By Tom Williams

williams@vindy.com

CANFIELD

Even with two long touchdown runs under his belt, Canfield senior Mehlyn Clinkscale had issues with his performance Friday night against Marlington.

Then the defensive back intercepted Dukes quarterback C.J. Greiner inside the Canfield 5. Clinkscale zig-zagged through the Marlington defenders, racing 97 yards for the momentum-changing touchdown that helped Canfield seal a 35-10 victory in the Division III, Region 9 playoff game.

Clinkscale said he was happier with the interception return.

“I fumbled the ball and they started driving on us,” Clinkscale said of his frustrations. “Then I gave up a big post [play]. I was disappointed in myself.”

Then he, like everyone else supporting Canfield, wasn’t.

“Just an unbelievable play by a great athlete,” Canfield head coach Mike Pavlanksy said. “I was just glad he had his hands on the ball.

“As he made his way through the traffic, then it was a track meet and he’s going to win most of those.”

The touchdown gave Canfield a 28-10 lead 15 seconds into the fourth quarter, dashing the eighth-seeded Dukes’ hopes for an upset.

“I knew he was going to go to the inside,” Clinkscale said of his read on Greiner. “My D-line was pressuring the quarterback, so it was a sloppy pass and I came up on the ball.”

Top-seeded Canfield will play Akron East (9-2) in a regional semifinal. The site will be announced on Sunday. East advanced by defeating Chardon, 39-28.

Top-seeded Canfield (10-1) started strong. Clinkscale’s first touchdown covered 41 yards, capping a six-play 91-yard drive on the Cardinals’ first possession.

Late in the first quarter, the Cardinals took over at their own 39. On the next play, Clinkscale was in the end zone with a 61-yard score.

Then things became interesting as the Dukes (8-3) produced the only two scoring drives of the second quarter.

The first covered 63 yards, with Travis Wainuskis scored from the 3.

On the next possession, the Dukes were driving when Ethan Fletcher intercepted Greiner at the 3.

Four plays later, the Cards punted and the Dukes had the ball at the Canfield 22. On third down, they were stopped at the 5, setting up Colton Wade’s 21-yard field goal to make it 14-10.

“The first half, we weren’t playing [up] to our ability,” Clinkscale said.

Pavlansky said, “We weren’t surprised that game was close early on, their kids played hard.

“They obviously had a great game plan, their kids were believing and playing hard. They were out-executing us.”

Pavlansky’s message at halftime was “to get back to controlling the line of scrimmage.”

Canfield’s second possession in the third quarter led to a 76-yard scoring drive. Quarterback Max Dawson scored from the 1 for a 21-10 lead.

The Dukes marched into Canfield territory where Greiner fumbled and P.J. Hallof recovered at the Cardinals’ 33. Two plays later, Clinkscale rambled for 21 yards, but Ryan Cooley stripped him of the ball and Andrew Carr recovered in the end zone for a touchback.

“He’s still learning,” said Pavansky, adding that Clinkscale moved to Canfield in January from Jacksonville, Fla. “He’s doing a heck of a job. He’s been a nice addition.”

Clinkscale rushed 12 times for 184 yards. Nick Crawford had 15 carries for 139 yards.

Greiner completed 18 of 35 passes for 222 yards and rushed 20 times for 41 yards. Blake Himmelheber rushed seven times for 102 yards.