Carson Glenn against Woodruff earlier. (Monte Dutton photos)

GREENWOOD – The Class 3A football playoffs are a week away, and there was no need to get the Clinton Red Devils all tuckered out.

En route to 51-13 victory over Emerald, the Red Devils took full advantage of three Kadon Crawford rushing touchdowns and one via reception. Tashawan Richardson connected on 6/8 asses for 50 yards and three touchdowns.

Clinton head coach Corey Fountain was methodical.

“It’s all about coming out and executing the final regular-season game of the year,’ he said, getting momentum, knowing who you’re going to play next week. “You want to come out and play clean.

“We were rotating different personnel packages. They did a good job of doing that.”

Seven  Devils ran, four caught and no one punted. Clinton (8-2, 4-0 Region 4-3A) averaged 7.5 yards a play. Emerald (1-9, 1-3) was less than half that many (3.3). Clinton will face Palmetto because Powdersville beat the Mustangs. Emerald gets Powdersville because the Patriots beat Palmetto.

The champions of the four Upstate 3A regions are, numerically, Daniel, Belton-Honea Path, Chapman and Clinton.

Clinton(8-2, 4-0 Region 4-3A) returned the opening kickoff across the 30-yard line, and Richardson secured a first down on a third-down run. Away they went in no small hurry.

The Red Devils scored 14 points in the first quarter, nine in the second and 14 in the third. Clinton reserved a touchdown for the Vikings in the fourth quarter. The game took exactly two hours to play. Mainly it was a proving ground for both teams for opposite reasons.

Crawford put the Devils on the board first with a 35-yard run, and Lukas Kuykendall split the uprights with the evening’s first PAT. Emerald retreated on its first possession. Richardson hit Crawford again on a long pass. A penalty put Clinton at the 12., and Richardson hit Zay Johnson for the second score. Kuykendall’s kick made it 14-0.

Emerald penetrated Clinton territory and picked up its initial first down on its fourth possession.The Vikings got on the board early in the second quarter with a Warner Wright touchdown pass.

Resistance was thin, and  Crawford picked up a first down at the Emerald five and his seven-yard score, in tandem with Keegan Fortman’s extra point, extended the Devils’ edge to 21-7.

A runaway snap pushed the Clinton edge to 23-7. Javen Cook boosted it some more. The halftime score was 37-7.

The Red Devils are poised to enter the playoff refreshed.

The Red Devils compiled 13 first downs and allowed 10.  Clinton ran 32 plays. Emerald couphed up two fumbles succumbed to a turnover. Clinton scored seven touchdowns. Four were of 12 yards or more.

Lots of productive players dressed out for the Red Devils. Zane McLendon rushed for 28. D.J. Clark caught a 28-yard pass.

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The next Fiesta Grande open mic is Wednesday, Nov. 8, at 8 p.m.

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