The Ontario Warriors just pulled off a massive 17-7 Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference victory over the Clear Fork Colts in what was a brutal battle of unbeatens, but the real story is how two specific players absolutely *demanded* the moment. This wasn’t just a win, it was a statement about true grit when everything was on the line.
Brown’s Bold Play Call Changes Everything
Imagine this: The Warriors are up 14-7, staring down a long third-down play, and the coach, Aaron Eckert, is deep in thought about what to do next. The tension must have been absolutely unreal. But before Eckert could even fully decide, junior Cardae Brown piped up with an incredible show of confidence. Eckert later said, and get this, Brown came straight to him and said, “put him on a post and lets go win this game!” As a coach, you just have to listen when a player makes a call like that.
Brown, who Eckert called a “tremendous athlete who will have opportunities to play beyond high school,” then went out and backed it up completely. Quarterback Gavin Miller found him on a 32-yard catch, pulling it down “over two guys.” That play converted the down, allowed the Warriors to burn crucial time off the clock, and Eckert straight up called it “the game-winning play.” Talk about clutch. The kid saw the moment and seized it, right there and then.
The Sophomore Kicker With Ice In His Veins
Just when you thought the drama couldn’t get any higher, the Warriors needed to seal the deal. With 34.8 seconds left on the clock, facing a fourth-and-3 from the Clear Fork 11-yard line, Coach Eckert made the gutsy call. He took a timeout and the very first words out of his mouth were for the field goal unit. This wasn’t some everyday situation for sophomore Jaxon Craze, who was in as starting kicker after an ACL injury sidelined All-Ohio kicker Cooper Kilgore for the season.
Eckert didn’t hesitate though, showing immense trust in Craze. “The kid has grown so much since the start of the season,” Eckert said, adding that Craze “embraced his opportunity” when Kilgore went down and “excelled in practice.” He put it best: “He had ice in his veins.” Craze himself admitted his “head was rattling,” but he settled down, trusted his instincts, his coaches, and the technique Coach Harris taught him. He credited “the lord above” for the opportunity. With 30.4 seconds left, Craze nailed that 34-yard field goal, icing the game at 17-7. What a moment for a sophomore stepping into such huge shoes!
The Ontario Warriors are still perfect, thanks to pure guts and composure. With that win against Clear Fork, they just kept their unbeaten streak alive, and you know every team in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference is looking at them different now. It’s going to be a wild ride watching this team continue their season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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