It can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but Clay Center had no problem doing just that on Friday. In a tight match that could have gone either way, they made off with a 47-46 victory over the Pratt Greenbacks. The Tigers' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Leading Clay Center to victory were Jace Weller and Eisaac Girton. Weller picked up 123 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while Girton gained 122 total yards and two touchdowns. Clay Center is 3-1 when Weller posts two or more receiving touchdowns, but 2-3 otherwise. Dalton Mccann made the highlight reel by snagging an interception and taking it all the way to the house.
Clay Center didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Weller, Mccann, and Walker Henry picked up one apiece.
Several Greenbacks players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Owen Schmidt, who picked up 108 receiving yards and a touchdown, and also punched in a touchdown on the ground. Schmidt also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, making four total tackles and defending a pass. Caleb Strong was another key player, gaining 65 total yards and two touchdowns.
Clay Center is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four games, which provided a nice bump to their 5-4 record this season. As for Pratt, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 6-3.
Clay Center will square off against Andale at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Andale is coming into the matchup with five straight wins at home, so Clay Center will have to stop a squad with plenty of momentum. Pratt does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
