FREDERICKTOWN — A team trip to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. Delivering food to the underprivileged as a squad. A canoe-and-kayak outing.
What do these things have in common for the Clear Fork Colts? None of them had anything to do with lifting weights or summer practices. Yet they may have everything to do with a successful football season.
After his team opened the season Friday night with a dominating 54-8 win at Fredericktown, veteran head coach Dave Carroll compared the nightmarish off-season a year ago that was almost destroyed by COVID-19 restrictions — and his redoubled efforts to bond this year’s team.
“Everyone has talked about what a nightmare last year was,” he said. “I really feel sorry for those kids that were seniors last year that had to go through that because they couldn’t do any of this stuff. It was very difficult.”
Carroll and his staff were determined it would be different this fall.
“We racked our brains and wanted to make sure we did more than we have ever done before. We really just worked hard at connecting the players to one another,” the coach said. “It’s no solace to last year’s seniors, but they left a legacy by going through all of that stuff last year and winning four of their last six after an 0-4 start.
“It showed us how important it is to connect and bond a team together. I don’t know if that’s going to translate into how many games we win or not, but I will tell you what … these kids are having fun. They are loving each other,” Carroll said.
“This enthusiasm has been incredible the whole time, even back into the winter and the spring.”
FAST START: The love was all over the field Friday night as the Colts jumped to a 21-0 lead less than nine minutes into the game and built a 41-0 bulge at the half, creating a running clock for the final 24 minutes.
It was the final game planned in the long-standing rivalry. Clear Fork has now won five straight against Fredericktown by a combined score of 241-22.
In total, Clear Fork outgained the Freddies 342-162, putting eight touchdowns on the board. Six different Clear Fork players scored TDs:
— Sophomore running back Luke Schlosser on a 30-yard run and a 5-yard pass from junior QB Victor Skoog.
— Junior running back Trystyn Robison on a 3-yard run and an 85-yard kickoff return.
— Sophomore wide receiver Milo Burgholder on a 26-yard pass from Skoog.
— Senior slotback Deven Freeman on a 7-yard run.
— Junior defensive back Logan Anderson on a 32-yard interception return.
— Sophomore running back Kasey Swank on a 23-yard run.
Skoog, taking over the starting QB duties this season on a full-time basis, completed 8-of-18 passes for 92 yards and two TDs. He also led six different Clear Fork rushers with 89 yards on nine carries.
KEY INJURY: Fredericktown’s chances took a blow in the first quarter when junior QB Ben Mast left after being injured helping to make a tackle. He didn’t return.
Sophomore Trevor Bellman was pressed into duty and finished 11-of-18 passing for 101 yards, including a 13-yard TD toss to junior Kaid Carpenter with 15 seconds showing. The 150-pound Bellman led Fredericktown with 31 yards on 11 carries. Junior Teegan Ruhl had six catches for 64 yards.
“Losing (Mast) in the first quarter was really a blow that was hard to recover from,” Fredericktown coach Will Hartley said. “We didn’t have any success offensively in the first half. We didn’t get any movement up front and our receivers were having a hard time getting open.
“We knew coming in we would have to play well defensively and we just didn’t respond. We gave up too many big plays.”
Hartley said seeing an end to the rivalry with Clear Fork was sad, but necessary, given the size of the two programs in terms of sheer numbers of players.
The Freddies have 40 players on their roster, including 11 freshmen. The Colts have a similar number in the top three grades — and more than two dozen freshmen.
“You have to be realistic,” Hartley said. “I know it’s an old rivalry. I’ve been a part of it as a player and coach for many years. (But) it’s time for a change.”
Clear Fork is adding Lucas to its schedule in 2022 and Fredericktown will play Loudonville.
Up next: Clear Fork hosts Granville on Friday night. Fredericktown hosts Northridge that same evening.
