Clay run by Campers

Nov 5, 2011
Mike Burke

CUMBERLAND — The Trimble brothers may have run for more yards and scored more touchdowns against Allegany in their times than the Clay brothers have, but not in the same game, and certainly not from as many Where’s Waldo? positions in as few carries.

Garrett Clay and Dylan Clay were at it again, terrorizing an Allegany defense for the second year in a row, running every which way to the end zone playing a combined five positions.

Saturday in Fort Hill’s 50-7 win over the Campers — the largest margin of victory in the 85 games between the two Cumberland schools — The Brothers Clay combined for 308 rushing yards and five touchdowns, with United States Marine Corps Great American Rivalry Series Outstanding Player Garrett rushing for 155 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries and Dylan rushing for 153 yards on seven carries, running for one touchdown and being on the end of another one on a catch-and-run play.

As usual, Garrett played some halfback and he played some fullback on the offensive side of the ball. Dylan played most of the game at quarterback, threw in a little halfback and made the final big play of the game from split end.

“I like them all,” Dylan said of the various positions he plays. “I like the slot ... But I like being in command. I like the ball in my hands.”

The Sentinels were glad to have the ball in his hands with 7:43 left in the first half of a 7-7 game after tackle Wesley Wills recovered a Carter Imes fumble on the Fort Hill 12. Having fumbled the ball away to the Campers on a bad exchange on the previous possession, Dylan decided to keep it simple and keep it himself to try and get his team out of a hole.

He rolled right for 14 yards on the first play, sneaked for seven on the second, then gave Ryan Briner a turn for nine yards to get Fort Hill out to the 33.

“We had stuff happen,” Dylan said, “but we just had to stay calm and execute. We knew we would bust a big one, so I just gave it to my brother and watched him go.”

He watched his brother Garrett go all right, down the left sideline, behind the blocking of split end Evan Harden and into the end zone 58 yards away from last contact, giving the Sentinels the lead for good with 6:27 remaining in the half.

“Breaking away on those long ones is getting repetitive for him,” Dylan said of Garrett. “He has good vision. He has great lateral movement and he’s hard to tackle, I know that. Believe me, he’s hard to tackle.”

On the Sentinels’ next possession, from the quarterback position, Dylan scrambled out of the pocket on a third-and-seven from the Fort Hill 25, broke a tackle, burst down the left sideline and stiff-armed his way to a 63-yard gain. Two plays later, it was Garrett cutting up and in from 10 yards out at 2:39.

“It means a lot. It’s the kind of thing I thought about as a kid,” Garrett said of being honored with the U.S. Marines award. “Dylan got it last year and now I have a taste of it, and I thank my teammates and coaches for putting me in the position to be here.”

In the third quarter, after Garrett fumbled at the Fort Hill 16, the defense stiffened again to give the Sentinels the ball on the 14. Several cutbacks, jukes, stiff-arms and 86 yards later, Garrett had atoned for his previous mistake.

Allegany, though, was anything but cooperative on this afternoon, armed with great game plans, offensively and defensively, the Campers went right at the Sentinels. But once the Clays got outside it was over.

“Allegany shot upfield,” said Garrett Clay, “but our line did a great job — Austin (Lee), Bryce (Lowery), (Nick) Greise, D.J. (Jolley), Ethan (McDermott) and Micah (May). Those guys are good. They’re athletes and they’re football players. They don’t get the credit they deserve.”

Sandwiched around a Lance Fullwood touchdown at 3:52 of the third, Dylan Clay scored his first touchdown on a 55-yard run, and his second from split end on a simple out from Mike Austin, faking, stiff-arming and cutting back for 55 yards.

“I think he exploded today,” Garrett said of Dylan. “He has those moves and runs the sidelines. I don’t think he’s been trusting his speed, to be honest, but he has the moves. He has to learn to trust his speed and explode.

“That’s what he did today.”

“Dylan and Garrett Clay are just tremendous,” said Fort Hill head coach Todd Appel. “Truth is, they’re as good as I’ve seen around here.”

Mike Burke is sports editor of the Cumberland Times-News. Write to him at mburke@times-news.com

Bryce (Lowery), (Nick) Greise, D.J. (Jolley), Ethan (McDermott) and Micah (May). Those guys are good. They’re athletes and they’re football players. They don’t get the credit they deserve.”

Sandwiched around a Lance Fullwood touchdown at 3:52 of the third, Dylan Clay scored his first touchdown on a 55-yard run, and his second from split end on a simple out from Mike Austin, faking, stiff-arming and cutting back for 55 yards.

“I think he exploded today,” Garrett said of Dylan. “He has those moves and runs the sidelines. I don’t think he’s been trusting his speed, to be honest, but he has the moves. He has to learn to trust his speed and explode.

“That’s what he did today.”

“Dylan and Garrett Clay are just tremendous,” said Fort Hill head coach Todd Appel. “Truth is, they’re as good as I’ve seen around here.”