DIVISION V FOOTBALL Amanda-Clearcreek awaiting Eagles

The Aces have been to the state semifinals five previous times.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
AMANDA -- Ron Hinton has been the head football coach at Amanda-Clearcreek High for the past 23 seasons and will be making his sixth appearance in the Division V state semifinals Friday when the Aces meet Warren John F. Kennedy.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Canton Central Catholic's Klinefelter Stadium.
Hinton returns eight starters off last year's team that lost to Marion Pleasant 34-13 in the state semifinal. And all of those starters will be back again next season.
"We started eight sophomores last year," Hinton said. "We only have six seniors on our roster."
13th playoff appearance
This is Hinton's 13th time in the state playoffs. The Aces reached the state semifinals in 1996-97, '99-00, '02 and this year. They were Division V state champions in 1999 and 2000.
"This group has a great attitude and they're resilient, along with being basically sound," Hinton said.
The Aces bring a 12-1 record into the contest with the Eagles. Their lone defeat came in the season's fifth game against Fairfield Union, 26-3.
"We lost our starting quarterback and our top running back early in that game," said Hinton.
Moved to wide receiver
Senior quarterback Matt McCain has since returned to the lineup, but now he's the team's wide receiver as junior Sam Davis has taken over at quarterback.
In just eight games Davis has completed 30-of-55 passes for 528 yards and six touchdowns with just three interceptions. He's also run for 126 yards and one touchdown.
Junior Nate Saum was the standout running back that was injured in the fifth week. He's also back in action, but not as the starter.
Junior Ray Sowers took over for Saum and has been sensational, according to Hinton.
Sowers leads attack
Sowers has been the team's main weapon, with 1,200 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns -- and that was in just eight games.
"He's scored in every way possible except for kicking," Hinton said. "He's got nine rushing touchdowns, two pass receiving scores, one kickoff return, one punt return and one pass interception."
In the Aces second-round playoff win against Woodsfield Monroe Central, Sowers returned an interception 100 yards for a score in the 28-7 victory.
Clearcreek opened the playoffs with a 24-7 victory over West Lafayette Ridgewood and, after beating Monroe Central, defeated Shenandoah 13-12 to earn a berth in the state playoffs.
"We're pretty much a running football team," said Hinton. "We like the power option."
Hinton said that he's impressed by what he's seen of JFK.
"They are a very good and very healthy football team," he said. "It's going to be a major challenge for our team just to stay competitive with them."
mollica@vindy.com