Bar none, this was the best game I’ve been to this season, and it wasn’t even close. That being said, the game itself was very close, as the two Jack Pine Conference foes, the Clare Pioneers and Shepherd Bluejays, went blow for blow for four quarters of Friday night.
Shepherd successfully defended home turf and staved off a letdown game, scoring a game-winning 5-yard touchdown with 58 seconds left to beat the Pioneers 34-28. The Bluejays were coming off one of the largest upsets in MHSAA football this season, beating Ogemaw Heights last week 14-13, and now they are in the thick of the Jack Pine Conference title race here in the final three weeks of the season.
Neither team led by more than 7 points at any point, and the lead changed hands four times. A fifth time almost happened as Clare drove to the Shepherd 14-yard line. But time ran out on Clare’s second attempt to the end zone, and the Bluejays held on. There was some debate on the field about whether the pass had fallen incomplete with time still on the clock, but it was determined that time had indeed run out.
It was another night of well-executed 90s-style power football for Shepherd. Their running back Ty Burns led the way offensively, shouldering the load for 158 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries. This included the game-winning score at the goal line.
Alex Evans added another score and had 40 rushing yards, but his night ended early with a knee injury that unfortunately may derail an impressive season for the junior running back. It also leaves Shepherd’s running back room perilously thin for the back half of the season.
That may lead to more opportunities for QB Mason Eisenberger, who delivered one of his best performances of the season through the air. Eisenberger completed 5 of 7 passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns, including an impressive throw and catch in the second quarter to Brady Robinson, who dropped in perfectly between the corner and safety. He threw the game-tying touchdown to tight end Charlie Robinson off a little pop pass that went 50 yards. The game-winning drive saw Eisenberger find Robinson again for a 35-yard completion to set them up at the goal line.
Defensively, Shepherd did just enough to get the win, forcing three turnovers in the first half and getting multiple fourth-quarter stops as well.
For Clare, Dane Alexander was once again the team’s highlight. He scored all four touchdowns for the Pioneers, going 7 of 12 passing for 96 yards and two touchdowns. Alexander also recorded 13 carries for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Mason Heintz had 100 yards rushing on 12 carries and recorded a receiving touchdown as well.
They now sit at 2-4 and are 1-3 in the Jack Pine Conference. Shepherd is 4-2, 2-2 in the Jack Pine Conference.
