For as well as week one went, week two was the complete opposite. After the Malcolm football team won in dominating fashion in its season opener, a confident group of Clippers traveled to Yutan Sept. 4 and returned frustrated following a 42-13 loss.
The Chieftains wasted no time getting on the board as Brady Timm connected with Dillon Mahrt on a 32-yard touchdown strike less than 90 seconds into the game. Later in the quarter, Timm aired it out again and this time found Sam Petersen for a 20-yard touchdown.
“We had a number of guys not playing assignment football,” Malcolm head coach Scott Amen said. “It just takes one or two people not doing their job, and a good team with good speed will take advantage.”
The Clippers found the end zone late in the first frame when Malcolm Saltzman found an open Colby Sizemore and he took it to the house on a 68-yard touchdown pass.
“Malcolm throws a nice ball and usually sees the field well,” Amen said. “When guys run good routes and he has time to throw, good things happen.”
Saltzman struggled in the second quarter as he was picked off three times with each turnover turned into points for Yutan.
The first interception was converted into an Ethan Christensen 50-yard touchdown run. The second turnover was followed up by Timm connecting with Allan Leahy from 25 yards out. It was the third and final completion of the night for Timm, with all three being for touchdowns. After the third pick, Caden Egr closed out the half with a six-yard run to put Yutan up 36-7.
“Things unraveled in a hurry,” Amen said. “We saw some things in their defense we thought we could attack but we didn’t execute and bad things happened.”
Christensen got loose again in the third quarter for his second long run of the night, a 61-yard touchdown scamper.
The Clippers punched it in late in the game when Lucas Christensen scored from three yards out.
Saltzman finished the night with 80 passing yards. Gavin Zoucha was the Clippers’ leading rusher with 43 yards on nine carries.
After going for 166 yards in week one, Katon Thomas had an early end to his night when a severe ankle injury in the second quarter sent him to the hospital. The senior tailback had just 12 yards on five carries.
“That’s a tough loss as Katon has put up some good numbers,” Amen said. “He’s a hard runner with good speed.
“Our team seems to be getting younger and younger. I guess it’s time for the young guys to step up.”
Malcolm (1-1) will regroup and get ready to welcome Falls City (1-1) to town this week. Kickoff is set set for 7 p.m. Friday night.
“They run a unique double-wing style offense,” Amen said. “Our defense will have to be more disciplined this week and play assignment football if we want to stay in the game.”
