MT. ZION — Carson Shriver rushed 34 times for 342 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback Drew Boczek scored the clinching touchdown with an 8-yard run and added a 2-point conversion pass from Shriver as Clay-Battelle kept its playoff hopes alive with 28-14 victory over Calhoun County on Friday.
The Cee-Bees, who raised their record to 7-2, entered the contest ranked 15th in the latest Class A WVSSAC Playoff rankings and remained in contention for postseason play with the difficult victory over the Red Devils (2-7).
Clay-Battelle got on the board first when Shriver scampered 58 yards to paydirt with just over a minute remaining in the initial stanza the junior stalwart then hooked up with standout sophomore Zac Hall on the conversion pass and an 8-0 lead.
Calhoun immediately countered when Grant Sterns scored on a two yard plunge. The try for two failed, leaving the score at 8-6 with 6:36 before half.
Following a Cee-Bees miscue, Ian Persinger darted 25 yards for a touchdown and Owen Taylor’s 2-point conversion run gave Calhoun its first and only lead of the game.
Following the ensuing kickoff, Boczek and Shriver engineered a 59-yard two-minute drill scoring drive culminating with Shriver’s four yard run. The PAT Kick was wide left leaving the two teams tied 14-14 at intermission.
The third quarter belonged to Shriver as he controlled the clock with numerous nifty runs including a 59-yard sprint to the end zone and a 20-14 Clay Battelle lead after the failed PAT kick.
Shriver continued his rushing dominance in the final frame leading to Boczek’s sprint to the end zone from eight yards out on a quarterback keeper. The junior signal caller then lined up in the slot caught a short toss from Shriver and stretched into the end zone for the successful 2-point try and a 28-14 lead.
Boczek ended any hopes of a Calhoun comeback on the ensuing series when he intercepted an Owen Taylor pass and returned it 18 yards with just 1:20 remaining.
Clay-Battelle ends its regular season next Friday at Hundred where a victory will almost assure the Cee-Bees a postseason berth for the first time since 2014.
Clay Battelle 8 6 6 8 – 28
Calhoun 0 14 0 0 – 14
C-B —Carson Shriver 58 run (Zac Hall pass from Shriver)C—Sterns 2 run (run failed) C—Persinger 25 run (Taylor run)CB—Shriver 4 run (kick failed)CB—Shriver 59 run (pass failed)CB—Drew Boczek 8 run (Boczek pass from Shriver)
Passing -Boczek 1-3-30Shriver 4-6- 34 Rushing Shriver 34-342-3 TDsBoczek 2-19-1 TD Receiving—Boczek 2-12Arnett —1-14Hall 2-36Interceptions Boczek 1 Return of 18 yards
