Amboy/LaMoille/Ohio showed West Prairie/Southeastern why the Clippers are the two-time defending state champions of the Illinois 8-Man Football Association with a commanding 64-14 victory over the depleted Cyclones Friday night in Amboy.
WP/SE took the opening kickoff, but were forced to punt from deep in its own territory. Amboy’s Caiden Heath ran it back for a 49-yard touchdown with 10:06 to go in the opening quarter. Heath also ran in the two-point conversion to give the Clippers the early 8-0 lead.
The Cyclones would be stopped on downs at their own 31 a short time later and the hosts quickly took advantage as Heath broke loose for a 31-yard touchdown run at the 8:57 mark. Colt McCoy added the two-point conversion run to make it 16-0.
WP/SE would again turn the ball over on downs at its own 20 and Amboy would need only two plays to reach the end zone as McCoy scampered 27 yards for another touchdown with 6:59 remaining in the quarter.
Jose Lopez ran in the two-point conversion to extend the Clippers’ lead to 24-0.
The Cyclones’ offense was stymied by the A/L/O defense again as the Clippers partially blocked a punt to take over at the WP/SE 15. A/L/O scored on the next play as quarterback Tanner Welch tossed a 15-yard touchdown strike to tight end Henry Klein with 5:56 left in the first quarter.
McCoy added the two-point conversion to up the lead to 32-0.
A Hayden Wilcox 30-yard kickoff return gave WP/SE its best field position in the quarter as the Cyclones started their next drive at their own 43.
But WP/SE would turn the ball over again on downs at the Amboy 43. Lopez would break free for a 43-yard touchdown run, but it was called back on a holding penalty.
It wouldn’t matter as Lopez took the ensuing handoff and scampered 50 yards for a score with just over four minutes still left in the first quarter. McCoy ran in the two-point conversion to give the hosts a 40-0 lead.
Following the Cyclones’ third punt of the period, the A/L/O offense made quick work again as Heath scored on a 53-yard run with 3:18 remaining and after Lopez added the two-point run, the Clippers held a 48-0 advantage.
Amboy would make it 56-0 after McCoy scooped up a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and took it 30 yards for a touchdown and Heath ran in the two-point attempt with 3:01 left.
Fortunately for the Cyclones, that would be the last time that the hosts would have the ball on offense as WP/SE put together its best drive of the half and would control possession for the entire second quarter.
Starting at their own 25, the Cyclones would finally get rolling and marched 75 yards in 17 plays as quarterback Peyton Totten hit tight end Eli DeCounter on a 15-yard touchdown pass with only 49 seconds remaining until halftime.
Wilcox ran in the two-point conversion to make it 56-8 at the break.
The continuous clock was in effect for the second half, but it didn’t stop the Clippers on their first possession in the third quarter as running back Thomas Payne scampered through the defense for a 64-yard touchdown on the second play of the drive.
The two-point attempt was good to make it 64-8. The WP/SE offense put together another impressive drive and went 65 yards in 12 plays as Wilcox capped the drive with a two-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.
The two-point attempt was no good and A/L/O ran out the clock on its next drive to improve to 8-0 for the season.
Wilcox led WP/SE with 16 carries for 75 yards and one touchdown as the Cyclones were held to just 99 yards on the ground.
Totten completed 3-of-6 passes for 35 yards and one touchdown.
Heath led Amboy with three carries for 89 yards and two touchdowns.
WP/SE fell to 0-8 overall and will close out the season Friday night on Senior Night in Colchester. The Cyclones will host Unity Christian/Mt.Pulaski (2-6) in an I8FA non-divisional contest with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
