CLOVERDALE — Quarterback Steven Edwards passed for two touchdowns and ran for a two-point conversion during a 21-point second quarter Friday night as the Clear Lake Cardinals kept the Cloverdale Eagles out of the win column with a dominating 28-0 victory in North Central League I varsity football action at Daly Field.
“For Clear Lake to throw two touchdown passes in a game ? that”s got to be some kind of record,” Clear Lake coach Milo Meyer joked after the game.
Edwards attempted only seven passes but completed four for 77 yards with no interceptions. Clear Lake”s running game did the rest, gaining 264 yards. Vince Rave led the way with 98 yards on 20 carries, and Chapin added another 51 on nine carries, including two touchdowns.
“We”re moving the football and doing what we need to do,” Clear Lake offensive coordinator Mike Hansen said. “We had balance tonight.”
After a scoreless first quarter, the Cardinals (2-0 league, 2-3 overall) went to ahead to stay on a Chapin 7-yard run with nine minutes remaining in the first half. Clear Lake held a 7-0 advantage until late in the second quarter, scoring twice in a span of 86 seconds to go up 21-0.
Edwards linked up with Jacob Dekeyser on a 46-yard touchdown pass with 1:48 left before halftime, Edwards” first passing TD of the season, but the Cardinals misfired on the extra point. After getting the ball back deep in Cloverdale territory following a botched punt snap by the Eagles, Clear Lake struck again on an 8-yard pass from Edwards to Ronan O”Rourke. Edwards added the conversion run.
Clear Lake added an insurance touchdown on Chapin”s 2-yard run with 4:12 left in the game, that after driving deep into Cloverdale territory twice in the third quarter only to fumble away both possessions.
“It was the scariest 21-0 lead I”ve ever had,” Meyer said of Clear Lake”s inability to put the game away in the third quarter. “It never felt comfortable.”
The Cardinals” defensive unit came up big for the second game in row, limiting Cloverdale to nine yards of total offense in the first half and 93 for the game. Chapin, a linebacker, spearheaded the effort, according to Meyer.
Clear Lake also had two sacks and Rave intercepted a pass.
The Eagles are 0-2 in league and 0-5 overall. They play at Kelseyville (0-2, 0-5) next week.
