Happy Valley fast start crushes Royals

Published 9:52 am Monday, September 18, 2023

By Allen LaMountain

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STAR CORRESPONDENT
Happy Valley bounced back from a tough conference loss to Hampton in a big way, scoring 24 first quarter points and crushed Eagleton 38-12 on Friday night on Warrior Hill. Sophomore quarterback Aiden Paul rushed for 217 yards and three touchdowns in the conference win.
Warriors find a run game early
The Warriors took the opening kickoff 76 yards on 13 plays with Paul scoring on a six-yard run and he added the two-point conversion for a quick 8-0 Happy Valley lead. On Eagleton’s first possession, A.J. Campbell picked off a pass from Royals quarterback Nathan Clemmer and on the first play for HV, Ron Paul Parker took an end around pitch and scored from 36 yards out.
Joseph Sowards added the deuce and HV (1-3 overall, 1-1 conference) now led 16-0. The Warriors attempted just one pass and it was a two-yard loss. From there HV pounded the football on the ground and late in the period, Paul scored again on a nine-yard rush for a 24-0 Warriors lead.
“It was a total team effort and it starts with the guys up front,” Warriors head coach Jason Jarrett said. “We spent a lot of time in practice on walk through and whiteboard and those guys up front really honed in on the scheme and got off the ball and challenged them up front.”
Eagleton gets on the board but Warriors unfazed
Eagleton (1-3, 1-1) got on the board when Clemmer escaped the Warrior pass rush and weaved his way 69 yards for the score that broke the shutout. The point after kick was missed so the Royals settled for a 24-6 score.
HV proved unfazed by the lightning score as Paul took off on a 68-yard gallop for a 30-6 HV advantage after the two-point run failed.
“We had a great week of practice and we have faced so much stuff with injuries,” Paul said. “So it was good to come out tonight and get going fast and we just came out and played Warrior football.”
The Royals got a second score late in the second period when Clemmer found Eric Fox on a seven-yard touchdown pass. The pass for two fell incomplete and the scoreboard read 30-12 for HV at the half.
Second half becomes defensive affair
Neither team was able to crack the scoreboard in the third period but Eagleton players began showing some frustration with penalties and a nonexistent run game. Sowards lost a fumble but the defense held firm forcing a punt. The third period ended with the same score but on the first play of the fourth quarter, Sowards lugged the ball on a three-yard touchdown blast.
Jamie Esterline added the two-point rush for the final margin of victory.
Clemmer was the lead rusher for Eagleton with 143 yards on 10 carries and was 10-for-20 passing for just 64 yards. Sowards ran for 94 yards on 15 carries and Esterline had 33 rush yards on seven tries.
“Aiden was unbelievable tonight,” Jarrett said. “I hope this can give us a jolt of good energy. We have been so close in so many games but we haven’t been able to close it out. I think we shook that off tonight.”
Happy Valley 38-12
Eagleton 0 12 0 0 – 12
Happy Valley 24 6 0 8 – 38
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
H – Paul 6 run (Paul run) 6:01
H – Parker 36 run (Sowards run) 5:00
H – Paul 9 run (Sowards run) :28.4
Second Quarter
E – Clemmer 69 run (kick failed) 11:45
H – Paul 68 run (run failed) 3:41
E – Fox 7 pass from Clemmer (pass failed) 2:11
Fourth Quarter
H – Sowards 3 run (Esterline run) 11:53
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
H – Paul 17-217, Sowards 17-94, Esterline 7-33, Parker 1-36, McDougald 3-22. E – Clemmer 10-143, Cope 9-13, Cox 2- (-5).
PASSING
H – Paul 1-2 (-2) yards, 1 interception. E – Clemmer 10-20, 64 yards, 1 TD, 1 interception.
RECEIVING
H – Esterline 1- (-2). E – Fox 4-16, King 1-2, Relation 2-12, Cope 1-22, Risner 2-12.

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