CLARION, Ia. — The Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Cowboys football team returned to the gridiron on Friday Night, as they hosted the MFL MarMac Bulldogs in the first round of the Class 1A Playoffs at Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Middle School. CGD entered at 7-1, as MFL MarMac entered at 4-4.
Clarion took the football first and used their smash mouth offense to drive the field and score on a 19-yard touchdown run by Maxton Downing as the Cowboys took a 7-0 lead. Downing then picked off a deep pass on the opening drive for MFL, as Charlie Campbell then scored just 2 plays later on a 48-yard touchdown run to put CGD ahead 14-0 midway through the first quarter. CGD would score early in the 2nd quarter on a 7-yard touchdown run by Colin Sesker as the Cowboys led 21-0. Late in the 2nd quarter, Clarion would add onto the lead, completing a 96-yard scoring drive with a 57-yard touchdown pass from JD Morrical to Colin Sesker as the Cowboys took a 28-0 lead into the halftime break.
Clarion would not let up in the 2nd half, as the Cowboys scored on their first drive on a 14-yard touchdown pass from JD Morrical to Paxton Lingenfelter to put CGD ahead 35-0, before Morrical threw his 3rd touchdown of the game on the first play of the 4th quarter on a 22-yard touchdown pass to Reed Campbell as the Cowboys led 42-0. CGD would score a garbage time touchdown from Booker Lingenfelter on a 21-yard run, as MFL 8th Grader Kaden Strong scored the Bulldogs only touchdown in a 48-8 victory for CGD.
CGD rolled up 348 yards rushing on Friday, averaging 9.2 yards per carry in the game. Senior quarterback JD Morrical was 3-for-6 for 93 yards and 3 touchdowns, while rushing 8 times for 75 yards. Charlie Campbell carried 6 times for 74 yards and a touchdown, as Colin Sesker carried 12 times for 71 yards and a touchdown.
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows advances to the Round of 16 for the 2nd year in a row, as the Cowboys will host the South Hardin Tigers in a District 3 rematch at CGD Middle School on Friday Night, with kickoff at 7 PM on AM 1570/FM 99.1 KZWC, online at kqradio.com and on the KZWC App.