Grit and toughness help Lions beat New Hampton

(Above) Jack Barragy and Kody Kearns (89) celebrate after Barragy made a catch to score the game winning touchdown.  -Reporter photos by Chris Barragy

By Marianne Gasaway

If you had to choose a movie title for the Clear Lake football team, it would have to be “True Grit.”

Coach Jared DeVries said his team showed grit, toughness and a never quit attitude in a comeback win over District 2 rival New Hampton Friday night.  The Lions scored in the final minute to escape with a 21-14 victory.  The win keeps the (3A) number two ranked Lions undefeated.

This week the 8-0 Lions will host Iowa Falls-Alden in a District Championship showdown.  The Cadets are 3-1 in the district and 6-2 overall.  They were ranked as the number eight Class 2A team in this week’s Radio Iowa poll.  The Lions led the district with a 4-0 record. Game time is 7:30 p.m. at Lions Field.

For only the second time this season the Lions found themselves down late in the game Friday night.  But just as they did against Garner-Hayfield-Ventura back in week three, they dug deep and followed up a critical defensive stop with 2:13 remaining and scored on four plays from 45-yards out.  Jack Barragy caught a Jaylen DeVries in the end zone to put the Lions ahead when it counted most.

The Chickasaws had the ball in the final :56 seconds, but an interception by Kody Kearns ended any threat.

“It was not our best performance, but give New Hampton credit.  I was proud of our guys— hanging in and battling to the end,” said Coach DeVries.

The Lions looked to get off to a fast start on the road and drove the ball all the way from their own 27 to the Chickasaw 10 before a hard-hit sprung the ball loose from DeVries’ hands and the home team took possession.

New Hampton relied on its run game early on and worked it to perfection, as they steadily moved the ball from their own 13 to the Lion 44.  Quarterback Mason Lane had his first pass of the game picked off by Clear Lake’s Jagger Schmitt.

With :20 seconds remaining in the first quarter Jaden O’Brien-Green broke into the end zone from three-yards out to put Clear Lake ahead, 6-0.  Hunter Nielsen’s PAT, kicked into a gusty wind, was no good.  O’Brien-Green finished as Clear Lake’s leading rusher with 71-yards on 14 carries.

Clear Lake’s nine quarter streak of shutting out their opponents came to an end midway through the second quarter, as the Chickasaws put together a 12-play, 65-yard scoring drive.  A two-point conversion try failed, making the score 6-6.

New Hampton emerged from the halftime break determined to keep momentum on their side and methodically moved the ball from their 20 to the Lion 30.  Schmitt nearly upended the drive with a tip and interception, but his heroics were nullified by a Lion penalty which took the ball to the 16.  On the very next play, New Hampton took the lead, 12-6.  A two-point try was successful and the lead was 14-6.

The third quarter ended with both teams unable to sustain drives.

The Lions appeared to be in big trouble at the start of the fourth quarter.  A Chickasaw punt gave Clear Lake possession at their own three-yard line.  And just when it didn’t seem it could get any harder, an illegal block pushed the Lions back to the one and one-half yard line.

“We didn’t blink.  We kept on playing and kept believing,” said Coach DeVries.

The power of positive thinking, coupled with a good mix of run and pass plays, helped the Lions take the ball 97-yards in 14 plays.  DeVries scrambled, looking for a receiver in the end zone for a two-point conversion, but alternately took the ball in himself to tie the score with 5:42 remaining in the game.

Clear Lake’s defense rose up to stop the Chickasaws on an important third down, but in their rush to get to the punter, the Lion D was called offsides, giving New Hampton another chance to keep a drive alive.  On fourth and short New Hampton elected to go for it and earned a new series of downs.  This time the defense was flawless and the Lions got the ball back with 2:13 to go.

In just over one and one-half minutes Barragy’s catch broke the tie and Clear Lake went home with the win.

“This sets us up for a great challenge against Iowa Falls,” said Coach DeVries.  “They have two really fine running backs and have the most skilled athletes on the field that we have seen all year.”

The coach noted his players will need to continue to step up and fill some spots where the Lions have experienced injuries.  Friday night the Lions were without the services of outstanding offensive and defensive player Nick Danielson.  Danielson sustained a foot injury in the Crestwood game and only saw limited action against Forest City.  He sat out the New Hampton game and is questionable for a return this week.

“It’s a team effort and kids have stepped into positions and done very well,” added DeVries.

The Lions finished with 242-yards of offense.

Jaylen DeVries passed for 156-yards (15/25) and had success with six receivers.  Kearns led the Lions with 56-yards on four catches.  Barragy finished with 30-yards and a TD on three receptions.  In addition to O’Brien’s  71-yards, Schmitt ran five times for nine-yards and DeVries had six-yards on 10 carries.

The Lion defense was led by Thomas Gansen and Kody Kearns.  Each player had seven solo tackles.  Gansen also made five assists and had a solo tackle for a loss.  Kearns had two assists and two solo tackles for loss.

Ty Fisher was also a force with six solo and six assisted tackles.  Barragy recorded five solo and seven assists, including one solo for a loss.  Schmitt made four solo and two assists, Austin Larson and Connor O’Tool each had three and three.