ONTARIO — Charles Dickens died more than 145 years ago, long before the rampant enthusiasm of Ohio high school football.
Yet one of the English author’s most memorable lines perfectly summed up Clear Fork’s 21-14 win over Ontario on Friday night. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
In the first half, Clear Fork rolled to a 21-0 bulge with an unstoppable ground game and suffocating defense.
“We came out and did a great job of executing the offense,” Colts’ coach Dave Carroll said. “We got off the ball and controlled the line of scrimmage.”
Clear Fork quarterback Thomas Staab capped his team’s first possession with a 5-yard TD run. Ian McDaniel finished the second with a 3-yard scoring run.
Ricky Thomas added a 1-yard touchdown plunge in the second quarter and a safety made it 21-0 at the half. Truly the best of times.
Meanwhile, Ontario suffered a pair of turnovers, numerous penalties, and barely moved the ball, truly the worst of times.
“It could’ve been worse,” Ontario coach Chris Hawkins. “Our defense hung in there or it could’ve been 35-0.”
In the second half, Dickens’ line was flipped, and nearly on its head. The two teams reversed roles as Ontario picked up its intensity, Clear Fork couldn’t regain its first-half form, and the Warriors found their deep passing game.
Quarterback Trevian Jordan tossed a 45-yard TD pass to Quan Jackson in the third quarter to make it 21-7.
The Ontario defense, spearheaded by a couple of big hits from junior linebacker Nick Arnold, proved stifling. The Warriors heightened the anxiety when Jordan scored on a 2-yard blast to pull within 21-14 with 4:58 remaining.
But the Colts recovered the onside kick, nudged out a couple of critical first downs, one on a very close fourth-and-short play that came down to a chain link, and did not let Ontario regain possession.
“We’re a play away from tying the game and I would’ve been thinking ‘Should we go for 2 and the win right here?’ ” Hawkins said.
Instead, both teams continued their streaks. Staab ran for 111 yards on 23 carries and was 6 of 11 passing for 57 yards as Clear Fork moved to 2-0 heading into next week’s showdown with undefeated Shelby.
“(Ontario) has a veteran coaching staff. They made some adjustments and disrupted us, and we gave up a couple of big pass plays,” Carroll said. “They got excited and the next thing you know they’re right there.”
Still, the Warriors slipped to 0-2. Jordan, limping noticeably all night with a bad ankle, hit 8 of 23 passes for 156 yards, a TD and two INTs. The Warriors travel to Cardington on Friday.
“Losing is not acceptable, but you can be proud of the effort,” Hawkins said. “We made mistakes on three of our first six offensive plays and we didn’t create any turnovers for the second straight week.
“We just need to get off to a good start.”
