BETHALTO — Civic Memorial got redemption Friday night in Bethalto, beating Newton 36-26 after losing to the Eagles on the road last year.
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CM struck immediately after receiving the opening kickoff. On the next play, quarterback Luke Clouser threw a 76-yard touchdown pass to Grady Farrell. The extra point was good, giving Civic Memorial a 7-0 lead.
“Farrell is a playmaker when Clouser is throwing it, and he knows he can put it in one spot to give Farrell a chance; he will come down with it,” CM coach Nick Smith said.
Newton answered when Eli Wolf threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Quincy Fulton, tying the game at 7-7. With 6:44 left in the first quarter, Wolf connected with Fulton again, this time for a 37-yard touchdown. Newton missed the extra point, taking a 13-7 lead.
Newton Eagles at Civic Memorial Eagles Football
Civic Memorial responded with 3:40 remaining in the first quarter when Braden Rayner scored on a 2-yard run to give CM a 14-13 lead.
CM controlled the second quarter. Reed Wallace kicked a 43-yard field goal to extend the lead to 17-13, and Clouser later found Farrell for a 16-yard touchdown, Farrell’s second score of the game. Civic Memorial led 23-13 at halftime.
Newton cut the deficit in the third quarter when Fulton scored his third touchdown of the night on a 2-yard run, making it 23-20.
CM answered with a 27-yard touchdown catch by Lukus Zangori. The extra point was no good, extending the lead to 29-20.
“Zangori is a great kid; this is his first year playing football, and he gets a touchdown. When he decided to play, he told me coach im all in either offense or defence and he came out with a good game,” Smith said.
Newton made it 29-26 in the fourth quarter on an 80-yard touchdown catch by Maddox Horner. The extra point was no good.
With 1:28 left, Clouser threw to Farrell in double coverage, and Farrell came down with a 26-yard touchdown catch, his third touchdown of the game, to put the game out of reach.
