Clark rallies, halts 42-game losing streak
As the scoreboard clock counted down to zero Friday night at Clark High School, students stormed the field, players hugged each other, screamed and jumped up and down, while others collapsed on the ground with looks of near-disbelief on their faces.
Nearly five years of frustration finally came to an end.
Seniors Dimarko Shoulders and Octavian Brown scored two touchdowns apiece to rally the Chargers from an 11-point deficit to a 28-18 victory over Legacy, breaking Clark’s 42-game losing streak.
"Our kids are resilient and have done nothing but work, work, work and have had a lot of criticism," Clark coach Don Willis said, "but tonight made it all worth it."
"It’s like the greatest feeling in the world," said Shoulders, who rushed for 112 yards on eight carries, including a 52-yard insurance touchdown in the fourth quarter. "After losing 43 straight games, it’s like winning the Super Bowl."
Clark last won a football game Oct. 12, 2002, defeating Sierra Vista, 14-7. After the Longhorns seized an 18-7 lead, the Chargers didn’t appear poised to end the drought.
Devin Conway hauled in his second touchdown reception of the night on a 19-yard pass from Zach Monticelli with
6:59 left in the third quarter to put Legacy ahead by 11.
But the Chargers responded with a 67-yard scoring drive, capped by Brown’s 2-yard plunge into the end zone to make the score 18-14.
Brown then put the Chargers ahead to stay with a 55-yard touchdown run with 1:44 left in the third quarter. Brown took the ball on a wrap-around handoff from quarterback Anthony Lotta. Legacy’s linebackers, who were bearing down on Lotta, nearly blew up the play.
"I just wrapped up the ball and just kept thinking, ‘Don’t fumble,’ " said Brown, who finished with 105 yards on 14 carries. "We didn’t give up tonight. That’s what we did."
Clark made a key defensive adjustment in the second half, matching Shoulders against Conway. Conway hauled in four passes for 103 yards in the first half but was limited to two catches for 26 yards in the second.
"We put our best corner matched up on their best receiver, and it paid off for us," Willis said.
After Shoulders’ insurance TD put Clark up 10, he made an interception with 3:16 left.
"When I got that interception … I can’t even explain it," Shoulders said.
Said Willis: "For the seniors, I have to believe it is the greatest feeling in the world right now, because that is how I feel. I’ve won a lot of football games, but this one is really special.
"Gary Maki over at Rancho won (after losing 17 in a row), he said he felt like it was a gorilla off his back. I feel like we got an elephant off our back tonight."