Chandler’s Clagg runs for 243 yards, four touchdowns
Senior Carson Clagg led a lethal running attack for Chandler Friday night, breaking loose for 243 yards and four touchdowns on just 12 carries.
As a team, the Lions rolled up 370 yards rushing and 552 yards of total offense, while holding Meeker to 78 yards rushing and 371 yards of total offense.
The victory left Chandler with a 4-1 record for the season and a 2-0 record in District 2A-2, where the Lions are tied for first place with Jones.
Meeker goes to 2-3 with the loss and is tied for third in the district with Luther, Bethel and Crossings Christian.
The Lions host Bethel Friday for Homecoming and the Bulldogs go to Kellyville.
Friday night was all about offense, with the two teams combining for more than 900 yards total offense and 85 points.
The show started less than four minutes into the game, with Chandler quarterback Alec Jackson hitting Cruz Jackson on what would have been a 45-yard touchdown runand- throw.
The Lions were flagged on the play, however, negating the score.
Meeker came back with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Treyvon Compton to Tanner Cody with 3:40 left in the first period.
The try for point failed, leaving Meeker up 6-0, and that’s when Chandler’s offense roared to life.
Clagg ran for a 16-yard score 1:21 in the first period, Alec Jackson ran for a 1-yard score and Clagg ran for touchdowns of 43 and 17 yards.
Chandler kicker Landon Miller was money on all four extra-point kicks, putting Meeker up 28-6.
Meeker answered with a 24-yard catch by Manny Saavedra just before halftime, sending the teams into the locker room at 28-14.
Early in the third quarter, Jackson hit Corbin Hollon for a 27-yard touchdown, Clagg added a 5-yard touchdown and Jackson connected with Ty Garver for a 19-yard score.
Miller’s PATs made it 49-14.
Saavedra added two more touchdowns, sandwiched around a 3-yard run by Chandler’s Cruz Jackson to wrap up the scoring.
“We let them score more than I wanted to,” Chandler coach Jack Gray said “We knew they had the ability to, because of their mobility and the plays they run.
“We had a lot of guys to cover, but we like to keep the score down.”
Chandler’s Hollon completed the Lions’ running game by catching five balls for 102 yards and a score.
He has emerged as a possession receiver and has had at least one big catch in each of the five games.
“He’s one that knows every position at receiver, so we can utilize him wherever we want,” Gray said. “He’s a good route runner, he has good hands and a good feel for the field. He just gets himself open.
“We like having him in there anywhere we can..”
Half-way through the regular season, the Lions are tied for first and have one game with a likely playoff team out of the way.
“That’s where we thought we’d be and what we wanted,” Gray said. “We’re not looking past anyone in our district.
“We’re in a tough district, and Meeker was one of the tough teams with a lot of good players.
“We want to keep winning and have that matchup down the line and win the district championship.
Quarterback Compton led Meeker’s offense with 318 passing.
He completed throws to seven receivers - Tanner Cody, Saavedra, Logan Devereaux,Kayde Massey, Aiden Hessman, Brayden Dowdle and Ajay Lynch.
Saavedra had seven of the catches for 122 yards and three touchdowns and Cody caught five balls for 54 yards.
Lynch was the workhorse of Meeker’s running game, carrying 24 times for 70 yards.
Defensively, Coniah Ritchie had a dozen tackles to lead Chandler. Clagg recorded 11 stops and Caleb Sawatski and Hunner Robinson had 10 apiece.
For Meeker, Saavedra had 10 and Andrew Norris had eight.