Claremore stomps Collinsville
BY KEVIN HENRY World Correspondent
Saturday, September 22, 2012
9/22/12 at 6:27 AM
COLLINSVILLE - Before Friday night, despite being separated by just 17 miles, Claremore and Collinsville last met on the football field in 1965.
For Caleb Webster and the visiting Zebras, Friday night was well worth the 47-year wait.
Webster had a touchdown reception, an interception, and returned a momentum-changing blocked kick 81 yards for a touchdown just before halftime as Class 5A No. 8 Claremore stayed undefeated with a 34-6 win over Collinsville in a District 5A-4 opener at Sallee Field.
"We're trying to get Claremore football back on the map," said Zebras coach Rob Gilbreath. "We talked a lot this week about being 3-0 and how that really didn't mean a lot. The real season started tonight."
Trailing 14-6 with 42 seconds left before halftime, Collinsville had just pieced together a 12-play, 69-yard drive to move to the Claremore 11. As the drive stalled, the Cardinals lined up for a 21-yard field goal attempt. Claremore's Dustin Basks blocked the kick, and Webster scooped up the ball and returned it 81 yards for a touchdown and a 20-6 lead.
"All I heard was my teammates yelling to scoop and score," Webster said. "Being in their house and the stadium was packed, that touchdown was huge for us."
Also huge was a Claremore defensive effort that limited Collinsville (3-1, 0-1) to just one touchdown, a first-quarter 51-yard play from Zane McElroy to T.J. Johnson.
"The key for us tonight was how great our defense played," Gilbreath said. "We were fired up for this game, and I think we were more physical than Collinsville tonight."
Claremore (4-0, 1-0) hopped on the scoreboard first, needing just three plays for an 83-yard touchdown drive. Matt Whatley and Webster hooked up on a 27-yard play to open the drive then finished it off with a 53-yard touchdown toss down the right sideline to give the Zebras a quick 7-0 lead.
Whaley finished the first half 6-for-6 for 139 yards and a touchdown.
Claremore extended its advantage to 14-6 midway through the second quarter, using its ground game to methodically move down the field. Jordan Cunningham accounted for the last nine yards of the drive, bursting up the middle and scooting untouched into the end zone.
CLAREMORE 34, COLLINSVILLE 6
| Claremore |
7 |
13 |
14 |
0 |
- |
34 |
| Collinsville |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
- |
6 |
CL: Webster 53 pass from Whatley (Vincent kick)
CO: Johnson 51 pass from McElroy (kick blocked)
CL: Cunningham 9 run (Vincent kick)
CL: Webster 81 blocked kick return (kick blocked)
CL: Whatley 1 run (Vincent kick)
CL: Chester 32 run (Vincent kick)
|
Claremore | Collinsville |
|
First downs | 13 | 13 |
|
Rushing | 38-201 | 26-101 |
|
Passing yards | 139 | 173 |
|
Return yards | 97 | 0 |
|
Passes | 6-7-0 | 13-29-1 |
|
Punts-avg. | 4-32.8 | 4-32.8 |
|
Fumbles-lost | 1-0 | 0-0 |
|
Penalties-Yards | 9-85 | 6-50 |
