By Fred Kroner
Oakwood senior Gaven Clouse had a memorable final home game on Friday (Oct. 15).
Clouse scored touchdowns on four of his eight rushing attempts, leading the Comets to a Senior Night victory over Georgetown-Ridge Farm, 47-6.
The home finale also marked the official naming of the field as Marty McFarland Field in recognition of the winningest Oakwood football coach in school history.
“He created a lot of the culture that we still have at Oakwood,” Comets’ coach Al Craig said. “It was good to see where that culture came from.”
Clouse rushed for 97 yards. He scored two first-period touchdowns and a 66-yard run by Dalton Hobick lifted the Comets into a 20-0 lead after one quarter.
Austin McDaniel converted two extra-point kicks in the first frame.
‘We opened the game up and gave the team some confidence,” Craig said. “It was a pretty good team effort.
“In the rain, you need everyone to do that. Our defense was on point, not allowing them to do a whole lot.”
Clouse added his other two TDs in the second quarter. Oakwood headed into the lockerroom with a 32-0 lead and created a running clock in the third period when a 10-yard scoring scamper by Griffin Trees and Hobick’s two-point conversion gave Oakwood a 40-0 advantage.
Trees rushed for 77 yards on three carries.
The team’s final TD was courtesy of the defense. Noah Phillips returned an interception 20 yards for a fourth-quarter TD.
McDaniel had a team-high seven tackles.
The 47 points scored against the Buffaloes were a team-high and the six points allowed were a team-low for the season.
“We started clicking in Week 6 and have played pretty well,” Craig said. “We’ve lost some tough games (two consecutive two-point setbacks before the G-RF game).”
Oakwood (2-6) closes its season on Friday (Oct. 22) with a game at Salt Fork (5-3).
“It’s a natural rivalry because we co-op with them in some sports,” Craig said. “It’s always the last game and it always means something.”
For Salt Fork, a sixth win would guarantee a berth in the postseason playoffs. For Oakwood, it’s a chance to close the season with back-to-back wins for the first time this year.
