The Clinton Dark Horses came up just short Friday night in a hard-fought 20–13 home loss to East Duplin’s Panthers, as turnovers and penalties proved costly in a game that went down to the wire. The defeat drops Clinton to 3–5 overall and 1–2 in East Central Conference play.
Clinton received the opening kickoff and tried to set the tone early, but East Duplin’s defense immediately made an impact. The Panthers’ Bryson Brown intercepted an early pass from quarterback Miles McCallop, halting the Horses’ first drive before it could build momentum.
Clinton’s defense returned the favor moments later when Terrious Green stepped in front of a pass to give the Horses the ball back. The Dark Horses began to find their rhythm behind the tough running of Gavin Miller, who powered through the line for several key first downs. Senior Nate Barden also made a statement defensively, dropping a Panther runner in the backfield for a loss that fired up the Clinton crowd.
Penalties, however, plagued Clinton’s progress and became a recurring theme throughout the night. A facemask call and a false start stalled a promising early drive, forcing the Horses to regroup after a scoreless first quarter.
Midway through the second quarter, the Dark Horses finally broke through. McCallop found Jonah Boone downfield for a 25-yard connection that placed Clinton deep in East Duplin territory. Moments later, McCallop kept the ball on a read-option and darted across the goal line to open the scoring.
Luke Mathis added the extra point, giving Clinton a 7–0 lead with 4:13 left before halftime. Clinton’s defense held firm the rest of the clock, highlighted by a swarm of tacklers that limited the Panthers’ run game and forced repeated punts.
At halftime, Clinton appeared to be in control, showing balance on offense and discipline on defense while playing some of its most complete football of the season.
East Duplin came out of the locker room with renewed energy and a clear plan to get its playmakers in space. Quarterback Brandon Norris connected with Aaron Hall on a perfectly timed screen pass, and Hall used his burst to weave through defenders for a touchdown that tied the game at 7–7 early in the third quarter.
Clinton responded with a steady, composed drive. McCallop and Miller worked the ground game, and Miller’s hard running paid off as he barreled in from a yard out to give the Horses back the lead. The extra point was blocked, but Clinton was back ahead 13–7 midway through the third.
East Duplin continued to apply pressure and found success behind the running of Shawn Davis, who powered his way into the end zone late in the quarter. The missed PAT left the score tied 13–13 as both teams headed into a tense fourth.
The final period turned into a defensive slugfest. Clinton’s front seven, led by Barden, Demarius Pugh, and Miller, continued to clog running lanes and force East Duplin into long-yardage situations. Both teams traded punts, and the clock ticked under five minutes before either side gained ground.
With just over three minutes to play, the turning point came. McCallop rolled to his left under pressure, looking to make a play, but his throw was intercepted by East Duplin’s Nickolas Davis. On the very next snap, running back DJ Davis broke through an arm tackle and sprinted down the right sideline for a stunning 40-yard touchdown. The extra point was good, putting the Panthers ahead 20–13 with 3:17 remaining.
Clinton’s Amir Wright delivered a strong kick return to set the Horses up near midfield, and McCallop kept the drive alive with a scrambling first down. But a late sack ended the final push as the clock expired on another one-possession defeat for the Dark Horses.
After the game, Clinton head coach Johnny Boykin reflected on the narrow loss and the ongoing challenge of closing out tight games.
“We just have to make the plays when they’re there,” he stressed.
“We’ve had opportunities, missed tackles, turnovers, penalties,” Boykin added. “Those are negative plays that change games. All of our losses except one have been one-possession losses. We just didn’t make the plays when we had the chance.”
Boykin said while the mistakes hurt, he continues to see growth and heart from his players.
“I think the defense had a better showing this week, but it still wasn’t good enough,” he attested. “We played hard, and so did they. We just came up short. I told the guys after the game that I’m proud of the effort, but at some point, we have to take advantage of those early chances.”
The veteran coach emphasized that execution in key moments remains the difference between winning and losing.
“We had two early drives deep that we didn’t finish,” Boykin said. “If we jump on a team like this early, it’s a different story. You can’t leave points on the field. Credit to East Duplin. They’re a good football team with a good coaching staff, and they got it done.”
Looking forward, Boykin said the team remains confident in its ability to bounce back.
“We’re a good football team,” he said. “We’re going to continue to improve and get better, because the effort is there. Players have to make plays when the moment comes, and I know this group will get there.”
East Duplin head coach Battle Holley said his team’s second-half adjustments and belief in each other made the difference.
“That’s what our defensive coaches stress,” Holley said. “We bend, but we don’t break. We let them get to the door, but we don’t let them in. It’s about playing with heart. Clinton has a great tradition, and we knew this was going to be a dogfight. They’ve gotten better every week. They’re big, physical, and well-coached.”
Holley explained that halftime adjustments helped turn the tide for the Panthers.
“If you look at us all year, the second half has been our time,” he said. “That’s on me to get them better prepared early, but we’ve made some good halftime changes. They were reading our guards, so we started using some false pulling. That opened up a couple of big plays, and Coach Charles saw that the backside screen was open. We hit it, and it changed the game.”
Holley praised his offensive backfield, particularly the combination of Aaron Hall and Shawn Davis, who have carried the offense all season.
“They’re both good kids, and they work hard,” he said. “They do what you ask of them, and they feed off each other. It’s a good competition between them. They block for each other and keep each other going.”
The coach also highlighted DJ Davis, whose interception and game-winning run sealed the victory.
“DJ’s a playmaker,” Holley said. “He had that pick, and we gave him the ball right after because he was feeling it. He loves football, and he plays with passion. When you have players like that, it makes coaching fun.”
Holley said his team’s focus is on continuing to grow together down the stretch.
“We call ourselves one family,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who scores or who gets the credit. We just want to win. Tonight, the ball bounced our way, but Clinton played a heck of a football game.”
The Dark Horses will now turn their focus to the Heide-Trask Titans as they look to regroup and make a late-season push in East Central Conference play. That game is Friday at Dark Horse Stadium. Game time 7 p.m.
At 3-5 overall and 1-2 in the league, Clinton’s path forward will depend on cleaning up mistakes and finishing drives, something Boykin believes his team is capable of achieving.
“We’re still right there,” Boykin said. “We’ve got the pieces. The effort’s there, the heart’s there. Now we just have to put it all together and finish.”