Arrows take hard fall at Starkville in region game
By Danny C. Davis
The Clinton Arrows took a very hard loss in their first Region 2-7A game of the year at Starkville.
Clinton fell 60-21, giving up the most points in modern history going back to World War II era – the most since Utica defeated the Arrows 74-0 in 1944.
The Arrows are now 1-6, with three Region-2-7A games left. CHS will play Tupelo Friday night October 20, and, on October 27, the Arrows host Germantown. That game will be senior night for all fall sports, including football, band, cheerleading, cross country, and golf. Seniors will be recognized in pre-game or at halftime.
One bright spot was the debut of sophomore quarterback Joseph Walker, who suffered a pre-season injury. Clinton has been without a quarterback since senior Sam Semi got injured on September 8 in the first half against Brandon.
Clinton actually led the Yellow Jackets in the first half twice. Senior running back Brady Torrence scored on a 50-yard run early on. But every time the Arrows scored, Starkville answered quickly and went for a two-point conversion every time to get back ahead.
Behind Walker, Clinton scored on their first three possessions. He threw a 52-yard scoring pass to Jaydann Hollins to put Clinton ahead again, 14-8, with 2:46 left in the first quarter. Starkville countered with a long drive and a two-point conversion to go ahead, 16-8.
Clinton scored again on Walker’s 28-yard pass to Veshone Malone, to make it 21-16, with Hayden Wolfe’s third extra point of the evening.
But, after that, it was all Starkville, scoring 44 unanswered points.
After Starkville scored and made it 22-21, Clinton fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and the momentum totally shifted to the Yellow Jackets.
Clinton never scored again, and only once crossed midfield.
The Clinton defense had no answer for Starkville QB Trey Petty, wide receiver Braylon Burnside, or running backs Courtland Cooper and Joshua Stevens, who combined for 703 yards of offense, which is another all-time record of points given up by CHS.
Starkville led 37-21 at the half and took a 60-21 lead late in the third period, and then officials went to a running clock, as mandated by a lead of more than 35 points for the leading team.
Clinton had 215 yards of offense, mostly in the first half.
Walker completed eleven of fourteen passes for 133 yards, of which 101 came in the first half. Hollins caught four passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. Petty was 12 of 13 for 205 yards and rushed five times for 81 yards. Courtland rushed twelve times for 182 yards. Burnside had seven receptions for 125 yards.
Another bright spot for Clinton was senior punter/kicker Hayden Wolfe, who punted five times for 206 yards, or 41.2 average. Two of Wolfe’s kicks pinned Starkville inside the ten yard line.
