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Vikings made a second half comeback to defeat Clinton 35-24
Warren Central High School rallied in the second half to defeat Clinton 35-24 in their season opener, scoring 28 unanswered points and shutting out Clinton’s offense after halftime.
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A second-half comeback led Warren Central High School to a 35-24 season-opening win over Clinton on Friday night.
The Vikings erased a 17-point halftime deficit by scoring 28 unanswered points in the second half, while Warren Central’s defense shut out the Arrows over the final two quarters.
Clinton found success running the ball early, but Warren Central’s defense stepped up to stop the Arrows from scoring on their opening opportunities.
When the Vikings took over on offense, Braylen Selvy connected on a 12-yard pass before Xavier Jackson broke free for a 65-yard touchdown run. Nick Lee kicked the extra point to give Warren Central a 7-0 lead.
Crishun Brown quickly made his presence felt defensively with a sack for the Vikings. Clinton, however, used quarterback Jayden Jones’ scrambling ability to move down the field. Jones eventually scored on a 35-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7.
Warren Central quarterback Nash Morgan went to the air late in the first quarter. Doss Morgan caught a 10-yard pass, and Zellous hauled in a 45-yard reception from Morgan as time expired in the opening quarter.
Turnovers played a crucial role for Warren Central early in the second quarter. Morgan threw an interception, and a Vikings fumble later gave Clinton possession at the Warren Central 17-yard line. The Arrows capitalized a few plays later when Jones scored on a 4-yard run.
Clinton struck again a few minutes before halftime after another Warren Central fumble. Shawn Ridley picked up the loose ball and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown, extending the Arrows’ lead to 21-7.
Clinton added a field goal just before halftime to take a 24-7 advantage into the locker room.
The Vikings came alive in the second half.
Nash Morgan quickly put Warren Central back on the scoreboard with a 12-yard touchdown run. Lee connected on the extra point to cut Clinton’s lead to 24-14.
T’Kylan Wright delivered a big hit for the Warren Central defense, which forced Clinton to punt and gave the ball back to the Vikings.
Warren Central continued to build momentum when Doss Morgan caught a 46-yard pass from Nash Morgan. The big completion set up Morgan’s 1-yard touchdown run as the Vikings continued to close the gap.
After Warren Central recovered a fumble, Morgan delivered one of the biggest plays of the night. He scrambled for a 90-yard touchdown, racing past the Clinton defense and into the end zone. Lee’s extra point gave Warren Central its first lead since the opening quarter at 28-24.
The Vikings’ defense continued to make plays in the third quarter, including a solid hit by Logan Ables. All three of Warren Central’s comeback touchdowns to that point came during the third quarter.
Clinton attempted to respond in the fourth quarter and moved the ball down the field while its runners bounced off tackles. Warren Central’s defense eventually stood its ground, forcing a turnover on downs with approximately six minutes remaining.
Javid Scort then helped put the game away with a 27-yard touchdown run. Lee added the extra point to give Warren Central a 35-24 advantage.
Warren Central’s defense did not allow Clinton to score in the second half, while the Vikings’ offense produced 28 unanswered points to complete the comeback and open the season with a victory.
Lee was perfect on extra-point attempts, converting all five of his kicks in the 35-24 win.
WC will host Pearl next week.
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