CLIFTON — For fans of offense, Clifton for the Central Comets’ game with visiting Seneca was the place to be Friday night.
The Fighting Irish stayed with Central until late in the third quarter of a Sangamon Valley Conference shootout, trailing just 33-30 at the half and 39-38 after an 81-yard touchdown run from Chase Hauch and Ryan McCauley 2PAT run with 3:24 left in the penultimate quarter before eventually falling 62-38 Friday night.
Seneca racked up 463 yards of offense, including an even 400 on the ground, led by five rushers — Hauch 108 yards and two TDs, Zach Pfeifer 71 and one TD, Cole Underhill 70 yards, McCauley 64 yards and four 2PAT runs, and Nathan Grant 61 yards. McCauley also had 48 receiving yards, including a 48-yard TD from Nathan Grant (3-7, 63 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT).
Clifton Central quarterback Jay Lemenager was 17-of-20 for 258 yards and four touchdowns as the Comets gained 465 yards from scrimmage.
The Irish (0-1) are home next Friday night against Watseka.
St. Thomas More 42, FCW 16: At the Wood Shed in rural Streator, the host Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland Falcons fell to 1-1 on the season with the Illinois 8-Man Football Association defeat.