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Clyde, OH - A momentous milestone was achieved Friday night at Clyde's Bob Bishop Stadium. But, for all of the glory to be relished in 500 program victories, it was a gutless last-play incident that left a sour taste in everyone's mouth. Leading 25-19 and victory number 500 assured, the Redmen sought to take one final knee. As quarterback Jon Journay stepped back, a Clyde player came firing through a helpless line and leveled Redmen offensive lineman Keith Didion. Didion's helmet was jarred loose, and the junior remained injured on the field as Redmen coaches violently protested the dirty play. As the two teams shook hands, several minor tussles took place involving coaches from both squads. Bellevue administrators successfully quelled the uprising and cooler heads prevailed. As for the game, the Redmen built a 25-13 fourth-quarter lead and slipped away with a 25-19 decision over the Fliers in front of an announced crowd of 3,678 at Bishop Stadium. Bellevue's win is its eighth straight victory over Clyde, as they've taken eight of the ten meetings since the series reinstatement in 1994. The Fliers last tasted victory over the Redmen in their state championship season of 1995. Clyde started the game with the ball, but quickly went three-and-out. Following the punt, Bellevue used solid runs and short passes to advance to Clyde's 19-yard line. The drive fizzled, however, and after two straight incompletions, the Redmen turned the ball over on downs. The Fliers used the long 46-yard pickup by senior Preston Harrison to set up first and goal at Bellevue's two. The handoff went to sophomore Matt Guhn who pummeled his way to pay dirt. The Fliers added a rainbow-style point after, and with just 36 seconds remaining in the first period, Clyde led 7-0. Matt Lepley's key kickoff return set the Bellevue offense up at its own 49. Jon Journay then found Cody Koselke, who slipped past defenders before being forced out at the Flier one. Journay kept the ball, snuck around the right end and had put Bellevue on the board. The Fliers were caught offsides on the try, and the ball was moved to the one. Coach Ed Nasonti opted to run the two-point conversion. It failed, and Clyde still enjoyed a 7-6 lead with 9:53 to the half. Clyde put together another balanced drive, which culminated in a fourth and two chance in Bellevue territory. The gain was just enough to move the chains, and seconds later Flier quarterback Jared Martin scored from 14 yards out to increase the Clyde lead. The kick was pulled left and the Flier lead stood at 13-7 with 3:42 to play. Bellevue wasted little time in erasing its deficit. A long 52-yard scoring strike from Journay to Koselke sparked the 2,000+ Redmen fans to life, and with Mike Snyder's extra point, the game started over at 13-13 at halftime. Both squads traded punts as the third period began. Bellevue then manufactured its way to the Clyde one. Following a false start, Matt Lepley barreled his way into the end zone from the six. Snyder had his kick blocked, and Bellevue's lead was 19-13 with 2:10 to play in the third. The Flier offense began to sputter and the Redmen began the fourth period with the football. Using a time-oriented attack, Bellevue focused on ball control, it was on one such ground play that valuable senior and co-captain Matt Lepley suffered what appeared to be a very serious injury. His condition was not known at press time, though Lepley was scheduled to meet with area physicians late Friday night, and Saturday afternoon. After Bellevue punted to Clyde, the Fliers fumbled the ball right back to the men wearing white jerseys. Faced with 4th and one from the Clyde 39, Aaron Decker left little doubt with a solid six-yard gain. Then, Journay again found Koselke for a 23-yard touchdown bullet. The two-point try failed again, and Bellevue's lead remained at 25-13. Then, as it had 499 times previously, the party began in the Bellevue stands. Folks clad in red on a late summers' eve began to sense history - unraveling before their very eyes. However, on the next series, junior quarterback Jared Martin gave the Bellevue cause to pause. Taking advantage of Matt Lepley's defensive absence, Martin slithered and galloped his way to the Redmen 27. He then launched a missile over the middle that junior wideout Jeremy Liska grabbed and carried into the end zone. The kick failed, but Clyde had inched closer at 25-19, and had done so in only 1:16 as 3:56 was displayed as the fourth period time remaining. The Clyde defense rose to the occasion, and forced a Greg Keys punt that stationed the Fliers at its own 17 with 2:26 to play. A two-yard gain and two incompletions set up fourth and nine for the Flyers. As Martin retreated to fire, a trio of Redmen defenders closed on him. Johny Pelton, Aaron Decker and Tim Cooper combined for the game-ending sack. It was Bellevue's first of the evening. The Redmen, satisfied with the six-point lead, attempted to take a few knees to round the time out. They successfully took two, and that's when perhaps the cheapest shot in the current history of the Bellevue-Clyde series took place. As disgusted (and perhaps embarrassed) Flier fans quietly filed out, the Redmen proudly posed for the alma mater, and then as an added treat, jogged gleefully over to the still-packed Bellevue stands and gave their own rendition of the Redmen fight song. 500 wins. A major accomplishment celebrated in simple style. That's what made it all the more special. |
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