By ERIC FORTUNE

sports@vindy.com

LEETONIA

Columbiana has had the inevitable task of getting forced to play an undefeated team each week. Before tonight against the undefeated Leetonia Bears, the Clippers first three opponents were a combined 9-0.

Plus, each week, they’ve fallen behind 14-0, 21-0, and 14-0 en route to a winless start for a team that qualified for the playoffs in Division VI in 2017.

But this time the Clippers set the tone early on both lines of scrimmage as they rolled to a 49-14 victory over Leetonia in an Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference matchup.

“I told them that just once, I’d like to get into a game and not play from a three-touchdown deficit,” Columbiana coach Bob Spaite said. “Let’s see what we can do when we have a lead. Let’s see how we can play when we’re up. They responded and that was huge. The first couple of series we were really efficient. I thought our kids played with an edge. They played like they had something to prove.”

Columbiana (1-3, 1-0) scored on six of its seven first-half possessions.

And that one drive was stopped on a fumble near midfield. The Clippers ran 23 offensive plays that resulted in 49 first-half points.

“We told our kids that we have to try and make them drive the field,” Leetonia coach Paul Hulea said. “Obviously, we didn’t. It is what it is.”

Jakob Cross finished with 254 yards passing with 65-yard touchdown passes to Chase Franken and Hunter Zenter. Cross also connected on a 30-yard pass to Joe Bable and ran one in from 35 yards out.

Franken, who seems to be a home-run threat every time he touches the ball, finished with 137 yards receiving with 62 yards rushing.

“When I get the ball, I’m just trying to score,” Franken said. “That’s all I’m doing. I have it written on my wrist — ]Don’t go down.’ I just fight until I get to the end zone. You have to smell it every time you get the ball. That’s what I feel like.

“I’m hoping every time I get the ball, that’s what it’s like. I see defenses before the snap, and I know most likely when it’s going to be like that. The one today, I knew we had a chance.”

The Clippers were so dominant in the first half with 382 yards of total offense while holding Leetonia (3-1, 0-1) to -38 yards of offense. The Bears’ only first down in the first half came via a penalty.

Spaite was hoping for a game like that as he questioned where his team was mentally in the second half against Springfield last week. The Clippers imploded after trailing just 21-7 at the half.

“It was hugely important,” Spaite said. “There is no question about it. We were at a frustration point. I don’t think we played particularly well in the second half last week. It was the first time I questioned my guys. We talked about it all week, what kind of team we were going to be. Up until that second half, I never questioned these guys’ effort. They never quit in the first two games. We got beat, but we never gave an inch. I felt we let down a little bit. It was the first time I saw some doubt on our guys.”

There was no doubt against Leetonia as the Clippers used the motivation that the Bears were state-ranked and undefeated.

“We were able to use that as a motivator,” Spaite said. “It paid off. We came out very focused. It was a great defensive game plan and we executed well offensively all night.”