BELLVILLE — Rhythm was hard to come by Friday night.
A combined 26 penalties for 281 yards between Shelby (14 for 142) and Clear Fork (12 for 139) made for frequent breaks in the action — something both offenses had to manage.
“There was no flow. (The) first half, first quarter especially, there was no flow,” Shelby coach Rob Mahaney said. “It’s just hard to get into a rhythm as an athlete (and) as a play caller because you just don’t know, you’re waiting to see what they’re going to call.”
Despite the barrage of yellow flags flying through the air, the two Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference foes battled it out in slugfest style.
The Whippets (7-0, 4-0 MOAC) capitalized on a Casyn Koch interception less than a minute into the fourth quarter and scored on the next play when senior quarterback Michael Shepherd found his go-to receiver Brady Bowman for a 38-yard score — extending Shelby’s lead to 28-14.
Clear Fork (5-2, 2-2 MOAC) made things interesting when senior Trey Sellers raced to a 25-yard TD to trim the deficit to one score, but the Colts comeback bid ultimately fell short as Shelby escaped with a 28-21 win.
“A lot of missed opportunities and bad calls, but we’ll walk away with a win and get out of here and get ready next week for another great challenge,” Mahaney said.
The win sets up a battle of unbeatens on Friday night when Shelby hosts Ontario (7-0, 4-0 MOAC). The Warriors took down Marion Harding 27-12 in Week 7.
Photos by Hayden Gray
Whippets, Colts leaned on physicality
As play continued past 10 p.m., the effects of Friday’s game could be seen on both teams.
Physicality is a pillar of the programs at both Shelby and Clear Fork.
Mahaney described the Whippets and Colts as two programs that pride themselves on being tough and physical.
“Our defense is going to fly around and hit you and they (Clear Fork) are trying to come right at you the same way,” he said. “This is high school football at it’s finest and again, it would have been nice to watch the game and let the kids just compete but it was just so choppy.”
Shepherd spoke highly of Clear Fork’s toughness, too.
“They’re a very physical team and that’s what they preach. They definitely portrayed that tonight,” the senior said.
The Miami of Ohio commit completed 12 passes for 182 yards and one TD, while also rushing for 59 yards and a score.
Shepherd said both physical and mental toughness are paramount as teams begin the final stretch of the regular season and continue playing into the playoffs.
“We have to be mentally and physically right,” he said.
Mahaney praised the Colts’ senior quarterback Marcus Hoeflich, citing his progression over the past few years.
“That’s the best game I’ve felt like I’ve ever seen him play, the way he continued to extend plays and run the ball,” he said. “When he extended them he found guys, just things that I honestly haven’t seen him do before and he did it tonight in big moments.”
Photos by Hayden Gray
Clear Fork sets sights on Highland
Clear Fork coach Aaron Brokaw extended the conversation around his senior quarterback.
Hoeflich completed nine passes for 180 yards and a pair of TDs. On the ground, the senior rushed for 86 yards.
“I can’t say enough good things about Marcus,” Brokaw said. “He’s a smart kid, high character, a competitor — he’s a coach’s dream. He’ll do anything you ask him to do and sometimes he’ll do a little extra.”
The spirit Hoeflich exudes is a quality found among many Colts in this year’s senior class, he said.
“It’s a tough one for them tonight,” Brokaw said. “It hurts. My heart is broken for those guys because I know they put it all out there tonight.”
Clear Fork no longer controls its own destiny in terms of a conference championship. Marion Harding, who the Colts beat in Week 6, shares a 2-2 record in the MOAC and Shelby and Ontario both remain unbeaten at 7-0 and 4-0 in the conference.
But Brokaw said his team’s current position does not change the way the Colts will approach the rest of the season.
“It’s the same mentality that it always is,” he said. “Next week is Highland and we have to be ready to go for that one because last year they came in here and they beat us in a game that we didn’t feel like should have happened.”
Shelby at Clear Fork stats:
Below are stats from Friday’s game, provided by Marc Hartz: