The Cubs, who fell behind in the first quarter 6-0, never gave up, but were unable to match the 20 points scored by the Eagles in the second quarter, which is the point where the Cub defense shut them down on the scoreboard. The halftime score was 26-16, but all the Cubs could muster in the second half was a field goal by Brad Maddux.

Statistically, the Eagles had 355 yards total offense, while the Cubs were at 270 yards. The first-down tally was close, 18-15, Eagles.

The Cubs passed 25 times, had 10 receptions, and no interceptions, while the Eagle tally was 9-7-0.

Of note from the sidelines, this was official statistician Don Olson’s 41st year of keeping numbers for the Cubs, something he’s done since 1968. Since 1959, he’s missed attending only two Clifton Cub varsity games, the last one in 1963 due to a family emergency.

In District 16-2A, the major battle was waged by district leaders McGregor and Troy, where their shootout went into triple overtime, the Bulldogs winning, 50-48. The third-place team, Crawford, defeated Moody 61-0, and Hico hit Hamilton in the cross-county rivalry, 41-12.

So, of the District 16-2A teams, Troy will play Godley in the Division I playoffs Thursday at 7 p.m. at Waco ISD Stadium, while in Division II, McGregor vs. Maypearl in Glen Rose at 2 p.m. Saturday, and Crawford will play Grandview. at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Memorial Stadium in Stephenville.

One Bosque County team made the playoffs, Walnut Springs (10-0) in the six-man division, where the Hornets received a bye this Friday night in the playoff bracket.

The Game

After the Cubs won the toss, Dylan Brownsworth took the kickoff from the 10 yard line to the Cub 46 to give Clifton excellent field position on their opening drive. On the third play from scrimmage, a Brad Maddux pass to Zach Gibson catapulted the ball across the midfield stripe and the drive continued with runs by Brownsworth, Raymond Sadler, Cody Richmond, and Maddux keepers before Maddux hit Dalton Bynum for a firstdown on the Eagle 19. The Cubs got to the 14 before the ball went over on downs, the drive consuming nearly two-thirds of the first quarter.

On their offensive start, the Eagles pounded out two first downs in six plays, getting to their own 36 yard line where Sul Ross nabbed a 64-yard pass from Sheldon Walker with 0:44 left on the clock, to score. After the failed PAT, the tally was 6-0.

After a massive run by Cody Richmond on the ensuing KO return, from the Cub 12 to the Eagle 34, the Cubs picked up a first down on a pass from Maddux to Zach Gibson, to the B.E. 10 yard line. On fourth-down from the six, Maddux kicked a 25-yard field goal, reducing the Eagle margin to 6-3, with 10:25 left in the half.

However, the Eagles on their next drive, that started from their own 40 yard line, quickly picked up a couple of first downs, scoring on a Logan Pratt three-yard run (kick failed) on a seven-play drive, making the score 12-3.

The Cubs ran two plays from their own 40 yard line, only to lose it, which gave the Eagles offense room to fly from the Cub 33. Two plays later, with 5:41 left in the half, Pratt hit pay dirt on a 19-yard run and Matt Sisk’s PAT upped the lead to 19-3.

On the ensuing kickoff, Sisk attempted an onside kick, which was taken by Clifton’s Connor Odom on the Cub 35 yard line. Three plays later, Maddux hit Odom for an aerial first down across midfield to the B.E. 19 yard line. Soon, a catch by Gibson gave the Cubs a first down on the one, where the handoff went to Bynum who scored. The partially blocked PAT made the score 19-9, the clock at 3:26.

The Cubs’ breathing room narrowed, however, after the ensuing kickoff when Pratt found running room   on the first play from scrimmage, zooming 65 yards for pay dirt. Sisk’s kick upped the score to 26-9.

Another onside kick by the Eagles was then taken by Odom on the Cub 40, and on the first play from scrimmage, Brownsworth went 21 yards into B.E. territory. Three additional handoffs to Brownsworth deepened the injury, to the six, where Brownsworth then scored on a six-yard run. Maddux’s kick brightened the scoreboard to 26-16. with 1:34 left in the half. Time expired on an Eagle drive to midfield.

Second Half

The third quarter began with the Eagles on offense, operating around midfield where on fourth down a bobble on their punt attempt  was recovered by the Cubs. From the B.E. 33, the Cubs picked up two consecutive first downs on Brownsworth runs, eventually getting to the three yard line, where on fourth down Maddux kicked another 25-yard field goal, making it 26-19 with 7:35 left on the clock.

Afterward, the Eagles dwindled the clock down to 2:00 on a drive that ended with a fourth-down QB sack on the Cub 12 yard line.

From here, the Cubs gained a first down, but as the fourth period began had to punt, leaving the Eagles in good field position.

The Eagles ran six plays before losing the ball on downs on the Cub 15, which was followed by the Cubs nearing mid-field on a series of plays including a key pass to Bynum for a first down, but eventually a punt  set up the Eagles on their own 18 yard line, with 5:08 left on the clock and the Cubs seven points behind.

On a series of 11 plays that advanced the Eagles to the Cub 42, time expired, the Eagles winning, 26-19.