Last year, Clemens was 8 and 3 and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Brennan Bears. Jeremy Collins, a junior running back, lead the Buffaloes in rushing yards with 614.
Stevens was 5 and 5 last year and missed the playoffs. Bobby Chacon, the junior quarterback, was 133 for 206 passing for 1,723 yards with 17 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Marquie Hinton, rushed for 1,000 yards last season as a senior. But back-up junior running back, Tyrek Allen had 431 yards and 6 touchdowns.
I have worked a lot of Clemens games since I began my stat man career in 1997 and they always play solid defense and they have the ability to run the ball down your throat. This is actually what made them a powerhouse with head coach, Robert Lehnoff (he is now the Athletic Director for the school district and his name and his wife’s name is on the on stadium…which I heard a press-box rumor that that it will be renovated next year and if that is the case, I want in!!). With the opening of Steele, they kinda lost track of that tradition, but they are slowly gaining it back with head coach, Jarod Johnston.
One of those Clemens games I worked was at Clemens several years ago when they played the Kerrville Tivy Antlers. Johnny Manziel, was a sophomore wide receiver and I believe that the week before was his debut at quarterback. Well, to make a long story short…the Antlers quarterback was having a bad game so they moved Johnny to quarterback and the quarterback to wide receiver. Johnny helped his team to a come from behind unbelievable victory!!! And you know how the story ends for Manziel!!!
I remember working the Stevens and Judson playoff game in 2008 in Converse. The press-box was still under construction so we broadcasted all the home games outside. But, for this playoff game, we were allowed inside the press-box and thank god, cause that night was very very very windy!! Well, to make another long story short, Stevens (in only there 3rd year of football) defeated Judson 14 to 12. The wind played a huge factor in the game.
Let’s all get in my TIME MACHINE and flash forward to Thursday night…
At halftime, Clemens led Stevens 3 to 0. It would’ve been a scoreless tie, but Clemens nailed a field goal as 2nd quarter came to an end. They out-gained Stevens in total yards 167 to 87. Jeremy Collins had 81 yards for Clemens and Bobby Chacon had 78 yards for Stevens. In the 2nd half, Clemens sophomore quarterback, Frank Harris, scored two rushing touchdowns to make the final score 17 to 0 in favor of the Clemens Buffaloes. It was Clemens football at its best!!
Stevens ran 43 plays for 152 yards. Tyrek Allen, the running back, had 3 carries for just 10 yards. Bobby Chacon, the quarterback, was 16 of 26 passing for 108 yards with 1 interception. They were 1 of 11 on 3rd down conversions with 10 punts…that is a not a good stat!!
Clemens ran 58 plays for 281 yards. Jeremy Collins, the running back, had 15 carries for 95 yards. The quarterback, Frank Harris, had 14 carries for 75 yards and 2 touchdowns…he is only a sophomore and I came away extremely impressed by his performance. Another running back, Shannon Warren, had 9 carries for 45 yards.
In only 3 weeks of football, I have already seen several sophomore quarterbacks…Reagan’s Kellon Mond and Cade Bormet, Smithson Valley’s Josh Adkins, and now Frank Harris from Clemens. So far, they will all be on my players to watch not only this season, but next year and the year after.
On Thursday, I will be at Boerne as the Antonian Apaches visit the Boerne Greyhounds. The Greyhounds quarterback is Quinten Dormady and he has committed to play college ball at University of Tennessee. I am really looking forward to this game and seeing Dormady.
On Friday, I will be at Rutledge stadium as the Brennan Bears visit the Judson Rockets. Man, this is going to be an awesome game and I can’t wait!! Judson plays Clemens on September 26th at Lehnhoff stadium.
