Clippers’ comeback not enough

South Range defenders
limited Columbiana
in the big-gain category
en route to a 34-14 victory.

By TOM WILLIAMS

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

COLUMBIANA — Not much went right for the state-ranked Columbiana High football team in the first half of Friday’s showdown against South Range.

But when the Clippers marched 65 yards on 14 plays and scored a touchdown on quarterback Ryan Williams’ 5-yard pass to T.J. Hiznay, Columbiana had reduced its deficit to two touchdowns and regained some swagger.

Moments later, Raiders halfback Steve Bensinger knocked the wind from the Clippers’ sails when he broke loose on the final play before halftime for a 65-yard touchdown run.

The Raiders, the Inter Tri-County League Tier One leaders who are ranked second in the state in Division V, cruised to a 34-14 victory, their 30th straight in the regular season.

“It was like being in a gunfight with a knife — they’re real good,” Clippers coach Bob Spaite. “They come off the ball as well as any team I’ve ever seen. [They] have four or five backs who run the ball so hard.”

The Raiders (8-0, 5-0), No. 2 in the Region 17 computer ratings, scored three times on their first four possessions.

It took South Range just 21⁄2 minutes to march the ball into the end zone. The five-play drive was capped by Bensinger’s 25-yard touchdown run.

Late in the quarter, Jared Razo broke loose for a 44-yard gain that set up a 10-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jack Dawson.

On their next possession, Dawson scrambled for a 26-yard pickup on a seven-play drive capped by Bensinger’s 1-yard plunge.

The Clippers (6-2, 4-1), No. 2 in the Div. VI Region 21 computer ratings, responded as Williams and running back Josh Hertel steadily progressed against the Raiders’ stingy defense.

Then came the play that frustrated Spaite’s staff. With time ticking down toward halftime, the Clippers stuffed fullback Nick Golec for no gain.

The Raiders then tried a sweep. Bensinger took the ball, then cut back to break free.

“I saw [split end] James Nell get a great block downfield and that’s what got me into the end zone,” Bensinger said.

Said Spaite: “Right before half, that ticked me off so bad. That’s twice we’ve relaxed right before a half and just assumed that the other guy was going to ...,” said Spaite, referring to a letdown in week 6 against Mineral Ridge.

Dawson credited the Raiders’ coaches for trying to stir up the team after the Clippers’ score.

“Coaches told us to refocus and so we walked out to the huddle and said we’re going to do it,” Dawson said. “We got a little magic in there and it turned out pretty well.”

In the fourth quarter, the Clippers took advantage of a high snap to Raiders punter J.C. Willison to get the ball at the South Range 7. Three plays later, Williams dove into the end zone for a 28-14 score.

But Bensinger’s 36-yard kick return set up the Raiders’ final score on Dawson’s 45-yard run.

“The linemen did a great job up front,” Dawson said.

South Range coach Dan Yeagley was pleased his defenders limited big gains by the Clippers.

“We couldn’t give up the big play, we couldn’t let them shoot down the sidelines,” Yeagley said. “We couldn’t get into that style of ballgame because I don’t know if we could run with them.”

“We needed to make a couple plays early,” said Spaite. “ ‘Willie’ overthrew a couple of balls — I don’t know if it would have made a difference but it sure would have made it more exciting.”

williams@vindy.com