Tigers win season opener over Adena

The McClain Tigers played almost a flawless first half when they built a 28-0 lead en route to a convincing 41-23 season-opening victory over Adena in Greenfield Friday night.

Senior Andrew Potts picked up right where he left off last year, scoring four rushing touchdowns to lead the Tiger offense. Kaden Penwell, another flashing and talented senior running back, scored the most impressive and exciting touchdown of the game with just seconds remaining in the second quarter when he caught a 25-yard pass from quarterback Drake Stapleton and broke several tackles, going another 25 yards to the end zone.

It was the icing on the cake to an exciting and energized first half by the Tigers.

“Andrew (Potts) and K.P. (Kaden Penwell) really gutted it out tonight,” McClain head coach Keith Penwell said after the game. “Those two guys are workhorses and played very well.

“Our offensive line made some nice holes for our backs to run through. Jayden (Allison), Cade (Sponcil) and Gunnar (Bode) are dogs out there, and I’m really proud of their effort too.”

McClain recovered a fumble on the Warriors’ first play of the game on the Adena 23-yard line and quickly scored two plays later on a Potts 6-yard run. Senior Seth Weller split the uprights on the PAT, and the Tigers led 7-0 less than two minutes into the contest.

The Tigers scored their second touchdown of the game at the 11:11 mark of the second period on another 3-yard run by Potts, and after Weller’s second successful conversion, it was 14-0 McClain.

Potts added his third touchdown of the night with 3:11 remaining before halftime on a 5-yard scamper, and Weller drilled his third PAT for a 21-0 lead.

Adena looked like they might score late in the second quarter when they drove down to the McClain 29-yard line, but the Tiger defense stepped up on a 4th-and-4 play, giving the ball back to the offense.

Both teams were guilty of a turnover down the stretch until McClain got the huge play from Penwell to end the half.

“I thought we did some really good things in the first half. Offensively, our kids executed for the most part and defensively, we were really solid,” Penwell said.

“Our special teams did a great job, and despite only having one starter, Cam Medley, in our defensive backfield. I thought Seth Weller, Eli Douglas and T.D. Matesic really did a nice job of filling in for Max Eikenberry and Riley Cummins, who were both still unable to play tonight.”

Adena scored on the first play of the third quarter on an electrifying 66-yard run by Terrelli Ward, and after Cody Watkins converted the PAT, the Tigers still led comfortably, 28-7.

McClain answered midway through the period on a 4-yard run by Potts, his fourth and final touchdown of the game, and it was 34-7 after the extra-point try failed.

The Warriors added their second score of the contest with just 26 seconds remaining in the third on a 5-yard run by sophomore Connor Gordon. Watkins added the conversion kick, and McClain’s lead was trimmed to 34-14 heading to the fourth.

On McClain’s first possession of the final period, Potts broke loose for what looked to be an unbelievable 66 yard TD run, but an illegal block in the back penalty by the Tigers nullified the play. But five plays later Penwell pulled off his second crowd-pleasing play of the night when he broke several tackles on his way to another impressive 27-yard touchdown run at the 8:40 mark, and the Tiger lead ballooned back to 41-14 after another successful Weller kick.

Adena scored two points after a bad snap on a punt sailed into the end zone for a safety and then added the last score of the game with just two minutes remaining when Gordon scored his second touchdown on a 10-yard run.

“I think we got a little tired at the end,” Penwell said. “I didn’t like that, but obviously that’s something we can work on and fix.”

McClain (1-0) will travel to Northwest next week for another non-conference game.

Stat leaders for McClain: Potts 24 carries for 114 yards, 4 TDs, 2 receptions for 33 yards; Penwell, 6 carries, 118 yards for 1 TD, 3 receptions for 63 yds, 1 TD; Stapleton, 8-for-17, 144 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT.