Clear Creek Amana’s reload looks promising in season-opening shutout of Marion

TIFFIN — Next man up? Try 14.

After graduating 14 seniors from last year’s roster, including their leading passer, three leading rushers and two top receivers, there were questions as to who would step up for the 2022 Clear Creek Amana Clippers.

Consider those questions answered.

“These kids have been waiting for this opportunity since last season finished,” second-year Clear Creek Amana Coach Matt Haddy said. “They knew there were going to be opportunities to step in. I couldn’t be prouder of the way they’ve built themselves both as football players, and even more so as leaders. It’s really fun to watch those guys step out and take the reigns.”

Clear Creek Amana (1-0) pitched a shutout, defeating Marion (0-1), 26-0, Friday at home.

The new Clipper leaders controlled the game from the start, scoring on all three of their first-half possessions.

Junior running back Sam Pettinger found the end zone first from 6 yards out, capping an opening nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive that lasted 4:25.

Clipper senior quarterback Jackson Schmidt was next to find pay dirt, scoring an 11-yard touchdown to cap another nine-play drive early in the second quarter.

“Obviously when you lose a quarterback like Ben Swails, it’s hard to throw the ball as much as you can,” Pettinger said. “But when we have a new quarterback, Jackson Schmidt, who can run the ball like crazy, we can have a quarterback and running back that can run it down their throats.”

Petteringer bulldozed his way into the end zone for a 1-yard score with 2:25 left in the first, giving Clear Creek Amana a 20-0 halftime advantage.

“Running the ball, it’s physical,” Pettinger said. “It’s a mindset. You just have to realize that you can run the ball, you can run over anybody, you can hit anybody.”

Early in the third quarter, on a fourth-and-14 from Marion's 25, Schmidt found Reese Hoffman for a 25-yard TD. The completion capped an eight-play, 64-yard drive with 8:51 to go in the third.

Neither team scored in fourth.

“Everyone always has nerves coming into the first game season and I think all our guys did,” Schmidt said. “But once that first snap hit we were locked in and we were ready to go. I really put trust in my guys, and my guys put trust in me.”

“We’re really a punch-it-in-your-mouth team,” Schmidt said. “We want other teams to know that.”

Schmidt finished with 87 yards on 18 carries and a rushing TD. He completed 7 of 8 passes for 128 yards and a score.

Pettinger finished the game with 73 yards on 18 carries with two TDs.

The Clippers held Iowa commit Alex Mota in check as the senior receiver was targeted five times and hauled in two receptions for 26 yards.

“Our defensive coordinator, Ted Haag, is a college guy,” Haddy said. “He’s been phenomenal. He’s instilled a ton of confidence into our defensive players. You can see that they play with a little bit of an edge.

“They started gashing us a little bit in the running game. That’s based off our game plan coming in which was to stop Mota and stopping the outside game.”

Marion will host No. 9 Cedar Rapids Washington next Friday. Clear Creek Amana will travel to 3A No. 6 Independence.