Center Point-Urbana handles elements, Clear Creek Amana

TIFFIN - Mother Nature was the winner Friday night.

But in the football game at Clipper field, Center Point-Urbana combined a stout defense and a surprisingly effective passing game in the rain to defeat Clear Creek Amana, 17-10.

The game was played in constant rain and included an hour and 15 minute lightning delay at halftime with CPU ahead 10-3.

The Stormin' Pointers put the game away with a fourth-quarter touchdown set up by a nice punt return by Jo Jo Frost to the CCA 39. The Pointers bludgeoned the Clipper defense and drove the rest of the way on the ground behind Trevor Franzenburg and Sam Gosnell.

Center Point-Urbana's passing game produced three deep drives into Clear Creek-Amana territory in the first half. Quarterback Clayton Kramer completed 10 of 12 passes for 170 yards. That was the primary mode of transportation for the Stormin' Pointers despite the constant rain, and it was effective.

Mitch Sullivan caught four passes for 112 yards, including a 53-yarder on a play-action pass to start the game and a 37-yard bomb that set up a field goal.

The Stormin' Pointers were held to 10 points on those drives, as the Clippers recovered a fumble on their own 7 to stop the first drive and forced a field-goal attempt on a second drive. In between, though, Frost scored on an 8-yard weave through the defense to give CPU a 7-3 lead.

After recovering the CPU fumble, Clear Creek Amana drove 91 yards and got a 21-yard field goal from Tyreke Williams to take a 3-0 lead with 5:46 left in the first quarter. The key play in the drive came on third-and-18 from its own 32. Drake Brezina connected with Jared Eckrich on a screen pass for 43 yards as the Clippers caught CPU in a blitz.