Walk off field goal keeps Clear Creek unbeaten

Clear Creek Stakes Claim in District 24-6A

League City- The Clear Creek Wildcats and Friendswood Mustangs scored nothing but touchdowns until the final seconds on Saturday at Veterans Stadium.  Both teams missed field goals in the 4th quarter but senior kicker Eric Baughman crushed a 43 1/2 yarder as time expired for the win, 45-42.  The victory moves Clear Creek to 7-0 and 2-0 in District 24-6A while Friendswood suffers their first district loss and falls under .500 at 3-4 on the year.

Quarterback Tyler Page of Friendswood had an absolute gem of a game and was assured of player of the game award had the Mustangs won.  He was 9 of 14 passing for 154 yards and two touchdowns, rushed 31 times for 178 yards and three touchdowns and to totally stuff the stat sheet caught a 19 yard TD pass from backup QB Ryan Epperson.  He moonlighted on defense also, with two passes broken up and a tackle.

Unfortunately Page will be remembered for his fumble into the end zone on 3rd down at the 3 yard line with 2 minutes remaining in the game.  Clear Creek recovered and quickly marched down the field to tie the game up as Wildcat quarterback Chase Hildreth hit receiver Jack Kelly for a 2 yard TD reception.

That is when Clear Creek and Coach Darrell Warden were given an absolute gift.  They squibbed the kick off just so Friendswood had no chance at a return and the ball bounced off a Mustang and the Wildcats recovered.  Warden quipped, “Really, we did not want to kick it deep and have them run it all the way back, so we just tried to squib it through there and fortunately we got on it.”

With six seconds remaining, Coach Warden wisely had Hildreth still throwing the football and he found a wide open receiver on the left sideline down to the 28 yard line with 2 seconds left.  That's when Baughman worked his magic and walked off the field a hero for the day.  “I missed the first one, I just had to come through, I knew there was a crosswind we practiced a bunch in the pre-game just followed my mechanics and let my body do the work.”

Clear Creek jumped on the board first with two early Davon Smith touchdowns including a nice 40 yarder.  Page began his barrage with a rushing touchdown then Smith countered back with a 3 yard plunge, 21-7 Wildcats.  The receiver pass came with around 2 minutes left when Coach Robert Koopman and Offensive Coordinator Nathan Roher pulled the trickeration.  Four receivers split out right from the Wildcat 19 yard line and Epperson actually had two wide open options.  He elected to throw to Page who had a whole convoy of linemen on the left side with him. All Page had to do was make a small cutback at the 5 and walk into the endzone, 21-14.

In the early 3rd quarter Coach Warden had some bad luck when he should have declined an offensive pass interference call forcing 4th down.  Instead Page and senior Dylan Friske made him pay with a 23 yard pitch and catch for a touchdown to tie the game, 21-21.

Smith picked up his 4th touchdown of the day and Page responded with a nine yard pass to junior Reed Roher, 28-28.

Friendswood gained its first lead of the day after defensive tackle Matt Russo intercepted Chase Hildreth.  Page carried it in from 7 yards this time, 35-28.

Five plays later, after the Brian Cassady kick went out of bounds and set the Wildcats up their own 35 yard line, Warden and his Offensive Coordinator Zach Head used some trickery of their own.  Faking run they pulled out the old flea flicker and Hildreth found Jack Kelly for 48 yards and the touchdown, 35-35.

Cody Williamson missed a field goal for Friendswood and Baughman missed his first one.  With 4:56 on the clock the Mustangs seemed to be in perfect position as Page had a 31 yard TD, 42-35 Mustangs.

Kyle Ford then intercepted Hildreth at the Wildcat 38 and they seemed to be within 4 minutes of knocking off LSG's #19 team.  All they needed to do was take care of the ball and not turn it over.  That's when Tyler Page's epic game had its only blemish as he fumbled into the end zone.

by Glenn McCarthy
@GlennMcCarthy44

Players of the game- Runningback Da’Von Smith, Linebacker Nic Daniel, and kicker Eric Baughman

Call the voicemail line and leave a shoutout for the show! 713-269-4620

Related Posts

• 
  Karmen Sanders – Taylor HS
• 
  Lee Wiginton – Allen Football
• 
  Libby Pacheco – THSCEF COO