Jamborees usually work out a lot of kinks going into a season, but the Cardinals still allowed some common early season miscues cost them in their 27-14 season opening loss at Boonville on Friday night.
Three different drives that ended with fumbles, as well as 3 dropped passes in the endzone all, ultimately, made a difference in the game. And that doesn't count the Clinton defense surrendering a "Hail Mary" touchdown to the Pirates just prior to halftime.
Nevertheless, the Cardinals were more than "in" the game the entire way.
Boonville scored first in the opening period to take a 7-0 lead but the Cardinals did manage to get their first score in the second quarter on a touchdown pass from Kanden LaFarge to Quintin Faught and trailed just 7-6. That was before the "Hail Mary", however, just as time ticked away before the break and the Pirates used the big play to take a 20-6 halftime lead.
A fairly uneventful third quarter saw both sides struggle to get anything going and the scoreboard still read, 20-6.
In the fourth frame, Boonville tacked on one more score and converted the PAT to pull ahead, 27-6, but the Cardinals would answer. Another TD pass from LaFarge to Faught and a converted 2-point conversion made it a two-score game once again at 27-14.
The Cardinals took a risky move that paid off when they kicked onsides and recovered the ensuring kick-off, but another fumble on their first play of the drive gave the ball back to Boonville and they held on to escape with the 27-14 win.
LaFarge finished the night going 18 for 36 with 168 yards through the air with the 2 passing TD's.
Jase Wilson hauled in 7 passes for 55 yards, Faught caught 2 for 37 and Austin Petry was on the receiving end of 2 passes for 21 yards. Faught had the 2 scores for the Cardinals.
Markus Oliver led Clinton in rushing with 20 attempts for 95 yards.
On the defense, Oliver and Faught each came in with 12 tackles. Payton Goth added 9 while Will Golder and Connor Bramell contributed 7 and 6, respectively.
The Cardinals return home this week but the road doesn't get any easier when they welcome the Odessa Bulldogs to town on Friday for a 7:00 PM kick-off.
The Bulldogs are coming off of a 32-25 road loss in week 1 at Southern Boone.
