Amboy defense steps up in second half of quarterfinal win over Martinsville

AMBOY – The first half of Amboy’s quarterfinal matchup with Martinsville in the Illinois 8-Man Football Association playoffs featured big plays, fast-paced action and high scoring.

The Clippers flipped the script in the second half as the defense locked down.

Amboy took control after the break on Saturday, holding the Bluestreaks scoreless in the second half of a 32-20 win. The fourth-seeded Clippers (10-1) advance to face top-seeded Pawnee (11-0) on the road next week. The Indians beat St. Anne 64-24 on Saturday.

In the first half, Amboy looked as if it would have its hands full against Martinsville quarterback Kaiden Simons.

Simons’ run on the Bluestreaks’ first play went to the end zone from 58 yards out. Not long after Simons scored his second touchdown, adding a 90-yard kick return touchdown in the second quarter.

But the Clippers always had an answer, despite the defense giving up some big plays early on. Amboy was coming off five straight blowout wins in which they scored 46 points or more while not giving up more than 14.

“We weren’t in the right mindset at the start of the game,” Amboy senior Brayden Klein said. “Coming off all these big-scoring games, we weren’t expecting a close game like this. But in the locker room we talked it over and we had to fix what we needed to do.”

The break helped the team refocus. And Klein’s 50-yard touchdown run with 5:05 left in the third quarter provided some breathing room. It turned out to be the only score of the second half.

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Martinsville’s Adam Parcel runs against Amboy’s Ed Fry Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in round two of the 8-man football playoffs. (Alex T. Paschal)

Amboy QB Eddie Jones hit Caleb Yanos for an 8-yard TD on his first throw of the game to make it 6-0 before the Bluestreaks scored on consecutive drives with Simons’ rushing scores.

Quinn Leffelman’s 4-yard TD run and an Ed Fry two-point rush gave Amboy the lead before a Jones rushing score put the Clippers up 20-12.

“We just regrouped and re-strategized at halftime,” Leffelman said. “[We] learned from our mistakes and keyed in on a few assignments and just did our jobs collectively.

“Sometimes you face adversity, it’s just how you respond. We faced adversity in the first half, we learned from it, and then took it to them.”

Simons’ 90-yard kick return just a play after Jones’ TD tied the game 20-all after an Adam Parcel two-point rush.

Not to be outdone, Jones hit Yanos for a 65-yard touchdown catch on Amboy’s first play of the ensuing drive to make it 26-20.

Jones completed three of his first four passes, finishing 3-of-8 for 90 yards and two scores to Yanos.

“When we’re just pounding the rock, they don’t know when the pass is coming,” Jones said. “And it’s always wide open.”

Klein led the team with 111 yards rushing and a TD on 12 carries; Josh McKendry had 100 yards on nine carries; Leffelman had 54 yards and a TD and Fry added 63 more yards on the ground for Amboy. All four players are seniors.

“The seniors are a special group,” Jones said. “We’re a special group. We hold each other accountable and we just get it done.”

Amboy had to overcome numerous penalties, including multiple on fourth down that extended Martinsville drives.

But turnovers and fourth down stops helped keep the Bluestreaks off the scoreboard.

Klein had an interception, Jones recovered a fumble, and Leffelman had a sack on fourth down in the fourth quarter to help preserve the second half shutout.

“With a close game like what we had, we needed those,” Klein said. “We needed to step up and the defense just needed to bring it together.”

Amboy held Simons to 5-of-13 passing for just 37 yards and Parcel had 75 yards on 24 carries. One nine-yard run was his longest rush in the game.

The Clippers will now have their biggest test yet if they want to defend their 8-man state title as they hit the road to No. 1 Pawnee next week.

“We’ve got to have a good week of practice and be ready to play,” Jones said. “Watch film, and study them.”

Leffelman said this year’s senior-led team has shown a lot of heart. The Clippers are back in the semifinals because of it.

“[At] Amboy, sometimes it’s a lot more than football. This whole town comes out and supports us,” he said. “These A’s mean a lot more than just a letter for us and I think the seniors really embrace that.”