Clayton rallies in second half to stun Lower Cape May

Posted: September 1st 2023

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

ERMA – There are many followers of high school football who believe the wing-T is an antiquated offense that should have been left long in the past.

If those same people watched how Clayton High School’s team deployed that offensive system in the second half of Thursday’s game against Lower Cape May, they’d have a hard time sustaining their argument.

The Clippers displayed a master class of execution through its wing-T offense over the game’s final 24 minutes to rally from a 15-point halftime deficit and stun the Caper Tigers, 26-21.

After trailing 21-6 at the half, Clayton’s offense completely dominated the second half, running 31 plays from scrimmage to Lower Cape May’s 12. The Tigers managed just one first down in the second half after scoring touchdowns on three of its four first-half possessions.

“We didn't come out ready to play in the second half,” Lower coach Lance Bailey said. “We made too many mistakes. We just were not ready to go in the second half.”

Clayton found its success mostly through fullback Isaac Taylor’s runs between the tackles and wingback Demetris Williams’s dashes to the outside. Taylor posted 102 yards on 26 carries while Williams gained 162 yards on just 14 attempts. The pair combined to run for 178 of their combined 264 yards in the second half. All told, Clayton rushed for 211 yards after halftime.

“We couldn’t get stops,” Bailey said. “We have a really good group of kids. I think we learned a valuable lesson here. We’ll be better for it.”

Clayton got back in the game on its first possession of the third quarter via a 13-play, 90-yard scoring drive. Williams finished it with the second of his four touchdowns for the game on a five-yard run.

Lower Cape May then fumbled the ball away on the ensuing kickoff, giving Clayton a short field, and the Clippers (2-0) capitalized when Williams raced in from 15 yards out on the fifth play of the possession. The two-point conversion try was stopped, allowing Lower to maintain a slim 21-20 advantage.

It was a short-lived lead, however. 

After a three and out, Lower had a punt blocked on fourth and 1 from its own 42 and Williams ran in from 18 yards out on the next play to give Clayton the lead for good.

“It crossed my mind to go for it (on fourth down),” Bailey said. “But them being able to run the ball the way they were, I didn’t want to give them a short field. But, yes, I was torn. Looking back, even though it turned out the way it did, I think I still would’ve punted the ball. Bottom line, we needed to get a stop and we didn’t.”

The loss overshadowed a brilliant first-half rushing performance by Isiah Carr-Wing, who needed just seven carries to run for 170 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. He finished with 196 yards on 15 carries.

Lower (1-1) plays its first road game next Friday, Sept. 8, against Pennsville.