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Benet can't stop Marian Catholic offense
Daily Herald, October 14, 2006
by Roy Taylor, Daily Herald Correspondent
Benet coach Gary Goforth’s plan to stop standout Marian Catholic running back Clifton Gordon was simple: keep Marian Catholic’s offense off the field.
Sometimes the best plans fail, and Gordon rushed for 306 yards on 39 carries and 4 touchdowns in Marian’s 34-13 East Suburban Catholic Conference victory over the Redwings (4-4, 3-3). “Gordon’s a good ballplayer, and he made a lot of good things happen,” Goforth said. “We didn’t do anything special to stop him. When the other team is getting out and blocking us, there’s not much we can do.”
Benet started strong, playing the type of game Goforth envisioned for part of the first quarter. The Redwings received the opening kickoff, but were stopped after three plays at their own 25. The Spartans returner then fumbled the ball on the ensuing punt, and it was recovered by Benet’s David Schuster.
Three plays later, Benet quarterback David Case hooked up with receiver Tom Elsner for a 25-yard touchdown pass, and the Redwings led 7-0.
Following the Benet score, it didn’t take long for Gordon to change the direction of the game. On Marian’s first possession, Gordon gained 64 yards and capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown.
Benet went three-and-out on its next possession, then just two plays into the second Marian drive, Gordon broke a 55-yard scoring run.
Marian (5-3, 4-2) added another touchdown with less than a minute remaining in the first half to make the score 28-7. Benet responded by mounting a 4-play, 41-yard drive to come within scoring distance, but the first half ended on an interception in the end zone.
Late in the first half Benet lost running backs Bob Brown and Mike Vanchieri to injuries, which limited their options offensively.
After the injuries Case attempted long fly routes to receivers Elsner and Jimmy Schmeider but was largely frustrated. Case and Elsner reprised their first score in the third quarter, when the receiver hauled in the quarterback’s pass for an 87-yard touchdown, but it was too late to change the outcome of the game.
“Everything seemed to be there for the passing game in the first half,” Case said. “But when we lost our running game [with the injuries to Brown and Vanchieri], we got double and triple-covered, and nothing was there.”
With his 306 yard rushing effort, Marian’s Gordon extended his streak of 100-plus yard games to 11.
“I got some good blocking from my offensive line, and after that was able to break some tackles,” Gordon said.
Sometimes the best plans fail, and Gordon rushed for 306 yards on 39 carries and 4 touchdowns in Marian’s 34-13 East Suburban Catholic Conference victory over the Redwings (4-4, 3-3). “Gordon’s a good ballplayer, and he made a lot of good things happen,” Goforth said. “We didn’t do anything special to stop him. When the other team is getting out and blocking us, there’s not much we can do.”
Benet started strong, playing the type of game Goforth envisioned for part of the first quarter. The Redwings received the opening kickoff, but were stopped after three plays at their own 25. The Spartans returner then fumbled the ball on the ensuing punt, and it was recovered by Benet’s David Schuster.
Three plays later, Benet quarterback David Case hooked up with receiver Tom Elsner for a 25-yard touchdown pass, and the Redwings led 7-0.
Following the Benet score, it didn’t take long for Gordon to change the direction of the game. On Marian’s first possession, Gordon gained 64 yards and capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown.
Benet went three-and-out on its next possession, then just two plays into the second Marian drive, Gordon broke a 55-yard scoring run.
Marian (5-3, 4-2) added another touchdown with less than a minute remaining in the first half to make the score 28-7. Benet responded by mounting a 4-play, 41-yard drive to come within scoring distance, but the first half ended on an interception in the end zone.
Late in the first half Benet lost running backs Bob Brown and Mike Vanchieri to injuries, which limited their options offensively.
After the injuries Case attempted long fly routes to receivers Elsner and Jimmy Schmeider but was largely frustrated. Case and Elsner reprised their first score in the third quarter, when the receiver hauled in the quarterback’s pass for an 87-yard touchdown, but it was too late to change the outcome of the game.
“Everything seemed to be there for the passing game in the first half,” Case said. “But when we lost our running game [with the injuries to Brown and Vanchieri], we got double and triple-covered, and nothing was there.”
With his 306 yard rushing effort, Marian’s Gordon extended his streak of 100-plus yard games to 11.
“I got some good blocking from my offensive line, and after that was able to break some tackles,” Gordon said.
All Content © Roy Taylor 2007