance came after Mazzarisi's second score of the night, a 2-yard dive that was supplemented by a two-point conversion run by Douglas to give the Cardinals a 33-0 lead.
The following kickoff gave Clinton some hope. Cougar kick returner Alex Marchillo took the kick from the 11-yard line on the right side of the field, wheeled around to the left, cut back to the middle at midfield to get by the Cardinal kicker and outran the rest of the defense for the score.
"That kick return was probably the point that we had to start digging ourselves out a little bit," Matthys said.
Two plays later, Benner was intercepted. Roth led his spread offense team downfield and connected with Mike Mulligan for a 21-yard touchdown pass, cutting the lead to 33-14 with eight seconds left in the third quarter.
"(Shotgun and spread) is something you have to work on. It's not something that we see every week. It's one of those things that we try to get some big plays, but we didn't get the interceptions we were hoping for," Matthys said.
Brodhead went 10 plays before losing a fumble. Three plays later, the Cardinals recovered a fumble to get the ball back. The next play, another reversal of fortune came as Benner misplayed the snap. Roth hit Marchillo down field on a 28-yard bullet for a first down just across midfield. Marchillo jumped for the ball and was hit hard in midair but managed to hang on to the ball. However, the Cardinals forced a punt with 5:33 left.
A few possessions later, the Cougars tacked on another Roth to Marchillo pass for a 17-yard score. However, with 2:24 left, Brodhead continued to pound the run and ran out the clock for the win.
"I think the first half we came out ready to play. That's what we wanted to do. The second half we had a few breakdowns that brought them back into the game. But we were still able to get 475 yards of total offense," Matthys said. "Overall it was a good homecoming win."
Brodhead (6-0, 4-0) faces fellow undefeated team Big Foot on Friday.
Ethan Douglas ran for 193 yards and Vinnie Mazzarisi tacked on 139 more as the Cardinals rushed for 392 yards as a team on 50 carries.
"We want to run the ball. It's what we want to do," Cardinal head coach Jim Matthys said.
To start the game, Brodhead forced Clinton to punt after just three plays. Quarterback Beau Benner kept the ball on a QB sweep right for 12 yards on the first play of Brodhead's drive. On the next play, Douglas broke a tackle in the backfield and dashed 57 yards for the score and the 7-0 lead.
Clinton's next drive stalled and ended on a turnover on downs at the Brodhead 33-yard line. Brodhead-Juda marched back to Clinton's 18 yard line before giving the ball back themselves. The Cardinals defense, which allowed just 264 total yards on 69 offensive plays, forced yet another three-and-out. Cardinal lineman Jeff Rackow broke through on fourth down and blocked the punt. On the next play, Mazzarisi pounded his way two yards into the end zone. A blocked extra point left Brodhead with a 13-0 lead with 2:08 left to play in the first quarter.
Clinton starting quarterback Gavin North (5/17, 53 yards) worked his team down field but turned the ball over on downs again - this time at Brodhead's 36-yard line. Brodhead-Juda got 11 yard runs from Benner and Mazzarisi and a 6-yard run by Douglas over the next three plays. A play-action pass on the fourth to Douglas went for 19 yards and put the Cardinals at the 17-yard line.
The next play, Benner fumbled on a botched hand-off in the backfield, scrambled around to the right side of the field and crossed the goal line at the pylon for a touchdown. A fake-kick pass failed, but Brodhead led 19-0 with 7:52 left to play in the second quarter.
Clinton punted on its next possession, and Brodhead countered with a 5-play, 60 yard drive that Douglas capped off with a 16-yard run. Another missed opportunity for an extra point gave the Cardinals a 25-0 lead at halftime.
In the second half, Clinton had to switch quarterbacks, as North was injured. His replacement was freshman Aaron Roth (7/16, 135 yards); he showed flashes of brilliance.
That brilliance came after Mazzarisi's second score of the night, a 2-yard dive that was supplemented by a two-point conversion run by Douglas to give the Cardinals a 33-0 lead.
The following kickoff gave Clinton some hope. Cougar kick returner Alex Marchillo took the kick from the 11-yard line on the right side of the field, wheeled around to the left, cut back to the middle at midfield to get by the Cardinal kicker and outran the rest of the defense for the score.
"That kick return was probably the point that we had to start digging ourselves out a little bit," Matthys said.
Two plays later, Benner was intercepted. Roth led his spread offense team downfield and connected with Mike Mulligan for a 21-yard touchdown pass, cutting the lead to 33-14 with eight seconds left in the third quarter.
"(Shotgun and spread) is something you have to work on. It's not something that we see every week. It's one of those things that we try to get some big plays, but we didn't get the interceptions we were hoping for," Matthys said.
Brodhead went 10 plays before losing a fumble. Three plays later, the Cardinals recovered a fumble to get the ball back. The next play, another reversal of fortune came as Benner misplayed the snap. Roth hit Marchillo down field on a 28-yard bullet for a first down just across midfield. Marchillo jumped for the ball and was hit hard in midair but managed to hang on to the ball. However, the Cardinals forced a punt with 5:33 left.
A few possessions later, the Cougars tacked on another Roth to Marchillo pass for a 17-yard score. However, with 2:24 left, Brodhead continued to pound the run and ran out the clock for the win.
"I think the first half we came out ready to play. That's what we wanted to do. The second half we had a few breakdowns that brought them back into the game. But we were still able to get 475 yards of total offense," Matthys said. "Overall it was a good homecoming win."
Brodhead (6-0, 4-0) faces fellow undefeated team Big Foot on Friday.
