BLACKSVILLE — In the span of a week, No. 9 Clay-Battelle went from overtime to no time.
The explanation? The Cee-Bees’ starters needed just six plays Friday to score three touchdowns and their defense added two more TDs in a 41-0 victory against Hancock (Md.).
All of the scoring came in the first quarter against a Panthers team hit hard by COVID-19 and playing just 12 players, many of them freshmen.
“We knew Hancock was going to be out-manned,” Clay-Battelle head coach Ryan Wilson said. “Their coach called us earlier in the week and told us they were missing a lot of players, but they came to play. Our kids executed the game plan, especially on defense.”
The stats tell that story. Hancock (0-5) ran 35 offensive plays and was held to minus (-22) yards.
It was the polar opposite of last week’s 36-30 victory against Tygarts Valley that went into overtime.
Against the Panthers, the second half was shortened to seven-minute running quarters.
The game ended at 8:40 p.m., about the same time many teams around the state were just getting set to play the second halves of their games.
“We got to play a lot of younger kids tonight, which was good to see,” Wilson said. “Overall, I saw those younger guys get in there and do some good things. It was a good night for them, too.”
C-B (5-1) saw Carson Shriver rush for a 39-yard touchdown on his only carry of the game and Drew Boczek completed his only two attempts for 49 yards and a score, which came on a 21-yarder to Adam Kolat.
Maddox Shriver added 54 yards rushing and Zach Hall also scored on a 45-yard run.
The Cee-Bees also recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown to take a 14-0 lead with 8:08 left in the first quarter and Gunner Gum returned an interception 43 yards for another score.
“After that game last week, I was really wondering how would we respond?” Wilson said. “Would we execute? I told our guys all week, ‘Let’s just worry about us.’ ”
If the Cee-Bees are to continue to make a Class A playoff push, they will do so as road warriors. Friday night was the final home game of the season and C-B will spend the final five weeks of the regular season with four road games and a bye week.
The Cee-Bees travel to Massanutten (Woodstock, Va.) Military Academy next Friday.
Hancock 0 0 0 0—0
Clay-Battelle 41 0 0 0—41
SCORING SUMMARY
C-B—Carson Shriver 39 run (Drew Mercer kick)
C-B—Fumble recovered in end zone (Mercer kick)
C-B—Adam Kolat 21 pass from Drew Boczek (Mercer kick)
C-B—Zach Hall 45 run (kick failed)
C-B—Gunner Gum 43 interception return (Mercer kick)
C-B—Jayden Palmer 5 run (J.C. Spears kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Clay-Battelle—Shriver 1-39 TD, Maddox Shriver 4-54, Hall 1-45 TD, Maverick Gum 8-39, Palmer 3-9 TD, Matt Rodeheaver 2-5, Braden Coen 1-4, Team 1-(-1). Hancock—Bradley Weller 4-(-1), Aiden McCarty 12-(-8), Jacob Hudson 5-(-9), Logan Trumpower 1-(-3), Team 2-(-17).
PASSING: Clay-Battelle—Boczek 2-2 49 TD, Shriver 1-2-1 16, Spears 0-2. Hancock—Anderson 4-11-1 16.
RECEIVING: Clay-Battelle—Kolat 1-21 TD, Mason Chisler 1-28, Boczek 1-16. Hancock—Weller 2-20, McCarty 2(-4).
