Clinton’s postseason run came to an end Friday night as the T.W. Andrews Red Raiders controlled the opening rounds of their home playoff matchup, defeating the Dark Horses 36-17. The loss halted Clinton’s momentum and closed the book on a season defined by youthful growth, new systems, and flashes of real potential.
The box score told the story of an uphill battle. Andrews jumped ahead 8-0 in the first quarter, then added 14 more before halftime to take a 22-3 lead at the break. Clinton answered in the second half with a pair of scoring drives, but Andrews’ early separation proved too much to overcome.
Clinton head coach Johnny Boykin said the outcome stung, not simply because of the exit, but because he believed the Dark Horses did not execute at the level in which they are capable of executing.
“We left a little disappointed with the outcome and our play,” Boykin stressed in a phone interview Monday. “But I can’t fault the kids’ effort. They did what they needed to do to the best of their ability. We were obviously disappointed leaving the game to say the least.”
Watching the early stages, the Dark Horses never appeared fully settled. Boykin said it wasn’t nerves, but execution and matchup issues that set them back.
“We felt good going in — felt good about our plan, and felt good about what we could do offensively,” Boykin explained. “They had a good plan against us. They played a lot of man coverage; we couldn’t get our receivers loose, and they stacked the box. They were able to put multiple people up front and gave us trouble with our run game. We couldn’t get our quarterback going in the pass game because of that.”
Defensively, speed was the challenge.
“We just had a little trouble with their speed,” Boykin continued. “We didn’t make the plays we normally make. (We) missed tackles, and we dropped four interceptions in a game, which could’ve been difference-makers for us.”
T.W. Andrews capitalized on nearly every missed opportunity, expanding their lead with two key scoring drives in the third quarter.
“This game is about opportunities,” Boykin said. “They had a good plan, and they deserved to win.”
Despite the deficit, Clinton came out of halftime with renewed energy. The Horses scored 14 points over the final two periods, finding more rhythm offensively and showing the fight that carried them throughout the season.
Clinton’s improvement after the break, the Dark Horse coach said, reflected the team’s character — but also their youth.
“We’re starting seven sophomores in very key physical positions,” Boykin noted. “We just got to get stronger. I think that really showed up in the game.”
While the loss was painful, the broader picture for Clinton remains promising.
“This is the first year our kids played in this offensive system and defensive system,” Boykin said. “Although this is my second year, the staff is brand new, so this was the first year with this staff, and there are things that’ll come together and be a lot smoother this time next year.”
Boykin said that strength, maturity, and comfort within the system will define Clinton’s offseason.
“We’ve just got to get in the weight room, get the offseason going, and take another step,” he said. “Just get a little better.”
With the season freshly concluded, Boykin acknowledged that it will take a moment to decompress before fully assessing the next phase.
“It’s kind of hard to say right now, being a couple of days removed from it,” Boykin said about next steps. “We have our end-of-the-season meetings with the kids today (Monday), position evaluations with the coaches this week, and then I’ll have time to reflect on where we are and what we need to do. I need to get away from it a little bit.”
Even with the challenges, he expressed gratitude and optimism.
Clinton closes the season with a playoff appearance, a foundation of young talent, and a second year of system-building under Boykin. While Friday night wasn’t the ending they hoped for, the experience now becomes fuel for 2026, a year the Dark Horses believe can look very different.