OAK HARBOR — The Clyde Fliers traveled to Oak Harbor last Friday night looking for redemption.
They got it and then some.
After suffering its first loss of the season the week before to Perkins, Clyde had a bounce back game against the Rockets and bounced back with a vengeance, throttling the home team, 54-20.
For Clyde coach Ryan Carter, getting the team back on a winning note was key.
“Getting back on track after the loss last week is just what the team needed,” Carter said. “I thought we played well, but we still have room for improvement.”
Much as they had been earlier in the season, the Fliers offense started slowly, but once it finally began to click late in the first quarter it became nearly unstoppable.
With 2:21 left in the opening quarter, quarterback Lucas Nicely found Zach Rieman for a 59-yard touchdown to open up the scoring. On the play, Rieman broke a number of tackles on his way to the end zone and showed just how he got his nickname “Sparky.”
After the Fliers missed the ensuing extra point, the Rockets took the lead just minutes later when Jeff Winterfield connected with Garret Duty for a two-yard touchdown pass. The PAT gave Oak Harbor a 7-6 lead.
The Rockets’ lead was short-lived, though, and would be their last of the night.
Just two minutes later the Fliers retook the lead when Josh Jenne ran into the end zone from a yard out.
Clyde’s special teams got into the act just 64 seconds later when Dawson Montgomery recovered a Rockets’ fumble, on a botched snap on a punt attempt, and ran it back 35 yards for a touchdown. Just like that, the Fliers had an 18-7 lead.
The Fliers added another score with 2:47 left in the half when Nicely hit Tanner Davenport for a 68-yard touchdown pass. Frank Sewell ran in the ensuing two-point conversion, and Clyde was firmly in control, 26-7.
The Rockets found the end zone again 42 seconds before the half when Winterfield ran in for a touchdown from three yards out to cut the Clyde lead to 26-14.
In the second half, Clyde’s offense continued it’s assault, scoring three more touchdowns, while the defense added one of its own.
Early in the third quarter, Sewell rumbled in for a 19-yard touchdown run. Sewell finished the game with 45 yards rushing and the touchdown on 13 carries.
The Nicely-Rieman connection struck again with 3:33 left in the third, this time for a 61-yard touchdown pass.
In the fourth quarter, Jenne intercepted a Winterfield pass and ran it back 40 yards for another Clyde TD.
Tyler Sprouse took over for Nicely in the fourth quarter and capped off the scoring for the Fliers with a two-yard touchdown with 1:26 left in the game.
Nicely had a night to remember, completing 10-of-18 pass attempts for 324 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 34 yards rushing on 10 carries.
The Fliers compiled 460 yards of offense, while the defense held Oak Harbor to 264 yards.
Rieman led all receivers with 196 yards on six catches. He also scored two touchdowns.
The Fliers may have gotten their confidence back with the big win over the Rockets, but they’ll be tested this Friday night when they travel to Edison to meet the undefeated Chargers.
Carter knows his team has its work cut out.
“Another good team this week in Edison, who has not lost,” he said.. “We have to go on the road and play a good team so we will need be at our best to win.”
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Edison High School in Milan.
