The Martin Clippers continued their season on Saturday, as they went on the road. They travelled to Gobles, where they would face the Tigers in their second game in SWMFL-I action. For the third straight game, Martin’s offense exploded, capturing a 60-0 victory.
JR Hildebrand had another strong game on the ground. On just three carries, he logged 130 yards and three touchdowns. Karter Ribble turned his four carries into 86 yards and two touchdowns. Javan Lowe and Taegan Harris joined the scoring party with touchdown runs of 27 and 25 yards respectively.
It was the latest chapter of the rushing success for Martin. This 382-yard output pushes Martin’s season tally to 1,256 yards in three games. Their high-powered offense has now scored 178 points on the year.
The Clippers’ defense pitched their second shutout of 2021. They have allowed just 12 points in three games. Taegan Harris led the way with 6 tackles, while JR Hildebrand added 5. Charlie Martin and Tanner Bird each chipped in four tackles. Bryce Robinson, a sophomore, joined the scoring column with an interception return for a touchdown.
Head Coach Brad Blauvelt was pleased with the victory, stating that “it was another total team win, as everyone contributed in some fashion. I was happy with the way our team came out from the opening kickoff and asserted ourselves as the better team. I’m proud of the steps we are taking, but we still need to improve on some finer details and get better every day. We play Montabella this week and they look like they could be our toughest challenge thus far.”
Blanchard Montabella enters next week’s showdown with Martin with a 3-0 record. The Mustangs are in their first season in 8-Man Football, and they have outscored their opponents 140-24. They defeated Tri-Unity Christian 32-6, the same Defenders team that Martin bested 54-0.
As for Gobles, the Tigers slide to 1-2 on the year. They continue SWMFL-I play next week when they take on Fennville (0-3).
