Clayton stuns Cleveland as Comets snap Rams’ six-year conference win streak

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Clayton wide receiver TJ Campbell (4) celebrates after scoring the touchdown off the fourth down against Cleveland during the first half. Cleveland took on Clayton in a conference football game in Clayton, N.C. on October 31st in Clayton, N.C.

Steven Worthy

One can forgive Clayton High School’s football players and their families and friends if they celebrated a bit harder Friday night than they normally might after a win.

The win was, after all, eight years in the making.

Clayton’s defense led it to a 20-3 win over rival Cleveland on Friday, the Comets’ first win over the Rams in eight seasons. It was also Cleveland’s first regular-season loss to anyone after 61 consecutive wins, an incredible, six-season run that came to an end on a crisp, clean Halloween night — on a night when the football was anything but crisp and clean.

Though, forgive Clayton’s camp if it doesn’t care about the “how” as much as the result.

Clayton quarterback Aiden Smalls (2) runs on the sidelines against Cleveland's Kaleb Ferrell (0) and Porter Bennett (5) during the first half. The Cleveland Rams took on the Clayton Comets in a conference football game in Clayton, N.C. on October 31st in Clayton, N.C. — Clayton quarterback Aiden Smalls (2) runs on the sidelines against Cleveland’s Kaleb Ferrell (0) and Porter Bennett (5) during the first half. The Cleveland Rams took on the Clayton Comets in a conference football game in Clayton, N.C. on October 31st in Clayton, N.C. Steven Worthy

The win also gives Clayton bragging rights in the new Greater Neuse River 7A conference. The Comets and Rams finished with identical 5-1 conference marks, though Clayton has the tiebreaker. Both teams should be well-seeded when NCHSAA playoff pairings are announced Sunday.

It was a stunning loss for the Rams, who hadn’t really been in any tight games prior to Friday night. Cleveland was averaging 48.2 points per game on offense and had an average winning margin of 32.9 points in nine games, the closest among them a 14-point win over South Garner on Sept. 26.

But with playoffs looming, a road trip to archrival Clayton provided Cleveland the kind of gritty, defensive, emotionally charged football it’s likely to face in the postseason.

Getting defensive from the jump

Clayton scored the lone touchdown of the opening quarter on a 62-yard pass play from Aiden Smalls to Parker Ferguson, getting the Comets on the board first, and putting the Rams in an unfamiliar position: playing from behind.

The Comets had a chance to go ahead by two scores early in the second, after driving to the Cleveland 7-yard line, but missed the field goal on fourth down to turn the ball over.

Cleveland running back Crishard Pettaway (7) is tackled by Clayton free safety Tashaun Walker (3) during the first half. The Cleveland Rams took on the Clayton Comets in a conference football game in Clayton, N.C. on October 31st in Clayton, N.C. Steven Worthy

On the ensuing drive, Cleveland drove quickly into the red zone. The Rams also stalled, but a Brody Barnes field goal put the Rams on the board and closed the gap to 7-3. That was as close as the game would get.

Clayton, though, then went three-and-out and gave the ball back to Cleveland, which again marched deep into Clayton territory, this time getting as far as the Comets’ 3-yard line. On a fourth-and-3, the Rams tried to jam it into the end zone and failed, turning the ball back over to Clayton on downs and effectively ending the opening half.

Clayton opened the second half with a third-quarter touchdown, and added another with an extra point in the fourth to put the game away, even forcing Cleveland to try a new quarterback with about eight minutes to play as the Rams tried to find a spark.