Sep 28, 2018 4 min read

CLAYSVILLE – Mostly everyone around the Interstate Conference, and throughout Class AA, knows about McGuffey’s high-powered offense.

Averaging 44 points per game, the Highlanders have blazed their way through the first half of the 2018 campaign.

That same offense was humming smoothly Friday night as McGuffey hosted conference rival Southmoreland and the Highlanders rang up a 56-28 win, firmly entrenching themselves in first place in the conference.

Surprisingly enough, it was the defense of the Highlanders (6-0, 4-0) that came up big, even though they surrendered 28 points. McGuffey forced three turnovers, swinging momentum back in their favor time and again.

“We’ve got some work to do on the end for sure,” Highlanders coach Ed Dalton said. “We made some plays when we needed them.”

CJ Cole snagged two of the interceptions. One of them came early in the third quarter when he picked off Zach Cernuto on the Highlander 1-yard line, keeping the McGuffey lead at 28-14.

“That was huge for sure,” Dalton added. “We needed a play there and CJ made it.”

McGuffey proceeded to march 99 yards for the score that gave it much-needed breathing room. Marshall Whipkey capped the march with a 13-yard run. The drive featured a 27-yard Christian Clutter catch on third-and-long and a 33-yard McKinley Whipkey run to the Scotties’ 13.

Clutter was magnificent for the Highlanders. The do-it-all senior racked up 234 yards rushing on 12 carries and 106 yards receiving on three catches. His 69-yard scoring reception midway through the fourth quarter wrapped up the scoring.

“He is a really, really good player,” Dalton said. “What else can you say? We have a lot of threats on offense too.”

Marshall Whipkey completed eight of 12 passes for 211 yards and two scores. He also threw two interceptions.

“The first one he threw, the kid made a good play, the second one, that was a bad read,” Dalton added. “But he made some big throws vertically that helped us out immensely.”

McKinley Whipkey and Brendan Crowe added touchdown runs of 18 and 44 yards in the second half.

Southmoreland was led offensively by Ronnie Robinson, who finished with 162 yards on 20 carries. He also had two touchdown runs.

“He hit us with some misdirection plays and cutbacks,” Dalton said. “We need to clean some of that up going forward.”

Cernuto threw for 194 yards for the Scotties (3-3, 3-3). Along with three interceptions, he also connected for one touchdown pass of 26 yards to Riley Conforti midway through the fourth quarter.

McGuffey’s explosive offense began the evening with a dud when Whipkey’s second pass was intercepted off a deflection by Scotties linebacker Ryan Mauro, who returned the ball to the Highlanders’ 36, giving the visitors an early spark.

Cole put a stop to the momentum when he intercepted Cernuto three plays later at the Highlander 8 and returned the ball to the 42, setting up the McGuffey offense.

Two plays later, Cole put the Highlanders on the board when he gathered in Marshall Whipkey’s pass on the Scotties’ 20 and raced into the end zone. Jon O’Connell’s kick was good, giving McGuffey a 7-0 midway through the first quarter.

After forcing a Southmoreland three-and-out, the Highlanders struck again. Clutter capped a 67-yard drive with an 18-yard touchdown to make it 14-0.

But Southmoreland would not go away quietly. The Scotties drove 68 yards on their ensuing possession. Robinson climaxed the drive with a hard-fought 7-yard touchdown run, slicing the Highlanders’ lead to 14-7 early in the second quarter.

McGuffey landed another blow on their next possession when Clutter burst through the defense and scampered down the sideline for a 67-yard run to the Southmoreland 3. McKinley Whipkey covered the final 3 yards for a 21-7 McGuffey advantage.

Scrappy Southmoreland intercepted Whipkey midway through the second quarter at the Highlander 40. Colt Harper scored from the 12 five plays later, cutting the Highlanders’ lead to seven.

Clutter helped keep Southmoreland at arm’s length when he received a Marshall Whipkey pitch near midfield and completed a 63-yard scoring play, again stretching the Highlanders lead to two touchdowns late in the half.