When the non-conference schedule was announced last year, no one would have guessed how big the game would be and what was at stake! Clayton and Owen-Withee sat atop the Western and Eastern sides of the North Central Conference both undefeated in conference play! In addition, Clayton was ranked number nine in the state among the 8-man schools.

The game lived up to its billing with Clayton drawing first blood scoring on its opening possession giving them a 6-0 lead after the Hawks Mason Gay blocked the PAT attempt. The Blackhawks tied it up at the end of the first quarter on their next possession when Mason found the endzone from 67 yards out down the sideline on a perfectly executed option play by quarterback Dominic Sherwood. The Hawks 2-point conversion failed leaving the score knotted at six at the end of one.

The second quarter was all Blackhawks as the Hawks defense found its rhythm and the offense capitalized on two big scoring drives with Mason taking it in from 38 yards out and another 10 yard run for a touchdown right before the half ended. That score came via a Colin Fritz fumble recovery giving the Hawks a 22-6 lead at the intermission.

The third quarter found both clubs exchanging scores with Dominic sneaking it in from one yard out and Clayton’s QB finding paydirt from 4 yards out, leaving the score at 30-14 after three quarters. Both defenses made plays when they needed to, to keep scoring to a minimum.

The fourth quarter provided plenty of excitement as Clayton drew within a score of the Hawks on a 39 yard touchdown pass, making it a 30-22 ball game. Penalties kept the Hawks from putting a drive together to ice the game and gave Clayton a shot at knotting the game up. That’s when Mason Gay came up with what might have been the play of the game when he intercepted a Clayton pass in the endzone and returned it 103 yards weaving his way through defenders for a huge Blackhawk score and a 36-22 Blackhawk lead. Sherwood iced the game when he picked off a Clayton pass in the endzone and brought it out to the 15 yard line where the Hawks ran out the clock.

A big win for the Hawks, but the games just keep getting bigger as Owen-Withee will be hosting the Gilman Pirates on Friday night. The Hawks will be battling for sole possession of the Eastern North Central Conference Championship. Kick-off is at 7:00 p.m. It will also be Senior night as Dominic Sherwood, Sam Rasmussen, Colin Fritz, Carter Lindgren, Mason Gay, Mathew Wilson, Sully Poehler, and Sawyer Young will be playing their last regular season game.

A big thank you to all of the 1999 and 2014 players who came back for the 25th and 10th anniversary of their State Championships!!!