UNION — A long season came to an end for George Rogers Clark High School, but the Cardinals didn't go down without a fight.
Clark rallied from a 21-13 halftime deficit, but came up short in a 35-21 setback to Ryle Friday night in the opening round of the Class 6A playoffs. The Cardinals lost eight of their last nine games and ended the season at 3-8, while the Raiders (7-4) advance to the second round of the playoffs and will take on Boone County next week. The Rebels dealt the Indians a 28-21 setback Friday night in Richmond.
Although down at the break, Clark recovered to make things interesting down the stretch.
“We came out (in the second half) with the expectation that we were going to win this ball game,” Clark coach Paul Columbia said afterward. “That attitude carried us through (in the second half).”
Clark had two chances to tie the score in the final 10 minutes, but turned the ball over on downs and committed a costly turnover down the stretch.
The Cards drove to the Ryle 34 following a fumble recovery by Nick Bailey to open the fourth quarter, but the Raiders stopped Clark standout Pokey Harris for a no gain on fourth-and-two with 5:20 remaining. The Cards got the ball back with 3:32 remaining at their own 2-yard line, but a Harris fumble ended a desperation drive with 1:57 remaining.
“We had our chances,” Columbia said. “We did a good job coming back.”
Columbia said the turnover on downs was the difference in the outcome.
“That was big,” he said. “If we get the first down, we're at the 20-yard line or so and we have a chance to score. We didn't quite get it.”
Ryle (7-4) put the finishing touches on the win on Pulice Tanner's 5-yard run with 1:24 remaining.
Harris finished with 180 yards and two touchdowns in his final outing for the Cardinals.
“We came out strong in the second half,” the Clark senior said. “We wanted to show them we were better than they thought we were. We came out and played strong like we needed to, but we didn't get the win and just came up short.”
Harris had 56 yards on Clark's opening series and capped the successful drive with a 43-yard touchdown run, giving the Cards a 7-0 lead.
Ryle countered when Raiders quarterback Nathan Davis crossed the goal line with a 1-yard score. Davis rushed for 59 yards on the drive.
The Raiders fumbled the kickoff and Clark's Kyle Wipert recovered at the Ryle 27-yard line. Harris scored again, this time with a 10-yard score, giving the hosts a 13-7 advantage.
It was the last lead for Clark.
Ryle responded with two straight scores: a 16-yard run by Ryan Hill and a 20-yard touchdown strike from Davis to Hill. Ryle closed out the quarter with an interception and a 21-13 lead at the break.
Davis pushed the margin to 28-13 with 10:07 remaining with a 57-yard run on the Raiders' opening possession of the second half.
Clark came back with a score of its own on Reid Campbell's 1-yard run. The conversion by Harris made the score 28-21 with 35.2 seconds remaining in the third frame.
Nick Bailey scooped up a Ryle fumble at Clark 23-yard line with 10:25 remaining, but the Cards failed to convert on the opportunity.
Clark 07 07 07 00 — 21
Ryle 07 14 07 14 — 35
First quarter
GRC — Harris 43-run (Creteau kick), 9:41
Ryle — Davis 1-run (Mrozek kick), 4:51
Second quarter
Clark — Harris 10-run (kick failed), 11:47
Ryle —Hill 16-run (Mrozek kick), 7:10
Ryle — Davis 20-pass to Hill (Mrozek kick), :20.2
Third quarter
Ryle — Davis 57-run (Mrozek kick), 10:07
Clark — Campbell 1-run ( Harris run), 35.2
Fourth quarter
Ryle — Tanner 5-run (Mrozek kick), 1:24
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