Engle carries Clippers to eighth win in a row

For at least the first quarter, Clearview didn’t resemble a team that had won seven straight. But the Clippers relied on their running back to run the streak to eight games after a 28-7 win against Lutheran West.

Drew Engle rushed for 218 yards and scored three touchdowns — two of them on Clearview’s first plays of the third and fourth quarters — and the Clippers (8-1, 6-0 PAC) worked through a sluggish start to defeat the Longhorns (4-5, 2-4 PAC) on Oct. 20.

The victory clinches a share of the Patriot Athletic Conference-Stripes Division title, and brings Clearview closer to a playoff appearance.

“This is a happy moment for me. I’m proud of our coaching staff for how hard they worked to keep our guys on path, and our kids, I love them to death and it’s a moment I want to enjoy with them,” Clippers coach Mike Collier said.

Neither team was sharp in the first quarter. They combined for five threeand-out series, two first downs and 45 offensive yards — 42 of those yards and both first downs belonged to Lutheran West.

“I would have liked to start quicker but I knew our guys would come around

and start making plays when they got the opportunity,” Collier said.

“We got off to a slow start. We tell the kids all the time to stay the course and keep doing what we’re doing, and if we keep doing what we’re supposed to be doing then things will start happening our way, and it did.”

Engle broke the game open after halftime, amassing 169 yards on the ground and finding the end zone twice. He broke free for a 32-yard TD run on Clearview’s first play of the third quarter for a 22-0 lead. Engle did the same on Clearview’s first play of the fourth quarter, going up the middle for a 45-yard score for a 28-0 lead.

“That touchdown was a huge boost for our team,” Engle said. “We didn’t want to come out flat in the third quarter.”

Jordan Reed set that play up with an interception, one of two turnovers the Clippers forced. Clearview held the Longhorns to 168 yards of offense and seven first downs.

“Defense has been a strong point for us all year long, and tonight wasn’t any different,” Collier said. “They swung the momentum for us.”

Clearview quarterback Anthony Terry threw two first-half TDs to Engle and Kash Warren. He finished 6 of 14 for 73 yards.

The Clippers took advantage of a short field, set up by Julian Colbert’s blocked punt, for their first TD of the night, a 16-yard pass from Terry to Engle down the right sideline and into the end zone, giving Clearview a 6-0 after the twopoint try failed.

On the next drive, Terry completed a 24-yard TD pass to Warren, who made an acrobatic one-handed catch on a fade route that extended the lead to 14-0 with 4:49 remaining in the second quarter.

“When I go out for the ball, my coach tells me that no matter who is in front of me, I’ve got to go up and get it,” said Warren who caught four passes for 55 yards. “That’s what I did. I snagged it with the left (hand).”

Austin Kim (3 of 5 for 52 yards) threw a 39-yard TD pass to Brian DeAnte Furry for Lutheran West’s only score in the fourth quarter. Owen Albers ran for a teamhigh 37 yards.

Clearview can claim an outright conference title next week at home against Brooklyn and possible lock up a playoff spot. The Clippers came into the week ranked No. 8 in the D-IV, Region 14 standings — which would secure the final playoff spot if that ranking holds. The Longhorns on are on the road against Fairview.