Clay faces one of its stiffest challenges to date

By: 
Yaneek Smith

Press Contributing Writer
sports@presspublications.com

Since Clay and Findlay joined the Three Rivers Athletic Conference in 2011, the Trojans have won all 10 of the matchups between the two teams.
But there’s reason to believe this year’s game could be different.
The Eagles are currently 5-1 and 2-1 in the TRAC while Findlay is 2-4 and 1-2 in the conference. But the Trojans’ record is deceiving, seeing as their four losses have come to teams — Anthony Wayne, Perrysburg, Central Catholic and Whitmer — with a combined record of 20-4 (.833). And Findlay has defeated Fremont Ross, one of the top teams in Division II, 50-48, and Bowling Green, 35-19.
Last week, Clay defeated St. Francis 26-14, despite trailing at halftime.
The Eagles trailed 7-0 in the second quarter before driving 80 yards in seven plays and scoring on a 3-yard run by Jase Kennedy, but the PAT was blocked, leaving Clay behind by a point. The Eagles carried that momentum with them in the second half, taking a 12-7 lead early in the third quarter when Kennedy scored again on a 7-yard run. On the next possession, Sagen Dayton intercepted Knights quarterback Cam Swiger, and four plays later, Mason Heintschel hooked up with Hudson Byers on a 1-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 19-7 with 7:46 to play in the third quarter, and St. Francis never threatened after that.
Throughout the season, Heintschel has led an aerial attack that features weapons like Evian Baker and Christian Mays while Kale Wilkins has provided the rushing attack with some firepower, along with Kennedy.
Clay is currently ranked ninth in the Division II, Region 6 standings, with 9.52 points, less than a point behind Central Catholic for the final home playoff spot.
“We’re playing really well,” said Clay coach John Galyas. “Our offense has been clicking pretty much all year, and the defense, the last two weeks, has played really well.”
The Eagles have allowed just 28 points in the last two games.
Clay, which played the Irish on Friday, finishes the season with Findlay, Whitmer and St. John’s.
“Every Friday is an opportunity to show just how far we’ve come as a program. That’s kind of been our theme –opportunity,” said Galyas. “So far, it’s been pretty good. There’s no doubt we have challenges in front of us. We like where we are, we love the opportunity to play against great competition in our conference.
“The kids have bought in. We’re practicing well, it’s a pretty tight-knit group. It’s been a lot of fun to coach them this year, and we’re looking forward to these last few games down the stretch,” he said. “We’re getting the opportunity to do something at Clay High School that hasn’t been done in a long time.”
In the Trojans’ win over the Little Giants, Findlay took a 44-41 lead with 43 seconds to play, when Ryan Montgomery threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Reece Little. But Ross responded, driving the length of the field and scoring a touchdown when Kaden Holmes found Bryson Hammer for a 23-yard pass with six seconds to play.
The game’s final play was wild to say the least, as Findlay’s Dallas De La Cruz took a lateral off Nathan Reigel’s kickoff return and ran 75 yards for the game-winning score as time expired.
The Trojans feature some firepower. Montgomery completed 30-of-45 passes for 346 yards and six touchdowns, Little caught seven passes for 91 yards and two scores, Donovan Harris caught six passes for 118 yards and three touchdowns and De La Cruz carried the ball 10 times for 120 yards.
Findlay finds itself ranked 17th in the Div. I, Region 2 standings with 5.87 points, just 0.12 points behind Lewis Center Olentangy for the final playoff spot.
Last year, the Trojans beat the Eagles, 51-25.
“It seems like when we play them at home, they’re really close games. We have not played real well down there, and we’re going there this year, so that’s a concern,” said Galyas. “The same was true with Lima Senior until this year; we played really well down there (and won). We’re hoping that this is a new trend and we’ll play better down in Findlay than we have historically.”
A win for the Eagles over a Div. I school would do wonders for increasing their computer points.
It’s the final year for the teams in the TRAC. The league will disband in `23 as Lima Senior moves to the City League, Findlay, Clay, Ross and Whitmer join the Northern Lakes League and Central Catholic, St. John’s, St. Francis, St. Ursula, Notre Dame Academy head to Detroit’s Catholic High School League.

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