by Jon M. Gambee

Martin bounced back from a devastating 60-0 defeat to state powerhouse Saugatuck last week to soundly defeat visiting Eau Claire 29-6 in a homecoming celebration. The victory was Martin’s third of the season, the most victories the team has had in one campaign since 2007 when the Clippers went 7-4.

The victory over Eau Claire was complete, as Martin ran up 272 total yards while holding the Beavers to 184. just 81 on the ground. Eau Claire had only 41 yards in the second half.

“We played with more intensity tonight, especially in the second half,” said Martin Coach Randy Hunt. “We fell going in that they would have trouble containing our veer offense and we were able to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball most of the night.*

The Clippers pounded the ball all night, running up 264 yards on the ground and just one eight-yard pass, but that one counted as Collin Warner threw a TD strike to Logan Elkins.

Martin took control of the game from the outset, scoring the game’s first points with 6:09 left to play in the first quarter when Luke VanPutten ran it in from 7 yards out, capping a nine-play 60-yard drive initiated by an interception by sophomore Robbie Martin, one of two interceptions on the night by the super soph. Alejandro Guevara’s extra point kick made it 7-0.

Martin would make it 13-0 before the quarter ended with Warner’s eight-yard pass to Eikins.

Eau Claire got on the board before the end of the first half when the Beavers took control of the football with fust 39.2 seconds left to play. They used eight plays to score with quarterback Brandon Reybuck finding Jakobe Young in the back corner of the end zone with just two seconds left on the clock. Mario Roldan’s extra point kick was blocked.

It did not take the Clippers long to put points on the board in the third quarter, as VanPutten took the kjckoff from his own five-yard line to the Eau Claire 34. Martin used only six plays to score with Payton Hunt taking It in from eight yards out. Warner kept it and ran in the two-point conversion to make it 21-6.

Martin capped the scoring on the first play of the fourth quarter when Cayden Curry scored from 14 yards out, capping a six-play, 50-yard drive. Warner again ran in the two-point conversion.

Hunt led all rushers on the night with 116 yards on 14 carries. Besides the two interceptions by Martin, the Clippers got an interception by Cayden Curry and a fumble recovery by his big brother ,Tanner, who was also crowned Homecoming King at halftime.

Martin is now 3-2 on the season, while Eau Claire fell to 0-5.

Next week, Martin will host Bloomingdale for parent’s night.

PHOTO: Homecoming queen Anna Dillenbeck and king Tanner Curry. (Photo courtesy of Jon Gambee)