Clayton hasn't had much luck against Cleveland recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Comets will be playing in front of their home fans against the Rams at 7:30 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Clayton gave up the first points on Friday, but they didn't let that get them down. They walked away with a 34-22 win over Garner. The victory continues a trend for the Comets in their matchups with the Trojans: they've now won four in a row.
Clayton had a senior duo take command as Aiden Smalls rushed for 50 yards and two TDs and Noah Smith rushed for 130 yards and one score on only 13 carries.
Clayton was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 235 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in August.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Cleveland). They really took it to Smithfield-Selma for the full four quarters, racking up a 62-6 win. The result was nothing new for the Rams, who have now won seven matchups by 21 points or more so far this season.
Clayton better keep an eye on Crishard Pettaway. He was instrumental in Cleveland's win, rushing for 62 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only eight carries, while also picking up 31 receiving yards. Pettaway's longest rush was for an impressive 62 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total. Kaleb Ferrell was in the mix as well, providing Cleveland with two TDs.
Cleveland's defense made their presence known, laying out Johnavon Cox four times. Smithfield-Selma's QB won't forget Derek Locklear anytime soon given he sacked him twice. Locklear has been hot recently, having posted at least one sack the last three times he's played. Another thorn in Smithfield-Selma's side was Daniel Lugo, who picked up a sack and made five total tackles (3.0 for loss).
Clayton's victory bumped their record up to 7-2. As for Cleveland, their win bumped their record up to 9-0.
Clayton couldn't quite finish off Cleveland when the teams last played back in November of 2024 and fell 37-35. Will the Comets have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.
