Clover holds off Forestview rally

Clover scored two early touchdowns, then withstood a ferocious second-half Forestview comeback to defeat the Jaguars 20-13 Friday night at Joe Alala Stadium.

It was the third straight win for the Blue Eagles over a Gaston County foe after wins over South Point and Ashbrook in the first two games of the season. But this one did not come easy.

“We shot ourselves in the foot too much,” Clover coach Jet Turner. “We need more consistency on offense. I’m surprised we won the football game.”

The Blue Eagles (3-0) scored on their opening possession as BJ Hinton found the end zone on a 16-yard run that capped a six-play, 62-yard drive. Clover scored again on its next possession as Trey Childress found paydirt on a 26-yard run to give the Blue Eagles a 13-0 with 4:35 left in the first quarter.

Clover continued to move the ball in the second quarter, but two lost fumbles and some increased defensive intensity by the Jaguars keep the Blue Eagles from padding the lead. Forestview had the ball for four possessions in the second quarter, but those resulted in four punts as the Jaguar offense was not able to cross midfield.

Forestview (1-2) roared out in the third quarter and looked to have a first down at the Clover 28 after a 17-yard completion from Calvin Johnson to Ridge Garvin. But Garvin fumbled the ball at the very end of the play and the drive was stopped.

The Jaguar defense held on the next series and Forestview scored in just three plays after the Clover punt as Octavious Wallace exploded down the left sideline for a 68-yard touchdown. The Blue Eagles responded with a 13-play, 79-yard drive that ate up 6:42 of the fourth quarter as Zavian Sherer scored on an 11-yard run to push the lead to 20-6 with 42 seconds left in the third quarter.

But Forestview didn’t give up as Wallace, who finished with 168 yards on 11 carries, pounded the ball left and right and finally found the end zone on a 30-yard sweep around right end to cut the margin to 20-13 with 6:51 left to play.

The third Clover fumble of the night on the next drive gave Forestview one last chance as the Jaguars took over at the Blue Eagle 49 with 2:23 left in the fourth quarter. An interference penalty on the second play of the drive gave the Jaguars a first down at the Clover 33.

Forestview made a mistake on the next play as a clipping penalty negated a huge gain, pushing the Jaguars back to the Clover 44. After two incomplete passes, Wallace broke free on a 17-yard draw to give the Jaguars a fourth-and-four with less than a minute remaining.

On the next play, Johnson threw a short screen pass to Wallace and the 5-10, 175-pound junior fought for all the yardage he could get. But he came up two yards short and Clover ran out the clock to preserve the win.

“One of these years, we’re going to have to not dig ourselves so deep of a whole against them,” said Forestview coach Chris Medlin. “We got down against them like this last year. But I was extremely proud of our team. They didn’t give up.”

Medlin said his team’s performance was a confidence booster.

“It helps to play this well against (Clover) because we know they’re a good football team,” Medlin said. “But I sure would like to have had the win.”

The Jaguars travel to national power Byrnes (S.C.) next week while the Eagles will host Fort Mill.