A year ago, it took a school-record 86 points for the Clinton-Massie Falcons to outlast conference rival Western Brown in Mt. Orab.
This year, they only managed 42. But it proved just enough, as the Falcons contained the Broncos’ high-powered passing attack, holding on for a 42-35 win at home on Friday.
As Western Brown’s opponents have quickly discovered this year, it takes some serious offensive might to outscore the Broncos. The Falcons managed it not by taking to the air, but by leaning on their strength: a prolific rushing attack, bolstered by a steadfast offensive front. This game plan proved effective early and often, as Clinton-Massie controlled the line of scrimmage throughout the game.
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“Two completely different contrasting offensive styles, but our style came up tonight,” long-time Massie coach Dan McSurley said. “Good old-fashioned, hard-nosed football… that’s just how we play.”
The Falcons jumped out to a 21-14 lead in the first half thanks to a pair of touchdown runs by senior tailback Carson Vanhoose, the Southern Buckeye league’s third-leading rusher, and another from senior Carter Frank. The Broncos failed to score on their first two drives but broke through on a 41-yard dart from quarterback Drew Novak to wideout Logan Campbell, then pulled within seven just before the half on a 39-yard strike to junior Matthew Frye.
Massie continued to tack on in the second half, with Frank adding two more scores on the ground and fullback Colton Trample getting in on the action as well. But Western Brown responded each time, as Novak connected with his brother Dylan Novak, tight end Matthew Osborne, and Frye again.
Novak would finish the game 40-57 with five touchdowns. His 370 passing yards pushed him over 2,800 on the season, most in the state of Ohio by a wide margin. In last year’s wild loss, he threw for 477 yards and six scores.
“We just tried not to give him the big play,” McSurley said of his approach to containing Novak. “We had three stops in the first half and I think that was probably just enough to win the game.”
In the end, it was Massie’s ground game that sealed the deal. Following a Bronco touchdown with 9:40 left in the game, the Falcons pounded out a nine-play, 59-yard scoring drive that ate up more than six minutes of clock. Western Brown scored again 64 seconds later, but Massie recovered the last-ditch onside kick, then ran out the clock with a first down.
The Falcons improved to 5-1 on the year with their fifth consecutive win and second conference victory. They now sit in the drivers’ seat in the Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference American Division, where they hope to repeat as champions this year.
“The whole team’s just clicking,” said Vanhoose, who finished with a team-high 160 yards on 21 carries and two touchdowns in the win. “We’re all playing as one.”
Western Brown fell to 5-2 with the loss, their fifth in as many years to the Falcons. They’ll hope to bounce back against Goshen next week, while Clinton-Massie puts its winning streak to the test at Batavia.
Western Brown – 0 14 7 14 - 35
Clinton-Massie – 7 14 14 7 - 42
CM - Vanhoose 8 run (McGuinness kick)
WB - Novak 41 pass to Campbell (Grimes kick)
CM - Vanhoose 2 run (McGuinness kick)
CM - Frank 12 run (McGuinness kick)
WB - Novak 26 pass to Frye (Grimes kick)
CM - Frank 13 run (McGuinness kick)
WB - Novak 20 pass to Novak (Grimes kick)
CM - Trample 14 run (McGuinness kick)
WB - Novak 1 pass to Osborne (Grimes kick)
CM - Frank 3 run (McGuinness kick)
WB - Novak 20 pass to Frye (Grimes kick)
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