The Clinton Dark Horses closed out Senior Night in style Thursday with a dominant 5–1 victory over visiting Jack Britt. The non-conference win capped an emotional evening as Clinton honored a senior class that has been the heart of its program for years.
The Dark Horses jumped out early, scoring three times in the first half and adding two more after the break while holding the Buccaneers to a single goal. Clinton’s attack was led by senior Holden Spell and sophomore Emilson Marcia, each finishing with two goals and one assist. Senior James Sinclair and junior Chris Zelaya also contributed a goal apiece, while all four shared in the assists that powered Clinton’s well-balanced performance.
With the victory, Clinton improved to 22-2 overall, while Jack Britt fell to 14-4. The win added another highlight to what has been one of the Dark Horses’ most successful regular seasons in recent memory.
Head coach Brad Spell said the night carried deep personal meaning.
“Everything went extremely well last night. I have to thank the parents who helped out with all the gifts and all they did for the kids,” Spell said. “It was special for me because I’ve seen all these kids growing up since they were probably five years old, playing soccer alongside my son. He’s a senior now, and we had 16 seniors plus a manager who’s been helping us the last three years. It was a blessing to get to play all my seniors last night. It was a great night and the right way to end it.”
Spell reflected on what it meant to close this chapter, both as a coach and a father.
“It was emotional because all my kids have now graduated through Clinton High School soccer,” he said. “That was the last thing left for me as a dad. I’m proud of all the guys and what they’ve accomplished in all their years of playing.”
The veteran coach admitted he held his emotions in check during the match, but the significance of the moment hit home later.
“Only a couple of things make me cry,” he said with a laugh. “I sit back and think a lot and do a lot of reminiscing. My wife shed a few tears, but I was all right with it because I knew it was coming. That’s just part of life.”
Looking ahead, Spell said the team is awaiting the release of the state playoff bracket, which is expected Sunday afternoon.
“We’ll have a bye in the first round, so we won’t play until next Thursday at home,” Spell said. “We’re pretty sure we’ll be the number two overall seed, and if we take care of what we need to do, we could play three rounds at home before the regional championship.”
As for potential opponents, Spell acknowledged that last year’s championship rival remains a team to watch.
“Southwestern Randolph earned that number one seed,” Spell said. “We defeated them in the state championship last year, so they’ve got a little fire to get us back. They’re an exceptional team, and if we get a chance to play them again, we’ll have to play our best.”
The win and the celebration served as a fitting send-off for Clinton’s 16 seniors, a group that has helped continue the Dark Horses’ legacy of success. With the state playoffs looming, Spell and his team hope Thursday’s performance was just the beginning of another memorable run.