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A small lead by the Des Moines Christian Lions in the first quarter was one the Indians found themselves struggling to overcome in Friday’s Hero’s Game, ultimately falling short 44-35.
Q1: The Lions received the ball to start the game, forced to punt on lack of downs with Clarke taking over at their own 29 looking for a first down of their own. On a 3rd and 10, Jack Cooley attempted to pass to Ashton Giza but was forced to throw out of bounds after advancement of Lion defenders. Oscar Castro kicked from the 45, but his kick was blocked.
Des Moines Christian found themselves again on a fourth down with six yards to go at their own 39, with quarterback Tate Platte punting the ball out of bounds. Clarke took back over at the 46 and made their way down to the 31-yard line before being stopped. Cooley passes to Brock Watson and Jesus Vega both went just out of reach, turning the ball back over to Des Moines Christian at their 31.
A series of flags on Clarke and short passes for the Lions brought them closer to the goal, with a successful handoff from Platte to Ty Andrews in for the first six points of the game. A kick attempt for point after by Gianna Bennett brought the score to 7-0 in Des Moines Christian’s favor.
Shay Mathews received for the Indians near the 10 and made it to about the 25 before being taken down. Cooley managed a first down at the 40, but two flags on the following play - including an illegal forward pass - brought the ball back to the 35. Cooley ran again for a first down after an attempt to pass to Watson, and came down three short. Another pass attempt to Watson fell incomplete, and a timeout let the clock run out on the first quarter.
Q2:
A handoff from Cooley to Drake Moore saw him break three tackles before being taken down at the Lion’s 30-yard line. A series of short passes brought the Indians closer to the goal, and a few plays later Giza made it in for an Indian touchdown. A kick by Castro tied the score at 7-7.
With the Lions back in possession, they made their way back down the field in a series of plays before Bennett attempted a roughly 37-yard field goal for three points; the kick was good.
The Indians returned to the scoreboard, with plays to gain them first downs the other way down the gridiron for Cooley to run the ball in on fourth and goal, followed by a good kick from Castro.
With about 90 seconds left in the quarter, Des Moines Christian received the ball at the goal line and ran it across the 40 before being brought down. A long pass from Platte and an offsides penalty against Clarke brought the Lions to the 12, and Platte ran for a 12-yard touchdown. Bennett kicked for the extra point to widen the score by three again 17-14.
A squib kick was picked up by Castro with just over a minute left, and the clock ran out on the quarter near the 40 on a 3rd and 11.
Q3:
Starting at their own 30, Clarke played their way to the Lion’s 35, making small gains on plays to get inside the 10 for 1st and goal from the three. Cooley handed off to Moore for a touchdown. An attempt at an extra point left Cooley struggling with the snap, forced to roll out to try for two-points on a pass to Cole White. Flags on Des Moines Christian for pass interference moved the ball inside the 10, and this time the ball found Cooley’s hand for Castro to kick for the extra point to push Clarke ahead 21-17.
A big completion on a play by Platte to Jake Kistenmacher. Platte and Kistenmacher got the ball to the the three, and Andrews punched it in for another six. A flag on the extra point attempt negated the point, and a subsequent kick by Bennett was blocked by Castro to leave the Lions just two points ahead of the Indians 23-21.
On their turn, the Indians had to punt on a first down, but the pass to Castro saw the ball bounce and him have to run it himself for the Lions to take over at Clarke’s 31. Passes from Platte and flags brought the Lions to first and goal, and a handoff to Tyler Drefke followed by an extra point put the widened the score 30-21 with two and a half minutes left in the quarter.
Clarke made it to the Lion’s 15 on 2nd and 7 as the clock ran out.
Q4:
Quickly into the final quarter, Cooley made a touchdown to bring the Indians three points behind, narrowed to two after Castro kicked the extra point. A big first down rush by Lion’s Wyatt O’Dell brought them back down the field, and soon another seven points were added to their score 37-28.
Clarke answered the points in the next minute and a half, with Watson breaking away from tackles to get a touchdown and Castro in for the extra point 37-35.
Another series of long passes and drives by the Lions soon saw them up to 44 points in the game.
The Indians worked for the next four and a half minutes to get back to the Lion’s end zone, with a pass caught by Watson in the back corner negated by a false start against Clarke. Moved back to the 9, Cooley’s pass attempt was batted away from the receiver, and Clarke had to turn the ball back over on lack of downs.
With the ball back in Platte’s hands, he took a knee twice to end the game.
Homecoming game
Clarke hosts Centerville (1-2) Friday for Homecoming. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
Game stats
Points by quarter
DSM: 7–10–13–14 - 44
C: 0–14–7–14 - 35
PASSING (passing-attempts-touchdowns-interceptions)
Cooley - 19/33–2–0 for 282 yds
RUSHING (carries-yds-TDs-longest for TD)
Cooley - 17–25–1–4
Ashton Giza - 1–15–0–0
OScar Castro - 1–7–0–0
Shay Mathews - 6–5–0–0
Drake Moore - 13–49–2–10
Team - 38–101–3–10
RECEIVING (receptions-yds-TDs-longest for TD)
Giza - 5–26–1–5
Jesus Vega - 2–18–0–0
Brock Watson - 9–179–1–0
Cole White - 3–59–0–0
Team - 19–282–2–5
DEFENSE (total tackles-solo-sacks-for loss)
Cooley - 1.0–1–0–0
Giza - 4.5–4–0–0
Castro - 6.0–6–0–0
Vega - 1.0–1–0–0
Eli Fry - 1.0–1–0–0
Alec Wright - 1.0–1–0–0
Mathews - 2.0–2–0–0
Nash Bishop - 1.0–1–0–0
Watson - 2.0–2–0–0
Brock Nall - 3.0–1–0–0
Moore - 5.0–5–0–0
COle Binning - 3.5–2–0–0
Shawn McAfee - 7.0–6–0–3.0
White - 3.0–1–0–0
Team - 41.0–34–0–3.0
KICKING (kickoffs-yds-pts/attempts-pts)
Castro - 3–171–5/5–5
Rafael Avalos - 3–173–0/0–0
Team - 6–344–5/5–5