By Clay County High School Football Coach Jason Nichols
Clay High fell to 0-2 on the season after losing 28-2 to the Braxton County Eagles. The Panthers came out fired up and played a much more physical brand of football from the first game. However, a few costly mistakes doomed CCHS from taking home a potential victory.
Braxton took a 6-0 lead early in the game. The Panthers put together a eight-minute drive to create a first and goal situation. However, the Eagles defense stopped CCHS near the goal line. The Panthers then scored on a safety to close the gap to 6-2. The score would remain that for much of the first half. CCHS had a miscue on a Braxton punt that led to another BCHS score right before halftime to give them a 14-2 margin.
The Panthers went to the half feeling as if they should have had the lead. However, a few Panthers were injured for the rest of the game and that may have played an emotional toll heading into the second half. On Clay’s first possession of the second half, Braxton intercepted a Panther pass and ran it back for an Eagle TD to take a 21-2 lead.
The boys continued to fight, but were never able to gain much momentum the rest of the way. The wheels fell off and Clay went down in defeat by a final margin of 28-2. Braxton improved to 2-0 on the season while CCHS dropped to 0-2. Clay will now have a week off to prepare for its next contest. The Greyhounds of Valley High will travel to Bradley Field on Friday, September 16, for the 7:30 p.m. kick off. Please, come out and support these athletes as they try to pick up a much needed victory for our community.
Also, please attend the Saturday, September 17, CCHS Alumni game as former Clay High standouts take the field one more time against the alumni from Calhoun High School. Tickets will be on sale at the high school. All tickets sold at the school will be profit that will directly go to support CCHS athletics.
