Slow Start Hurts Cyclone Football Team On Friday Night

The Clearwater-Orchard football team could not overcome some early miscues and turnovers as they fell to Niobrara/Verdigre at home Friday night, 32-18.

"The game started off slowly for both teams," O-C Coach Jeff Shabram said. "The offenses were able to mount some drives, only to have them stall out due to turnovers or penalties." 

The first quarter ended scoreless on both sides.  

"Niobrara/Verdigre was able to score a rushing TD on the first play of the second quarter and then scored again, this time on a pass, with under a minute left to play in the second quarter. (Both PATs failed)," he said. "Meanwhile, O-C continued to sputter."

The Cougars held a 12-0 lead at halftime.

"The second half saw some hard-hitting action as the game turned into a battle of attrition due to injuries on both teams," Shabram said. "The Cougars scored a long TD run on the second play of the third quarter. The Cyclones answered back with a nice drive, capped off by a 31-yard TD pass from Zach Martin to Spencer Volden (Martin PAT pass to Travis Kerkman). However, N/V answered back with a TD drive, aided by some key penalties (PAT failed)."

At the end of the third quarter, Niobrara/Verdigre led 24-8.

"The Cyclones wouldn’t go down without a fight!" he said. "In the fourth quarter, after another short N/V TD drive, O-C would drive down the field and finish with a 7-yard TD run by Volden (Orlando Roman PAT run). The defense played very tough and forced N/V to a short punt. But, again, the Cyclones would have to overcome too many mistakes and penalties and came up short on the next drive inside the 10-yard line. The defense wouldn’t quit, and did a force a late safety on a Creston Bertschinger QB sack in the endzone. Time ran out on the comeback."

Click here for complete O-C stats.

Clearwater-Orchard will host Neligh-Oakdale in Clearwater on Thursday, Oct. 23 at 8 p.m. It is O-C Parents’ Night and the final game of the 2014 football season for the Cyclones.

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