CLINTON — On Friday night, October 8, the Clinton Maroons were at home for their Homecoming game facing the Warrensburg/Latham Cardinals in a conference battle. 

In addition to being Homecoming, the game was televised by a local TV station (CW 23 of Decatur).  All incentives to play well.  And that the home team did throughout the first half. 

The opposition scored a touchdown (TD) in the first quarter, but the Maroons responded in the second quarter with a 36-yard run by Ethan Boyer (#5) and a 73 yard pass play to Aiden Schlesinger (#22), both for TDs.  The Cardinals were stifled by the Maroons defense until they were able to score a field goal with 40 seconds left in the half.  Clinton went into the locker room with a 4-point lead at halftime.

The second half became an uphill battle for the Maroons.  The Cardinals were adjusting to the home team’s plays.  With approximately nine minutes left in the third quarter, the Cardinals scored a TD to take a three-point lead.  The quarter was a defensive battle from there with the Maroons attempting a field goal with 4:49 left that missed. 

The opposition then exploded in the fourth quarter with a touch down seven seconds in and another with 6:30 left in the game.  The Maroons defense, however, stopped the Cardinals from the extra point conversion.

The Maroons then fought back to get a TD and a two- point conversion for 8 points late in the quarter but could not get the ball back in time for another score. 

The final was Cardinals 30, Clinton 22. 

A tough loss in a rough season for the home team.  The coaching staff was hoping at a shot for a wild card berth in the playoffs, but this loss has put that goal out of reach. 

In the homecoming rivalry among the classes, the Seniors were the overall spirit week winners while the Freshmen won first place with their float in the parade.  The Sophomores were second and the Juniors and Seniors tied for third place.