CLYDE — The Fliers knew that if they reached the playoffs in Division III, Region 8 they’d end up facing a good team. After all, the region has two defending state champions in Benedictine and Toledo Central Catholic.
When the dust settled after Week 10, Clyde was indeed facing a tough opponent in the Perkins Pirates — the only team to had the Fliers a loss in the regular season.
Just like two years ago, when Perkins defeated the Fliers in the regular season only to fall in the playoff rematch, Clyde got its revenge when it mattered most, pulling out a 21-17 victory to advance to the regional semifinals.
“It was a great win for us,” Clyde coach Ryan Carter said. “Very proud of our boys.”
After missing three weeks with an arm injury, Perkins running back Tyrique Sharpe returned for the Pirates and made his presence known early when he opened up the scoring for the game with a three-yard touchdown run to give Perkins a 7-0 first quarter lead.
Early in the second quarter, Carter and the Fliers gambled on a fourth-and-six from the Perkins 19 yard line. Rather than take the three points with a field goal, Clyde quarterback Lucas Nicely connected with Jake Jenne for a 19-yard touchdown to knot the game at seven.
The Pirates responded shortly thereafter with a field goal with 8:09 left in the half to give Perkins a 10-7 lead.
The Fliers closed out the scoring in the half, though, when Carter decided to gamble once again. Facing a fourth and goal from the Perkins one, the Fliers decided not to go for the tie with the easy three points, but instead gave the ball to running back Frank Sewell, how plunged in for a one-yard TD run.
Parker Reese then intercepted a pass from Perkins quarterback Matt Schweinfurth with just 26 seconds left in the half. Reese felt the play really sent a message to the Pirates heading into the second half.
“Getting the interception right before the half felt really good,” Reese said. “They tried to take a deep shot before the half ended but I was in the right spot to make a play on the ball. I think that it deflated them knowing that our defense was there to play and wasn’t going to back down from a challenge.”
Perkins regained the lead midway through the third quarter when Sharpe ran in for a two-yard touchdown, his second of the night. In the Week 5 matchup between the two teams, Sharpe torched the Fliers for over 200 yards rushing with multiple touchdowns.
This time around though, the Clyde offense was up to the task of responding.
A few plays later, Nicely connected with Zach Rieman for a 71-yard touchdown pass to give the Fliers the lead once again, 21-17.
Carter believes the big pass play between Nicely and Rieman really changed the complexion of the game.
“When they scored to take the lead,” he said, “and then we had the touchdown to Rieman right after, that was very big for us.”
Perkins made things interesting until the very end, though. With a minute left in the game Clyde’s defense came up big once again when Garit Witt sacked Schweinfurth on a third and ten to put the game away.
According to Reese, it was a key stop to put the game away.
“I think the sack on the last drive of the game, to pin them deep was big,” Reese said. “It swayed the momentum in our direction and that’s what we needed.”
Nicely finished the game with 173 yards passing, after completing six out of 15 pass attempts for the night
Nicely, along with the rest of the team, students and family celebrated the occasion on the field for a while, soaking up the feel of victory.
“It feels amazing getting my first playoff win and it being at home,” Nicely said.
Things won’t get any easier next week, as the Fliers will travel to Millbury Lake High School on Friday night to face one of those defending state champions in the region: Toledo Central Catholic.
The Fliers and Irish are quite familiar with each other, as this will be the third straight year the two will meet in the postseason.
In 2013, after beating Perkins the week before, Clyde pulled of the upset and defeated the Irish, 42-41. Last season, en route to the state title, Central Catholic defeated Clyde, 35-3.
The Irish may have lost star quarterback DeShone Kizer to graduation, where he is now lighting things up for Notre Dame as a freshman, but the Fliers know Central Catholic will still be a tough team to beat.
“We know we are going to have to play one of our best games if we want our season to continue,” Nicely said.
Carter agrees.
“We have seen them the last two years,” he said. “We know they, being the defending state champs, it will be tough, but we are going to enjoy the win this weekend and then get ready for Central Catholic the rest of the week.”
Kickoff for Friday night’s regional semifinal between the Fliers and the Irish will be at 7:30 p.m. at Millbury Lake Community Stadium.
