Coming into Thursday nights contest, the Clovis East football team had defeated its opponents 35-0 and 49-0 in two games thus far this season.
But against the Sanger Apaches, a team known for being stout defensively, the Timberwolves were tested.
Clovis East only scored 14 points in a 21-14 loss at Lamonica Stadium, only a fraction of what the Clovis East offense was averaging coming into the game.
For both the Apaches and Timberwolves, the ground game was key in getting any momentum. Clovis East and Sanger combined for only 51 yards passing.
However, both teams were finding the holes needed to facilitate the run game.
Led by quarterback Sean Kelly who had 10 carries for 78 yards, Jo’Nation Dejohnette who ran the ball nine times for 33 yards and Chandler Hamilton who had 43 yards on 14 carries, Clovis East had over 200 yards on the ground.
The Timberwolves had seven players run the ball, including Blake Baldwin who had two rushing touchdowns on the night.
Baldwin had a short two-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and a second two-yard run in the second quarter. The six-foot-tall fullback provided all the points for Clovis East.
The Apaches on the other hand matched Clovis East and then some.
Sanger rushed for 234 yards, including over 100 rushing yards by the Apaches quarterback Noel Collazo. The six-foot-four quarterback was a thorn in the Timberwolves side all night.
His passing game was limited by the stout Timberwolves secondary, but his ability to tuck it and run proved to be devastating factor.
Clovis East took the lead early in the game after Baldwin took in his first score of the night.
But that lead was short lived after Kosi Agina answered with a long touchdown run over 60 yards.
The Timberwolves would regain control of the game in the second quarter after Baldwin’s second touchdown run of the game to push it to 14-7. Clovis East held the Apaches off the scoreboard for the rest of the first half, but the visitors responded in the second.
Sanger scored 14 points in the third and fourth quarters of the game, putting all the pressure on the Timberwolves.
But, penalties late in the game caused Clovis East trouble they couldn’t overcome.
Sanger closed out the game with 14-unanswered points in the second half.
Clovis East (2-1) now faces Sunnyside in its next matchup.