Blackhawks humbled at Homecoming by Clarkston

CHENEY – This was not the Homecoming Cheney hoped for.

Led by a running game that seemed to be moving downhill all night, the eighth-ranked Clarkston Bantams demonstrated last Friday why they are in a position to make a deep run in the upcoming 2A playoffs, using the 1-2 punch of running backs Eddie Berglund and Will Sliger to open a 30-0 lead en route to a 36-13 pasting of the host Blackhawks.

Berglund scored on runs of 13 and 23 yards while Sliger, who did the lion’s share of the work in rushing 17 times for 101 yards, got the game’s first score with a 12-yard burst up the middle on the Bantam’s first drive of the game, providing a 6-0 lead. From there, it was all Clarkston as Cheney was often in third and long situations.

Still, it seemed like the Blackhawks were just a big break away from getting back into the game, trailing 16-0 at the half. In the third quarter, the break proved elusive, but not Clarkston scoring as the Bantams finished off two long drives with touchdowns for a 30-0 lead.

Cheney finally broke the scoring drought with 7:43 remaining in the game with quarterback Alex Long plunging into the end zone from 1 yard out. After a Kaeden Frazier to Steve Baiye 35-yard pass put Clarkston up 36-7, Long found Kaiden Custer on a 16-yard TD strike for the game’s final margin.

“They (Clarkston) executed, we didn’t,” Blackhawks head coach Bobby Byrd said about the loss. “They showed us Friday, and the league, that they’re a good team.”

Cheney was limited to 120 yards of offense on the ground, with Long the leading rusher on 10 carries for 49 yards. The senior was 6 for 13 for 152 yards through the air, with Custer making two catches for 61 yards and Koby Holt two catches for 55 yards.

Clarkston amassed 399 yards of offense, 178 on the ground with Frazier going 20 for 25 for 221 yards in passing. Allen had seven catches for 101 yards.

Despite the setback, Cheney (1-1 GNL, 4-3 overall) still entertains thoughts of the post season, but will need to win its final two games. The Blackhawks travel to West Valley this Friday, Oct. 25, to face the Eagles and return home for the regular season finale against Pullman Nov. 1.

Byrd said West Valley (0-2, 4-3) features two offensive packages: a spread offense with either one running back behind senior quarterback Matt Allen or no backs or a “heavy” package with all 11 players tight to the ball.

“If they’re going to get into that heavy stuff, that suits us,” Byrd said.

Keys to the game include keeping Allen’s running abilities in check, as well as senior running back/wide receiver Alyjouah Rollins. The duo connected for three touchdowns in the Eagles 42-41 win over Idaho’s Lakeland on Oct. 11 and the 28-27 loss to Pullman last Friday.

Byrd said the Eagles are not as senior heavy as Clarkston, not as big in the lines on either side of the ball nor do they have as many offensive weapons. The keys for Cheney come down to execution and consistency, something Byrd thinks they are ready to finally achieve this week.

“I think we’re going to bounce back well with this one,” he said. “This week, we’re primed to all get on the same page.”

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.