By Clay County High School Football Coach Jason Nichols
The Clay County Panthers travelled to Shady Spring High School on Friday night and prevailed with an 18-6 win over the Tigers. The conditions were horrible as a beating down rain persisted in some 35 degree weather. Mud and rain called for the ground game to come alive. CCHS proved that it was up to the task.
The game started out badly for Clay High as Shady Spring’s Taylor Bragg returned the opening kickoff for a Tiger touchdown. With the extra point being blocked, the Tigers took a 6-0 lead and it would remain that way for quite some time. The CCHS offense went up and down the field in the first half but was never able to punch it in the end zone. The Panthers turned it over three times in the half and was trailing at the break 6-0.
The second half was very different. After the players were able to warm up and regroup, the Tigers were no match. Shady Spring would commit an early second half turnover and the Panthers were able to quickly tie the game as Isaac Workman dashed 14 yards for the first of three scores in the half. Workman would score another TD midway through the fourth quarter from 44 yards out and the Panthers took its first lead of the game. Reece Nichols would cap the scoring with just over a minute left and the Panthers would pull out its second victory in a row by a final score of 18-6.
Senior RB Reece Nichols would carry the ball 39 times for 174 yards with one TD and Junior RB/WR Isaac Workman would help with eight carries for 79 yards and two TDs. CCHS rushed for over 300 yards in the game and improved our record to 3-5 on the season. The Clay defense was able to hold Shady to 46 total yards in the game.
With two games remaining, CCHS is preparing to end the season on a high note. The seniors will get one last chance to play for Clay County fans as they take Bradley Field for the last time Friday against Calhoun County. The season will come to end the following week at Webster County. Please come out and support these boys as they look to be finding an identity and are really starting to play hard-nosed football.
Come out and support 12 CCHS seniors in their final home game of the 2016 season Friday, October 28.