McClellan returns in 2nd half to beat fumbling Valley View

CLASS 5A LR McCLELLAN 24, VALLEY VIEW 14

Senior utility back Xavion Morgan ran 17 times for 133 yards and 1 touchdown as Little Rock McClellan opened the Class 5A playoffs with a 24-14 victory over Valley View on Friday night at Lion Stadium in Little Rock.

McClellan (10-1) is at fourtime defending state champion Pulaski Academy in next week’s quarterfinals, the schools’ third playoff matchup in the last four seasons.

After trailing Valley View 7-0 at halftime, McClellan scored on its first three possessions of the second half to take a commanding 24-7 lead with 3:58 remaining in the third quarter. Morgan capped the burst with a 57yard touchdown run.

The Lions, 5A-South’s No. 2 playoff seed, finished with 252 rushing yards on 53 attempts. But they lost three fumbles, including two in the first half, and were penalized 15 times for 145 yards.

“We just played so sloppy in the first half,” McClellan Coach Maurice Moody said. “Just uncharacteristic as to who we are as a football team. Put the ball on the ground. I thought we put together some drives, but we just couldn’t finish them in the first half. We put together some drives in the second half and couldn’t finish them.”

Leading 24-7, McClellan survived a late scare after losing a fumble at the Valley View 2 with 8:07 remaining in the game. The Blazers (7-4) converted the turnover into a touchdown on an 18-yard run by senior tailback Blake Arnoult with 5:38 remaining.

Valley View then recovered an onside kick near midfield, but McClellan held on downs after two screen passes resulted in lost yardage.

Valley View, 5A-East’s No. 3 seed, scored on the game’s second play from scrimmage when senior quarterback Connor Long threw a 60-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Jacob Snyder.

Long completed 10 of 21 passes for 147 yards. He was intercepted once, that coming at the McClellan 2 early in the second quarter.

After recovering an onside kick to open the second half, McClellan drove 46 yards in nine plays for its first touchdown – a 16-yard run by senior fullback Derrick Lloyd Jr. with 8:21 left in the third quarter. Lloyd gave the Lions the lead for good, 8-7, with a two-point run.

The Lions took a 16-7 lead following an 8-yard touchdown run by senior halfback Damion Martin Jr. with 5:24 left in the third quarter. The touchdown came five plays after McClellan recovered a fumble at the Valley View 22.

“We’ve just got to clean the game up,” Moody said. “Too many penalties for my liking. We’ve just to take care of that part and I think we’ll be fine moving forward.”

Pulaski Academy beat McClellan in the Class 5A final in 2015 (50-30) and 2017 (37-36).