CLARION — The Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Cowboys football team opened their 2025 regular season on Friday night, as they hosted long-time Wright County rivals Belmond-Klemme in non-district action at the Clarion Football Field. Friday’s meeting was the 87th between the two schools, dating back to the days of Clarion and Belmond in 1902, as Clarion won the last meeting in 2022 by a score of 42-0.
A new-look offense for the Cowboys featured a “run first, run some more and run it again” mentality from new offensive coordinator Paul Hansch and the Cowboys were very successful with it. CGD took the opening drive the length of the field and scored on a 5-yard run by Charlie Campbell to take a 6-0 lead with a failed 2-point conversion. Following a offensive lull, CGD got back on the board with 35-yard touchdown run by Colin Sesker to put the Cowboys up 14-0. Following a Belmond-Klemme turnover on downs, CGD put together another long drive, this one capped off by a Joel Meier 18-yard touchdown run to put the Cowboys ahead 22-0. After a turnover by each offense, Belmond finally got on the board on a Brody Heifner 5-yard touchdown run to make it 22-6, but CGD would answer immediately as Joel Meier took the opening play of the following series 77 yards for a touchdown as the Cowboys led at halftime 30-8.
B-K started off the 2nd half with a punt, as CGD went down the field and scored on a 16-yard touchdown run by Colin Sesker as the Cowboys went ahead 38-8. After a B-K touchdown, CGD would put their final score of the night on the board with a Joel Meier 19-yard touchdown run to make the score 44-16. B-K would put together a pair of scoring drives in the 4th, but couldn’t make up the difference in 44-30 win for CGD.
The Cowboys rushing attack racked up a state-high 542 rushing yards in Week 1, as they were led by foreign exchange student Joel Meier, who ran for 255 yards and 3 touchdowns on 14 carries, as Selvin Gonzalez rushed for 120 yards and Colin Sesker ran for 101 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows returns to action on Friday, when they travel to Hampton to take on Hampton-Dumont-CAL in non-conference action with kickoff at 7 PM.